(CBN)—Over the past six months, the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel has resulted in a huge spike in antisemitism across the U.S. Here in Little Rock, Arkansas, a county patrol vehicle now guards the Lubavitch Jewish Center.
Rabbi Pinchus Ciment of Lubavitch of Arkansas said, “We work together with law enforcement to make sure things can operate in a safe way.”
At the nearby Congregation B’Nai Israel, tiny pieces of broken glass remain as evidence of an act of vandalism.
“I can’t say how it happened but it certainly has never happened before,” said Annabelle Imber Tuck, Temple B’Nai Israel Congregation president.
Both incidents are examples of growing antisemitism across America’s heartland. Since the October 7 Hamas attack, Little Rock synagogues have been the target of two bomb threats, creating safety concerns for Jewish congregations.
“These are incidents we usually see in large metropolitan communities, not in our smaller communities,” said Lindsay Baach Friedman with the Anti-Defamation League. “So it’s even more shocking, it’s even more unsettling, to see and hear that the Little Rock Jewish community is so deeply impacted.”
A recent national survey revealed antisemitism to be at its highest level since the Anti-Defamation League began tracking the data more than 40 years ago.
Lindsay added, “Nationally, ADL is reporting out over 3,300 incidents of antisemitism since October 7th. Since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out. That’s over a 350% increase.”
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the right to worship freely and safely our most fundamental right. But nothing existed previously to aid those who were at a possible threat of a terrorist attack. So the Governor’s office worked with Arkansas State Police and the State Legislature to address it.
Representative Mindy McAlindon from the Arkansas State Legislature explained, “Basically what it does is it provides funds for organizations that are spiritual, religious-based to enhance their safety protocols to ensure they are able to offer safe worship for their congregants.”
After its approval to provide $500,000, more than 31 applicants responded with requests seeking more than $2 million. So far $227,000 has been awarded to six organizations. Of those six, four are Jewish, including B’Nai Israel and Lubavitch of Arkansas which plans to continue paying for a police presence and adding unseen security measures.
“We are very gratified and thankful to the Governor who made this initiative to help reduce the concern and fear factor that presents itself in the community when this took place on October 7,” said Rabbi Ciment.
Combating antisemitism is a centuries-old battle. Offering funding for protection is one way Arkansas is fighting back.
Independent Journalism Is Dying
Ever since President Trump’s miraculous victory, we’ve heard an incessant drumbeat about how legacy media is dying. This is true. The people have awakened to the reality that they’re being lied to by the self-proclaimed “Arbiters of Truth” for the sake of political expediency, corporate self-protection, and globalist ambitions.
But even as independent journalism rises to fill the void left by legacy media, there is still a huge challenge. Those at the top of independent media like Joe Rogan, Dan Bongino, and Tucker Carlson are thriving and rightly so. They have earned their audience and the financial rewards that come from it. They’ve taken risks and worked hard to get to where they are.
For “the rest of us,” legacy media and their proxies are making it exceptionally difficult to survive, let alone thrive. They still have a stranglehold over the “fact checkers” who have a dramatic impact on readership and viewership. YouTube, Facebook, and Google still stifle us. The freer speech platforms like Rumble and 𝕏 can only reward so many of their popular content creators. For independent journalists on the outside looking in, our only recourse is to rely on affiliates and sponsors.
But even as it seems nearly impossible to make a living, there are blessings that should not be disregarded. By highlighting strong sponsors who share our America First worldview, we have been able to make lifelong connections and even a bit of revenue to help us along. This is why we enjoy symbiotic relationships with companies like MyPillow, Jase Medical, and Promised Grounds. We help them with our recommendations and they reward us with money when our audience buys from them.
The same can be said about our preparedness sponsor, Prepper All-Naturals. Their long-term storage beef has a 25-year shelf life and is made with one ingredient: All-American Beef.
Even our faith-driven precious metals sponsor helps us tremendously while also helping Americans protect their life’s savings. We are blessed to work with them.
Independent media is the future. In many ways, that future is already here. While the phrase, “the more the merrier,” does not apply to this business because there are still some bad actors in the independent media field, there are many great ones that do not get nearly enough attention. We hope to change that one content creator at a time.
Thank you and God Bless,
JD Rucker
The Republicans in Arkansas really stepped into it with this stupid move. Instead of simply defending all groups being threatened or discriminated against (which would have been the right thing, the helpful thing, the necessary thing to do in this situation) they specifically picked the one under attack right now. They chose a specific faith. And even worse, they provided funding for that ONE particular religion’s organizations.
That could hardly be more unconstitutional – not to mention dangerous. It will, of course, come back to bite them in the rear. When atheists whine that they, too, are under attack (which they will) that group will ask for money as well. And they will successfully sue, using this situation as their example. Our side can be stupid, utterly hypocritical, inconsistent, and anything except conservative. We are our own worst enemy. End of Report.