November 3, 2025
Ohio Jewish Communities
The statewide government advocacy, public affairs, & community relations voice of Ohio's eight Jewish federations.
Hostages Coming Home:
Two more bodies of hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023 are returned to Israel for burial. Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch were identified by Israeli authorities following a forensic examination. Still, 11 bodies still remain with Hamas and have yet to be returned.
A released hostage, Yosef Haim-Ohana relates how he convinced his Hamas captors not to kill him. (Watch this Instagram reel of him tearing down his own hostage poster.)
Some of the released hostages and family members of captives walk the runway at Tel Aviv Fashion Week.
ON CAPITOL SQUARE
A CAIR-Ohio leader moderated an event with a terrorist. Neo-Nazi flyers are found on the OSU campus.
The Supreme Court will decide if Ohio must distribute $900 million in federal COVID related unemployment benefits that the state declined in 2021.
The Governor and Legislative Leaders work out a plan to provide up to $25 million extra in funding as SNAP benefits remain in limbo due to the federal shutdown, including $7 million to Ohio food banks and $18 million emergency relief benefits by doubling the Ohio Works First weekly benefits. (In related news, columnist Thomas Suddes says Ohio’s budget management wins a AAA rating from Fitch.)
AG Yost joins a bipartisan coalition of 39 state and territory attorneys general to clarify the federal hemp definition.
An OJC priority, HB 188, to create the Ohio-Israel Trade & Innovation Partnership is reported out of committee on 10-2 bipartisan vote. We continue to advocate for this bill to strengthen business, academic, and research collaborations between Ohio and Israel, for a floor vote. We are also advocating on the companion bill, SB 200, which recently had its first hearing in the Senate.
Consul for Public Diplomacy for Israel’s Consulate in New York, Yuval Donio-Gideon, underscores Ohio’s importance in US-Israel relations during his visit to Ohio.
Should Ohio consolidate school districts?
A “test case” of legislation would begin taxing nonprofits that own large parcels of land.
Planned Parenthood fights back against its Medicaid termination.
The Dispatch looks at the effect of SB1 on campus.
New legislation regarding chaplains in public schools as mental health counselors is heard. (In related news, Ohio ranks 15th in the nation for youth mental health outcomes.)
MLB working on a “micro prop” gambling ban.
The STRS lawsuit goes to court.
And, WRHS and the American Jewish Archives fully digitize the records of both Rabbis Silver.
ON CAPITOL HILL AND AROUND THE COUNTRY
New York Police probe a hate crime assault against an Israeli man. An Alabama man is arrested for plotting attacks on synagogues. A man who assaulted Jews in New York gets 17 months in prison. A new ADL report says AI tools are still producing Jew-hatred. A Bay Area school district has some explaining to do after removing Israel from a map. A Virginia school district denounces Muslim student groups promoting of hostage taking and violence on social media.
Political violence changes how elected officials plan public events and interact with constituents.
The President tried to tamp down the China trade war, but ramps up against Canada after Ontario airs an anti-tariff ad using Ronald Reagan’s own words.
USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy visits Cleveland to tour Hopkins Airport and see the NASA Glenn Research Center.
Amer Ghalib’s path to a Kuwaiti ambassadorship faces public opposition from at least four GOP senators.
Both Sens Husted and Moreno push legislation to continue federal SNAP benefits even during the shutdown.
Due to increasing violence, churches across the nation are enhancing their security.
Ohio Head Start programs face closure as the shutdown continues.
Jewish groups are hopeful that Tik Tok’s takeover by Oracle will result in reduced antisemitism on the platform.
According to this lawsuit, the Met “knew or should have known” that a Van Gogh painting in their collection was looted by the Nazis during WWII.
And, Timothy Mellon donates $130 million to pay service members during the shutdown.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
A new Seattle based PAC focuses on backing “pro-Jewish” candidates for the school board.
Jewish Democrats reengage with their party leadership.
Republicans release a new Congressional map, which could end up with a 12-3 GOP/Democrat split in Congress. (Democrats prepare for a voter referendum to repeal the map Republicans plan to pass.)
A Columbus City Schools’ Board candidate comes under scrutiny for antisemitic social media posts.
Donald Trump says he’s barred from running for a third term; he also teases a Vance-Rubio ticket for 2028.
Vivek Ramaswamy speaks about his vision for a “new American dream.”
A look at Zohar Mamdani’s campaign for mayor of New York, and how Jews of different political stripes are reacting.
Roll Call changes New Hampshire Senate race to “tilt Democratic” as John Sununu enters the fray.
Jake Auchincloss presses Graham Platner to end his Senate bid in Maine.
And, Gavin Newsom says he is considering a 2028 presidential run.
THE JEWISH WORLD
US soldiers are transforming “sleepy” Kiryat Gat in Israel.
Professor Michael Ben-Gad is a masterclass in defiance after he’s threatened with a beheading.
The WZO Congress meets and initially agrees to a power sharing deal; Rabbi Doron Perez of World Mizrachi was set to be WZO Chairman and Meir Cohen, of Yeshiva Atid, was to head up KKL-JNF. However, a proposed Likud appointee causes negotiations to stall, and the new leadership is unconfirmed.
Could there be an “East Gaza and West Gaza” - and what would it mean?
Iranian women flout the veiling law.
The German government pledges $1 billion in home care funding for Holocaust survivors.
Nvidia triples its Beersheba R&D campus and aims to create hundreds of new jobs.
A former Trump Deputy NSC, Dina Powell McCormick, says the Abraham Accords transformed the region. Bill Ackman, on the sidelines of the Future Investment Initiative conference, says he believes Riyadh-Jerusalem ties are closer than we might otherwise believe.
New polls are out regarding Knesset elections.
A new probe looks at the attack at Moshav Ein Habesor on Oct 7, praising the civilian emergency response team.
American Airlines will return to the “friendly skies” of Tel Aviv in March.
Steve Bannon proposes a “Christian State of Jerusalem.”
And, a look at how Israel is working to push a quiet boom in Australia-Israel innovation.
IN THE MEDIA
The Cleveland federation brings an Israeli mayors delegation to town.
The OSU Lantern writes about Consul Yuval Donio-Gideon’s visit.
The ADL announces a new pro bono network of 40 large law firms to fight against antisemitic discrimination.
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS OF THE WEEK
WORTH A READ
Rabbi Alvin Kass, the longest serving chaplain in NYPD history, dies at 89; read about his career, including his legendary feat of disarming a gun wielding hostage taking man with nothing more than a pastrami sandwich. Ever wondered what the impact of Israeli startups can be on a local economy? This new report says 600 Israeli companies in New York City have created 27,000 jobs. Some DC area folks tried ditching smartphones for a month. Here’s what happened. And, a look at the role of donor-advised funds during economic slowdowns.