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Jan. 24 to 30, 2025 24 Tevet 5785 • Vaera Vol. 24, No. 3
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As DC power shifts, Cruz says airlines will return Hablamos Español
Senate big cites anti-Israel politics, not safety worries, for prolonged cancellations
After meeting a hostage family, Senator Ted Cruz presented PresidentElect Trump with pictures their children drew for Trump. @tedcrux, X
By The Jewish Star There’s a new marshal in town and his sheriffs are preparing for high noon. For some time, Texas Senator Ted Cruz has been asking the US airlines to resume flights to Israel. Now his demands are carrying considerable weight. “Look, I’m the incoming chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee that has jurisdiction over, among other things, over 40 percent of the US economy, including aviation. “A lot can be done. I think this will be fixed,” he told The Free Press’ Bari Weiss on Monday. “I think US airlines need to resume flights to Israel. We have El Al that has flights. We have regional airlines in the Middle East and in Europe that are hav-
ing flights go in and out. I think it is politics that is driving that decision rather than their stated concerns.” Particularly, the politics of the flight attendants union “that has been very vocally anti-Israel and in fact has supported the antisemitic protests on college campuses,” he said. Cruz said he was “going back to drawing a line in the sand.” “I’m going to predict within 30 days they’ll resume flights.” Meanwhile the resumption of international flights to Israel is gaining momentum, with the Lufthansa Group preparing to restore service through six of its carriers within two weeks. On other matters, Cruz told Weiss that changes were coming to how the federal government treats acts of al-
leged antisemitism, Title VI violations, and threats of violence on university campuses. He singled out elite schools — which receive material percentages of their budgets from federal sources — as places most likely to have their funding reduced. “I do believe one of the most significant shifts under Trump is that the Department of Justice is going to go after any university that looks the other way, that tolerates antisemitic threats of violence, intimidation and threats directed at Jewish students,” said Cruz. “And Columbia [University] is right at the top of the worst, worst offenders. And so if they don’t change their conduct dramatically, I think you’re going to see the Trump administration cut off their federal funds.”
Joy and sadness at Riverdale’s hostage march By The Jewish Star Sunday’s Run 4 Their Lives — a weekly walk through Riverdale calling for the release of Hamas’ captives — reflected a mix of joy and sadness. “We never imagined we would be here a year after we started this walk,” said Netta Pack, a Riverdalian who is a junior at The Leffell School in Hartsdale. She began the walks on Jan. 19, 2024, with family friend Ari Vogel, a junior at The Heschel School near Lincoln Center. In exchange for 33 hostages Hamas commited to release in the first phase of the current ceasefire deal (including Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher who were freed on Sunday), Israel pledged to release hundreds of prisoners, including Abdullah Sharbati, Majdi Zaatari and Samer al-Atrash, masterminds behind a 2003 bus bombing that killed 24 people including seven children. While thrilled that three hostages were released on Sunday, Pack explained her personal frustration with the deal.
After their march ended at the Bell Tower in Riverdale, there was singing.
Ed Weintrob, The Jewish Star
“In 2012, my great-grandfather Yitzchock was on a bus in Jerusalem on a quiet morning. A suicide bomber walked onto the bus and detonated his bomb, blowing up the bus and injuring 20 people, including my great-grandfather,” she said. “He lost his hearing and was in pain from the injuries he sustained in this attack. The quality of his life was dramatically impacted and he died shortly after. “In this deal, that suicide bomber, who actually wanted to die that day but somehow managed to survive, will be released from jail.” “This shows us what has been happening not just for the last 471 days but for years. We all must remain together to sustain who we are and overcome this pain together,” Pack said. “Three beautiful souls are coming home today but there are still 96 left.” Every Sunday at 10 am, Riverdale residents set out from Seton Park, parading through the community and congregating at the Memorial Bell Tower while chanting “Bring them all home!” See Joy, sorrow on page 10