What’s Next for Netanyahu?

Now that Israel is headed for new elections, everyone’s eyes are on Netanyahu waiting to see what his next moves will be.

It looks like this is not only Benjamin Netanyahu’s last chance to be elected prime minister. It’s also his last opportunity to prove he is capable of being a mensch.

In reality, the months without Netanyahu in power were an illusion. He was the force that created Bennett’s government; his parliamentary ploy brought it down. He will, again, be the main issue in the election.

Behind the scenes [.] he is working on a legislative shortcut that would allow him to form a new government without elections. Either way, Israel’s most famous living politician who has had a back seat role for the last year, is now back in the limelight.

What’s the Purpose of Biden’s Middle East Trip?

President Biden will travel to the Middle East on July 13th to meet with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Palestinian territories.

The most obvious and urgent task for Biden with the Saudis is to convince them to start pumping more oil.

Biden’s disinterest in widening the circle of peace is painfully obvious. His priority is keeping Israel and the Saudis from taking any actions that will undermine his hopes of a new deal with Iran…

During Biden’s upcoming visit, he plans to form a regional defense alliance at a regional conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The coalition will include the United States, Israel and a host of Arab countries…

Does the BDS Map Pose a Threat to Jews?

Boston’s BDS mapping project has been criticized as antisemitic and has even been disavowed by the main BDS organization. In addition to charges of antisemitism, the map has been called out for potentially inciting and facilitating violence against Jews.

Understandably, Boston area Jewish leaders who have been specifically named on the map are nervous that they could be targets of further acts of hate and even violence.

It is clear that the “Mapping Project” is, in fact, a call for dangerous, even violent action.

Other groups can be targeted by people corrupted with antisemitic ideas. In the case of Buffalo, the shooter cited the antisemitic Great Replacement Theory as a motivating factor.

Is the SCOTUS Religion Ruling Good for the Jews?

The Supreme Court ruled that school vouchers in Maine can be used in religious schools. Is this ruling good for the Jews? More at AP.

An advocacy coalition including Orthodox Jews, Catholics, Evangelicals, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, Sikhs, Muslims and so many more allies are responsible for today’s victory. All faith communities understand that religious liberty must be afforded to every faith community if it is to be available for any.

If you, like me, were hoping for big subsidies for parents who need help paying for Jewish education, it sounds like that day has not yet arrived.

… as new protections for religious liberty are allowed to swallow up other freedoms, the vexing question of religious liberty for whom is never fully addressed.

What Does LGBT Life Look Like in Israel?

Early this week, the Roundtable ran a piece in honor of Pride Month on the intersection of LGBT identity and Jewishness. Now, check out these takes on the intersection of LGBT identity and Israeliness:

As a gay Jew watching Tel Aviv Pride this month, the fact that the largest Pride celebration in the Middle East (and one of the largest in the Asia) takes place in Israel makes me incredibly proud. Although people associate the Middle East with oppressive homophobia, Israel is the exception.

Now, if you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community and the first thing that you associate Israel with is religion, clearly you’re not going to think that it’s the best place to celebrate Pride Week. But that’s the thing about Israel, isn’t it? It surprises you, in so many ways.

LGBT Palestinians fleeing persecution in the West Bank will be allowed to work in the country, ending years being allowed to reside in Israel but little else, the Israeli government told the High Court on Sunday night.

Why Did Dave Chappelle Take His Name Off a DC School Theater?

After the backlash following his last comedy special, Dave Chappelle declined having the theater at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in DC named after him. He made this announcement at the very ceremony celebrating the naming.

So what we heard in the new Duke Ellington School Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression was neither a retreat nor an apology. It was a gesture of defiance, looking ahead to the time when the gesture will be redeemed. Chappelle to critics: The joke’s on you.

Chappelle said he opted not to reject, but rather “defer” the renaming of his school’s theater in order to emphasize “the nuance of art” as well as “my right, my freedom of artistic expression” by instead renaming it the Theater of Artistic Freedom & Expression…

Chappelle, one of the school’s most famous graduates, told the audience Monday that while he thought the backlash against him lacked nuance and wasn’t about his work, he didn’t want a theater bearing his name to distract from students focusing on the meaning of their art.

Today’s Hot Issues

What’s Next for Netanyahu? What’s the Purpose of Biden’s Middle East Trip? Does the BDS Map Pose a Threat to Jews? Is the SCOTUS Religion Ruling Good for the Jews? What Does LGBT Life Look Like in Israel? Why Did Dave Chappelle Take His Name Off a DC School Theater?