The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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New York NY, It looks like being anti-Semitic isn’t so fashionable anymore—at least, not under the Trump administration. The government is making sure that those who harass Jewish students on college campuses face real consequences, and some activists are learning the hard way that their actions come with legal repercussions.
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Tenafly NJ, the father of Edan Alexander, the last known American hostage still held by Hamas, remains optimistic about his son’s release, despite growing concerns over the condition of recently freed captives.
Continue reading Father of Edan Alexander, Last American Hostage Held by Hamas, Remains Hopeful
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Tenafly NJ, on Sunday morning, hundreds gathered in New York’s Central Park to honor Edan Alexander’s 21st birthday—his second spent in captivity. The Tenafly, New Jersey native has been held hostage in Gaza for over 450 days by Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.
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Teaneck NJ, Pedro Valdes III, the former principal of Teaneck High School, has filed a legal complaint against the township’s Board of Education, citing retaliation and improper displacement from his position. The lawsuit, submitted to the state Superior Court in Bergen County on December 19, follows an earlier complaint lodged with the Public Employment Relations Commission on May 31.
Continue reading Former Teaneck High School Principal Files Lawsuit Against Board of Education
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Tenafly NJ, Thousands gathered in Tenafly, New Jersey, on Monday night for an emotional memorial marking one year since the deadly Hamas attack on Israel. The commemoration took place under a large tent outside the Kaplen JCC and was organized by the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. For the Tenafly community, the tragedy is personal, as it is home to the parents of Edan Alexander, a 20-year-old Tenafly High School graduate who remains one of around 100 hostages still held captive a year after the attack.
Continue reading Emotional Gathering in Tenafly Marks One-Year Anniversary of Hamas Attack on Israel
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Trenton NJ, to help push back against the rise of anti-Semitic demonstrations in New Jersey, Senator Robert Singer and Assemblyman Sean Kean plan to introduce an extensive package of seven bills that discourages anti-Semitic policies and actions taken by state affiliated organizations.
Continue reading Legislators Unveil Initiatives to Combat Antisemitism
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New Brunswick NJ, Assemblyman John Azzariti issued the following statement denouncing the recent surge of disruptive campus demonstrations and warned of the perilous consequences:
“I strongly denounce the behaviors that have instilled an unacceptable climate of intimidation within our academic sanctuaries. The very essence of our educational spaces is under siege, compromised not by external forces, but by individuals who, cloaked in the pretense of peaceful protest, have engaged in actions that disrupt and endanger.
Continue reading NJ Assemblyman Denounces Disruptive Anti-Semitic Campus Demonstrations
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New Brunswick NJ, Rutgers students are led in chants and slogans in support of Hamas as they rallied outside Murray Hall, part of their protest in support of Hamas over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
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Continue reading Anti-Semitic Messages Deface Glen Rock Starbucks
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Trenton NJ, a woman loudly confronted Phil Murphy at a Lunar New Year celebration at Drumthwacket about the New Jersey-Israeli State Commission.
Continue reading Governor Murphy Confronted by Pro Terrorist Protesters at Drumthwacket
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Trenton NJ, Karrem Nasr, a 23-year-old from New Jersey, has been arrested by the FBI on charges of attempting to provide material support to the African-based terrorist organization al Shabaab. The arrest comes after Nasr reportedly became inspired to wage Jihad following the October 7 terrorist attacks. He is accused of flying from Egypt to Kenya on December 14 with the intent of joining the terrorist organization. Nasr allegedly communicated with an FBI confidential source, expressing his strong anti-American sentiments and indicating his readiness to engage in violent jihad. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams emphasized Nasr’s willingness to kill and be killed for the jihadist cause, describing America as ‘evil’ in his statements. Nasr is expected to appear in federal court later today.
Continue reading New Jersey Man Inspired by Hamas Arrested on Terrorism Charges
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Newark NJ, Rutgers University is now under the federal government’s scrutiny due to allegations of antisemitic incidents during October and November 2023, a period marked by the Israel-Hamas war. This investigation is part of a broader initiative, with 29 U.S. universities and school districts facing civil rights inquiries since the onset of the conflict. The heightened focus on these institutions revolves around concerns regarding the handling of free speech and incidents of bullying amidst student protests linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Continue reading Antisemitism on Campus: Rutgers University Under Federal Investigation
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Tenafly NJ, during a vigil in Tenafly on Wednesday night ,Edan Alexander’s family appealed for the release of their son, who, along with over 200 other Israeli and American Jews, is being held hostage by Hamas. Edan, a 19-year-old born in Tel Aviv and raised in New Jersey, was serving with the Israel Defense Forces near the Gaza Strip when Hamas launched an unprecedented assault on Oct. 7. The Israeli-American Council of New Jersey organized an event where several hundred people gathered to support the Tenafly High School graduate and his family. At the vigil, Alexander’s parents and siblings spoke about his resilience and sense of humor. While the family has been informed that he is alive and being held in Gaza, they have no additional information. Edan’s sister, Mika Alexander, expressed the profound impact of his absence, stating, “It just feels like my best friend was taken away from me.” To date, Hamas has released four hostages, and the Israeli army successfully rescued one hostage in a special operation. On Thursday, the White House announced that Israel has agreed to pause military operations in parts of northern Gaza for four-hour periods each day, allowing Palestinians to flee south and receive aid.
Continue reading Vigil Held for Release of Tenafly High School Grad Held Hostage by Hamas
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Washington DC, nice to see the FBI focusing on the “bad guys” . FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Oct. 31 that the U.S. is at significant risk for a HAMAS-inspired homegrown violent extremist terrorist attack. The warning follows the Oct. 7 terrorist group’s attack on Israel. FBI intelligence analysts assessed that lone actors will be inspired by or react to the ongoing Middle East conflict. These individuals or small groups pose the most likely threat to Americans, especially Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities in the U.S. “The actions of HAMAS and its allies will serve as an inspiration the likes of which we haven’t seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate several years ago,” Wray told the U.S. Senate’s Homeland Security Committee during a recent hearing on worldwide threats. In just the past few weeks, multiple foreign terrorist organizations, including ISIS and al-Qa’ida, have called for attacks against Americans and the West. While the terrorism threat level has remained elevated throughout 2023, Wray said the Israel-HAMAS conflict has raised the threat of an attack against Americans in the U.S. to a “whole ‘nother level.” He noted that there’s no information indicating HAMAS’s intent or the group’s capability to attack the U.S. but said it’s a possibility that cannot be discounted.
Continue reading FBI Director: US at High Risk of HAMAS-Inspired Terror Attacks
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Ridgewood NJ, after this month’s attacks in Israel, American voters overwhelmingly view Hamas as terrorists, and want an investigation of the Palestinian organization’s U.S. supporters.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Hamas should be considered a terrorist organization. Just eight percent (8%) disagree, while another 15% are not sure. (To see survey question wording click here.
Continue reading 78% of American Voters Consider Hamas a Terrorist Group