The JC - Jewish News, Comment & Culture

Natalie Portman is pregnant with her third child (Image: Getty Images)

1 min read

Israeli schoolchildren line up for class (Image: Getty Images)

Ceasefire

Israeli schools fully reopen nationwide after nearly two months of closures

By Jamie Shapiro

1 min read

Synagogues

Attempted arson attack at Kenton United Synagogue in northwest London

CST has said there were no injuries but some minor smoke damage to shul in latest of string of incidents targeting Jewish community

By Jamie Shapiro

3 min read

Versailles Court of Appeal (Getty Images)

France

French appeals court rules nanny who tried to poison Jewish children is not antisemitic

By Jacob Jaffa

1 min read

Saima Akhtar was an inclusion and diversity coordinator at the multi-academy trust which runs Bristol Brunel Academy

Education

School that blocked Jewish MP’s visit sacks diversity lead after Hamas ‘heroes’ post

By Jane Prinsley

3 min read

Iran

Teen and two men charged over Iran International firebomb attack

By Jacob Jaffa

2 min read

Exclusive interview: Mayim Bialik’s next big bang

Greens set up support group for candidates facing antisemitism ‘smears’

Former EY employee sues consulting giant over firing after viral Gaza speech

‘Godfather of denim’ Adriano Goldschmied dies aged 82

For many Israelis, ceasefire feels less like safety than psychological strain

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Donald Trump

Trump Middle East policy not driven by Israel, insists Hegseth

‘President Trump makes his own decisions about the interests of this country and defending our interests’

By Melanie Swan

1 min read

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 16, 2026 (Getty Images)

US Politics

Senate votes down Sanders’ bid to block bulldozer and arms sales to Israel

The veteran Vermont senator’s motion fell by a margin of 59-40, but was backed by three-quarters of Senate Democrats

By Andrew Bernard

1 min read

US Senator Bernie Sanders speaks during a 'Tax the Rich' rally at Lehman College in the Bronx borough of New York City on March 29, 2026 (Getty Images)

Animal welfare

Vegan US rabbi announces £7,000 grant for UK shuls who explore plant-based lifestyle

The Synagogue Vegan Challenge is open for applications from UK communities for the first time

By Ben Conway

3 min read

Iran

‘Not the agreement we have’: Trump cautions Iran over Hormuz tolls

The US president guaranteed oil would be allowed through the vital shipping line after striking a ceasefire deal with Tehran

By Jacob Jaffa

1 min read

US President Trump speaks about the conflict in Iran in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 6, 2026 (Getty Images)

World news

Sergeant First Class (res.) Lidor Porat, 31, was killed in southern Lebanon (IDF)

Israel

IDF reservist killed in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah explosive device detonates

By JC Reporter

1 min read

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C) speaks during a meeting with Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad (2R) and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter (2L) at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026 (Getty Images)

Ceasefire

Trump announces Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire

By Jamie Shapiro

1 min read

Konrad Berkowicz holding the flag (Image: YouTube/ TRTWorld)

Poland

Far-right Polish politician holds up Israeli flag with swastika on same day as March of the Living

By Jamie Shapiro

1 min read

Iran

Boastful Iranian leaders signal ever more hardline views as regime insiders tell JC that IRGC is in control

By Ali Hamedani

3 min read

(L-R) Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Lebanese Prime Minister Aoun (Getty Images)

Lebanon

Leaders of Israel and Lebanon to hold talks for first time since 1993

By Melanie Swan

1 min read

Left Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam, right former-Israeli President Chaim Herzog, background Herzog Park (Lord Mayor of Dublin, Getty Images, Google)

Ireland

Lord Mayor of Dublin apologises for scrapped plan to rename Herzog Park

By Jamie Shapiro

2 min read

France

Last week the UK announced it would not permit West to enter the country this summer (Image: Getty)

Kanye West postpones Marseille gig indefinitely as officials ‘very determined’ to prevent show

Mayor Benoit Payan said he would not let city “be a showcase for those who promote hatred and unapologetic Nazism”

By Jamie Shapiro

2 min read

From Lebanon and Iran to Gaza, three sets of talks to define Israel’s future Unearthed papers reveal how Austria’s Nazi judges went back to work after 1945

UK News

Eurovision

Helen Mirren and Sharon Osbourne among the stars welcoming Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision

Heeding calls for a boycott would have been ‘inversion of justice’ says letter signed by more a thousand members of entertainment industry

By JC Reporter

2 min read

Israel's Yuval Raphael sings in the Eurovision final in Switzerland last year (Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)

Israeli embassy

London park near Israeli embassy reopens after suspicious items prove to be non-hazardous

Kensington Gardens had been closed following claims of drone attack with ‘dangerous substance’

By Jamie Shapiro

1 min read

A Metropolitan Police van in Kensington Gardens (Image: Getty Images)

Hendon

Counter-terror police lead investigation after Jewish charity office in Hendon targeted

Failed arson attack was on building used by education organisation Jewish Futures

By Jamie Shapiro

2 min read

Police tape cordons off office in Hendon formerly used by Jewish Futures after arson attack (Getty)

Lira Winston Fellowships

Claudia Winkleman: ‘My parents and children have taught me everything I know’

The Traitors’ host gave her own ‘Lessons in Leadership’ to mark the graduation of the first cohort of Lira Winston Fellows

By Gaby Wine

6 min read

Claudia Winkleman and Ben Winston (Photo: Gaby Ekaireb/@gabsek)

Opinion

The image that made Hungarian Jews breathe a sigh of relief

Péter Magyar, Hungary’s prime minister elect, wore a kippah as he paid tribute to Shoah victims – but Orbán will be missed in Jerusalem

By Adam Lebor

4 min read

Hungary's Prime minister-elect Peter Magyar places stones in front of the memorial of Hungarian victims at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Budapest, Hungary on April 16, 2026 (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP via Getty Images)

By Miranda Levy

‘Zaftig’ is a state of mind – at least it is since I discovered weight-loss jabs

Why should a person’s weight (and the way they decide to lose it) become a moral issue – ‘cheating’ even?

4 min read

By Lord Pickles

The Holocaust began with words and then ordinary people normalising hate – the same pattern we see today

This is the full text of a speech delivered by Lord Eric Pickles at Northwood and Ruislip Synagogue on Yom Hashoah, April 14, 2026

13 min read

By Vivian Bercovici

In Carney’s Canada, the law protects antisemites, not Jews

Rather than confronting the violence and incitement on Toronto’s streets, police treat the very regular hate-fests as a spectator sport

5 min read

By David Bennun

The Kanye West affair isn’t as bad as it seems –it’s much, much worse

It is a curious irony that of only one people on Earth is it demanded they must at all times behave with perfect Christian charity – and that is the Jews

3 min read

By Arsen Ostrovsky

Amid rising antisemitism, the unbreakable solidarity between Jews worldwide

From Manchester to Sydney, from London to Melbourne, our communities increasingly find themselves bound not only by shared heritage and faith, but by a shared vulnerability

5 min read

By Dominic Green

Trump disowned ‘kooky’ Tucker Carlson – only for the BBC to leap into the gutter for the conspiracist

A democracy can survive admitting a clown like Kanye West into the circus at Finsbury Park. But it loses its moral compass when its chief broadcaster airs a hateful fake on one of its main political shows

3 min read

Life

What made Osip Mandelshtam tick?

By David Herman

1 min read

Artwork

When art imitates life

The JC speaks to Emma Gurner, an interior designer-turned-painter ahead of an exhibition of her work

By Gaby Wine

2 min read

Dance

A nice Jewish boy in the circus

South African-born Yaron Lifschitz brings Australia’s leading troupe of acrobats to the UK

By Joy Sable

4 min read

Aliyah

I’m backing my future here. I have faith in Britain

I understand that Jewish fears are high, but I believe our country can turn itself round and get tougher on extremism

By Naomi Greenaway

4 min read

Good old Blighty: the reassuringly English village of Great Budworth in Cheshire

Film

The Drama review: Zendaya and Robert find love in a very dark climate ★★★

Not since Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell in Four Weddings has the combination of floppy-haired British charm and American cool generated such chemistry

By John Nathan

2 min read

Past indiscretion: Robert Pattinson and Zendaya

JC recipes

Brunch

Wholemeal toast with hazelnut cocoa butter and baked apples

By Luigi Fontana

Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Coconut and lime are a match made in tropical heaven (Picture: Inbal Bar-Oz and Leyla Freedman)

Passover bakes

Pesach coconut and lime cake

By Sarah Mann-Yeager

Cook time: 70-90 minutes

Tu Bishvat

Spiced nuts, olives and raisins on hummus

By Georgia Freedman

1 min read

Cake

Prize-winning banana and chocolate cake

By Suzy Pelta

Cook time: 45-55 minutes

The Jewish Chronicle

Natalie Portman pregnant with third child aged 44: ‘I feel lucky and grateful’

Israeli schools fully reopen nationwide after nearly two months of closures

Attempted arson attack at Kenton United Synagogue in northwest London

French appeals court rules nanny who tried to poison Jewish children is not antisemitic

School that blocked Jewish MP’s visit sacks diversity lead after Hamas ‘heroes’ post

Teen and two men charged over Iran International firebomb attack

Editor's Picks

Exclusive interview: Mayim Bialik’s next big bang

Greens set up support group for candidates facing antisemitism ‘smears’

Former EY employee sues consulting giant over firing after viral Gaza speech

‘Godfather of denim’ Adriano Goldschmied dies aged 82

For many Israelis, ceasefire feels less like safety than psychological strain

Insights Delivered Daily

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The Daily

Editor’s Picks

The Israel Briefing

Community Matters

Support the world’s oldest Jewish newspaper

Trump Middle East policy not driven by Israel, insists Hegseth

Senate votes down Sanders’ bid to block bulldozer and arms sales to Israel

Vegan US rabbi announces £7,000 grant for UK shuls who explore plant-based lifestyle

‘Not the agreement we have’: Trump cautions Iran over Hormuz tolls

World news

IDF reservist killed in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah explosive device detonates

Trump announces Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire

Far-right Polish politician holds up Israeli flag with swastika on same day as March of the Living

Boastful Iranian leaders signal ever more hardline views as regime insiders tell JC that IRGC is in control

Leaders of Israel and Lebanon to hold talks for first time since 1993

Lord Mayor of Dublin apologises for scrapped plan to rename Herzog Park

Kanye West postpones Marseille gig indefinitely as officials ‘very determined’ to prevent show

UK News

Helen Mirren and Sharon Osbourne among the stars welcoming Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision

London park near Israeli embassy reopens after suspicious items prove to be non-hazardous

Counter-terror police lead investigation after Jewish charity office in Hendon targeted

Claudia Winkleman: ‘My parents and children have taught me everything I know’

Opinion

The image that made Hungarian Jews breathe a sigh of relief

‘Zaftig’ is a state of mind – at least it is since I discovered weight-loss jabs

The Holocaust began with words and then ordinary people normalising hate – the same pattern we see today

In Carney’s Canada, the law protects antisemites, not Jews

The Kanye West affair isn’t as bad as it seems –it’s much, much worse

Amid rising antisemitism, the unbreakable solidarity between Jews worldwide

Trump disowned ‘kooky’ Tucker Carlson – only for the BBC to leap into the gutter for the conspiracist

Life

What made Osip Mandelshtam tick?

When art imitates life

A nice Jewish boy in the circus

I’m backing my future here. I have faith in Britain

The Drama review: Zendaya and Robert find love in a very dark climate ★★★

JC recipes

Wholemeal toast with hazelnut cocoa butter and baked apples

Pesach coconut and lime cake

Spiced nuts, olives and raisins on hummus

Prize-winning banana and chocolate cake