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Orit Arfa

Orit Arfa is an author and journalist based in Berlin. Her first of two novels, The Settler, follows the aftermath of the 2005 withdrawal from Gaza. Her work can be found at: www.oritarfa.net.

The Lufthansa affair comes on the heels of a community still souring over the Gil Ofarim incident, which might have damaged the credibility of Jewish claims of anti-Semitism. Could that be the cause of the muted response by the Zentralrat, the official Jewish body?
French President Emmanuel Macron eases to victory among a public wary of challenger Marine Le Pen, who while having moderated her far-right image could not properly defend her past ties with Russia, her campaign fumbles, and, especially among Jews, the liability of her last name.
The Jewish community of 100,000 or so has been divided on the prime minister largely across religious-political lines, even though they agree that anti-Semitism has not really been an issue.
In an annual conference in Brussels, national conservatives outlined why they stand with Ukraine, just as liberals do. But what differs it their endgame and, by extension, the implications for Israel and other proud nation-states.
Outside of Ukraine, Germany is home to the largest population of Russian-speaking Jews in Europe. “They take it very personally because for us it’s still part of our identity; it’s not just another war on the map,” said Anna Segal, CEO of the Kahal Adass Jisroel congregation in Berlin.
Israeli Minister Eli Avidar calls the police’s breakup of the protest at the Knesset “violent and brutal.”
“Getting to know each other and seeing each other as human beings—with families, with lives—it was eye-opening to me,” said Natalie Zacks, who moved to Israel in 2008 from Detroit.
Civil servant Michael Blume defends allegations of impropriety by going on the offensive against his Jewish accusers. The established German Jewish community supports him, demonstrating a partisan rift. Now, allegations of corruption have surfaced.