Shabbat programs run the gamut; there’s one for nearly every age group in every major city across the United States. And activities that mark Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, are available in most American Jewish communities as well.

But put the two together, and it makes a brand-new initiative called “Shabbat for Israel” on May 2, which aims to meld the holidays and draw in those who may not commemorate either.

“It’s an opportunity to engage new people,” says Ben Cook, director of marketing operations for Jewish National Fund-USA, who explains that the goal was to get 1,000 hosts in North America “to celebrate all things Israel.”

The idea arose last fall following the annual JNF conference, which was held in Dallas and drew as many as 2,500 attendees. At the same time, pro-Palestinian protesters showed up, as they did the year before at the annual conference in Denver following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, during the weekend-long event with signs, chants and cowbells to disrupt the proceedings.

It came in a backdrop of increasing intolerance toward Israel and rising antisemitism.

“We felt it was time to combat that with something joyful,” says Cook. And so, the organization put the word out, and as of this week, hosts number 850 in the United States, 70 in Canada, and in an added development, 100 in Israel. (Another 50 synagogues and communal organizations are also participating and included in the U.S. total.)

“It was a slow drip at first,” he acknowledges, “but in the last couple of months, it turned into a flood.”

Because the size of the gatherings will vary (some more intimate with half-a-dozen guests and others expected to draw a crowd of 20 to 30), the end result is an estimated 10,000 men and women in their 20s through their 90s welcoming Shabbat and recognizing Israel’s 77th year this Friday.

Events can be barbecues, cocktail parties, takeout or full-fledged Shabbat dinners. A box filled with items like tea candles, a recipe book, a holiday guide and a set of cards with thought-provoking questions on traditions, culture, religion and more is geared to help get things rolling. The point is to socialize around days of importance to the Jewish people.

“It’s all about connection—to each other, to history and to the Jewish homeland,” says Cook. “It’s one night where, despite our differences and hardships and ways of thinking, we all come together for one purpose.”

The initiative is chaired by philanthropists Bob Benedon, Sara Cannon and Alex Mechaly.

“This Shabbat dinner is more than a meal; it’s a powerful expression of unity, heritage, hope and the enduring connection between Jewish communities in America and Israel,” said Benedon. “Across the country, thousands will join in a tradition that has united our people for generations—and one that will show the world that we are proud of who we are, as Jews and Zionists.”

Cannon added that “Israel’s Independence Day is more than a historical milestone; it’s a living testament to the strength, perseverance and unity of the Jewish people. As we gather in homes and synagogues across the country, we will honor our history, embrace our present and strengthen our collective future.”

For decades, political observers have judged American presidents by their first 100 days—a somewhat arbitrary marker that can still offer insights into the administration’s priorities and governing style. Trump has done more during this time than any other president. His decisions have been good, questionable or awful, depending on your partisanship. That is true of his policy toward the Middle East and Israel specifically.

If anyone ever believed that Trump holds a special regard for the U.S.-Israel relationship, his imposition of a 17% tariff on Israeli goods, after Israel eliminated tariffs on American imports, should shatter that illusion. Israel is facing harsher tariffs than many countries that are not allies.

Trump’s advisors and cabinet are a mixed bag of pro-Israel stalwarts and isolationists. There are officials with ties to Qatar and others with far-right extremists. One of the more promising appointments has been Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has initiated a much-needed overhaul of the U.S. State Department, eliminating USAID—a move with mixed consequences, given that it both defunded problematic NGOs and cut off support for Israeli hospitals. Another positive addition to the State Department is Mike Huckabee, a Christian Zionist appointed as U.S. ambassador to Israel.

If you substitute the name Obama or Biden for many of Trump’s other policies, Jewish conservatives would be apoplectic. Remember the uproar when Obama visited Cairo and skipped Jerusalem? Trump is going to Saudi Arabia but not Israel. How about the decision to negotiate directly with Hamas and Iran?

Biden’s approach to Israel vacillated between Jekyll and Hyde. Trump’s policies have been similar.

He pressured Israel into ceasefires with Hamas and Hezbollah. Now, however, he’s allowing strikes in the Gaza Strip and Southern Lebanon. He warned against attacking Beirut but apparently approved the attack on a Hezbollah missile facility in a suburb.

Trump told Israel not to attack the Houthis, who are targeting it almost daily. Unlike Biden, who was petrified of the possibility of escalation, Trump ordered ongoing U.S. military strikes on Yemen.

He blocked Israel from attacking Iran but threatened war to stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Trump has resumed his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran but said he wants to have direct talks with its supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. He’s moved significant military assets to the region but has not used them to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities. He says that Iran can’t have a nuclear bomb, but his negotiator talked about a modified version of Obama’s nuclear deal that Trump tore up because it would not accomplish that goal. Like Obama, he is letting Iran string him along and refuse to talk about its missile program or sponsorship of terror.

Trump ordered the release of weapons that Biden withheld and removed his predecessor’s sanctions on settlers. The administration has also denied visas to Israeli cyber experts.

After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump then praised Turkey’s Islamist leader, who has been threatening Israel while saying he could mediate between them.

Trump warned Hamas that there would be “hell to pay” if the hostages weren’t freed, which was an empty threat the terrorists ignored. Meanwhile, his negotiator, Adam Boehler, prioritized the release of Americans and was prepared to leave the other Israeli captives behind while expecting Israel to hand over Palestinian prisoners. In response to criticism, he said, “We’re the United States; we’re not an agent of Israel.”

Trump has shown no interest in resuscitating his failed peace plan from his first term or engaging in a new initiative involving the Palestinians. He cut aid again to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and remains unwilling to fund the Palestinian Authority while its “pay-to-slay” policy continues. Trump floated the fanciful plan to take over Gaza, expel the Palestinians and create a “Riviera of the Middle East,” which received a great deal of backlash and has since stalled in terms of going forward.

After weeks of ignoring the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Trump sounded almost Bidenesque in his demand that Israel open access points for the delivery aid.

Administration leaks of Israeli military plans and shared intelligence has affected Israel’s security.

Domestically, his draconian fund cuts and other threats have forced universities to take antisemitism on campus more seriously. The Hamas-loving protesters no longer have free rein, and some are being targeted for deportation.

Trump issued an executive order mandating full and timely disclosure of foreign funding by higher education institutions, which may finally allow the public to know how much Arab money flows to universities and the purpose of those funds. The administration has also opened dozens of investigations of institutions of higher learning to determine their compliance with civil-rights laws protecting Jews and others. Simultaneously, however, he gutted the department responsible for conducting those reviews.

Perhaps more seriously, Trump has undercut Israel with his rhetoric. When he refused to commit to removing the tariff on Israel, he said: “Don’t forget, we help Israel a lot. We give Israel $4 billion a year, that’s a lot.” Stressing the point further, he added that “we give Israel billions of dollars a year. Billions. It’s one of the highest of anyone.”

This effectively lumped Israel with other countries he considers schnorrers—freeloaders he accuses of sponging off the United States, ignoring the mutual benefits of our alliance. Nevertheless, Rubio expedited the delivery of the $4 billion in military assistance.

After 100 days, Trump has an uneven record, combining some very commendable moves with some serious missteps.

Israel ushered in its 77th Independence Day at sunset on Wednesday night, with nightly celebrations canceled or postponed throughout the country as massive wildfires continued to engulf the Jewish state.

The Jerusalem torch-lighting ceremony that traditionally marks the start of Yom Ha'atzmaut, Independence Day, and the end of Yom Hazikaron, the Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, was canceled due to a massive blaze in the nearby hills and strong winds. Instead, footage of the rehearsals held earlier this week was aired.

Unlike the 2024 event, which was pre-recorded without an audience due to the ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, this year's torch-lighting ceremony was supposed to take place live at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

However, the ceremony was canceled amid fears that the high winds could interfere with lighting the torches or even endanger participants. Additionally, Israeli authorities had concerns that the weather could compromise the stability of the event stage, potentially endangering the thousands of spectators.

Israelis and Diaspora Jews in the taped event lit 12 torches, symbolizing the 12 tribes: The torch of the hostages, the torch of determination, the torch of the Israeli soundtrack, the torch of the bridge to the world, the torch of the strength of spirit, the torch of the Israel Defense Forces, the torch of the people in the shadow, the torch of mutual responsibility, the torch of generation to generation, the torch of rehabilitation and healing, the torch of connecting communities and the torch of giving.

The theme of this year's national ceremony was "Bridges of Hope."

"Also this year, the torch-lighting ceremony will take place under the shadow of the multi-front war, and I deliberated a lot about the central theme," Miri Regev, minister of transport, national infrastructure and road safety, who organized the event, stated ahead of the ceremony.

"We are all experiencing the divisions and pains prevailing in Israeli society, but at the same time, there is much more that unites us than separates us," explained the Cabinet minister. "I decided that the theme expresses the recognition that—although it sometimes seems that there is a deep chasm between the two sides—there are bridges of hope."

Ceremonies and events that required the presence of firefighters were scrapped throughout the country on Wednesday night, the National Security Ministry announced following a situational assessment.

Independence Day is expected to be marked with festivities throughout the Jewish state on Wednesday evening and during the day on Thursday.

The Israeli Air Force flyover, which traditionally takes place on the day of Yom Ha'atzmaut, had been canceled due to the military's focus on the war.

On Thursday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his wife will receive 120 IDF troops for the traditional ceremony honoring outstanding soldiers.

Also on Thursday, the International Bible Contest will be held at the Jerusalem Theater, followed by the annual Israel Prize ceremony, in which the state's highest civilian honor will be awarded in four fields: Jewish studies, humanities and social sciences; natural and exact sciences; culture and arts; and the lifetime achievement award.

Israeli Independence Day, celebrated on the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar (this year it is on the third to avoid interference with Shabbat), commemorates the signing of the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948.

Independence Day is celebrated immediately after Memorial Day, creating a distinction between the pain suffered and the triumph and ultimate reward for the sacrifice of those who fell.

“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” 

— Psalms 126:5

After a year of profound heartbreak, Yom Ha’atzmaut arrives as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people. Even amid pain, we celebrate the miracle of Israel’s rebirth—the harvest of dreams sown through centuries of sacrifice and hope.

Seventy-six years ago, David Ben-Gurion stood in Tel Aviv and proclaimed the birth of the modern-day Jewish state. It fulfilled a 2,000-year-old dream—a miracle shaped through sacrifice, courage and unyielding hope. Today, we honor that founding vision, even as Israel confronts one of the most painful chapters in its national story.

In the aftermath of the horrific Oct. 7 attacks, when more than 1,200 Israelis were brutally murdered and hundreds were taken hostage by the Hamas terror army, the meaning of Yom Ha’atzmaut has deepened. It is not only a celebration of sovereignty; it is a declaration of resilience and a commitment to renewal. The State of Israel exists to safeguard the Jewish people. Its survival is not guaranteed by history; it is sustained by vigilance, unity and the steadfast support of allies.

At a time when antisemitism is surging—from elite university campuses to the halls of international institutions—Israel stands as a powerful reminder of Jewish dignity, perseverance and the eternal capacity for renewal. It is not merely a geopolitical entity. It is a civilizational statement: The Jewish people are not relics of the past but builders of the future.

Despite immense challenges, the people of Israel rise each morning with resolve—to defend their communities, to mourn their losses and to rebuild with hope. Across the Jewish world, Israel continues to inspire and anchor Jewish life.

This Yom Ha’atzmaut, we rededicate ourselves to the enduring bond between American Jewry and the State of Israel—and to the vital partnership between our two nations. Ours is not a transactional relationship. It is familial, forged by shared values of democracy, freedom, innovation and a belief in the sacred worth of every human life.

We also reaffirm Israel’s centrality to Jewish identity. Supporting Israel is not about partisan politics. It is about memory, security and destiny. Even, and especially, in times of disagreement or crisis, the bond endures. We do not walk away from family.

As Israel enters its 77th year, let us honor its founders by embodying their spirit of courage and renewal. Let us raise our voices proudly against antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Let us stand with Israel as it strives for security and peace. And let us strengthen the ties that bind our communities—across oceans, across generations, across the arc of history.

Am Yisrael Chai!

The humanitarian situation in Gaza consumed most of the United Nations Security Council’s meeting on Tuesday for its quarterly open debate on the Israeli-Palestinian file. But Jonathan Miller, the deputy Israeli ambassador to the global body, told the council that it must take a larger regional view to understand how to resolve the problems in the Middle East. 

“We have a chance to widen that lens, and we must,” the envoy told the council. “Danger and opportunity walk side by side.”

Miller called on the international community to do more to help the Lebanese government rein in the Iranian proxy Hezbollah, as Israel continues to locate and strike the terror group’s hidden arsenals, including in a civilian area in Beirut, “which contained precision missiles intended for use against Israel,” earlier this week.

Miller asked the council to act urgently, with a new Lebanese government in place that says it seeks to disarm Hezbollah.

“Public voices, civil society leaders and elements within its new government are calling for sovereignty,” he said. “For an end to Hezbollah’s tyranny over their country.”

“The Lebanese people have made one thing unmistakably clear,” he added. “They want peace, stability and a future free from terror.”

The situation in Syria is also urgent after its longtime dictator, Bashar Assad, was deposed last year, according to Miller.

“Syria must not become a permanently fractured state governed by guns, but by the rule of law,” the Israeli envoy said.

The new government is ruled by a U.S.-designated terror group and composed of jihadis, who “now hold command over military infrastructure that could be used to destabilize the region and threaten the security of neighboring states, including Israel,” Miller said. 

The Syrian population deserves “a future not dominated by sectarianism and foreign interference,” according to the Israeli envoy. “They deserve international support that empowers local stability, not the enabling of jihadism and chaos.”

Until the council deals with Iran and its other proxies, including Hamas and the Houthis in Yemen, it cannot talk about security for the region with any seriousness, according to Miller.

The envoy told the council that a conference about a two-state solution, which France and Saudi Arabia have called for in early June at the United Nations, is “destined to fail.”

“Such an initiative is disconnected from the current reality and risks doing more harm than good, particularly in the post-Oct. 7 environment,” Miller said. “It creates false expectations while ignoring the underlying dysfunction of the Palestinian Authority.”

Dorothy Shea, the interim U.S. envoy to the United Nations, told the council that “the United States will do its part to help forge a new reality alongside Israel and our Arab partners.”

“The future must start in a Gaza without Hamas,” she said. “Meetings or international conferences will not change this reality.”

Shea agreed with her Israeli counterpart on the importance of examining the region more broadly.

“We must also recognize the insidious violence, suffering and instability throughout the Middle East that Iran promotes through its malign actions, including its sponsorship of terrorism,” she said. “Through Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and countless other terrorist proxies it backs, Iran poses a threat to the millions of people who call this region home.”

António Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, warned that a two-state solution is “near a point of no return” and pushed U.N. member states to take “irreversible action” to implement it.

“I encourage member states to go beyond affirmations and to think creatively about the concrete steps they will take to support a viable two-state solution before it is too late,” he said.

In his remarks before the council on Tuesday, Guterres decried the U.S. Justice Department’s decision to strip immunity from the U.N. Relief and Works Agency in a lawsuit against the agency and its leaders from victims of the Hamas-led terror attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

“I emphasize the obligation under international law to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including the absolute inviolability of United Nations premises, property and assets and the immunity from legal process of the United Nations,” Guterres told the council.

“Such immunity applies to all U.N. entities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including UNRWA, a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly,” he said. “I call on member states to fully support all of these efforts.”

Israeli police reportedly arrested or detained three suspects in connection with fires that broke out on Wednesday near Jerusalem, amid soaring temperatures and fierce winds, and led to the cancellation of many Independence Day events.

The suspects, who were not identified or described in initial reports in the Israeli media, were arrested within several hours of the fires, which forced evacuations, road closures and the quashing of Israel’s state Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony.

According to widespread Hebrew media reports, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) joined in the investigation into the fires, suggesting authorities believe the fires were the result of terrorist arson attacks.

Fires were also reported near Hadera and Israel’s Coastal Plain.

Halel Bitton, a reporter covering the fires for Channel 14, said that dozens of separate fires have been reported in the affected area.

Ahead of the arrests, calls to set fires in Israel proliferated on social media in Arabic, several individuals who monitor this discourse noted.

One banner, shared online by Ayelet Lash, an open source intelligence activist from Rehalim in Samaria, read: “Set fire to the earth beneath the settlers’ feet.” It featured a drawing of a man wearing a keffiyeh starting a fire near a field on a hill overlooking burning homes.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister, said on Wednesday that no fatalities have been reported from the fires.

Arsonists, he added, “should be treated as arch-terrorists for all intents and purposes, who tried to murder thousands of civilians, and accordingly, they should be brought to justice in the full severity of the law.” He reiterated his call for instituting the death penalty against terrorists.

“Police will continue their efforts to capture all those involved in the arson terror, and the incitement team will continue to locate the instigators and rioters,” he said.

Knesset member Zvi Sukkot sent an urgent letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding a curfew on Arab villages and cities.

“As the fires spread, calls are being published on Arab networks to ‘set fire to the occupied forests and settlements,’ and there is a real concern, based on past experience, that Palestinians will attempt to set additional fires in Judea and Samaria and throughout the country,” Sukkot wrote.

As Israel pauses to honor its fallen on Yom Hazikaron, one soldier will be marking the day in uniform for the first time—a moment that she never anticipated.

“Wearing the uniform on Yom Hazikaron is something I never imagined I would experience,” said Cpl. N, a 20-year-old lone soldier originally from Toronto, Canada, in an interview with JNS. “It will be a difficult, but deeply meaningful day. I’m proud to represent our nation.”

N moved to Israel in August 2024 and enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces in December. She currently serves as a combat fitness instructor based in Ramat Aviv.

“I love Israel, and I’m proud to go through these meaningful days knowing what we’ve been through, what we can overcome and what we will continue to overcome with future successes,” she said.

After graduating from high school, N spent a year in Israel studying and volunteering. Raised in a strongly Zionist household, she said the connection to Israel was central to her upbringing.

“I come from a very Zionist home—love for Israel was everything,” she said. “Being in Israel and spending time here was a big part of who I was.”

Although she initially returned to Canada to begin university, she said she quickly realized her path lay elsewhere.

“My parents wanted me to try what my friends were doing—go to school—but the moment I started, I felt I needed to come back to Israel. And I did.”

For N, simply living in Israel wasn’t enough. “I didn’t feel comfortable just living here. I wanted to be part of something bigger. Everyone my age here is serving, contributing. I knew I wouldn’t be satisfied if I didn’t serve too,” she said.

Before enlisting, she completed a three-month IDF preparatory course. The experience, she said, gave her a deeper connection to Israeli society.

“It’s been incredible to see the system from the inside after sitting in the diaspora my whole life,” she said. “Now, wearing the uniform and being part of the people who protect this country—it’s amazing.”

N acknowledged the uncertainty that comes with military service. “It’s scary. You don’t know where you’ll end up. You want it to work out, but it’s the army; it doesn’t always go according to plan,” she said. “But I really lucked out. I got a job that fits me, and I’m grateful for the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had.”

‘It’s a big choice’

The shift from Canadian university life to military service was a dramatic one. N enrolled at Queen’s University in Toronto in September 2023 and was visiting Israel on a break when Hamas launched its deadly assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage into the Gaza Strip.

“It was a very difficult time. My trip was cut short. But after that, I knew I needed to contribute in a way that was more meaningful,” she said.

During her time at Queen’s, N also encountered antisemitism on campus. “There was a day when students dropped a massive Palestinian flag in the library. It was left there for an hour before anyone reacted,” she recalled. “At pro-Israel rallies, people shouted misinformation. It was hard to deal with, especially knowing I was about to serve in the IDF. But I’m proud of that, and I want the world to know.”

After making aliyah, N joined Garin Tzabar, a program supporting lone soldiers—young immigrants without immediate family in Israel.

“It’s a group of people who understand what you’re going through and also miss home,” she said. “The hardest part is going home on weekends, doing your own laundry and cooking, and realizing that you’re here on your own. It’s a big choice, and you feel it.”

Still, she said, the support network and friendships have helped her adjust. “We do our laundry and cook together—it makes a difference. Of course, on the hard days, you miss your family more.”

‘The top value in our home’

In her role, N trains soldiers, manages gym facilities and helps maintain fitness routines across her base.

“After a long day, we’re there to help soldiers decompress, refresh and take care of themselves. It helps them live healthier lives and continue doing their jobs,” she said. “I’ve always loved sports, and this job is a perfect fit.”

N credits her upbringing with preparing her for this journey. “I went to Jewish day school my whole life, learning Hebrew half the day from first grade through high school. Love of Israel was probably the top value in our home,” she said. “My parents are incredibly supportive. I hope they’ll spend more time here in the future.”

Despite the war and challenges of military life, N said she has never felt more fulfilled. “The highlight has been the people I’ve met, the sense of connection across the country, and learning what it means to adapt and integrate. Even with everything happening, I’ve been the happiest I’ve ever been.”

To others considering living in Israel and serving in the IDF, she offered a message of encouragement: “Without taking a risk, you don’t make big changes. Live a life you’re proud of. Persevere so you can be happy with your choices. At the end of the day, it’s worth it.”

Amid rising Jew-hatred since Oct. 7, 2023, Jewish day schools in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Pennsylvania are spending almost 85% more on security, per an April 2025 report from Teach Coalition, the Orthodox Union’s Jewish educational advocacy group.

Each of the 63 Jewish day schools in those states, which the report covered, spent $184,228 annually on security on average during the 2022-23 school year, or about $445 per student. They charged some 40% of students a separate security fee, and overall, spent some 1.85% of their total budget on keeping people safe.

By 2024–2025, that figure rose sharply to $339,297 annually per school on average—an 84% increase—or $807 per pupil.

Gabriel Aaronson, director for policy and research at Teach, told JNS that security costs for Jewish day schools are rising almost 10 times faster than other school expenses.

“Overall, budgets for these schools went up by about 9% over the course of two years,” he said. “But security expenses ballooned by 84%. It’s not like all costs went up evenly. Security is what has really skyrocketed.”

Jewish schools are carrying a heavier financial burden, which is unrelated to general inflation or rising economic costs, according to Aaronson.

“Non-Jewish schools don’t face this kind of extra cost,” he said. “It’s almost like an antisemitism tax. Schools are paying more just because they’re Jewish, through no fault of their own, and that’s a really powerful point when we talk to legislators.”

Families ultimately assume the burden via higher tuition fees.

“In the 2022-23 school year, about 40% of students were paying a separate security fee,” Aaronson told JNS. “Now, in the 2024-25 school year, it’s 52%, and another 26% of students attend schools where tuition increased directly because of higher security costs.”

“Ultimately, every additional dollar that schools spend on security ends up coming from parents,” he said.

The 26,473 students at the 63 schools covered in the Teach survey represent about 10% of the Jewish students in the four states. Some of the schools have fewer than 100 students, and others have more than 1,000. 

Rabbi Dani Rockoff, head of school at the Westchester Day School, told JNS that the Modern Orthodox school in Mamaroneck, N.Y., with about 320 students, had to increase security personnel since Oct. 7. 

“The security that we provide is above and beyond what it already costs to run a school, from dealing with facility costs to having excellent teachers, so the fact that we need to provide all these other measures on the security front for a school is quite onerous,” he said. 

“Security is important in any school, not just Jewish day schools, but as Jews and supporters of Israel living in this country who are proud Zionists, we recognize the sad reality that this fact makes us a target to some,” Rockoff said.

Government support via federal and state funding has been critical in helping the school defray security costs, according to Rockoff.

“We don’t want our students to worry about security. We just want them to feel safe,” he told JNS. “For parents, sending their most precious possessions—their children—to a Jewish day school to learn the values of Judaism and supporting Israel, it’s critical that they can trust that the school is an environment where they can express their identity freely.”

The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it is sanctioning six people in China and Iran, in addition to six entities in a network that provides Iran with materials to make missiles.

"Iran's aggressive development of missiles and other weapons capabilities imperils the safety of the United States and our partners," stated Scott Bessent, the U.S. treasury secretary.

"It also destabilizes the Middle East and violates the global agreements intended to prevent the proliferation of these technologies," he stated. "To achieve peace through strength, Treasury will continue to take all available measures to deprive Iran's access to resources necessary to advance its missile program."

The network has helped Iran procure "sodium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate" from China, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.

"Sodium perchlorate is used to produce ammonium perchlorate, which is controlled by the Missile Technology Control Regime, a multilateral political understanding among states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology," it stated.

The department added that ammonium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate can be used, in part, to make ballistic missiles.