Israel deports two US Jews who volunteered to help Palestinians pick olives (RNS) — Israel has ramped up deportations of foreigners involved in advocacy for Palestinians or demonstrations against the occupation, but the deportation of US Jews sets a precedent.

Two American Jews who were part of a Rabbis for Human Rights team helping West Bank Palestinians with the olive harvest were deported last week as Israel cracks down on anyone helping or advocating for Palestinians — including Jews. religionnews.com/2025/11/03/i...

Here’s what they actually thought: they’ll just go after the left wing Bad Jews (who aren’t really Jews so it’s ok) but we’re the Good Jews so it will be fine. joelhs.bsky.social/post/3m4gzansohs2a

Meet the New York rabbis planning to vote for Mamdani (RNS) – Mamdani’s defense of Palestinian liberation has alarmed many New York Jews. But some rabbis are enthusiastically embracing, and even campaigning for, the Muslim mayoral candidate.

Zohran Mamdani’s steadfast defense of Palestinian liberation has alarmed many New York Jews. But some rabbis are enthusiastically embracing, and even campaigning for, the Muslim mayoral candidate. religionnews.com/2025/10/30/t...

Samaritan's Purse to play a larger role in Gaza aid distribution (RNS) — The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is being phased out, said Samaritan Purse CEO Franklin Graham.

NEWS: Samaritan’s Purse joined the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to deliver aid earlier this year, but Franklin Graham now says that organization is being shut down. In its stead, Samaritan’s Purse will play a larger role in aid delivery to Gaza. religionnews.com/2025/10/25/s...

They couldn't help Gazans. So they wrote a book they hope might offer comfort and wisdom. (RNS) — John and Samuel Munayer, Palestinian Christians from Jerusalem, argue in their new book that liberation theology can be a tool for survival, resistance and collective action.

Palestinian Christians living in Israel have also been been traumatized by the punishing war in Gaza. Now two young theologians from Jerusalem have now addressed it in a new book, “The Cross and the Olive Tree.” religionnews.com/2025/10/21/t...

Amid a fragile ceasefire, left-leaning US Jews continue advocacy (RNS) — Some left-leaning Jews want to continue to build pressure to ensure Palestinians have hope for a brighter future, one that guarantees them physical and political freedom.

Rabbis for Ceasefire has no plans for disbanding, now that a ceasefire has been called. In fact, it plans to redouble its efforts. religionnews.com/2025/10/15/f...

Aid to Gaza resumes, with UN and established faith-based agencies leading the way (RNS) — President Trump's peace plan does not mention the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a private entity created by the US and Israel to circumvent the United Nations.

President Trump's peace plan does not mention the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the private entity created by the US and Israel. Instead, it empowered the U.N. to once again deliver aid: religionnews.com/2025/10/13/a...

Franklin Graham quits membership in financial accountability group (RNS) — Graham said the standards mandating a leader care plan 'puts ECFA into the role of trying to be the moral police of the evangelical world.'

Franklin Graham said a new standard mandating a “leader care plan” puts the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability into the role of trying to be ‘the moral police of the evangelical world.’ religionnews.com/2025/10/08/f...

Conservative British Anglicans extend the first woman archbishop a warm embrace LONDON (RNS) — Conservative Church of England congregations, both evangelical and Anglo-Catholic, are willing to accept Mullally's gender. Their real worry is her views on same-sex marriage.

Conservative Church of England congregations, both evangelical and Anglo-Catholic, are happy have a woman as their next archbishop of Canterbury. Their real worry is her views on same-sex marriage. religionnews.com/2025/10/06/s...

Who will be the next Archbishop of Canterbury? Brits have placed their final bets (RNS) — Since Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned nearly a year ago, Brits have been using one of their favorite pastimes to guess who will replace him: placing bets.

King Charles’ choice for Archbishop of Canterbury will be announced Friday. It caps nearly a year of speculation and a lot of online betting. religionnews.com/2025/10/02/w...

Jerry Seinfeld compares ‘Free Palestine’ movement to KKK in surprise Duke appearance “By saying Free Palestine, you’re not admitting what you really think,” Seinfeld said. “Compared to the Ku Klux Klan I’m actually thinking the Klan is actually a little better here because they can co...

Jerry Seinfeld, in an appearance at Duke, says the KKK is more honest than those who shout "Free Palestine." www.dukechronicle.com/article/duke...

For nearly four decades, Ken Isaacs has led the disaster relief efforts for Samaritan’s Purse across the world. Now he’s written a memoir detailing his trips to the world’s hotspots. religionnews.com/2025/09/09/f...

A beautiful reflection on the life of Awdah Hathaleen by his friends Maya Rosen and Erez Bleicher jewishcurrents.org/remembering-...

Samaritan's Purse joins Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid efforts in Gaza (RNS) — Since July 26, Samaritan’s Purse has sent eight relief flights and a medical team to Gaza — one of the only faith-based groups to join the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s efforts.

After struggling for months to find partners to help them deliver aid to Gaza, the embattled Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has picked up a collaborator — Samaritan’s Purse, the international Christian disaster relief organization headed by the Rev. Franklin Graham. religionnews.com/2025/08/21/s...

Why U.S. Jewish organizations should welcome efforts to recognize Palestine – but don't | Opinion ***

The push to recognize Palestine is not meant to punish Israel, argues @joshualeifer.bsky.social, but to revive the two-state solution — a push Jewish institutions should welcome: www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025...

New poll by Data For Progress and @zeteo.bsky.social: Nearly half of American voters now say Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, compared to 39% last year.

Palestinian nonviolent activist killed by Israeli settler is buried after IDF releases body (RNS) — Only about 200 people were able to attend the early morning funeral for Awdah Hathaleen, after the Israeli military closed off the village and set up checkpoints at key areas.

Israeli authorities refused to release the body of Awdah Hathaleen, who was shot and killed by an Israeli settler in the West Bank town of Umm al-Khair. They finally agreed Thursday — 10 days after his killing. religionnews.com/2025/08/07/p...

'This is domestic terror': Shaken by ICE raids, pastors rethink ministries (RNS) — The fear of raids has pushed some congregations back to pandemic-era worship strategies.

When church is no longer a refuge. Great reporting by @jackjenkins.me religionnews.com/2025/08/04/w...

Jewish leaders from the U.S. sign a letter urging Israel to allow more aid into Gaza More than a thousand rabbis and other Jewish leaders from the U.S. and elsewhere have signed a public letter urging Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Via @yonat.bsky.social on @npr.org and @rns.org: Jewish leaders from the U.S. sign a letter urging Israel to allow more aid into Gaza —> www.npr.org/2025/08/01/n...

Well-known Palestinian activist committed to nonviolence killed by an Israeli settler (RNS) — Adwah Hathaleen, who worked as an English teacher, was a beloved leader in his community’s nonviolent resistance. In June, he was denied entry to the U.S. on a speaking engagement.

A 31-year-old Palestinian Bedouin who was shot and killed by a Jewish settler Monday was a beloved activist dedicated to nonviolent resistance. religionnews.com/2025/07/29/a...

Post from (Oscar winner) Basel Adra @basel_adra that reads: "I can hardly believe it. My dear friend Awdah was slaughtered this evening.He was standing in front of the community center in his village when a settler fired a bullet that pierced his chest and took his life. This is how Israel erases us — one life at a time. الله يرحمك" Followed by a photo of Awdah, and a photo of the site where he was murdered.

I met Awdah last year in Umm al-Khair. This is just so deeply unacceptable, yes so expectable 😭💔

Killed in cold blood, unarmed, while on his land, all for opposing settler terror and violence.

Every unjustifiable dead is heartbreaking. This one hits even harder.
עד מתי. עד מתי.

What makes for charisma? Religion historian tries to understand the mysterious force. (RNS) — In her recent book, 'Spellbound,' Molly Worthen posits that charismatic people tell a compelling story about human identity and purpose that others gravitate to because it helps explain their ...

In her book, 'Spellbound,' Molly Worthen posits that charismatic people tell a compelling story about human identity and purpose that others gravitate to because it helps explain their own role in the grand scheme of life. religionnews.com/2025/07/25/w...

Johnnie Moore says embattled aid group 'unbelievably effective,' blames UN, Hamas for not helping Gazans (RNS) — During a one-hour Zoom call, the chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said the world was waging a disinformation campaign against the group.

Despite some 1,000 killings near its aid distribution sites, the Rev. Johnnie Moore described the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as "unbelievably effective" in a Zoom call: religionnews.com/2025/07/22/j...

Judge orders government to admit more refugees whose flights were canceled (RNS) — According to the government, as many as 12,000 refugees had made travel plans to the U.S. before the refugee freeze. They may all press their case now.

U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said the Trump administration must allow in more refugees who had travel booked to the US before the president froze the refugee program — including those living in countries included in the travel ban. religionnews.com/2025/07/15/j...

Plaintiff in refugee ban lawsuit, Pacito v. Trump, arrives in North Carolina (RNS) — A 22-year-old Congolese refugee is the lead plaintiff in a suit challenging Trump’s executive order freezing all refugee resettlement.

Seven months after his flight to the United States was abruptly canceled, the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking to overturn President Trump’s freeze on the U.S. refugee program arrived at RDU. religionnews.com/2025/07/11/p...

NC Democratic Party adopts resolution calling for Israel arms embargo (RNS) — The resolution comes at a time when the Democratic Party's stance on Israel is evolving.

The executive committee of North Carolina’s Democratic Party passed a strongly worded resolution calling for an end to "military aid, weapons shipments and logistical support to Israel." religionnews.com/2025/06/30/n...

JVP Chicago members attempt indefinite fast to draw attention to Gaza starvation crisis CHICAGO (RNS) — The strikers said they will continue to fast until their demands are met or their bodies give out.

To end their hunger strike, the strikers are demanding that the United States stop arming Israel and that Israel “stop starving Gaza.” religionnews.com/2025/06/27/m...

Pew study finds Trump gained with Catholics, nonwhite Protestants in 2024 (RNS) — The president won over a majority of Protestants and Catholics. He did much better among Hispanic and Asian Protestants.

White evangelicals’ love affair with Donald Trump continued unabated in the 2024 election. But a new study examining verified voters shows the president won over the affections of most other Christians, too. religionnews.com/2025/06/26/p...

Palestinians invited to speak at a Bay Area synagogue were sent home at airport (RNS) — The two Palestinians live in the Masafer Yatta region of the South Hebron hills and were recently featured in the Oscar-winning Israeli-Palestinian documentary 'No Other Land.'

A Bay Area synagogue invited two Palestinians to visit. Their visas were revoked and they were sent home. religionnews.com/2025/06/13/a...