#global prayer campaign

[lapislavender]

@khalilgaza67 Reached out to me and NEEDS YOUR HELP!

His is vetted and is currently still in gaza suffering through the genocide, with only €2,435 raised of his €30,000 target.

Below are excerpts from his gofundme campaign that I highly encourage you to read:

“My name is Khalil Abubaker, and I am reaching out to you from Gaza, a place that has been deeply affected by the ongoing war.

The past eight months have been incredibly challenging for my family and me. My father, who has always been our main supporter, has been unable to work due to the conflict. Like many others, he lost his job and exhausted all his savings trying to keep us afloat.”

Call for Help:

Our campaign goal is to raise €30,000. Initially, we will use €20,000 to cross the border into Egypt for myself, my father, my mother, and my youngest unmarried sister—half of our family members.

The remaining €10,000 will be used to settle in Egypt and cover the costs of necessary items, rent, transportation, and other expenses as we start a new life.

How You Can Help:

I've never spoken up like this before; in fact, I feel shy even asking my close friends outside the country to help because I know it's beyond their ability.

I truly believe in the kindness of strangers and in the power of the global community to help us get out of this dire situation. Every contribution, no matter how small, will bring us closer to securing a future away from the devastation.

We understand that not everyone may be able to contribute financially, but sharing our story with your network can also make a significant difference.”

To support Khalil and his family, You can donate to the gofundme and spread it around!

“From the depths of our hearts, we thank you for your kindness, support, and prayers. Together, we can give my family the hope and strength to overcome this harrowing time and start anew.

With gratitude and hope,

Khalil Abubaker”

[falasteen7urrah]

please please please check out this amazing campaign at: https://www.instagram.com/p/C4-HR5iuRoG/

In honor of a Gazan tradition, the #greenforgaza hashtag was born, urging global participation in preparing and enjoying molokhiya for the first iftar of Ramadan, symbolizing hope and goodness. Advocating for solidarity, social media users are encouraged to share images of their green Ramadans, accompanied by prayers for Gaza's well-being. Beyond culinary contributions, support through donations and calls for a ceasefire are urged, fostering empathy and compassion during the holy month. Regardless of religious affiliation, individuals are invited to join the trend, embracing green or white foods while highlighting the plight of Gaza. Remembering the innocent victims of conflict, the call for #CeasefireNow resonates, aiming for a Ramadan marked by peace and hope, rather than the darkness of destruction. Spread the message and stand in unity with Gaza during these trying times.

[gazage1]

Compassionate Hearts Around the World,

My name is Khalil Abubaker, and I am reaching out to you from Gaza, a place that has been deeply affected by the ongoing war. The past eight months have been incredibly challenging for my family and me. My father, who has always been our main supporter, has been unable to work due to the conflict. Like many others, he lost his job and exhausted all his savings trying to keep us afloat.

Our Family’s Situation:

Our family consists of my mother, my father, my four sisters, my brother, and myself. Despite the dire circumstances, we have always stayed strong and supported one another. We were also running a small side business—a rabbit farm—that helped us make ends meet.

Tragically, our farm was totally destroyed by an air strike, wiping out our additional source of income.

Personal Contribution and Current Struggle:

I was working remotely with a company outside of Gaza, contributing significantly to our family's needs. Unfortunately, due to the current situation, I lost my employment and spent all my savings trying to help us survive. Now, after eight long and difficult months, we find ourselves at a breaking point. We have exhausted all our resources, and the situation here in Gaza continues to deteriorate. The hope we once clung to is slipping away, and we desperately need your help to survive and evacuate to a safer place.

Call for Help:

Our campaign goal is to raise €30,000. Initially, we will use €20,000 to cross the border into Egypt for myself, my father, my mother, and my youngest unmarried sister—half of our family members. The remaining €10,000 will be used to settle in Egypt and cover the costs of necessary items, rent, transportation, and other expenses as we start a new life.

How You Can Help:

I've never spoken up like this before; in fact, I feel shy even asking my close friends outside the country to help because I know it's beyond their ability. I truly believe in the kindness of strangers and in the power of the global community to help us get out of this dire situation. Every contribution, no matter how small, will bring us closer to securing a future away from the devastation. We understand that not everyone may be able to contribute financially, but sharing our story with your network can also make a significant difference.

The Heartbreak:

Leaving Gaza means leaving behind the home my father spent his entire life building, and the memories we cherish so deeply. It means separating our family in the hope that we will one day reunite. The decision to leave is incredibly difficult, but our safety and survival are paramount.

Gratitude:

From the depths of our hearts, we thank you for your kindness, support, and prayers. Together, we can give my family the hope and strength to overcome this harrowing time and start anew.

With gratitude and hope,

Khalil Abubaker

[mariacallous]

A growing Christian supremacist movement that labels its perceived enemies as “demonic” and enjoys close ties to major Republican figures is “the greatest threat to American democracy you’ve never heard of,” according to a new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The SPLC, a civil rights organization that monitors extremist groups, released its “Year In Hate And Extremism 2023” report on Tuesday. A significant portion of the report, which tracked burgeoning anti-democratic and neo-fascist movements and actors across America, is devoted to the New Apostolic Reformation, “a new and powerful Christian supremacy movement that is attempting to transform culture and politics in the U.S. and countries across the world into a grim authoritarianism.”

Emerging out of the charismatic evangelical tradition, the NAR adheres to a form of Christian dominionism, meaning its parishioners believe it’s their divine duty to seize control of every political and cultural institution in America, transforming them according to a fundamentalist interpretation of scripture.

NAR adherents also believe in the existence of modern-day “apostles” and “prophets” — church leaders endowed by God with supernatural abilities, including the power to heal. In 2022, a handful of these “apostles,” the report notes, issued what they called the Watchman Decree, an anti-democratic document envisioning the end of a pluralistic society in America.

The apostles claimed they had been given “legal power and authority from Heaven” and are “God’s ambassadors and spokespeople over the earth,” who “are equipped and delegated by Him to destroy every attempted advance of the enemy.”

And who’s the enemy? Basically anyone who does not adhere to NAR beliefs. NAR adherents see their critics as being literally controlled by the devil.

“There are claims that whole neighborhoods, cities, even nations are under the sway of the demonic,” the report states. “Other religions, such as Islam, are also said to be demonically influenced. One cannot compromise with evil, and so if Democrats, liberals, LGBTQ+ people, and others are seen as demonic, political compromise — the heart of democratic life — becomes difficult if not impossible.”

This rhetoric has become increasingly widespread among Republican lawmakers, including former President Donald Trump, who last year referred to Marxists and atheists as “evil demonic forces that want to destroy our country.”

That Trump would use NAR-inspired rhetoric is unsurprising considering his relationship with Paula White-Cain, an NAR figure who delivered the invocation at Trump’s inauguration in 2017 and at the kickoff of his 2020 reelection campaign, as noted by Paul Rosenberg in Salon. White-Cain also delivered the invocation at Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021, “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C. — the event that eventually became the insurrection at the Capitol.

The attack on the Capitol was largely inspired, the report suggests, by NAR’s theology of dominionism. “NAR prayer groups were mobilized at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as well as supporting prayer teams all over the country, to exorcise the demonic influence over the Capitol that adherents said was keeping Trump from his rightful, prophesized second term,” the report states.

Major Republican figures took part in such events on or around the day of the attack. Mike Johnson, who is now the speaker of the House, joined the NAR’s “Global Prayer for Election Integrity,” which called for Trump’s reinstatement as president, in the weeks leading up to the attack on the Capitol. Johnson has also stated that Jim Garlow, an NAR leader, has had a “profound influence” on his life.

Ultimately, the SPLC report is an attempt to ring the alarm bells about the NAR, ”the greatest threat to U.S. democracy that you have never heard of.

“It is already a powerful, wealthy and influential movement and composes a highly influential block of one of the two main political parties in the country,” the report continues. “So few people have heard of NAR that it is possible that, without resistance in our local communities, dominionism might win without ever having been truly opposed.”

The SPLC’s report, according to a press release, also documents 595 hate groups and 835 antigovernment extremist groups in America, “including a growing wave of white nationalism increasingly motivated by theocratic beliefs and conspiracy theories.”

“With a historic election just months away, this year, more than any other, we must act to preserve our democracy,” Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center and SPLC Action Fund, said in a statement. “That will require us to directly address the danger of hate and extremism from our schools to our statehouses. Our report exposes these far-right extremists and serves as a tool for advocates and communities working to counter disinformation, false conspiracies and threats to voters and election workers.”

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Hunter Walker and Josh Kovensky at TPM:

NEW YORK — Sunday night offered a sneak preview of what life might be like in President-elect Donald Trump’s second term at the annual black tie gala of Manhattan’s most MAGA political club. It’s a world where fringe media outlets are ascendant, a new wave of religious leaders are mixing politics and prayer, the global right-wing is rejoicing, and more established press are being subjected to a new level of restrictions and derision. 

The New York Young Republicans Club is an organization that’s over a century old. These days, the group embodies the new GOP with a leadership that unapologetically embraces Trump, strident culture war politics, and a bare-knuckled approach to it all. According to the club’s leaders, this strategy has led to an eightfold surge in membership. The group also helped stage at least one memorable event for Trump in New York during his successful campaign.  Trump, who attended the gala last year, was unable to make it this time around. However, in taped remarks from Mar-a-Lago, he credited the club with helping him win last month’s election. “I attribute a lot of it to the people in the room tonight, so I just hope you’re having a fantastic time,” Trump said. “I wish I could be with you, but I’m doing a couple of other things. You probably heard about that, but I’ll be with you, most likely, next year.”

The celebratory crowd included figures from both the American and global far right. Gavin McInnes, the founder of the Proud Boys, mingled in the room ahead of the speeches. He wouldn’t speak with TPM. 

A contingent wearing U.S.-Germany flag pins was (slightly) more talkative. One of them introduced himself as Markus, and declined to give his last name. When asked if they were members of the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD), a far-right German political party whose founder once called for a “180 degree change in their politics of commemoration” while referring to Berlin’s Holocaust memorial, they said yes.  “We are not here on AfD’s behalf,” Markus said, before the conversation ended. 

In another conversation, TPM spoke with Marco Spina, an Italian who introduced himself as national secretary of the youth wing of the country’s Republican Party. That was less expected: the Italian Republicans lean towards the center, though Spina became extremely exercised after TPM asked about the country’s current prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. She had made a big mistake in bowing down to Biden, Spina said. At another point, TPM spotted Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) posing for a photo along with Miklós Szánthó, director-general of Hungary’s Center for Fundamental Rights, a nonprofit that is a strong supporter of the country’s authoritarian leader, Viktor Orbán. Gosar and Szánthó, who also delivered remarks on stage, later appeared on Instagram posing together.

The event even featured a representative from a country that does not exist: the New Federal State of China, a supposed Chinese government-in-exile formed by Trump adviser Steve Bannon and indicted billionaire Guo Wengui. Forrest Zhou, the ersatz government’s secretary general, introduced himself to TPM as a friend of Bannon’s, and said he had come to help gin up support for the movement. The audience also included some of the unconventional internet broadcasters who have been seen as a major driver of Trump’s political momentum. Elijah Schaffer is a podcaster who has worked with multiple right-wing news organizations including Gateway Pundit, which is infamous for publishing what CNN has described as “baseless right-wing conspiracy theories.” TPM asked Schaffer about a recent report that a top aide who serves as a “gatekeeper” for information that reaches the president-elect considers Gateway Pundit “one of her go-to news sources.” As he settled in at a table near the stage, Schaffer said he feels the site is clearly having an influence on Trump.

“I think the most important part is that, like, whether or not he talks about it or not, you can hear our original reporting in some of the speeches,” Schaffer said. “So, his speech writers are reading us.” Schaffer’s past use of slurs and mockery of minority groups has led some to brand him a “racist.” It’s a label he doesn’t necessarily shy away from.  “It doesn’t bother me,” Schaffer said. “I mean, racism in and of itself is not inherently bad. Like discrimination and racism are just, there are ways that you can view the world to judge entire groups of people by the common patterns that they exhibit.”

[...] While pro-Trump media outlets were taking the stage and enjoying the catered meal, the rest of the press was given a rather different reception. Lucian Wintrich, who served as a White House correspondent for Gateway Pundit during Trump’s first term, is the NYYRC’s “press chairman.” He sent an email with guidelines for the event to TPM and others who signed up to cover the proceedings. In that message, Wintrich indicated some of the media contingent would receive minders from the club. “Without naming names, it was noted that a few press applicants have previously written stories schizophrenically calling modern Conservatives and ‘Trump supporters’ a number of unfounded names followed by fake news coverage. In spite of that, and in the spirit of an open press and access, we have decided to admit those ‘journalists’ for coverage,” Wintrich wrote. “Such being said, the most egregious offenders will receive the Christmas gift of their own personal ‘elf’ (NYYRC Gala volunteer) escort to make certain they will neither harass nor misquote attendees. Should this be witnessed and reported, credentials will be revoked.” When TPM arrived at the venue we learned that one of our reporters, Hunter Walker, was on this list. Wintrich informed us he was “one of four” to receive an escort.  “You’re particularly shitty and egregious,” Wintrich explained, adding, “My god. It’s a paint-by-the-numbers liberal way of reporting that I’m sure you’re aware of.” Walker was accompanied by an NYYRC volunteer named Ryan throughout the evening. Ryan was incredibly thorough. Ryan switched his cellphone wallpaper to a photo of Walker’s face to help him keep tabs. He even escorted Walker to the bathroom.  “That was my first time watching a reporter pee,” Ryan said after one trip. NYYRC volunteers also downloaded the social media platform Bluesky so they could keep tabs on TPM’s live coverage of the event. 

The New York Young Republicans Club (NYYRC)’s annual gala is a who’s who of MAGA cultists and right-wing populists/fascists.

[houseofpurplestars]

🇵🇸 The Palestinian Factions:

—

A statement issued by the Palestinian factions regarding the Ramadan Flood campaign and the global movement to confront the zionist occupation's plans and the genocidal war targeting our people and the Palestinian cause:

The Palestinian cause and the Gaza Strip are facing an unprecedented genocidal war and aggression that targets all meanings of humanity, exceeds the terrorism of fascism and Nazism, disregards all norms, laws, and divine and earthly ethics in the Gaza Strip and across all Palestinian land, destroying all aspects of life through killing, destruction, starvation, dehydration, and demolishing infrastructure.

Through this, it aims to liquidate the Palestinian cause and execute its plans against our people through displacement, settlement, Judaization of the land and the Islamic and Christian sanctities, ethnic cleansing, and racial discrimination.

In the face of this zionist aggression and genocidal war, the Palestinian factions affirm the following:

1- We declare our full support for the global Ramadan Flood campaign and call on the living consciences around the world for the largest official and popular global mobilization on the national, regional, and international levels during the blessed month of Ramadan under the title "Ramadan Flood" in support of the justice of our cause and to pressure to stop and end the genocide war and to thwart the "israeli" occupation's schemes.

2- We call for this mobilization and global flood to include activating boycotts in all their forms and cutting off all supplies to the occupation, declaring strikes and sit-ins in public squares, and organizing marches in all capitals and cities.

3- We affirm the right of our people to freedom self-determination, the return to their land and homes, and the establishment of their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital.

4- We reaffirm our absolute support for the resistance in facing the "israeli" occupation and driving it out of our land, as we call for the necessity of activating resistance in all its forms in all arenas and fronts, considering the blessed month of Ramadan as the month of the "Global Flood for the Victory for Palestine and Our Just Cause."

In conclusion: To our Palestinian people, to our Arab and Islamic nations, to the free people of the world everywhere, the Palestinian blood shed on this land, which today in the shadow of the genocidal war exceeds 130,000 between martyrs, missing, and injured in Gaza, the targeting of the West Bank with settlement and ongoing aggression, Al-Quds with Judaization, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Islamic and Christian holy sites with desecration and raids and preventing prayer, and the racial discrimination and ethnic cleansing against our people in the occupied Palestinian interior, and the spread of the zionist entity like cancer in the body of our Arab and Islamic nation and the entire world, make us today stand united in a global popular and official movement to face this zionist danger and its terrorist liquidation projects that have exceeded fascism and Nazism in their ugliest forms and manifestations.

The Palestinian Factions

Sunday: 3-3-2024

t.me/PalestineResist

[polarized-here]

I wanna hear more about Sora and Tori (they both look very huggable and I LOVE their designs :3)

Waugh!!!! SANKU!!! (I also forgot to say SANKU earlier with the comment over Astor’s hair since I was debating how I wanted to answer that ask but!!!! SANKU for both those comments!!!)

Funny you say these two, because they’re both Old DND characters I’m reusing. Tori for an MHA dnd campaign, and sora was some other older ones. Their lore is changed just for this story :)

Tori is quite easy to answer—they’re the adoptive sibling to Blitzen, whom you’ve probably seen before on my blog! She’s an Oc I made for Bagel’s world that I’ve never talked about much! But yeah, they’re so silly!!! To me!!! So… back to Tori they don’t have much lore other then the fact that they’re the worrier sibling, they have plenty of passions, and is quite popular! They just love being the center of attention as long as their friends get some of it too!

Taking numerous classes focusing on flight dynamics and applying those theories and principles to their own flight, (whenever they can, again; due to heavy governmental regulations over powers. But also, it’s a small city, so it’s not really much of a problem compared to a more densely populated town!) they’re thinking about definitely being a hero, with plenty of people constantly telling them to pursue that, but they want to keep themselves open. Not susceptible to only being one thing. Since they’re so well known, they feel as if people only really have ‘one’ set perception of them—something that’s an incomplete reflection of them. Their complexities, etc etc etc.

but enough of that!

Sora! My very first ‘OC’ really, probably more of an old sona I had since I exclusively played a specific character archetype in DnD & race since I’m broke. But they were a blue Dragonborn (with a tail because I’m nice) grave domain cleric that I really liked and drew a lot :)

They are more concerned with medical pursuits, and trying to find a definitive answer as to why people themselves gained these powers, where did it start? Was it truely divine intervention and prayer? Because even atheistic individuals have been given powers. No loss to it. Was it a rogue set or pair of genes? Was it accidental exposure to not so safe stuff? At such a global scale. It’s difficult to pinpoint why. So they also take classes in studying religion.

Because of their interest in medicine. They really like traditional medicine, more necromancy themed religions, and history of herbs, etc etc etc, basically they like medicine and herbs along with orthodox medicine practices—while naturally being mindful to only mix ones properly.

Sora is quite susceptible to suspicious thoughts of others—and while means well, can jump to irrational conclusions after too much deductive reasoning. So a running gag is that they often suspect Beel, Felix, and Anzu being correlated in some way to the new vigilante.

They chose the three worst people for that, of course. They do mean well, but they’re also that meme yk… so it’s okay :,)

[turkey-sandwich]

Checked my cards and my 5☆ collection for funsies and this is what I got (got a little too long, oops~)

Color coded for your convenience: initial card / scout / tour / event / collab / global scout / uncolored card names are either from in game campaigns or reward from buying with real money (Sparkling Subaru, Tag Team Yuta and Joyful Days Hajime)

fine

Eichi: Leader Of Heaven, Daring Spy, A Breath of Spring Air, Red that Sings for the Advent of Morning

Wataru: Ode to the Rose

Tori: Red that Pierces Through the Clouds, Nocturne of Wings

Yuzuru: Passion Burning Within the Idol

Trickstar

Hokuto: Leader of Glittering Stars, My One and Only Goal

Subaru: Sparkling Even More, Breathtaking Adventure

Makoto: Splendid Snapshot

Mao: None (would've had his Ring.A.Bell card if he came home, dammit Isara)

RYUSEITAI

Tetora: Survival and Guts

Midori: Delusional Dollhouse, Hopeful Bouquet, Comfortable Staying Just As I Am, Departing Orient

Shinobu: Light Beaming from the Darkness

Kanata: None

Chiaki: Leader of Justice

ALKALOID

Hiiro: Leader of Cards, Innocent Prince

Aira: Indigo Crystals

Mayoi: Coward Hiding in the Corner

Tatsumi: Tranquil Prayer, Moon Capital Night

Eden

Nagisa: Leader of Paradise, Dream of the Wasteland, White that Sings for the Break of Dawn, Astral Echoes of Spring

Hiyori: White that Illuminates the Darkness

Ibara: Deceitful Commander, Enduring an Irregular Time, Frontline Watchdog, Sizzling Moonlit Trek

Jun: Striped Hyena's Hunt

Valkyrie

Shu: Leader of the Arts, Uncompromisable Outfit

Mika: Ruler of the Dark, Dainty Highschool Detective, Accompanying Shadow

2wink

Hinata: Leader of Twin Planets

Yuta: Tag Team Challenge

Crazy:B

Rinne: Leader of the Bees

HiMERU: Hidden Feelings

Kohaku: Hard-working Honeybee

Niki: None

UNDEAD

Rei: Leader of Demons, Entrancing Myth

Kaoru: None

Koga: Glittering Rock Wolf

Adonis: None

Ra*bits

Tomoya: Leader of Rabbits

Hajime: Clumsy Struggling Time, Lost Gretel, Joyful Days

Nazuna: Guide to the Future, Sun-kissed Ruby

Mitsuru: None

AKATSUKI

Keito: Leader of Crimson, Green-Black Guardian

Kuro: None

Souma: The Oath of Gods

Knights

Tsukasa: Rookie Skater

Leo: None

Izumi: Fairy of Morning Mist

Arashi: My Best Self, Glitter Dappled Sunlight

Ritsu: Kitten Knight

Switch

Natsume: Leader of Magic

Tsumugi: None

Sora: None

MaM

Madara: None (this is kind of sad lmao)

Total amount of 5☆ cards: 64

Flash Yellow Cards: 19

Sparkle Red Cards: 18

Brilliant Blue Cards: 16

Glitter Green Cards: 11

Unit with most amount of 5☆ cards: Eden (11), followed by fine and RYUSEITAI (both with 8 each)

Unit with the least amount of 5☆ cards: MaM (0)

Characters with the most amount of 5 ☆ cards: Ibara (5) and Midori (5)

[hyperfang6900]

Lovely supporter, I hope this message finds you and your family in good health and high spirits.

This is Eman Zaqout a Biotechnologist and PhD student from Gaza. I've started a fundraising campaign and urgently need your help to spread it to the world, after losing my house and my job in the genocide in Gaza and living in a life that you can't bear watch it behind screens.

I hope you can take a look at my campaign on the pinned post on my profile, and help us by donating or sharing our campaign to reach the largest number of supporters.

Thank you for your continuous help for the Palestinian cause until freedom is achieved.

Please know that our campaign is verified by @90-ghost, @aces-and-angels

my thoughts and prayers are with you. if you guys can, please please please consider supporting. 🖤🤍💚❤️

[thoughtportal]

Thanks to Sash’s efforts and the global campaign, Malky has finally gotten a date to proceed with the civil divorce from Volvy. The pair are due in Rockland County Family Court in mid-May, which is, as Sash points out, more progress than has happened in four years, even if it still falls short of Malky obtaining her gett. But ultimately, it remains up to the men who control every institution in Orthodox life to recognize that change is not only an urgent necessity but a means of strengthening their religion.

The concerted efforts of religious leaders like the Satmar Rebbes have striven to preserve a certain type of Judaism in amber and isolate it from the modern world. But Jewish law is not static: It has always been porous, influenced by the world around it, changing according to thousands of years’ worth of commentaries, rabbinical answers to congregants’ queries, exile, disaster, and time. What makes Malky’s story different from the many agunot that have preceded her is the fact that her plight has been recognized by a network of Orthodox women around the world, able to communicate with each other directly without the mediation of patriarchal systems. These women may be part of a faith that regards them as “less than” — unable to complete their own divorces, to stand up in front of a congregation and lead prayers, even to serve as witnesses in rabbinical courts — but they are talking, and from such talk change can arise even in a hidebound world.

[eretzyisrael]

Wearing a baseball hat and a large winter coat, Rabbi Mendy Chitrik from Istanbul can be seen in a video that he shared on Twitter, rescuing ancient Torah scrolls and parchment from the Torah Ark in the damaged synagogue of Antakya following the earthquake.

Antakya has a rich Jewish history of 2,500 years and the synagogue in the city is about 250 years old. Chitrik told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that "together with the Jewish community of Turkey, I have arrived to assist with the rescue of citizens in Antakya, so we also made sure to rescue ancient Torah scrolls from this Jewish community that has been in existence for 2,500 years."

Chitrik and the Turkish Jewish community have rescued eight scrolls and said that "the synagogue is damaged but as opposed to other buildings in the area, is still standing." 

According to an Aljazeera article from 2014, there were only 18 members left from this rich and ancient Jewish community that numbered about 350 people 80 years ago.

Chitrik confirmed that all of the remaining Jews that live in Antakya have been rescued except for two who are still missing. All of the remaining Jewish inhabitants of Antakya are senior citizens.

In 2021, Chitrik visited Antakya and reported on his Twitter account that there are only 14 Jews left in the city.

"There is no Minyan (10 Jewish men that pray together) in Antakya anymore," he wrote. "There are only 14 Jews left, 7 of them are men, in the city that once boasted a very significant community." He spoke to a member of the community, named Olga Cemal who moved to Antakya from Damascus Syria. She told him that there were "at least 500 people who lived here," when she moved. 

Antakya is located close to the border with Syria and therefore many of the Jews who lived there were Syrian immigrants. The synagogue building in the city was erected in 1890, according to a book titled Historic synagogues of Turkey that was published in 2008. In addition, it was specified that since Antakya is north of Jerusalem, the synagogue is built with the Torah Ark on the southern wall "in a semi-circular apse." It is customary that synagogues in Israel and outside of Israel, face Jerusalem.

Jewish communities rush to help out Turkey following the earthquake

Jewish communities in the US and Canada have launched campaigns in support of Turkey following Monday's devastating earthquake.

Jewish Federations of North America Board Chair Julie Platt said, “we mourn the tragic loss of life brought by this disaster and send our hopes and prayers for all those who have been injured. We remain in close contact with our disaster relief partners on the ground and are mobilizing our communities to raise funds to support their life-giving work. Our Jewish values of tikkun olam guide us day-in and day-out to extend our hands to those in need, and Jewish Federations pledge to carry out this mandate with pride and dignity."

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington has opened an Earthquake Relief Fund to provide vital aid to those in need. Through the fund, the Federation and its global partners will directly reach victims to help them rebuild and recover. “As a Jewish community, it is our sacred obligation to respond,” said The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington CEO, Gil Preuss.

[pscottm]

Christian nationalists target public schools, undermining freedom of religion, webinar guests show – Baptist News Global

[augusttalescomics]

Adventure Time Card Wars 2025 Kickstarter Launch

The Return You’ve Been Waiting For Adventure Time fans, your prayers have been answered. The unstoppable team behind Cryptozoic Entertainment has again collaborated with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products. Their latest venture? The highly anticipated Adventure Time Card Wars 2025 Kickstarter campaign is finally here. Packed with all the beloved elements fans adore, plus a plethora of…

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] GG News Bureau New Delhi, 16 Jan: As the nomination process for the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections is underway, BJP candidate from New Delhi, Parvesh Sahib Verma, has attracted significant attention following the disclosure of a massive surge in his assets. According to the affidavit filed by Verma, his assets have risen by over Rs 100 crore in the past five years, a figure that has raised eyebrows among political observers. The affidavit, available with the Election Commission, shows that Verma’s total assets increased from Rs 15.52 crore in 2019 to Rs 115.62 crore in 2025. Notably, his movable assets, which stood at Rs 3.2 crore in 2019, have now grown to Rs 96.50 crore, reflecting a substantial increase during the five-year period. The New Delhi constituency, one of the most high-profile in the capital, is witnessing a triangular contest this time. In the fray are Verma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and former Chief Minister of Delhi, and Sandeep Dikshit from Congress, the son of former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit. It is a significant race as both Verma and Dikshit are scions of former Delhi Chief Ministers, with Verma being the son of Sahib Singh Verma, a former BJP leader and Chief Minister of Delhi. Meanwhile, Parvesh Verma’s campaign has been marred by controversy. On Wednesday, the Delhi Police registered an FIR against Verma for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The FIR was filed after an incident in which Verma reportedly distributed shoes to sanitation workers in the Valmiki colony in the Mandir Marg Police Station area, an act that was seen as a violation of MCC guidelines. The Election Commission had intervened, prompting the Mandir Marg SHO to lodge the FIR. Verma, however, defended his actions, claiming he only honored sanitation workers by placing shoes on their feet at a temple and did not distribute any footwear. Verma formally filed his nomination for the New Delhi seat on Wednesday, following prayers at the Gauri Shankar temple in Chandni Chowk and the Valmiki temple. He will now face the formidable challenge posed by AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal, who has been the Chief Minister of Delhi for two consecutive terms, and Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit in the February 5 elections.   The post BJP Candidate Parvesh Verma’s Assets Surge by Over Rs 100 Crore Ahead of Delhi Assembly Polls appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] GG News Bureau New Delhi, 16 Jan: As the nomination process for the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections is underway, BJP candidate from New Delhi, Parvesh Sahib Verma, has attracted significant attention following the disclosure of a massive surge in his assets. According to the affidavit filed by Verma, his assets have risen by over Rs 100 crore in the past five years, a figure that has raised eyebrows among political observers. The affidavit, available with the Election Commission, shows that Verma’s total assets increased from Rs 15.52 crore in 2019 to Rs 115.62 crore in 2025. Notably, his movable assets, which stood at Rs 3.2 crore in 2019, have now grown to Rs 96.50 crore, reflecting a substantial increase during the five-year period. The New Delhi constituency, one of the most high-profile in the capital, is witnessing a triangular contest this time. In the fray are Verma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and former Chief Minister of Delhi, and Sandeep Dikshit from Congress, the son of former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit. It is a significant race as both Verma and Dikshit are scions of former Delhi Chief Ministers, with Verma being the son of Sahib Singh Verma, a former BJP leader and Chief Minister of Delhi. Meanwhile, Parvesh Verma’s campaign has been marred by controversy. On Wednesday, the Delhi Police registered an FIR against Verma for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The FIR was filed after an incident in which Verma reportedly distributed shoes to sanitation workers in the Valmiki colony in the Mandir Marg Police Station area, an act that was seen as a violation of MCC guidelines. The Election Commission had intervened, prompting the Mandir Marg SHO to lodge the FIR. Verma, however, defended his actions, claiming he only honored sanitation workers by placing shoes on their feet at a temple and did not distribute any footwear. Verma formally filed his nomination for the New Delhi seat on Wednesday, following prayers at the Gauri Shankar temple in Chandni Chowk and the Valmiki temple. He will now face the formidable challenge posed by AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal, who has been the Chief Minister of Delhi for two consecutive terms, and Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit in the February 5 elections.   The post BJP Candidate Parvesh Verma’s Assets Surge by Over Rs 100 Crore Ahead of Delhi Assembly Polls appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates. [ad_2] Source link

[justinspoliticalcorner]

David Smith at The Guardian:

It was, in the end, an artful compromise. Joe Biden got to speak uninterrupted and renew his pitch to Black voters. Protesters got to make their point by wearing keffiyehs or raising a fist. Even the skies were merciful, hinting at but never quite unleashing rain. And through it all, Sunday’s 140th commencement at Morehouse College, a historically black men’s college in Atlanta, preserved not only its dignity but a sense of joy. Music played, parents wept and graduates who had weathered a global pandemic could savour their big day without being upstaged. “Thank you God for this ‘woke’ class of 2024 that is in tune with the zeitgeist, the spirit of the times,” the Rev Claybon Lea Jr said during a prayer at the start of the commencement, held on a lawn on the college’s century campus, surrounded by trees and red brick academic buildings. The urgency of the daily news agenda – will the US president be heckled over Gaza? – collided here with storied traditions dating back a century and half. Accompanied by organ music, the 2024 graduating class processed in black mortar boards with gold or black sashes. Most wore Kente stoles with the Morehouse seal.

Morehouse alumni followed, many wearing maroon jackets and straw hats with maroon bands. Some went all the way back to 1954. The alumni seemed more enthusiastic about standing to applaud Biden than the fresh wave of graduates. They took their seats and looked at a stage that had been erected with a black awning with a maroon backdrop that said “Morehouse”’ in giant letters. Two big screens were showing the event, including close-ups of graduates who smiled, waved or made goofy faces. The programme began with the solemn ringing of a bell, an evocation and the Army Color Guard Corps performing the presentation of colours. The Morehouse College Glee Club performed the The Star Spangled Banner and Lift Every Voice and Sing – the swelling chorus resonant, resilient and transcending concerns of the moment. [...] When Biden took the stage, wearing a maroon gown with three black stripes on the arms and maroon tie, there was polite applause, though it could hardly be described as fierce.

There had been much hype around his Morehouse commencement address and whether, in light of unrest on other campuses around the country, it would be disrupted by protests over his handling of the war in Gaza. Some staff and students had called for Biden’s invitation to be rescinded over his support for Israel and their discomfort with an address during election campaign season. But not for the first time, Biden benefited from low expectations and will count the relatively modest dissent as a win. Outside the college, a lone protester brandished a handwritten “Genocide Joe” sign, watched closely by a police officer. Inside, a small number of graduates wore keffiyehs – the black-and-white head scarf which has become an emblem of solidarity with the Palestinian cause – around their shoulders on top of their black graduation robes. In his evocation, Lea cited a “Palestinian Jew named Jesus”, and said all children matter, from Israelis to Palestinians and beyond.

[...]

Biden was staring ahead. Fletcher added: “It is my stance as a Morehouse man, nay as a human being, to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.”

Biden joined the applause and shook Fletcher’s hand. When it was Biden’s turn to speak, some students turned their chairs around to turn their backs to him and one graduate appeared to briefly hold aloft a Palestinian flag. A lone graduate at the back, wearing a mortar and blue gown, remained still with his back turned to Biden and his right fist raised throughout the entire address. It was perhaps a more powerful statement than any number of disruptions or sign waving. Biden, who has lavished attention on historically Black colleges and universities, sought to assure his audience: “I support peaceful nonviolent protests. Your voices should be heard, and I promise you I hear them.” He described the war in Gaza as “heartbreaking” and acknowledged: “Innocent Palestinians are caught in the middle of this ... It’s a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. That’s why I’ve called for an immediate ceasefire. I know it angers and frustrates many of you, including my family.”

President Joe Biden gave a commencement speech yesterday at Morehouse University. During that speech, he called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and said that “your voices should be heard” in response to the campus protests over the Gaza Genocide.

See Also:

HuffPost: Biden Tells Morehouse Graduates He Hears Their Voices Of Protest Over War In Gaza