IfNotNow Boston 🔥

Blue image with candle, and text: "We mourn the lives cut short on Oct 7 2023, and every day since then, in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and beyond. May all of their memories inspire us to work for a just peace."

We mourn the lives cut short on Oct 7 2023, and every day since then, in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and beyond. May the memories of them all inspire us to work for a just peace.

Israel Intercepted the Flotilla Headed to Gaza: What to Know

Now that the members of the Global Sumud Flotilla have been taken into custody by Israel, Netanyahu should release them as soon as possible without harm. These are peaceful protesters who were delivering much needed humanitarian aid to Gaza. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/w...

Sheffield mother agonizes after sons aboard flotilla detained by Israeli forces - The Boston Globe “It seemed like this was not going to plan, and so I was nervous, because when things don’t go to plan, then maybe people escalate," said the mother, Nadia Milleron.

A genocidal, foreign government kidnapped Americans from international waters and there is no information on when they will be released. Every Massachusetts Member of Congress should be demanding the release of all U.S. citizens - including our own residents.

We Need You to Make Your Voice Heard Jeremy Burton On Thursday, September 25, the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism convened its twelfth hearing at the State House. This session was dedicated to public comment. The hearing brought a wide range of voices. Some used the space to air political grievances, but there were also important contributions that spoke directly to the Commission's charge: sharing lived experiences of antisemitism in Massachusetts and offering recommendations for how our schools, campuses, and state can respond.

Jeremy Burton, CEO of JCRC and member of MA Antisemitism Commission, is misrepresenting public testimony to the Commission.

He dismisses the >75% of testimony that was critical of their reliance on IHRA definition as "some used the space to air political grievances"

American Jewish institutions simply do not represent Jewish popular opinion

Which means the time is ripe for new institutions

Public commenters overwhelmingly reject antisemitism commission's findings and composition - Jewish Journal BOSTON – Dozens of Jews and several legislators offered some suggestions for – but mostly criticisms of – the work of the state’s Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism at its public comment ses...

"Blue" state Massachusetts is using a stacked "antisemitism" commission to join the Trump administration in suppressing criticism of Israel and its genocide and ethnic cleansing. Governor Healey should be ashamed.
jewishjournal.org/2025/10/03/p...

Public commenters overwhelmingly reject antisemitism commission's findings and composition - Jewish Journal BOSTON – Dozens of Jews and several legislators offered some suggestions for – but mostly criticisms of – the work of the state’s Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism at its public comment ses...

The public showed up to overwhelmingly reject the MA Special Commission's IHRA-based recommendations for combating antisemitism in k12 schools.

Will they listen?

jewishjournal.org/2025/10/03/p...

“The commission has aligned itself with one side of an internal Jewish community conflict. This has not served the Jewish community or the people of Massachusetts”

Public commenters overwhelmingly reject antisemitism commission's findings and composition - Jewish Journal BOSTON – Dozens of Jews and several legislators offered some suggestions for – but mostly criticisms of – the work of the state’s Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism at its public comment ses...

jewishjournal.org/2025/10/03/p...

2 Mass. brothers aboard an aid flotilla to Gaza have been detained by Israeli forces: Here’s what we know. The two Sheffield men were arrested by Israeli forces and taken to Ashdod after their boats were intercepted Wednesday and Thursday.

MA residents Torleif and Adnaan Stumo, and everyone else taken from aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla should be immediately freed.

It is unconscionable that the Israeli military continues to block humanitarian aid, food, water, and baby formula.

End the genocide & surge aid into Gaza NOW.

School Committee candidates respond to my question on free speech I asked School Committee candidates if CPSD should adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

The MA legislature is discussing requiring K-12 schools use the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. It's a bad idea, so I asked School Committee candidates for their thoughts.

Here are answers from nine of the candidates:

letschangecambridge.us/articles/sch...

#CambMA #CambridgeMA

Harvard Medical School Nixed a 2024 Graduation Speaker Over Pro-Palestine Statements | News | The Harvard Crimson Harvard Medical School administrators removed from consideration a potential speaker for the school’s 2024 Class Day out of concern that pro-Palestine messages she had posted on social media would be…

HMS administrators removed from consideration a potential speaker for 2024 Class Day, concerned that pro-Palestine messages she posted would be “polarizing,” according to a file obtained by The Crimson.

William C. Mao and Veronica H. Paulus report.

www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Notably, Judge Young calls the government's definition of antisemitism (which officially is the IHRA def) unconstitutionally broad:

"Trump administration's full-throated assault on the First Amendment across the board under the cover of an unconstitutionally broad definition of Anti-Semitism"

Praying for the brave activists of the @freedomflotilla.bsky.social as they sail toward Gaza to break the blockade and deliver lifesaving supplies to the Palestinian people.

"This Court has listened carefully to the reasons given by Öztürk’s captors for masking-up and has heard the same reasons advanced by ... ICE. It rejects this testimony as disingenuous, squalid and dishonorable. ICE goes masked for a single reason—to terrorize Americans into quiescence."

Anyway, this is on my mind because Rümeysa's next hearing is this afternoon at the appeals court in NYC. Members of the public can listen in here starting at 2 pm (possibly a little after): www.ca2.uscourts.gov/calendar.html

Trump administration proposes selling nearly $6 billion in weapons to Israel The Trump administration has told Congress it plans to sell nearly $6 billion in weapons to Israel. It includes one $3.8 billion sale for 30 AH-64 Apache helicopters, nearly doubling Israel's current ...

Trump can't claim to want a ceasefire while pushing through $6 billion more in unconditional weapons to the Israeli military as it intensifies its genocide.

Trump & Netanyahu are working hand in hand to continue the destruction of Gaza, entrench control of Gaza, & deny Palestinians their rights.

The ADL's cynical strategy of defending right-wing antisemites who profess support for Israel--while attacking those (including Jews) who call out Israel's atrocities--has not worked out well for them.

Time to change course.

The MA Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism is still accepting written testimony. Make your voice heard here: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

Suspending a tenured Jewish professor because an Israeli student (and former IDF cyberintelligence agent) disagrees with the course content?

This is not "fighting antisemitism"

What @repauchincloss.bsky.social & the other signatories don’t understand is that while this sort of framing used to be somewhat effective at positioning Israel as the “more reasonable” party in this conflict, the actions of Israel itself in the past 2 yrs has destroyed its own credibility here.

I was there, and I too spoke against using the IHRA definition.

Lise Brody: "I would like to trust that this commission has all Jews’ interests at heart. But it’s hard to believe this when, over and over, only certain Jews are seen as worthy of respect or protection"

Ben Allen: "The principle of “Never Again” demands that I speak out when I see these same atrocities being visited on any people, even if perpetrated by Jews. Yet according to the IHRA definition, this qualifies as hate speech."

By an informal count, 59 spoke out yesterday against the MA Special Commission's approach, 18 in support. Many who spoke out were Jews critical of IHRA's labeling of various criticisms of Israel as antisemitic. Here are a few quotes:

Insane

September 24, 2025 The Honorable Marco Rubio Secretary of State U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20520 Dear Secretary Rubio, The Global Sumud Flotilla is currently sailing across the Mediterranean Sea to bring vital humanitarian aid to Gaza, but has reportedly faced attacks by drones and other hostile actions. U.S. citizens, including residents of Maryland, Massachusetts, and Oregon, are aboard these ships. Under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, they warrant protection. You have a critical role to play in ensuring that U.S. foreign policy protects our citizens and promotes international law and humanitarian relief. We uMerkley United States Senator Chris Van Hollent refrains from any use of force against peaceful civilian vessels and ensures that humanitarian aid is surged into Gaza so that the desperate conditions that continue to prompt these flotillas no longer persist. We would deeply appreciate your assistance on this issue. Please let us know what steps you have taken or will take to safeguard peaceful civilian members of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Sincerely, Edward J. Markey United States Senator Jeffrey A. Merkley United States Senator Chris Van Hollen United States Senator Elizabeth Warren United States Senato

The Global Sumud Flotilla is a set of peaceful civilian vessels bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza. They are under attack. Americans are on board, including from Massachusetts. Italy and Spain are sending warships to protect them. The United States must do more to keep them safe.

Today's public hearings amounted to a complete rebuke of the MA Antisemitism Commission's approach. Antisemitism must be combated, but the IHRA definition, which declares many criticisms of Israel to be hate speech, is not the way. Our safety is intertwined with that of others.

@warren.senate.gov @markey.senate.gov come on y’all

The public testimony being given to the MA Special Commission on Antisemitism couldn't be more different from that of their handpicked guests. Many speaking out against IHRA definition of antisemitism.

Follow the livestream here: malegislature.gov/Events/Heari...