When United States President Barack Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act last month, he brought into effect a provision that will allow the Pentagon to review the cases of Jewish servicemen who may have been denied the Medal of Honor in the past because of their faith. The William Shemin Jewish World War I Veterans Act is the result of a long effort from Shemin’s daughter, Elsie Shemin-Roth, who spent the past decade collecting military records and first-hand accounts of her father’s …More

An anti-Semitism suit has caused Apple to withdraw a “Jew or not Jew” iPhone app from its online store. French anti-racism groups, including the French Jewish Students Union, had brought a suit against Apple in Paris. Their lawyer, Stephane Lilti, said Apple’s action “satisfies our demand.” The app’s inventor, Johann Levy, described “Jew or not Jew” as a list of “thousands of Jewish personalities (through their mother), 'half-Jewish' (through their father), …More

Less than a week after anti-Semitic graffiti was found in Brooklyn, the same neighborhood was hit again. The Avenue J subway sign in the Midwood neighborhood had “EW” added to the station’s name, making it into “Avenue Jew.” New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) told reporters that “these cowards need to know that we will find them wherever they lurk, and when we do, we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.” “Education and vigilance …More

Wow, LeBron. We don't know who to believe anymore. On one hand, you have paid a lot of money to retain Rabbi Yishayahu Yosef Pinto as a spiritual guide for your business deals. On the other, a guy in a pick-up game yesterday at the Mandel Jewish Community Center in Cleveland heard you say to a teammate, "These Jews suck at basketball." Now, you've denied you said this, and to be fair, pretty much everyone on the planet sucks at basketball in comparison to you. But still, hold up, Mr. James! That's a pretty big …More

Swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti were discovered in a Brooklyn neighborhood Friday morning, shocking its residents. Three cars were set on fire on Ocean Parkway in Midwood as part of the spree, which involved writing the various Jewish slurs on sidewalks and park benches. The slurs included the aforementioned swastikas, as well as “SS,” “KKK,” and “F**k the Jews.” Ron Meir, the Anti-Defamation League’s New York regional director, took note that the attacks …More

Last week, we told you about how Texas State Representative Larry Taylor caused a stir when he told insurance companies to not "Jew" down wind damage claims. "Your job is to pay claims. Don't nitpick. Don't try to Jew them down," Taylor said. Well, Stephen Colbert has jumped on board and lampooned Taylor as only he can. Using his Bigot-O-Tron 9000, Colbert breaks down the brain functions that led Taylor to making such a fool of himself. "Yes, I think we can all agree that's probably a bad term," Colbert said. …More

A new survey conducted by the Anti-Defamation League found that antisemitism has increased in the United States. The 2011 “Survey of American Attitudes Toward Jews in America” found that 15 percent of Americans have anti-Semitic views, a 3 percent increase from the last poll in 2009. “The fact that anti-Semitic attitudes have increased significantly over the past two years is troubling and raises questions about the impact of broader trends in America—financial insecurity, social …More

The chairman of the Texas House Republican Caucus used “Jew” as a slur during a discussion over the payment process of wind insurance claims. "Your job is to pay claims. Don't nitpick. Don't try to Jew them down," Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, said. He then added, “That’s probably a bad term.” Hours later, Taylor issued an apology, saying, “At a legislative oversight committee hearing today, I inadvertently used a phrase that many people find offensive. I corrected myself …More

Chancellor Angela Merkel received the Berlin Jewish Museum Prize for Understanding and Tolerance at the association’s 10th anniversary celebration. “Jewish life was always a part of Germany and it always will be,” Merkel said in her acceptance speech. “Demonstrating this is a national responsibility.” The award is given each year to those who have showed a dedication to combating antisemitism and racism. The director of the museum, W. Michael Blumenthal, commended Merkel for her …More

Yale's replacement for the Yale Initiative for the Interdisciplinary Study of Antisemitism, the Yale Program for the Study of Antisemitism, aims to have a more scholarly focus than its predecessor, which has been called too political for an academic environment. Yale announced in early June that YIISA would not continue because it lacked sufficient academic interest from students and faculty, prompting public outcry from newspaper columnists and Jewish groups such as the Anti-Discrimination League. In its place, …More