“Thousands of Christian pilgrims have arrived for the Feast of Tabernacles, showing no hesitation in supporting Israel during these trying times”

Posted on October 7, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

JPOST
Israel’s Christian friends have no qualms about standing by the Jewish people
Editorial Board
October 8, 2025

The country has entered Sukkot on tenterhooks as we await word on whether the plan to end the Gaza war and return our hostages unveiled by US President Donald Trump last week will bear fruit. Thankfully, we have friends from abroad who are boosting the spirits of the country and embracing its citizens during these trying times, and reminding us that Sukkot is a joyous time for the Jewish people. We’re talking about the thousands of Christian pilgrims who have arrived this week for the holiday, which they know as the Feast of Tabernacles. With incoming tourism hit sharply over the last two years of the Gaza war (and with the COVID pandemic before that), any sign of visitors and support for Israel should be welcomed. READ MORE

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | 2 Comments

“The information diet fed to Arab audiences often includes selective voices: anti-Israel Jewish intellectuals like Noam Chomsky or Norman Finkelstein or Western-based Arab commentators with limited regional expertise, such as the late Edward Said”

Posted on October 7, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

FDD
Two Years of Arab and Muslim Failure
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
October 7, 2025

…What Palestinians needed, before and after October 7, was an honest discussion about their options. The failure to establish a Palestinian state is not due to Israeli control over territory but stems from Palestinian inability to form a representative, reliable government that speaks for all of them and delivers on its commitments without shifting goals to suit populist narratives, as the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) has done since 1993. Friends of Palestinians – particularly in the Arab and Muslim world – have failed them. Instead of fostering pragmatic discussions about costs, consequences and governance, many have indulged in emotional rhetoric and populism, focusing on vilifying Israel’s response to October 7 while ignoring the barbaric actions that triggered the response and the Arab and Palestinian failure to force a Hamas surrender that would have ended the war on October 8. READ MORE

CAMERA David Litman: The Extraordinary Dishonesty of CNN’s “Gaza Famine” Coverage CNN’s October 2 feature on an alleged “famine” in Gaza (“How Israeli actions caused famine in Gaza, visualized” by Sana Noor Haq, Rachel Wilson, Soph Warnes, Lou Robinson, and Henrik Pettersson, with contributions from Ibrahim Dahman, Kareem Khadder, and Eyad Kourdi) offers a case study in what happens when journalists let their storylines lead the facts instead of the other way around. The article’s central premise—that famine has taken hold in Gaza and that Israel is solely to blame—collapses upon examination of CNN’s own reporting.

Posted in Islam, Israel & Middle East, Politics | 1 Comment

HBO Max’s ‘One Day in October’ revisits the massacre on its two-year anniversary

Posted on October 7, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

DAILY BEAST
This Chilling Drama Series About October 7 Will Leave You Shaken
Nick Schager
October 7, 2025

Time and distance often prove a benefit to understanding and processing unspeakable tragedies, especially when tackling them through a dramatic lens. Nonetheless, One Day in October uses immediacy to its moving advantage. An anthology about October 7 that’s debuting on HBO Max on the two-year anniversary of the attacks—and whose first four installments originally premiered in Israel last October 7—Oded Davidoff and Daniel Finkelman’s miniseries is a collection of dramatized true stories from that distressing day, affording intimate and urgent snapshots of the slaughter from a variety of divergent vantage points. Poignant and harrowing, it’s an act of memory, confrontation, and healing, as well as a challenge to the world to reckon with, and remember, an unfathomable atrocity. HBO Max provided press with two of One Day in October’s seven chapters, both of which exemplify the endeavor’s desire to look, closely and agonizingly, at an unspeakable nightmare. READ MORE. Click here to view One Day in October trailer

JEWISH JOURNAL ‘One Day in October’ and the Story That Hasn’t Ended The series interweaves the experiences of Israelis who lived October 7 in all its unimaginable horror. We saw the story of Omer Shem Tov, who spent 505 days in Hamas captivity — a reminder that while the series is titled One Day in October, that day has not ended. It continues for every hostage still held by Hamas and every Israeli praying for their return. We saw the story of parents who saved their infant daughter as Gazan civilians marauded through their home, setting it ablaze with the family inside. And we met an incredible young woman and warrior who helped save her kibbutz from being overrun by terrorists.

Posted in Islam, Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“As reservists went to war with expired armor and broken helmets, the Friends of the IDF imploded in allegations of misconduct. But the real scandal was ideological, and rooted in a U.S.-Israel relationship that undermined Israel’s security from within”

Posted on October 7, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

TABLET MAG
Israel’s Forgotten Army
Jacob Siegel
October 4, 2025

“It was absolutely abysmal. I mean, it was shocking the equipment that we were given.” Eitan was 27 years old on Oct. 7 when he got the alert. (Soldiers who are identified by their first names only have had their names changed.)…The IDF’s problem was that its leaders had spent decades under the illusion that ground wars requiring mass mobilizations, which are the miluim’s raison d’être, were a thing of the past. In ideal circumstances, a reserve force will still operate at a level of funding and equipment below its active-duty counterparts. But in Israel, where the reserves were no longer seen as vital to the military’s offensive capabilities, the situation had moved past nonideal to dangerously unprepared. Eitan, serving in the reserve component of a special operations unit, should have had better gear than most. Yet, even for the elite commandos of miluim, the initial supply situation was dismal. READ MORE

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“A Palestinian boy saved by Israeli doctors & by the compassion of one of Israel’s biggest music stars עידן רייכל – Idan Raichel – through the incredible Save a Child’s Heart program – grew up to become a Hamas terrorist who murdered Jews”

Posted on October 7, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

JNS
Compassion is no match for indoctrination
Micha Danzig
October 5, 2025

Israeli world musician Idan Raichel recently revealed a story that should shake anyone still clinging to illusions about the war in the Gaza Strip. Seventeen years ago, through the extraordinary Save a Child’s Heart program, he helped save the life of a child from the Hamas-run coastal enclave. It was a story of humanity that transcended borders. But this year, Raichel learned that the child whose life he helped save grew up, joined Hamas and took part in murdering Jews.SFor many, the story is incomprehensible. How does a boy, given life by Israeli compassion, repay that gift by pledging allegiance to those who burn babies alive, rape women and kidnap Holocaust survivors? The answer is simple: Compassion is no match for indoctrination. READ MORE

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“After leaving, Weiss launched a successful Substack that grew into the Free Press, which was acquired by Paramount as part of the deal that put her in charge at CBS”

Posted on October 3, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

NATIONAL REVIEW
Good Luck to Bari Weiss at CBS
The Editors
October 8, 2025

The appointment of Bari Weiss to be editor in chief of CBS News has people freaking out — “like, literally freaking out,” per a staffer at the organization quoted by The Independent. “People are using words like depressing and doomsday,” said another. So what, exactly, is all the fuss about? Weiss gained national attention in 2020 when she resigned from the New York Times, which had become a hostile environment. She wrote as a disillusioned liberal rather than as a doctrinaire conservative, but that was enough to earn her the ire of colleagues in a newsroom that could not tolerate any deviation from progressive groupthink. READ MORE

NATIONAL REVIEW A Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia Is Fundamentally Unfunny — and Unfree  If an American stand-up comedian agrees to perform in the quasi-authoritarian country of Saudi Arabia for boatloads of money, is he selling out free speech? Sebastian Maniscalco, Pete Davidson, Andrew Schulz, Bill Burr, and Dave Chappelle are popular comics who are participating this week in the Riyadh Comedy Festival, a Saudi-sponsored event, for allegedly big checks.

Posted in Israel & Middle East | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Yom Kippur attack in Manchester shows Britain’s deep failure to protect its Jews, as antisemitism spreads unchecked in public life.

Posted on October 2, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

JPOST
Manchester’s Yom Kippur terror attack highlights that Britain failed its Jewish community
Mackenzie France
October 3, 2025

The crisis of antisemitism in Britain has reached a devastating new low. British Jews have been attacked on the holiest day of their religious calendar. For Jews and their allies in Britain, this attack hardly comes as a surprise. Many of those reacting with shock to these antisemitic murders do not realise that they represent the latest in a string of incidents where British Jews have been attacked and intimidated. In schools, hospitals, and now even synagogues, Britain has thoroughly failed to protect its Jewish community. It is time for all of us outside the Jewish community to reckon with this failure and urge our leaders to take antisemitism seriously. Many in the Jewish community have taken time after this heinous attack to stress that it did not come from out of the blue. READ MORE

JEWISH JOURNAL Terrorist Kills Two in Manchester Synagogue on Yom Kippur Two people were killed on Thursday in a terrorist attack at an Orthodox synagogue in Manchester, England. The terrorist rammed his car into worshippers outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation on Middleton Road before exiting the vehicle and stabbing others on Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day. The attack took place at around 9:30 a.m. local time. Three additional people were seriously wounded.

ARUTZ SHEVA Manchester synagogue attacker identified as British citizen of Syrian descent UK police name Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, as suspect in Manchester synagogue attack. He was shot dead by officers. Three others arrested on terrorism charges.

MELANIE PHILLIPS J’accuse Britain’s political and cultural establishment has blood on its hands today

Posted in Islam, Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Leave a comment

“It’s not clear whether the US will be willing to discuss Hamas’s proposed amendments, as US special envoy Steve Witkoff refused to do so the last time the terror group responded with a “Yes, but.” The top Trump aide recalled US negotiators from Doha and Israel followed suit.

Posted on October 2, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

TIMES OF ISRAEL
Hamas slated to respond ‘positively’ to Trump Gaza plan, but request changes
Jacob Magid
October 3, 2025

Hamas will reply “positively” to US President Donald Trump’s proposal for ending the war in Gaza, while submitting a series of amendments, a source familiar with the negotiations told The Times of Israel on Thursday, adding that the response could come within hours The source told The Times of Israel that Arab mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey have been holding productive talks with Hamas leaders in Doha about the plan, which US President Donald Trump unveiled on Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the proposal, and Arab countries have praised Washington’s efforts. The source said that Hamas’s amendments will be aimed at softening some of the proposal’s terms that Netanyahu had added at the 11th hour regarding the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Hamas’s disarmament. READ MORE

ISRAEL HAYOM Mediators race to bypass Hamas objections to Gaza plan Disagreements within Hamas leadership are blocking a decision on President Trump’s peace plan, and mediators are working to break the deadlock. Their proposal: Hamas would accept the plan in principle, followed by an international conference to discuss its details. Hamas is demanding a ceasefire the moment it gives that initial approval, while Israel insists on full agreement from Hamas and all other Palestinian factions.

MEDIA LINE Trump Lays Out Powerful Plan To End Gaza War, While Warning Hamas To Accept Terms President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday rolled out a sweeping proposal at the White House to halt the war in Gaza, free the remaining captives within days, and stand up a new security and governing architecture for the enclave. The plan is designed to stop the fighting through a time-bound hostage deal and a verified IDF pullback while an international mission moves in to police the territory and a technocratic Palestinian team restores basic governance. The US president said Arab states were prepared to help carry out security tasks and reconstruction; Israel signaled it would support the framework if Hamas agrees.

JNS Jonathan Tobin: Trump gives the Palestinians another opportunity to choose peace The president’s plan could end the fighting in Gaza and free the remaining hostages. But it depends on a belief that Israel’s foes are willing to give up their genocidal fantasies.

Posted in Islam, Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“Everything written here is from a place of deep love for Israel and the Jewish people,” added Kirk, who defended Israel when speaking on college campuses as part of his duties leading Turning Point USA”

Posted on September 30, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

NEW YORK POST
Charlie Kirk wrote of his ‘deep love’ for Israel in letter to Netanyahu about how to counter rising opposition to the Jewish state in the US
Josh Christenson and David Propper
September 29, 2025

Assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu how to counter “anti-Israel sentiment” among Gen Z and win the “information war” being waged against the Jewish state, according to a letter obtained by The Post. Kirk wrote to Netanyahu in the May 2 missive that he was alarmed by “anti-Israel and anti-Semitic trends” hitting “record levels on social media” since one of his “greatest joys as a Christian is advocating for Israel and forming alliances with Jews in the fight to protect Judeo-Christian civilization.” “My team and I have spent months analyzing these trends and debating ideas that could help you and your country pushback [sic] against these disturbing developments,” he said in the letter, reproduced in full below for the first time. READ MORE

FORWARD Before his death, Charlie Kirk told Netanyahu that Israel faced a ‘5-alarm fire’ over PR strategy “I’m accused of being a paid apologist for Israel when I defend her; however, if I don’t defend Israel strongly enough, I’m accused of being anti-semitic,” Kirk wrote. “I know you’ve got a 7 front war and my kvetching pales in comparison. But I’m trying to convey to you that Israel is losing support even in conservative circles. This should be a 5 alarm fire.”

YOUTUBE Dennis Prager Reacts to Megyn Kelly’s Frustration with SOME Jewish groups

JNS Jonathan Tobin: Megyn Kelly is wrong: Neutrality on right-wing antisemitism is immoral The podcaster and the late Charlie Kirk were wrong to refuse to cut ties with Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens. This failure is poisoning American conservatism.

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Coming to Highland Park Wayfarer…October 7 film to be released on more than 100 screens beginning this week

Posted on September 30, 2025 by ArchitectGuy

VARIETY
Toronto: High-Profile Doc ‘The Road Between Us’ Will Be in Theaters Within Weeks
Steven Zeitchik
September 11, 2025

After a winding path to its Toronto premiere, The Road Between Us is taking the fast lane to theaters.The Israeli rescue movie will be essentially self-released on some 125 screens in more than 20 cities throughout North America beginning Oct. 3, representatives for the film say. The release barely three weeks after its Toronto premiere is unusual, and the movie will seek to capitalize on festival buzz for a word-of-mouth-driven set of commercial screenings…Barry Avrich’s documentary about a retired Tel Aviv general driving through great danger to save his son’s family at a kibbutz near Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, garnered headlines  when TIFF organizers first invited then disinvited the title, eventually reinstating it after a global outcry. On Wednesday, the movie premiered to a warm reception from 1,800 festgoers in Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall as a small protest unfolded outside the theater. READ MORE

BUY TICKETS FOR HIGHLAND PARK WAYFARER

VIEW THE TRAILER

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Leave a comment