Dan Verbin

News writer based in North America

400ft tall London ferris wheel to become menorah for Hanukkah

London, England’s famous 400-foot tall London Eye ferris wheel is going to be transformed into a giant menorah for Hanukkah next month.

New Jersey federation hires ex-police chief as head of security

The Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey has hired former Cherry Hill, NJ police chief as its new head of security.

Orlando Jewish Federation slams gun store's sign featuring Hitler

Local Jewish leaders call out gun store’s window display in support of gun rights featuring a photo of Hitler talking about gun control.

Anti-Semitic graffiti again found at Austin, Texas high school

Austin high school vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti in late October experiences a second incident of similar hateful graffiti.

Colombian president issues apology for Nazi-themed police cadet event

Cultural exchange event for police cadet widely denounced for its Nazi theme, including swastikas, uniforms and replica firearms.

US Congress honors 101-year old Nuremberg prosecutor

Bipartisan group of House reps awards last living Nuremberg prosecutor Benjamin Ferencz with Congressional Gold Medal.

Gold-plated medieval Jewish prayer book recovered in Turkey

Tiny centuries old prayer book featuring gold-plated lettering was discovered by an anti-smuggler police team in the trunk of a car.

Report: Post-war German judiciary full of ex-Nazi party members

New study highlights Nazi legacy in post-war Germany, revealing ex-Nazi party member presence in federal prosecutor's office into the 1970s.

Indiana University task force to tackle campus anti-Semitism

Task force to deal with increase in campus anti-Semitism in light of recent serious incidents, including theft of dozens of mezuzahs.

Eleven-year old boy repeatedly attacked near Paris for being Jewish

Two 14-year old suspects who allegedly attacked the boy every day for a week expected to face anti-Semitic violence charges.

Pro-Israel student group denied campus chapter at Duke University

Students Supporting Israel outraged after Duke student government president vetoes new campus chapter, citing its social media posts.

Holocaust memorial defaced in Oviedo, Spain

Vandalism of Oviedo memorial denounced by the local Jewish community and the EJC, who are both calling for action from Spanish authorities.

UK campus anti-Semitism at record high new survey finds

A British survey of campus anti-Semitism is sounding “alarm bells” with data showing incidents have reached historic levels.

Biden meets China's Xi Jinping in virtual summit, seeks to repair relations

Washington and Beijing use virtual meeting as pathway to repairing rocky relations between U.S. and China.

McConnell strove to block Trump from Biden inaugural, book claims

New book claims Trump got wind of McConnell plan to disinvite him from inaugural and instead tweeted to announce he would not attend.

Jewish American journalist detained by Myanmar given 11 years in jail

Jewish journalist Danny Fenster from Detroit was detained in Myanmar while trying to leave the country in May.

Ohio synagogue vandalized, nearby kosher caterer robbed over two day period

Jewish community in Columbus, Ohio speaking out after being targeted twice within two days in the same area.

John Kerry: US and China will collaborate on fighting climate change

US climate change envoy John Kerry announces American cooperation with China to "raise climate ambition" over next decade.

UK Jewish students decry donation to Oxford U from family of notorious fascist

Jewish student group demands explanation from university after education minister questions how the funds got past their ethics regulations.

Canadian mountain named after leader of Vichy France to get new name

British Columbia considering name change for mountain area named after World War II Vichy France leader Marshal Pétain.

B'nai Brith commends sentence for men who defaced Ontario synagogue

B’nai Brith has commended the judicial system for holding to account two men who vandalized a Hamilton, Ontario synagogue in October 2019.

UK universities adopting anti-Semitism guidelines as abuse soars

Nearly 100 British universities have adopted the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism as reported incidents double in the last two years.

NYC college anti-Zionists demand cancellation of events with IHRA definition author

A Barnard College anti-Zionist group is demanding cancellation of talks with an author of the IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism.

UK TV historian under fire for imitating Hitler during debate on bad taste

British art historian banned by popular debating society for offensive impression that he has since apologized for.

Austria opens its first memorial listing names of Jews killed in the Holocaust

Vienna public memorial lists the names of all 64,440 Austrian Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust.

Canada Post releases 2021 Hanukkah stamp

Canada's post office, with design input from B'nai Brith, has released a new postage stamp for Hanukkah.

British enviro protest group compares climate change to the Holocaust

UK Jewish groups slam latest comparison of climate change to the Holocaust.

B’nai Brith blasts Canadian government for pattern of voting against Israel at UN

B’nai Brith Canada calls out Canadian government's three year pattern of voting for UN anti-Israel resolutions.

Oxford U slammed for donations from estate of son of UK fascist

British Jewish student groups denounce university for accepting millions in donations from charitable trust linked to Oswald Mosley.

Russian diplomat found dead outside Berlin embassy was a spy

A Russian diplomat discovered dead last month outside the country’s Berlin embassy is thought to have fallen from an upper floor.

Mezuzah vandalized at George Washington University

Incident comes only days after a Torah in the university’s Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house was desecrated.

US Jewish groups urge fast approval of Biden anti-Semitism envoy

ADL and other groups criticize delay in approving Deborah Lipstadt as anti-Semitism envoy in letter to Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Scottish Football Association fined for fans booing Hatikvah

Scottish fans booing Israeli national anthem during World Cup qualifying match leads to fine by FIFA.

Two San Diego area schools defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti

Vandalism likely took place during Halloween, according to a police report.

B’nai Brith calls out University of Toronto for ‘troubling hiring process’

B'nai Brith is urging the Canadian government to investigate the hiring process of a foreign academic accused of ties to extremism.

Arizona State University investigating anti-Semitic flyers

The Arizona State University Police Department has launched an investigation into anti-Semitic flyers discovered on campus.

Canadian high school slammed for comparing police to Hitler

Canadian high school facing backlash after posting Halloween costume guide comparing the police to the Nazi leader.

Seven fined for anti-Semitic tweets targeting Miss France runner-up

Seven people were found guilty for anti-Semitic tweets against the runner-up of the Miss France 2021 competition and have been given fines.

Top Polish soccer referee blasted for offensive rant about Jews

Senior referee responds to program combating anti-Semitism in soccer with rant that plays on offensive stereotypes.

Israeli study: Light pollution threatens survival of crickets

Artificial light at night makes male crickets chirp during the daytime, disrupting reproduction, Tel Aviv University researchers discover.