Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Federal judge orders Penn to turn over information on Jewish staffers as part of discrimination investigation
A federal judge has ordered the University of Pennsylvania to comply with a federal government subpoena demanding information on Jewish faculty, ostensibly part of an investigation into antisemitism on campus.
U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert said employees can refuse to take part in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation, but the agency "needs the opportunity to talk to them directly to learn if they have evidence of discrimination."
Pappert, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, determined that the EEOC request fell within its authority to investigate workplace discrimination and that the agency is entitled to obtain relevant information for its inquiry. The investigation was opened in 2023 following complaints of antisemitism following the Oct. 7 attack.
U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert said employees can refuse to take part in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation, but the agency "needs the opportunity to talk to them directly to learn if they have evidence of discrimination."
Pappert, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, determined that the EEOC request fell within its authority to investigate workplace discrimination and that the agency is entitled to obtain relevant information for its inquiry. The investigation was opened in 2023 following complaints of antisemitism following the Oct. 7 attack.
Penn challenged the scope of the EEOC's request, arguing that it was overly broad and raised legal and privacy concerns for students and staff. Jewish-oriented groups, including the American Academy of Jewish Research and the Jewish Law Students Association of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, supported Penn on Tuesday.
Senior Regional Director Andrew Goretsky said ADL Philadelphia is still reviewing the decision but pointed to a November statement, saying it "shares the EEOC's commitment to combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish employees from discrimination and harassment on college campuses and we appreciate that the EEOC has undertaken a number of critical investigations to help do just that."
Senior Regional Director Andrew Goretsky said ADL Philadelphia is still reviewing the decision but pointed to a November statement, saying it "shares the EEOC's commitment to combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish employees from discrimination and harassment on college campuses and we appreciate that the EEOC has undertaken a number of critical investigations to help do just that."
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Monday, March 30, 2026
'Damn Jews' shouted at Haredi men in Melbourne as stolen car swerves toward group
A serious antisemitic incident is under investigation in Melbourne, Australia, after four women traveling in a stolen car approached a group of Hasidic men on Saturday morning and shouted abuse at them.
According to accounts given to local media, the passengers yelled antisemitic slurs, including "damn Jews," as they drove near the group. The vehicle was also reported to have swerved dangerously toward them, with one person forced to jump backward to avoid being struck as the car neared the curb. No injuries were reported.
Local police confirmed an investigation has been opened, describing the incident as one of several linked to the same vehicle. Victoria Police said they had received multiple reports of dangerous and offensive behavior by occupants of a Hyundai believed to have been involved in additional incidents around the city.
Police said the suspects were also involved in other incidents in which eggs were thrown at people while abusive remarks were shouted at several locations across the city. The vehicle was stolen from a home in the Caulfield suburb last Wednesday and has since been seen driving erratically.
Footage from the scene shows the car sharply veering into the opposite lane as the passengers continue shouting at the group of Jewish men. A police spokesperson said the behavior endangered the public and that efforts are ongoing to locate the suspects and bring them to justice.
The incident has raised concern within the local Jewish community amid a recent increase in reports of antisemitic incidents in Australia.
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Friday, March 27, 2026
USPS worker charged for allegedly shoving 4-year-old to the ground in Monsey
A United States Postal Service worker was arrested for shoving a 4-year-old boy to the ground in Monsey, Ramapo Police said.
The shocking incident took place Thursday at 6:25 p.m. and was caught on surveillance video posted on social media.
The video shows a young Hasidic boy approaching the USPS worker who is outside his van. The worker can then be seen lunging toward the boy and shoving him forcefully to the ground. The boy rolls backwards with the force of the shove, with his legs hanging above his head. He then stands up, picks up his yarmulke, and leaves.
The surveillance video is silent, so it was not immediately known what, if any, words were exchanged between the two prior to the incident.
"The content of this video is very disturbing," Ramapo Town Supervisor Michael Specht posted on social media. "Ramapo Police have treated whit matter with extreme seriousness and have now arrested the suspect."
Ramapo Police identified the suspect as 39-year-old Gabriel Stan from Stony Point, who works for the USPS. Stan has ben charged with felony attempted assault in the second degree, as well as misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child. Stan was released on his own recognizance.
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Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Jewish pilgrims flock to Poland's Leżajsk
Before entering the local cemetery, pilgrims visit a mikveh, or ritual bath, from where they proceed to the ohel, a structure built around Weisblum's grave.
There, they place written prayers on small pieces of paper at the rabbi's tomb, asking for his intercession in matters of personal importance.
The prayers, accompanied by traditional dances and the singing of psalms, conclude with a kosher meal consisting of salmon, beef, pancakes, soup, vegetables and cholent, a traditional Sabbath stew.
Michał Konieczny of the Leżajsk Hasidic Jews Foundation told Poland's PAP news agency that because of the conflict in the Middle East, about 4,000 Jews were expected to arrive, instead of the roughly 15,000 anticipated earlier.
The ceremonies were set to run until late on Tuesday.
Weisblum was one of the founders of the Hasidic movement, which sought to revive Judaism in the 18th century. He was known as both a spiritual healer and a leader of Jewish mysticism.
Before World War II, Leżajsk was home to about 3,000 Jews and was an important centre of Hasidic Judaism in Poland. The town's two synagogues were burnt down in September 1939.
The tradition of annual prayers at Weisblum's tomb was revived in the 1970s.
Today, Leżajsk, a town of about 14,000 residents, remains one of the most sacred sites for Hasidic Jews, attracting pilgrims year-round for Jewish holidays and private visits.
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Monday, March 02, 2026
Man Wanted Over Argentina Jewish Center Bombing Now Leads IRGC
On March 1, Ahmad Vahidi was named the new Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), replacing Mohammad Pakpour, who was killed in Saturday's Israeli strikes after serving in the role for less than a year.
Vahidi had been introduced as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC in early January. His final words in that role were: "The enemies must review their calculations over and over again, for a miscalculation will cause them immense trouble." Previously, he had dismissed the buildup of Western naval forces in the region, stating: "The presence of these carrier groups is nothing new; we evaluate it as part of the enemy's psychological operations, which should be ignored."
To Interpol, Vahidi is a fugitive under a "Red Notice"; to Argentina, he is the alleged mastermind of a "crime against the Jewish people"; and to Tehran, he is an iron-willed operative who has never faltered during days of brutal suppression and crisis. After decades of operating in the shadows of the intelligence and security apparatus, Vahidi has now emerged from the ashes of the June 2025 and March 2026 attacks to lead the IRGC during its most complex existential crisis. However, he has inherited an extremely precarious position; his own assassination could occur at any moment. Given his alleged direct involvement in the killing of Jews in Argentina, his continued survival remains a significant question mark.
A Path of Suppression to the High Command
Ahmad Vahidi, born Vahid Shahcheraghi in 1958 in Shiraz, aligned himself with the IRGC early in life. He joined the force in 1980 and fought throughout the eight-year Iran–Iraq War, rising to the rank of field commander. In 1988, he became the first commander of the Quds Force, the IRGC's overseas operations arm, a position he held until 1997. Since then, he has remained a central figure in shaping the Guard's operations beyond Iran's borders.
He later served as Minister of Defense under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. However, in 2006 - three years before joining the cabinet - Interpol placed him on a "Red Notice" list. After his ministerial term, he became a member of the Expediency Discernment Council.
During that period, while holding positions in both the Council and the Guard, his name became closely associated with the crackdown on the 2022 nationwide protests - a time when security forces were reported to have shot demonstrators not only in the head but also in the legs. He was also a firm supporter of the mandatory hijab policy, backing the use of warning text messages as a tool of enforcement. In January 2023, he stated: "Those who wear abnormal, inappropriate clothing or lack a hijab will receive warnings; submitting to the mandatory hijab law is a matter of citizenship rights." Furthermore, during the wave of mysterious schoolgirl poisonings in March 2023, he claimed: "Suspicious samples are being analyzed in reputable labs and results will be announced soon" - yet no convincing answer was ever provided.
Vahidi then became Minister of Interior in the government of Ebrahim Raisi. His tenure was marked by multiple controversies. In June 2023, a directive from his political deputy regarding restrictions on interaction between governors and parliament members during an election year sparked outrage. One MP stated on the floor: "This directive effectively limits a parliamentary term to three years and is an insult to the Majlis." Despite a massive push for his impeachment by over 100 MPs, he remained in his post.
Vahidi's ascent within the IRGC accelerated in 2025. A massive Israeli strike in June killed Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami, who was succeeded by Mohammad Pakpour. On December 31, 2025, Vahidi was named Deputy Commander. Many described this appointment as "strategic and surprising," as it coincided with the popular protests of January 8 and 9, 2026, which resulted in a massacre in which the IRGC played the leading role. The peak of his career occurred in March 2026, when Pakpour was killed alongside the Supreme Leader in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, and Vahidi was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC.
His career reached its highest point in March 2026, after Pakpour was killed alongside the Supreme Leader in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes. In the aftermath, Vahidi was named Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC.
Unlike figures such as Qasem Soleimani, Vahidi has largely remained out of the public spotlight, working behind the scenes rather than cultivating a public profile. Notably, some of his family members live in the United States and Canada - a detail that has fueled speculation about possible external connections and prompted questions about why he has not been targeted. His appointment at this critical moment suggests that, as the leadership structure weakens, the regime is turning to someone with deep experience in managing both internal unrest and external confrontations.
The mention of family members living in the West is a common point of contention for Iranians. Many high-ranking officials who chant "Death to America" have children living, studying, or investing in the very Western countries they claim to despise.
Vahidi: The Code Name for International Terror
Vahidi's activities beyond Iran's borders began with his role in establishing and leading the Quds Force, and many international observers see that period as laying the groundwork for Iran's asymmetric operations abroad. The most contentious allegation tied to his record is that he planned and oversaw the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The attack, which killed 85 people, remains one of the deadliest unsolved terrorist incidents of the 20th century. Argentine prosecutors, referring to judicial documents, say that Vahidi - who was serving as commander of the Quds Force at the time - played a central role in coordinating the operation through proxy networks.
In July 2024, Argentina issued an official statement during Vahidi's trip to Pakistan and Sri Lanka, asking Interpol and the host countries to arrest him for his alleged participation in the bombing. Furthermore, Argentina's Criminal High Court issued an unprecedented ruling describing Iran as directly responsible for the attack and labeling it a "crime against humanity." This international request is based on the "Red Notice" that has been active since 2006.
The growing judicial pressure over the past two years reflects the strategy of Argentina's right-wing President, Javier Milei, to bring an end to three decades of stalled progress in the AMIA case. Marking the 30th anniversary of the attack, Milei described the Iranian government as "terrorist" and proposed that suspects including Vahidi, Mohsen Rezaee, and Ali Akbar Velayati be tried in absentia.
Although the Islamic Republic has consistently denied the accusations and refused to extradite its officials, the contrast between Vahidi's high-ranking position at home and his legal standing abroad has turned him into one of Iran's most diplomatically isolated figures - while at the same time remaining one of its most powerful security strategists, known for operating in the shadows where the lines between formal diplomacy and covert action often blur.
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NYPD enhances patrols due to Jewish holiday, security concerns after Iran attack
The NYPD is on high alert in response to the attacks on Iran and police are stepping up patrols at houses of worship and other sensitive locations.
Adding to the tension is the fact that Monday marks the start of the Jewish holiday of Purim and synagogues across the city will host celebrations.
The NYPD said Monday it would maintain "enhanced high visibility patrols" due to the heightened threat environment.
Experts believe the Iranians will continue to hit back at targets around the world and they say the risk here in New York is real.
"We're looking really carefully at any threats and following up on leads and making sure that we're staying ahead of any threat that might materialize here in our city," said NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner.
The attack on Iran has killed hundreds of Iranians, including the nation's Supreme Leader and key commanders. But Iranian missiles continue to rain down on Israel and several Gulf states.
Local and federal law enforcement must assume that Iran can coordinate terrorist attacks and conduct cyber warfare.
Power grids and water supply infrastructure and among many likely targets.
"This is all in the mode of prevention and preemption, but if there is a specific or credible threat that requires us to message to the public to avoid an area, then we will certainly do that," Weiner said.
The NYPD is stepping up security at a number of locations throughout the city -- from the Israeli Mission to the UN, to prominent synagogues and transportation hubs.
A high-profile presence is intended to deter an attack or to respond quickly should one take place.
Over the weekend, a man opened fire in Texas, killing two people and wounding 14 others. Authorities say the gunman may have been inspired by the US attack on Iran.
"The resources that we're deploying, again this is to deter any would-be bad actor whether it's a 'lone wolf' type of person who's inspired by what's happening overseas and wants to take action here or something that's more concerted or planned," Weiner said.
Authorities say there are no credible threats in New York City, but they're urging the public to stay vigilant.
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