Jewish Virtual Library - JVL

Today is Juneteenth. On this day in 1865, slavery was ended in the United States. The Jewish Virtual Library - JVL celebrates this emancipation of African Americans and honors Black-Jewish relations.

Explore the history from abolitionism to modern day and the relationship between Black and Jewish communities in the U.S. at https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/black-jewish-relations-in-the-united-states.

“How desperate are the Democrats for power? They’ve shown they are willing to support a candidate with a N**i tattoo, one who associated with the terrorist responsible for the World Trade Center bombing, and a range of anti-Israel ‘progressives’ in their effort to retake the House and Senate. The result is the latest stage of a slide that began with the Democrats’ unwillingness to denounce the two antisemites in their congressional delegation.”

This week in JNS.org, Dr. Mitchell Bard traces present-day antisemitism among Democrats through years of failing to hold leaders in the party accountable.

Read more at https://www.jns.org/opinion/column/mitchell-bard/the-day-the-democrats-endorsed-antisemitism.

📖 New at the Jewish Virtual Library - JVL.

The first of 6 KC-46 aircraft was delivered to Israel in May 2026, codenamed “Gideon”. With double the fuel capacity of Israel’s previous “Raam” tanker, the KC-46 extends Israel’s strategic reach and grants them greater independence from the U.S.

Find out what this means for Israeli national security at https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/kc-46-pegasus-gideon-tanker.

Uncover Jewish history in France in the Virtual Jewish History Tour from the Jewish Virtual Library - JVL.

Jewish communities have existed in France for thousands of years. The nation granted full rights to Jews around the time of the French Revolution, and was a haven to refugees after WWII. 460,000 Jews live in France today, 277,000 of which live in Paris.

What country’s Jewish history should we dive into next?

Jewish Heritage Alliance and the Jewish Virtual Library - JVL invite you to the final part of a 4-Part online event: “The Western Sephardic Atlantic: Renewal, Influence, and Legacy.”

Part 4: Curaçao and Caribbean Sephardic Communities: A Case Study, looks at Curaçao and neighboring Caribbean communities as models of Sephardic resilience. Learn about religious life, commerce, cultural continuity, and the enduring legacy of Sephardic presence in the region.

Register at https://jewishheritagealliance.com/the-western-sephardic-atlantic-renewal-influence-and_legacy/.

⚽ New at the Jewish Virtual Library - JVL.

The 2026 World Cup is officially underway, and there’s no better time to learn about the story of the Jews who helped bring soccer to the U.S. Discover the Jewish athletes, club owners, and promoters who influenced the growth of the sport alongside other immigrant communities in the early 20th century.

Read the full entry in the Jewish Virtual Library at https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-story-of-the-jews-who-helped-bring-soccer-to-america.

“Much has already been written about Donald Trump's betrayal of Ukraine, Europe, and NATO. But nowhere has his reversal been more striking than in the Middle East. Not only Israel now finds itself abandoned; America’s Gulf allies increasingly feel the same disillusionment.”

This week, Dr. Mitchell Bard writes in JNS.org of U.S. President Donald Trump’s failure to hold up the fight against Iran, now turning around to meet their demands and leaving Israel and U.S. Gulf allies stranded.

Read more at https://www.jns.org/opinion/column/mitchell-bard/trump-the-betrayer-in-chief.

Many know Estée Lauder’s name through her cosmetics line, but the story behind the business tells so much more.

Born in Queens in 1908 to a Jewish father and French Catholic mother, Lauder was inspired by her uncle’s work creating facial creams. Through astute business practices and clever promotional techniques, she became a titan of the cosmetics industry. An avid philanthropist, the Lauder family has supported Jewish causes among others.

Read more about Estée Lauder’s success story at https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/est-eacute-e-lauder.

🔎 New at the Jewish Virtual Library - JVL.

UN Watch’s May 2026 report examines the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures system and argues that it has lost credibility due to politicized appointments, weak evidentiary standards, lack of financial transparency, and more issues.

Find the full report at https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/un-watch-report-from-watchdogs-to-ideologues-how-politicized-un-repporteurs-are-subverting-human-rights.

Uncover Jewish heritage in Ethiopia in the Virtual Jewish History Tour from the Jewish Virtual Library - JVL.

Ethiopia has a long Jewish history, with the Beta Israel existing in the region for centuries. Over the past few decades, efforts from the U.S. and Israel have led to the immigration of Ethiopian Jews to Israel. Today, more than 135,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel.

Tell us which country’s Jewish history you’d like us to explore next.