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Chicago Tribune
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Ald. Brendan Reilly: You can't separate anti-Zionism from antisemitism — and we must stop pretending you can
Our Jewish brothers and sisters are under siege in America. That's not hyperbole — that's fact. In recent months, the escalation of antisemitic violence has been horrifying. These are not online threats or symbolic protests — they are physical, targeted and fueled by a vicious ideology masquerading as activism. During Passover this year, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — one of the most prominent Jewish governors in America — sat down with his family for Seder in the governor's mansion. Outside, someone threw a firebomb into the house. Just weeks later, a Chicagoan yelled, 'Free Palestine,' as he gunned down two Israeli nationals in broad daylight outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., authorities say. In Boulder, Colorado, a man shouting 'Free Palestine' hurled Molotov cocktails into a crowd of Jewish seniors — including a Holocaust survivor — who were participating in a peaceful event to raise awareness for hostages held by Hamas. Eight people were injured. This is not a coincidence. This is a pattern. And the common thread is this: These victims were not targeted based on their political views. They were targeted simply because they are Jews. Let's be clear: There has never been a meaningful distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. Anti-Zionism claims to oppose a government, but victims of hate crimes are never screened for their opinion of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or the Likud party. No one asked those seniors in Boulder what they thought of Israeli settlement policy. No one asked Shapiro's children whether they support a two-state solution. They were simply Jewish — and therefore, in the eyes of the attackers, legitimate targets. This is not geopolitics. It is bigotry. And it's now being mainstreamed by far-left activists and social media echo chambers that treat Jewish identity as interchangeable with state power — a grotesque and dangerous lie. Worse yet, the Democratic Party has lurched ever leftward in recent years. It has become home to a growing number of far-left extremists who excuse these hateful acts of violence as a 'noble cause.' The violence is rising. Roughly 23 million Americans — about 9% of adults — believe force is justified against government officials, a 2023 survey by the University of Chicago's Project on Security reported. While that number is alarming across the board, what's even more concerning is that support for political violence now spans the ideological spectrum. Of the 23 million, 7.6 million identify as Democrats and 4.8 million as independents. Political violence is no longer a uniquely right-wing threat. The Boulder firebombing wasn't an outlier. It's part of a growing wave of violent extremism dressed in the language of 'resistance.' Jewish students at the University of California-Los Angeles have been physically prevented from attending class. Across college campuses, mobs shout, 'From the river to the sea,' and post lists of 'Zionists' for public harassment. Now is a moment that demands moral clarity — especially from Democratic Party leaders. If we believe in equality, dignity and pluralism, then we must also believe that violence against Jews — under any banner — has no place in American life. That means speaking up. That means drawing the line. That means saying, without euphemism or apology, that antisemitism cloaked as anti-Zionism is still antisemitism. When someone chants 'Free Palestine' while lighting Jewish people on fire, this is not a misunderstanding of policy — it's an embrace of hate. There is no such thing as anti-Zionism without antisemitism. In the real world — not in theory, but in practice — the two are indistinguishable. When anti-Zionism licenses dehumanization, mob intimidation, firebombings and terror, then it is not opposition to a government. It is a campaign of hate against a people. The mask has slipped. And it's time my fellow leaders in the Democratic Party stopped pretending otherwise.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Suspect in arson at Pennsylvania governor's official residence to seek delay in next court hearing
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man accused of trying to burn down Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro 's official residence is seeking to delay his next scheduled court appearance because he is receiving mental health treatment, his lawyer said Friday. The suspect, Cody Balmer, had been scheduled to appear in court next Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence against Balmer to take the case to trial. But Mary Klatt, the chief public defender of Dauphin County, said Balmer's hearing will be postponed because he is receiving treatment. 'Everyone wants to ensure Mr. Balmer is mentally fit when this matter comes before the Court,' Klatt said in an email to The Associated Press. Balmer is currently being held at the state prison in Waymart, the only state prison with a mental health unit for men, according to the state Department of Corrections. Balmer, 38, is charged with attempted homicide, arson and other offenses for setting a fire that tore through a section of the state-owned residence's first floor and forced the governor, his wife, children and members of his extended family to flee in the middle of the night, hours after they celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover with a Seder in the residence. Shapiro, who is Jewish, is viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028. Balmer told police that he had intended to attack the governor with a hammer if he had encountered him that night, police said in a court filing. No one was injured in the blaze, which fire officials say caused millions of dollars in damage to the heavily protected residence. Balmer has not entered a plea. Balmer has been held without bail since turning himself in to state police after the April 13 fire. Klatt has said he would be evaluated to see if he is competent to stand trial. Balmer's mother and brother say he suffers from mental illness, something that Balmer denied in one brief court appearance. Authorities say Balmer expressed hatred for Shapiro.
23-05-2025
- Politics
Suspect in arson at Pennsylvania governor's official residence to seek delay in next court hearing
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- A man accused of trying to burn down Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro 's official residence is seeking to delay his next scheduled court appearance because he is receiving mental health treatment, his lawyer said Friday. The suspect, Cody Balmer, had been scheduled to appear in court next Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence against Balmer to take the case to trial. But Mary Klatt, the chief public defender of Dauphin County, said Balmer's hearing will be postponed because he is receiving treatment. 'Everyone wants to ensure Mr. Balmer is mentally fit when this matter comes before the Court,' Klatt said in an email to The Associated Press. Balmer is currently being held at the state prison in Waymart, the only state prison with a mental health unit for men, according to the state Department of Corrections. Balmer, 38, is charged with attempted homicide, arson and other offenses for setting a fire that tore through a section of the state-owned residence's first floor and forced the governor, his wife, children and members of his extended family to flee in the middle of the night, hours after they celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover with a Seder in the residence. Shapiro, who is Jewish, is viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028. Balmer told police that he had intended to attack the governor with a hammer if he had encountered him that night, police said in a court filing. No one was injured in the blaze, which fire officials say caused millions of dollars in damage to the heavily protected residence. Balmer has not entered a plea.
Winnipeg Free Press
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Suspect in arson at Pennsylvania governor's official residence to seek delay in next court hearing
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man accused of trying to burn down Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro 's official residence is seeking to delay his next scheduled court appearance because he is receiving mental health treatment, his lawyer said Friday. The suspect, Cody Balmer, had been scheduled to appear in court next Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence against Balmer to take the case to trial. But Mary Klatt, the chief public defender of Dauphin County, said Balmer's hearing will be postponed because he is receiving treatment. 'Everyone wants to ensure Mr. Balmer is mentally fit when this matter comes before the Court,' Klatt said in an email to The Associated Press. Balmer is currently being held at the state prison in Waymart, the only state prison with a mental health unit for men, according to the state Department of Corrections. Balmer, 38, is charged with attempted homicide, arson and other offenses for setting a fire that tore through a section of the state-owned residence's first floor and forced the governor, his wife, children and members of his extended family to flee in the middle of the night, hours after they celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover with a Seder in the residence. Shapiro, who is Jewish, is viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028. Balmer told police that he had intended to attack the governor with a hammer if he had encountered him that night, police said in a court filing. No one was injured in the blaze, which fire officials say caused millions of dollars in damage to the heavily protected residence. Balmer has not entered a plea. Balmer has been held without bail since turning himself in to state police after the April 13 fire. Klatt has said he would be evaluated to see if he is competent to stand trial. Balmer's mother and brother say he suffers from mental illness, something that Balmer denied in one brief court appearance. Authorities say Balmer expressed hatred for Shapiro.
Boston Globe
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘Reformed' is a charming show about a young rabbi
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up And Léa isn't sure either, so she rehearses different voice memos. Yes, do it. No, don't. Oh no, uh, there was a family emergency, I can't help you . But invariably, she does help them, with real care and curiosity, not in trite or Pollyannaish ways. She is doctrinal but not doctrinaire, and all these rituals of change for her congregants are rituals of change for her, too. She becomes more confident and mature ushering a reluctant bar mitzvah boy through the process. She hones her discernment skills while officiating a wedding. Advertisement The most intriguing relationship on the show is between Léa and Arié (Lionel Dray), the local orthodox rabbi and her former teacher. There's a magnetic pull and constant fascination between them, a lot of trust but also a sense of betrayal. He's her mentor, and they have an intense erotic energy, but each also sees the other as practicing religion incorrectly -- a tension that can be playful right up until it is profoundly hurtful. The goings on at their respective shuls highlight their own misgivings about their denominational choices: Maybe her practice is shallow; maybe his practice is misogynistic. Let's resolve to smolder at each other about it. Advertisement In addition to being charming, 'Reformed' is interesting. Sitcom shenanigans nestle alongside philosophical musings. A farce unfolds at a Seder, and goofy sibling banter segues into deeper conversation and back. All eight episodes are available to stream now on Max. This article originally appeared in .
