Anti-Israel protesters burn diplomas outside Columbia graduation
(JNS) — Some anti-Israel Columbia University graduates torched their newly received, symbolic diplomas outside of the Ivy League school’s commencement ceremony, the New York Post reported on Wednesday.
Inside the graduation on Wednesday morning, protesting anti-Israel students disrupted Columbia President Claire Shipman’s address by shouting “free Palestine,” while graduates holding signs accusing Israel of war crimes burned their diplomas outside the ceremony, according to the New York Post.
The New York City Police Department told JNS that it responded to a protest at about 10:20 a.m. near West 116th Street and Broadway, which involved some 65 participants.
Michigan State pays $35K to settle lawsuit over use of Hitler photo on Jumbotron
(JTA) — Shortly after Oct. 7, Michigan State University caused an uproar when the school displayed an image of Hitler on the Jumbotron during a highly anticipated football game.
Now, the university is paying $35,000 to the YouTube quiz company from which the image of Hitler was taken.
The payment settles a lawsuit brought against MSU by Floris van Pallandt, owner of The Quiz Channel, for unauthorized use of the channel’s content. A staffer at the university projected the Hitler image, along with a trivia question about what year the Nazi leader was born, during the school’s rivalry game against the University of Michigan.
NYC mayoral candidate claimed state paid for politicians to go to Israel
(JNS) — A resurfaced video shows New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a member of the state assembly, saying New York tax dollars were used to fund trips to Israel for state politicians — a claim critics say fuels antisemitic narratives, the New York Post reported.
Speaking at a protest on May 11, 2021, Mamdani said that New York state politicians visit Israel “paid for by your tax dollars” and expressed support for the movement to boycott Israel, per the Post.
Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, told JNS that Mamdani’s comments in the video, which resurfaced on Sunday, are misleading.
1 in 4 American Jewish adults in the United States consult astrology, survey says
(JTA) — Over a quarter of Jewish adults in the United States say they consult astrology or a horoscope at least once or twice a year, according to a new study.
The study by the Pew Research Center survey, published Wednesday, surveyed U.S. opinion on astrology, tarot cards and fortune tellers. It found that 18% of American Jews believe in astrology compared to 27% of the overall population.
The Pew survey found that 11% of Jews say they consult tarot cards at least once or twice a year, and 4% say they consult a fortune teller at least once or twice a year.
The survey was conducted from Oct. 21 to Oct. 27, 2024, and included 9,593 total respondents, including 388 Jews.
