The JC - Jewish News, Comment & Culture

ISRAEL AT WAR

Iran’s war across Europe –complacency must finally end

The diplomatic leverage that once gave the Islamic Republic reason to calibrate – to keep its plots below the threshold of open confrontation – no longer applies

6 min read

IRGC parade in Tehran on January 10, 2025. (Image: Getty)

Watch: IDF releases bodycam footage of Lebanon operation

Defence Minister Israel Katz suggested that Israel could occupy Lebanese territory if its government does not address the threat posed by Hezbollah

By Jacob Jaffa

1 min read

A still from IDF bodycam footage capturing operations in southern Lebanon (IDF)

By Marnie Riches

No Jews, no news: why the glitterati ignored Iran’s slaughtered protesters

Of course they’d keep shtum! And given their reverence for Hamas’ “resistance” efforts, they were hardly going to celebrate when Hamas’ paymaster was killed

3 min read

An Iranian woman in Ontario, Canada, lights her cigarette with a flaming picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on January 8, 2026 (Image: Getty)

Lord Blunkett looks back to lessons after 9/11 in calling for clampdown on Iran influence in UK

Former Home Secretary urges Britain to overcome “historical reluctance” to confront extremism

By Jane Prinsley

4 min read

David Blunkett delivers a speech in 2011 (Getty Images)

Chaled Grifat, in Zarzir, Israel, leaves his home after collecting personal belongings following an Iranian ballistic missile strike on March 13 2026 (Photo: Getty)

Israel Iran War

Iran targets Israel with seven ballistic missile salvos overnight

By Katie Grant

1 min read

Workers put up an Oscar statue at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, ahead of the 98th annual Academy Awards ceremony (Photo: Getty)

The Oscars

Oscars security ramped up after FBI warns of potential ‘surprise attack’ from Iran

By Ben Conway

1 min read

Security around Jewish institutions in Amsterdam has been stepped up after an explosion occurred outside a school in the early hours of Saturday morning (Photo: Getty)

The Netherlands

Amsterdam Jewish school explosion highlights Netherlands’ ‘antisemitism epidemic’

The city’s mayor called the blast a ‘deliberate attack against the Jewish community’

By Ben Conway

2 min read

Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, pictured after an assailant drove a vehicle into the building (Photo: Getty)

USA

Michigan Jews will continue to live ‘vibrant Jewish lives’ as synagogue attacker identified

By Jamie Shapiro

3 min read

Meyer Levinson-Blount (r) being interviewed by Dan Patterson (Photo: Gaby Wine)

The Oscars

Israeli Oscar nominee hopes his film will start difficult conversations

By Gaby Wine

3 min read

Exterior view of the Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice, in The Hague, Netherlands (Getty Images)

Israel

Iceland and the Netherlands join South Africa’s ICJ genocide case against Israel

By Jacob Jaffa

1 min read

The REAL difference between Orthodox and Progressive Jews? Whisky

A useful handbook on the Israel-Palestine deadlock...until it turns to Netanyahu

Yentl review: ‘Isaac Bashevis Singer would be pleased’ ★★★★

‘The United Synagogue’s food bank was set up during Covid, but we realised it was a long-term need’

My journey from non-Jewish atheist to Orthodox Jew

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USA

Gunman who attacked Michigan shul is dead – no reported injuries to worshippers

Assailant drove through the doors of the shul with a vehicle before being shot

By JC Reporter

1 min read

Screenshot from a video of the shul as it surrounded by emergency vehicles (Image: Fox News)

Iran

US destroys Iranian ‘minelayers’ in Strait of Hormuz amid oil price surge

Tehran has vowed to blockade the vital trade route, but the White House has said it will ensure a ‘free flow of energy’ from the region

By Jacob Jaffa

1 min read

A US drone approaches an Iranian naval vessel in the Strait of Hormuz (Centcom)

Donald Trump

The Jewish immigrant story behind the dress shoes Trump has made White House uniform

Florsheim Shoes was founded in 1892 by Milton Florsheim, the son of a Jewish immigrant cobbler

By Alma Green

2 min read

If the shoe fits: Donald Trump with members of his cabinet (Photo: Getty)

Iran

Trump and Netanyahu will make ‘mutual decision’ on when to end Iran War

‘We’ve destroyed a country that wanted to destroy Israel,’ said the US president

By Jacob Jaffa

1 min read

US President Trump holds a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago club on December 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida (Getty Images)

World news

Croatia

Sa’ar brands Croatian president’s ‘Israeli infections’ jibe ‘hate-filled’ rhetoric

By Jamie Shapiro

1 min read

HIAS+JCORE

‘We know what it means when doors are closed’ say rabbinic leaders at Refugee Shabbat launch

By Ben Conway

4 min read

Norway

Manhunt under way in Norway after suspects flee police stop-and-search near shul

By JC Reporter

1 min read

France

Killer of Sarah Halimi arrested over violent robbery

By Shirli Sitbon

1 min read

India

The Indian princess who rescued Jews from the Holocaust

By Mark Wood

2 min read

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar speaks during a press conference at the UN Headquarters in New York, on February 18, 2026 (Getty Images)

Iran

Iranians need ‘external assistance’ to topple regime, says Sa’ar

By Jacob Jaffa

2 min read

Iran

UN Security Council calls on Iran to halt strikes against Gulf states

The International Energy Agency announced the largest ever release of oil its reserves after the Islamic Republic attacked vital energy infrastructure in the region

By Jacob Jaffa

2 min read

Ordinary Iranians give cautious welcome to speech by Benjamin Netanyahu urging them to rise up Revealed: Second World War prophecy of British general who helped forge the IDF

UK News

King's College London

King’s College London opens probe after keffiyeh-clad student posts ‘antisemitic’ video targeting professors

KCL said it was appalled to learn of the ‘intimidatory’ video

By Daniel Ben-David

1 min read

An alleged KCL student in a keffiyeh appears in a video posted by 'KCL Stands For Justice' (Credit: Instagram)

Claudia Winkleman

Will Claudia Winkleman be our new chat show queen?

The Jewish TV presenter has a new Friday-night show on BBC One – and it kicks off tonight with Jeff Goldblum

By Jamie Shapiro

1 min read

The Claudia Winkleman Show (Image: BBC One)

Sanctions

Impose Russia-style sanctions on Iran to stop UK being haven for ‘blood money’, government urged

Call to widen measures against Islamic Republic comes after new Supreme Leader revealed to hold £100m London property empire

By Jane Prinsley

2 min read

Mojtaba Khamenei (centre), new Supreme Leader after death of his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Rouzbeh Fouladi / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

Metropolitan Police

Met to ‘bolster’ police presence in Jewish areas on Al Quds Day

The force banned the annual march after receiving permission from the Home Office, but it is set to go ahead as a static demonstration

By Jane Prinsley

2 min read

A member of the Metropolitan Police patrols Oxford Street on October 02, 2025 in London, England (Getty Images)

Opinion

For Democrats, attacking Israel is a career move

California Governor Newsom has clearly concluded that moving left on the Jewish state is crucial for winning his party’s base – and he’s not alone

By Melissa Langsam Braunstein

3 min read

California Governor Gavin Newsom (Image: X)

By Maureen Lipman

He sat there, staring into space, worrying about his brothers in arms

‘Sometimes,’ our soldier wryly remarked, ‘the solution comes to you before the problem.’ So, you might say Esther, the solution, was already there before the problem evolved

4 min read

By Melanie Phillips

Krav Maga for the Jewish mind: how to confront antisemitism

My new book offers tools to fight back against the hate – and, more importantly, the confidence that people can do so

3 min read

By Pouria Hadjibagheri

Iranians hope for freedom – while UK activists mourn the tyrant who crushed it

Israel and the US deserve gratitude for an operation many thought impossible against a regime that is oppressive at home and destabilising abroad

4 min read

By Jonathan Spyer

Why the Islamic Republic may survive this campaign

What could change this picture is a joint US-Israeli long-war strategy to bring down the Iranian regime by supporting both armed and civilian opposition on the ground

3 min read

By Najwa AlSaeed

Amid Iran’s missile barrage, UAE emerges as pillar of new Middle East order

Western and Israeli strategists need to realise that the myth of a monolithic “Sunni bloc” opposing Tehran never matched reality. After this war, it is positively dangerous to believe in it

6 min read

By The JC

Letters to the Editor, March 13 2026

Intermarriage, conversion, football and Palestine

4 min read

Life

At home with the Kallins

By Elisa Bray

3 min read

Jewish theatre

The Yentl I play does not identify as male or female

The star of a new production of the shtetl tale on why she sees the protagonist as non-binary

By John Nathan

4 min read

Books

Howard Jacobson’s brilliant new book on the moral insanity unleashed by October 7

Howl is the first major British novel to address why so many in this country have been driven mad with hatred for Israel

By David Herman

2 min read

Howard Jacobson’s brilliant new book on the moral insanity unleashed by October 7

Theatre

The Holy Rosenbergs review: ‘Craig tackles head on the anxiety of being Jewish’ ★★★★

‘The sight of a Jewish family being ripped apart by conflicting opinions about Israel and Gaza is more of a thing than it ever was’

By John Nathan

3 min read

Dorothea Myer-Bennett as Ruth Rosenberg and Adrian Lukis as Stephen Crossley (Photo: Manual Harlan)

Obituary

Obituary: Musician Neil Sedaka dies at 86

Classical music prodigy turned hitmaker whose pop career began aged 13

By Elisa Bray

3 min read

Singer Neil Sedaka performs with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra on stage at the Sydney Opera House on May 9, 2008 i (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

Cornish-born, Jewish recipe developer and food photographer Trevennon Dakota-Levy (Picture: Trevennon Dakota-Levy)

Jewish food

‘As a boy I didn’t know bagels were Jewish! Now I make the best challah’

By Alma Green

4 min read

Bolo de Amêndoa is a flourless Portuguese cake, which is perfect for Pesach (Picture: Trevennon Dakota-Levy)

Passover bakes

Bolo de Amêndoa – Portuguese almond cake

By Trevennon Dakota-Levy

Cook time: 35 minutes

Dessert

Muriel's bread pudding

By Trevennon Dakota-Levy

Cook time: 75 – 90 minutes

Passover bakes

Perfect Pesach brunch bagels

By Nir Elkayam

The Jewish Chronicle

Iran’s war across Europe –complacency must finally end

Watch: IDF releases bodycam footage of Lebanon operation

No Jews, no news: why the glitterati ignored Iran’s slaughtered protesters

Lord Blunkett looks back to lessons after 9/11 in calling for clampdown on Iran influence in UK

Iran targets Israel with seven ballistic missile salvos overnight

Oscars security ramped up after FBI warns of potential ‘surprise attack’ from Iran

Amsterdam Jewish school explosion highlights Netherlands’ ‘antisemitism epidemic’

Michigan Jews will continue to live ‘vibrant Jewish lives’ as synagogue attacker identified

Israeli Oscar nominee hopes his film will start difficult conversations

Iceland and the Netherlands join South Africa’s ICJ genocide case against Israel

Editor's Picks

The REAL difference between Orthodox and Progressive Jews? Whisky

A useful handbook on the Israel-Palestine deadlock...until it turns to Netanyahu

Yentl review: ‘Isaac Bashevis Singer would be pleased’ ★★★★

‘The United Synagogue’s food bank was set up during Covid, but we realised it was a long-term need’

My journey from non-Jewish atheist to Orthodox Jew

Insights Delivered Daily

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The Daily

Editor’s Picks

The Israel Briefing

Community Matters

Support the world’s oldest Jewish newspaper

Gunman who attacked Michigan shul is dead – no reported injuries to worshippers

US destroys Iranian ‘minelayers’ in Strait of Hormuz amid oil price surge

The Jewish immigrant story behind the dress shoes Trump has made White House uniform

Trump and Netanyahu will make ‘mutual decision’ on when to end Iran War

World news

Sa’ar brands Croatian president’s ‘Israeli infections’ jibe ‘hate-filled’ rhetoric

‘We know what it means when doors are closed’ say rabbinic leaders at Refugee Shabbat launch

Manhunt under way in Norway after suspects flee police stop-and-search near shul

Killer of Sarah Halimi arrested over violent robbery

The Indian princess who rescued Jews from the Holocaust

Iranians need ‘external assistance’ to topple regime, says Sa’ar

UN Security Council calls on Iran to halt strikes against Gulf states

UK News

King’s College London opens probe after keffiyeh-clad student posts ‘antisemitic’ video targeting professors

Will Claudia Winkleman be our new chat show queen?

Impose Russia-style sanctions on Iran to stop UK being haven for ‘blood money’, government urged

Met to ‘bolster’ police presence in Jewish areas on Al Quds Day

Opinion

For Democrats, attacking Israel is a career move

He sat there, staring into space, worrying about his brothers in arms

Krav Maga for the Jewish mind: how to confront antisemitism

Iranians hope for freedom – while UK activists mourn the tyrant who crushed it

Why the Islamic Republic may survive this campaign

Amid Iran’s missile barrage, UAE emerges as pillar of new Middle East order

Letters to the Editor, March 13 2026

Life

At home with the Kallins

The Yentl I play does not identify as male or female

Howard Jacobson’s brilliant new book on the moral insanity unleashed by October 7

The Holy Rosenbergs review: ‘Craig tackles head on the anxiety of being Jewish’ ★★★★

Obituary: Musician Neil Sedaka dies at 86

‘As a boy I didn’t know bagels were Jewish! Now I make the best challah’

Bolo de Amêndoa – Portuguese almond cake

Muriel's bread pudding

Perfect Pesach brunch bagels