October 27, 2025

Hostage Update:

Israel received the remains of several additional hostages this week; reports indicate additional hostage remains will be released to Israel over the weekend.

ON CAPITOL SQUARE

Govs. DeWine and Beshear speak about getting "something done" in a joint appearance at the Portman Center at UC.  The Governor also signed a bill expanding school religious release time.  

Speaker Huffman pushes legislation to limit county judges' ability to block legislation.  

Ohio legislative leaders discuss threats of violence now all too commonplace in public life. 

A new Senate bill would lower the age for buying a handgun to 18.

Ohio principals will vote on NIL regulations for high school athletes.

New grants totaling $7.1 million may help with career planning in grades 7-12.  

The House passes a property tax reform bill as Sen. Brenner proposes eliminating school property taxes, to be replaced with a dedicated percentage of the state's sales tax.

The Columbus Zoo announces a historic second elephant birth this year.  

And, Stephen Colbert takes issue with HB 469 regulating AI personhood. 

ON CAPITOL HILL AND AROUND THE COUNTRY

Portland’s only Jewish newspaper is shut out of a virtual city council press conference discussing Israel.  A Palestinian who took part in the Oct 7 attacks is arrested in Louisiana after lying on his US visa application.  US colleges are still dangerous places for Jews and pro-Israel students as seen by the Pomona College manifesto. The Patriot Front hangs banners across Queens.  

Bipartisan opposition to Amer Ghalib, the ambassador-designate to Kuwait, over his antisemitic and pro-Hamas views is growing, with Sen. Ted Cruz being the first committee member to publicly say he won't vote for him.  Meanwhile, a "pro-Nazi" nominee to lead a sensitive DOJ post pulls out after Leader Thune questions their way forward.  

Sen. Moreno speaks out at a Senate hearing on Hezbollah's drug trafficking operations across Latin America.  The hearing spotlights Venezuela's partnerships with Iran and terrorist groups.

Rep. Dave Taylor provides additional information on the swastikaed American flag found in a staffer's office.

Rep. Shontel Brown warns that expiring ACA tax credits and Medicaid cuts will cause a health care crisis.

Hindu Americans from SW Ohio, including Vivek Ramaswamy and former Ohio State Senator Niraj Antani, are playing a key role in the rising national profile of Hinduism.

Charities nationally are sounding the alarm on GoFundMe's fake donation pages. 

Florida moves to blacklist European universities that are boycotting Israel.  

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

New Jersey's Jewish community may play a decisive role in the upcoming gubernatorial; candidates trade charges of antisemitism and both are ramping up outreach to the Garden State's Jewish community.  

In NYC, Rabbi Michael Miller breaks five decades of political neutrality to urge a vote against Zohran Mamdani.  Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove similarly makes an endorsement against the pro-Hamas and anti-Israel candidate.  Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says opposing Mamdani is a must for Jews and Zionists.  And Brett Stephens tries to explain why so many Jews are so frightened of a Mamdani win.  Meanwhile, Jewish community members push Curtis Sliwa to withdraw. (And, Mamdani gets scrutinized for his ties to a pro-terror Iman.)

There's still a stalemate on the redistricting commission.  In related news, Democrats consider challenging the maps at the ballot box.

A Seattle mayoral candidate tries hiding her endorsement by CAIR. 

Graham Platner says it's not an SS tattoo.  

A BGSU professor is predicting opportunity for Democrats this year.  

THE JEWISH WORLD

An Israeli professor at London's City St. George's is threatened with beheading.  Three are jailed in the UK for planning attacks on mosques and synagogues. PM Starmer orders NHS to clear their antisemitism files in a timely manner.  

VP Vance and Secretary Rubio are in Israel to shore up the fragile ceasefire deal. The veep issues a dire warning to Hamas that it disarm or be "obliterated."  He also refers to the Knesset vote on annexation as a political stunt and personal insult.  Rubio calls UNRWA a subsidiary of Hamas.  Back in the states, in a Time Magazine interview, President Trump makes crystal clear his opposition to any Israeli land annexation at this time.  One bump in the road in getting to a post-Hamas Gaza is that some nations are refusing to send troops for fear of armed clashes with Hamas.  

Are the Abraham Accords ready for expansion? This Likud lawmaker says yes.

The WSJ profiles Minister Ron Dermer.

The PM fires his national security advisor. 

A joint venture between Rafael, Rheinmetall and Diehl Defense inks a 2 billion euro deal with the Bundeswehr.

The Chief Rabbi of Kherson, Ukraine narrowly escapes with his life after a Russian missile strikes the synagogue.  

Leading Israel VC firm OurCrowd changes leadership as CEO Jon Medved is diagnosed with ALS; he will remain involved as Chairman.  

Michael Smuss, a veteran of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising who resisted Nazi forces with Molotov cocktails, has passed away at 99.

Foreign airlines are returning to Tel Aviv and with them a hope for lower prices. 

And, Maccabi Tel Aviv gets some American ownership.

IN THE MEDIA

Nathan Diament and Michael Helfand of the OU each remember the late EVP Rabbi Moshe Hauer, zt"l.

URJ's Rabbi Rick Jacobs also offers his own eulogy for Rabbi Hauer. 

JFS of Columbus CEO Karen Mozenter speaks out on SNAP benefits for refugees.

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS OF THE WEEK

WORTH A READ

Governing magazine looks at Columbus Police Chief Bryant.  Will the US Army hire private equity firms for an infrastructure reboot? An Israeli startup does delivers food to Israeli Arabs without home addresses. And, a look at how the Israeli Navy has transformed.