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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-25 at 00:06
HEADLINES
Israel's Largest Border Hostage Rescue Drill
US Drones Over Gaza With Israeli Consent
Chicago Playground Pogrom Sparks Jewish Safety Alarm
The time is now 8:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
As of eight o’clock this evening, here is the latest snapshot of developments shaping the Middle East and Jewish communities around the world.
The World Zionist Congress is nearing its opening, with American Zionists urging greater representation for the Diaspora to strengthen global leadership and ensure that Jewish life across continents reflects a wide range of experiences and perspectives.
Near the Lebanese border, the Israeli Defense Forces, Israeli Police, and Magen David Adom completed a major hostage-rescue exercise conducted along the border. Led by the Defense Forces’ ninety-first division and the National Ground Training Center, the operation was described as the largest drill since the Israel-Hamas War began, underscoring continuing preparation and readiness in the region.
In a separate civic effort, the Israel Cancer Association launched its 2025 “Knock on the Door” fundraiser. The campaign mobilizes thousands of students, youth movement members, and volunteers who go door to door to raise donations, framing the effort as a symbol of community support and mutual commitment within Israeli society.
On university campuses, dialogue continues over antisemitism and Israel advocacy. Yeshiva University President Rabbi Ari Berman spoke with The Times of Israel about campus antisemitism and the broader debate over Israel advocacy in higher education, a conversation that resonates across the Diaspora and within communities closely watching how universities respond to security concerns and free expression.
In the United States, advocates condemned an incident described as a “pogrom on the playground” after Jewish children were targeted in Shawnee Park, Chicago, on October seventh, a date marking the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel. The occurrence has intensified concerns about safety for Jewish youth in American communities and the vigilance required to counter antisemitic harassment.
Meanwhile, a debate within American Jewish communities intensified as the number of rabbis signing an anti-Mamdani letter surpassed one thousand. The letter, organized by the Jewish Majority group, urges against positions perceived as anti-Israel or anti-Zionist rhetoric in political campaigns. Some rabbis who were approached chose not to sign, emphasizing that their roles as clergy do not entail directing congregants how to vote, while others defended the measure as a nonpartisan effort to defend the safety and legitimacy of Israel. The discourse has highlighted the tension between encouraging political engagement and maintaining religious spaces free from partisanship.
The Times of Israel has reported on the broader conversation surrounding endorsements from pulpit figures, noting concerns about church-state separation and the risk of polarization within Jewish life. Several senior rabbis indicated they would rather speak from the pulpit on issues affecting the security of the Jewish people and the well-being of the State of Israel than participate in public endorsements of candidates.
Concurrently, an international voice added a note to the discourse. Nas Daily offered a viewpoint that the defeat of Hamas would be the best outcome for both Israelis and Palestinians, a voice calling for an emphasis on peace alongside security.
On the security front, United States surveillance drones have been flying over the Gaza Strip with Israel’s consent to monitor compliance with the ceasefire. The flights are described as part of a broader effort to observe ground developments and support the new United States–Israel Civil-Military Coordination Center o
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