nation / world
Jewish Art Exhibit at Princeton Canceled Over Ties to Confederacy
Princeton University spent months planning an exhibit of 19th-century American
Jewish art but canceled the show because two featured artists had supported the
Confederacy, JTA reported.

Th e cancellation drew criticism from the exhibit’s Jewish donors and consult-
ing historians, who say the decision “rewrites art history.”
“I was really stunned by the university taking this position,” said Leonard
Milberg, the Jewish fi nancial manager and art collector who funded the collec-
tion and whose name adorns the gallery where the exhibit was to be shown.

Th e exhibit was slated to feature Moses Jacob Ezekiel, a renowned sculptor who
craft ed the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery and hung
the Confederate battle fl ag in his Rome studio for his entire career, and painter
Th eodore Moise, a major in the Confederate Army, among other artists.

A famous Ezekiel sculpture known as “Faith,” an adaptation of an earlier
work “Religious Liberty” commissioned by B’nai B’rith that celebrates the 100th
anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and is displayed
outside the National Museum of American Jewish History, was to be the exhibit’s
centerpiece. War in Ukraine Could Put Crunch on ‘Shmura’ Matzah Supplies
Two shipping containers laden with 20,000 pounds of shmura matzah were slated
to head out of port in Odessa, Ukraine, on Feb. 24 on their way to Orthodox Jews
in the United States.

But two hours before they were to be loaded onto a ship, Russia invaded.

Th e shipment was the last of 200,000 pounds of unleavened bread that
Ukrainian matzah bakeries shipped to the United States this year.

Now, technically outside of Ukraine’s customs zone, it could neither be
returned nor travel on to the United States.

Rabbi Meyer Stambler, head of the Chabad-affi liated Federation of Jewish
Communities of Ukraine, estimates that his factories in Ukraine account
for about 15-20% of the U.S. market share for shmura matzah, the carefully
“guarded” variety that many observant Jews prefer to use during the seder.

“Th e U.S. market will feel it,” Stambler said. “We are probably going to have a
defi cit of shmura matzah this year.”
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Israel Ranks as World’s Tenth-Largest Arms Exporter
Israel is the world’s 10th-largest weapons exporter, according to the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute in Sweden’s latest rankings, Globes
reported. Israel accounted for 2.4 % of all sales.

SIPRI reported that weapons systems worth $118 billion were exported in 2021,
with the 10 largest exporters responsible for 90% of that amount.

Th e United States is the world’s biggest weapons exporter selling 38.6%, fol-
lowed by Russia (18.6%), France (10.7%), China (4.6%) and Germany (4.5%). Th e
next fi ve are Italy (3.1%), the UK (2.9%), South Korea (2.8%), Spain (2.5%) and
Israel. Israeli Flags Again Allowed in Bar-Ilhan University Dorms
Bar-Ilhan University administrators overturned a ban of Israeli fl ags in dormi-
tories imposed by Electra, the company in charge of the facilities, Th e Jerusalem
Post reported.

In a February email sent to students, Electra said it was prohibiting the hang-
ing of all fl ags in the dorms, specifi cally highlighting Israeli fl ags. Th e decision
was believed to be motivated in part by the upcoming Muslim holy month of
Ramadan when tensions oft en fl are between Israeli Arabs and Jews.

Th e decision created a backlash, including a demonstration organized by stu-
dent activists, prompting the university to step in.

“Bar-Ilan University is proud that Israeli fl ags accompany all its activities
throughout the year,” the university said in a statement on Twitter. “Th e notice
distributed to residents of the dormitories by the management company was not
the opinion of the university.” JE
— Compiled by Andy Gotlieb
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