Good Monday morning, New York, and Happy Hanukkah! On this last day of the holiday, our colleagues at My Jewish Learning present Israeli tour guide Joel Haber for a virtual visit to Jerusalem and an exploration of the symbol of the menorah, from ancient times until today. Sign up here. 1:00 p.m. ET.
FINE LINE: The Democratic Socialists of America — which endorses the Israel boycott — will not expel Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-Bronx/Westchester) for a trip he took to Israel last month with the liberal Israel lobby J Street. (New York Jewish Week)
BAGELS — BUT NO SCHMEAR: Pandemic-related supply-chain shortages are endangering a time-honored New York City tradition: a fresh bagel with cream cheese. Across the city, bagel shops are reporting issues sourcing cream cheese, with some shop owners resorting to (gasp!) driving to New Jersey to pick up a supply. (New York Times)
BOOTED: A Brooklyn couple is suing American Airlines because they were ejected from a plane for refusing to place a bag containing a prayer shawl on the floor. (New York Post)
VAX MANDATE: Orthodox leaders met with Mayor de Blasio a day before he mandated vaccinations at yeshivas and other private schools, and warned him that the policy was rushed and could backfire. (New York Times)
THE NEW MAYOR: Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, a public relations liaison for Chabad-Lubavitch and founder of the Jewish Future Alliance, is among four Crown Heights Jewish leaders named to Mayor-elect Eric Adams’ transition team. (Jewish Press)
ROCK OF AGES: A Hanukkah concert for Jewish LGBTQ+ youth organized by Jewish Queer Youth, went on as planned on Sunday, despite threats of violence against the performers and organizers. (Jerusalem Post)
BEING ALIVE: Central Synagogue paid tribute during Shabbat services on Saturday to the composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who died Nov. 26. Rabbi Angela Buchdahl sang “No One Is Alone” from “Into The Woods.” (Watch the video on YouTube)
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Join The Workers Circle on Facebook Live for the new short-form series, “Answering The Call,” a look at some of the most important issues that were covered in the pages of The Workers Circle national in-house publication, The Call. Anthony Russell and social justice organizer Jonathan Taubes will explore how unions, labor and workers rights was covered in The Call from the ’30s into the ’60s. Learn more here. 3:00 p.m.
HerTorah in partnership with JIMENA celebrates “Hag HaBanot: A Sephardic Celebration of Womanhood.” Sarah Aroeste, Naama Sadan and Avital Habshush will be performing and teaching about this ages-old Sephardic feminist Hanukkah celebration. 8:15 p.m. RSVP here for the Zoom link.
Photo, top: Gil Erdan, in red tie, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, lights the eighth candle during a Hanukkah ceremony at a gala for the Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan, Dec. 5, 2021. Also taking part were the Turkish and Greek ambassadors to the United States and Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer. (Via Twitter)
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