1.Smarter for It

Speaking to a small group of our community's leadership (you were all invited and missed it) on a Sunday afternoon, Aviva Klompas, a co-founder and CEO of Boundless, was just as promised - astute, practical, knowledgeable and engaging. We all walked away with ideas and tactics for how to consume information and how to better respond to antisemitic or anti-Zionist speech or events.

A recurring question from the audience was to share resources and Aviva's podcast Boundless Insight is a great place to start. Here are links to it on Spotify and Apple as well as a useful guide that includes media outlets on the Boundless site.

2.Fortify

You may recall my report from Washington a few months ago when I joined members from nearly 100 communities on The Hill to make sure funding for safety of our communities remains and is in fact increased. Last week in Michigan we got another reminder why. Then there's Bondi Beach, Manchester, England and San Jose - just to name the most recent incidents. Nowhere seems safe. New Yorkers are moving to Florida and don't even start me on Patterson or Bridgeview.

"Smaller congregations are scrambling to fortify themselves during what an official for the Secure Community Network, a national Jewish-run nonprofit, called 'the most elevated and complex threat environment' in recent history.

"In New York City, some are adding security guards through a new program that will cover additional labor costs, at least for a short time — while bemoaning a lack of federal funding due to a Department of Homeland Security shutdown." 

3.Sky Fall

I have a WhatsApp group text - with my sister, my niece and my 91-year-old dad - my niece named "Saba Bamamad" which means "grandpa in shelter." When any one of them is safely inside, they text all the others. In the past 24 hours alone they had nine alerts and yesterday was far from a record-breaking day. Iran battled Iraq (over nothing really) for eight years. There is reason to worry.

"Five more people were killed overnight by Iranian missiles aimed at Israel: a man from Thailand in the country’s center, and four Palestinian women who had been preparing to break the Ramadan fast in their West Bank village. One was six months pregnant. The deaths come as Iran has increasingly turned to cluster munitions, which break apart and shed smaller bombs along their path — making them much harder for Israel’s air defense systems to intercept.

"Shrapnel from interceptions also fell at Ben Gurion Airport in recent days, damaging private planes and causing the airport authority to extend the cancelation of regular flights and limits on the number of people who can travel on 'rescue flights' meant to allow travelers to leave and Israelis abroad to return. Several foreign carriers, including Delta and United, announced the cancellation of flights to and from Israel until at least June. Nearly three weeks of fighting, launched jointly by the United States and Israel against Iran, have thrown the Middle East into turmoil and shocked the global economy." 

4.Inevitable

The price of oil, a collapsing stock market, no collaboration from allies, the Tucker Carlson paid-for-by-Qatar media and the right side of his base was always going to impact 47. He is also not known for staying the (unpleasant) course. He much prefers a golf course. With that in mind, the third week of the Iran war could just be the week when he abandons Bibi and leaves Israel to fight more or less alone. Or will he?

"From the moment the first missile was fired on Tehran, U.S. and Israeli military forces worked hand in glove, providing the closest coordinated campaign in the history of both nations. Trump and Netanyahu expressed full confidence in each other, and shared the same goals for the war: eliminating Iran’s missile and nuclear capabilities and ensuring the Islamic Republic does not have the means to rebuild them.

"But after achieving many of these goals, both sides are starting to look at the end game, and this is where the no-daylight approach may begin to make way for diverging goals and strategies. The objectives of each country, 'might be a little different, I guess,' Trump admitted last week, explaining that 'they’re a different country than we are.'

"These little differences have to do with the scope and the duration of the military campaign. The United States, while not willing to declare an end to the war yet, is already looking for an exit ramp. Trump has said repeatedly that Iran has largely been defeated and that the war could end very soon. Israel, on the other hand, is not even considering that option yet. According to IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin, the Israeli military has 'plans through at least the Jewish holiday of Passover, about three weeks from now. And we have deeper plans for even three weeks beyond that.' Defrin stressed that these plans were prepared 'in coordination with our U.S. allies,' but the American side does not seem committed to pursuing these plans if a chance to end the war arises earlier."

For more in-depth coverage, read Moment Magazine's "Are Trump and Bibi Reaching a Fork in the Road?"

5.Casting Call

Could the next season of the hit HBO show The White Lotus, about the dramatic and sometimes hilarious happenings at tony getaway resorts, also be its most Jewish one? It certainly seems so.

"Last month, we got the news that Jewish comedy legend Sandra Bernhard is starring in this new season. This week, new season four cast members have been announced, including Max Greenfield. Best known for his role as Schmidt in New Girl, Greenfield gave us immortal quotes like 'Judaism, son!' He recently starred in the supremely Jewish animated series Long Story Short as unruly teen turned observant Orthodox Jew Yoshi Schwooper, and played nice Jewish doctor Lev Levenson,in the first season of Running Point.

And it seems that Greenfield will take up quite a bit of White Lotus screen time. Deadline reports that his character, possibly named Mitchell, will be one of the season’s meatiest recurring roles. The other iconic Jewish actors in this new season are Sandra Bernhard, Ari Graynor and Helena Bonham Carter. For a complete rundown of the Season 4 cast, check out this comprehensive list with photos and bios.

6.Derby Day

"The Barclays Center had the energy of a bar mitzvah party on Monday night, as kippah-clad basketball fans and kids waving posters with Hebrew words of encouragement came to cheer on an NBA first: a game featuring three Jewish players — all Israeli citizens.

"The Brooklyn Nets were hosting the Portland Trail Blazers — whose forward Deni Avdija recently became the first Israeli All-Star in the league. He joined Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf, two Jewish players who have galvanized the Nets’ Jewish fanbase since joining the team this year. Saraf was raised in Israel and got his start in basketball there, while Wolf grew up in Illinois and secured Israeli citizenship to play for Team Israel in international competitions." Read more in JTA: "In a first, an NBA game featured three Israelis - Deni Avdija, Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf."

7.Matzo Meal - Meal of Matzo

For all things Passover, open JewishBoston's link: Passover 2026. And for some new recipes, check out the following: From Delish,

31 Modern Passover Recipes to Spice Up Your Meals All Week Long; from Bon Appetit, 47 Passover Recipes for a Delicious, Memorable Holiday; then Andrew Zimmern's Best Passover Recipes.

For Your Calendar

Yom HaShoah Commemoration at the New Bedford Holocaust Memorial

Monday, April 13, 5:15 PM