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Jewish therapists fired from Texas clinic for pushing to help client with trauma from antisemitism: lawsuit

Jewish therapists fired from Texas clinic for pushing to help client with trauma from antisemitism: lawsuit

New York Posta day ago
Two Jewish therapists say they were 'wrongfully' fired from a Dallas mental health clinic after a colleague asked them for help with treating a client facing trauma from rising antisemitism, according to. lawsuit.
D2 Counseling co-owner Dr. Dina Hijazi allegedly 'blocked' Jewish therapists Yocheved Junger and Jacqueline Katz from sharing insights with a colleague who asked for their advice in treating a Jewish client who was struggling after facing discrimination, the therapists alleged in a case filed by The Lawfare Project.
Hijazi said that Junger and Katz's advice would be unhelpful and 'one-sided' and shut down the conversation during the Nov. 19 staff meeting, according to the lawsuit.
Less than a week later, the Jewish therapists were notified of their firing, the documents allege.
Jewish therapists Yocheved Junger and Jacqueline Katz allege they were 'blocked' from helping a colleague support a client with trauma from antisemitism.
'Before we could even say anything, ask the questions, talk about it like any other case consult, Dina Hijazi jumped in and she just goes, 'oh, that's not a good idea. You'll get a one-sided response,' ' Junger, who had been with B2 for more than two years, told The Post.
'I was really taken aback and just appalled,' she added.
The entire situation spun Katz into a 'panic' for days, she said.
'I couldn't believe what was unfolding,' said Katz.
Before the therapists were let go, Hijazi sent an email to staff banning discussions involving the 'Palestine Israel topic,' which she said caused her 'great pain,' according to the lawsuit.
But Junger and Katz said their colleague didn't ask anything about 'Palestine, Palestinians, or Israel.'
Junger asserted that the coworker was merely 'doing her due diligence to understand what her client is experiencing and asking her colleagues who have first-hand knowledge to help her out,' according to the lawsuit.
'How can we service our clients if we are not allowed to talk about their experiences?' she questioned.
Hijazi allegedly doubled down on the ban against sharing 'political or religious opinions' with colleagues, according to the lawsuit.
Katz then replied that both Hijazi and fellow co-founder Rev. Daniel Gowan failed 'to see that this was not a political conversation.'
Gowan replied that Katz had gone 'way over the line' in trying to advocate for the Jewish patient, according to an email cited in the lawsuit.
D2 counseling's office building in Dallas, Texas.
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The Jewish therapists again tried to push back days later, but received a call on Nov. 25 that they were 'terminated.'
They were given 30 days to leave the clinic, which hired movers to take their belongings to a new and isolated office space, where they could continue to see clients before their last day, the therapists said.
'They didn't even want us in the office for those 30 days so they rented an additional office in different buildings, so they wouldn't see us and literally moved our stuff,' said Junger.
Junger called the situation 'disheartening' and 'scary' because she 'heard that there was discrimination against Jewish practitioners and Jewish clients in the therapy world' but didn't 'really want to believe it,' in an interview with The Post.
'The nature of our job is to be there for people going through hard times and for us as therapists, that it's not about us. And it's about client experiencing and everyone has a right for their story,' she said.
Katz emphasized the need for therapists to exercise 'cultural competency' in treating clients.
'It's not our clients' responsibility to educate us. If we get a client that we don't understand — their culture, their religion, their background — it's up to us to seek consultation to understand or to do some research to understand the perspective,' said Katz, who was with B2 for more than six years.
'That's your responsibility as a therapist to ask if you don't know,' she added.
D2's website describes the clinic as 'a safe, non-judgmental place where we'll challenge you to move beyond whatever is causing you pain.'
An attorney representing D2 said Gowan and Hijazi 'vehemently deny the allegations made against them.'
Antisemitic crimes have exploded since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. In the US, the Jewish community faced more than more than 25 antisemitic incidents per day last year, according to a report by the Anti-Defamation League.
There were 9,354 incidents of antisemitic assault, harassment and vandalism in the US in 2024, marking a 344% increase over the past five years, according to ADL's annual audit.
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Bob Vylan's Career Has Been Destroyed by Glastonbury Performance: Experts
Bob Vylan's Career Has Been Destroyed by Glastonbury Performance: Experts

Newsweek

time12 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Bob Vylan's Career Has Been Destroyed by Glastonbury Performance: Experts

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Bob Vylan's career may be in trouble following their controversial performance at Glastonbury, experts tell Newsweek. Over the weekend, the English punk rap duo sparked outrage at the music festival in the United Kingdom. During their set, they led crowds in a chant of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the Israeli Defense Forces. On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military operation that has killed more than 56,400 people in Gaza, per the Associated Press. On Saturday, the Avon and Somerset Police said on X, formerly Twitter, that they were looking into "whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation." In a separate post shared to the social media platform on Monday, authorities confirmed "a criminal investigation is now being undertaken." Bob Vylan will likely have a difficult time recovering from their Glastonbury performance, experts tell Newsweek. Bob Vylan will likely have a difficult time recovering from their Glastonbury performance, experts tell Newsweek. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/Canva The BBC, which broadcast the music festival, issued an apology: "We deeply regret that such offensive and deplorable behavior appeared on the BBC and want to apologize to our viewers and listeners and in particular the Jewish community. We are also unequivocal that there can be no place for antisemitism at, or on, the BBC." Bob Vylan—who uses the stage names Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan—responded to backlash on Instagram on Tuesday. "We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine," they wrote. "We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story. And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction." Bob Vylan Suffers Consequences Earlier this week, the U.S. State Department revoked Bob Vylan's visas to the United States. "The @StateDept has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants," Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X on Monday. "Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country." The duo was also dropped by their agent UTA, Deadline reported. Will Bob Vylan's Career Recover? Lauren Beeching, founder of crisis PR firm Honest London, told Newsweek it's "looking increasingly unlikely" that Bob Vylan's career will recover from Glastonbury. "The chant wasn't subtle or up for interpretation. 'Death to the IDF' was broadcast live by the BBC, and the response has been fast and serious," Beeching said. "They've lost their U.S. visas, were dropped by their American booking agency UTA, and the BBC pulled the footage while issuing public apologies. Ofcom has confirmed it is investigating, and there's a criminal inquiry underway. This is not a controversy you ride out with a break from social media." Eric Schiffer, CEO of Reputation Management Consultants, added: "Bob Vylan saw America's 40-city ATM blow into bits with one 'death to IDF' chant that turned a seven-figure tour into a cesspool of self destruction. UTA's kiss-off and a federal visa shred turned Bob Vylan from buzz band to biohazard. U.S. bookers now treat their name like smallpox on a set list. UTA ditching them is the real body-blow because agents equal oxygen." Bob Vylan was scheduled to open for singer Grandson's tour this fall. "When the State Department slaps a no-fly list on your Fender guitars, the merch table moves from Madison Square to Minsk and your rider drops from Dom Pérignon to bring your own," Schiffer continued. "Agents dump you, visas vanish, cops investigate—welcome to the triple-crown of attempted career suicide. The Glastonbury spot is now radioactive nostalgia—future lineups will treat their clip like a deathtrap warning reel." Bobby Vylan, of Bob Vylan, performs on the West Holts stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 28, 2025 in Glastonbury, England. Bobby Vylan, of Bob Vylan, performs on the West Holts stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 28, 2025 in Glastonbury, Coleman, a crisis communication consultant and director of Amanda Coleman Communication Ltd, argued, however, that "the future of Bob Vylan is in the hands of their audience and whether they are prepared to continue to follow them despite this furor. "Even if the artist is prevented from traveling, they can continue to grow an audience online," Coleman explained. "During the COVID-19 pandemic, artists proved you could use social media and technology to stream and continue to grow an audience. If the social media companies cut them off, there will always be alternative channels to move onto." She added that "Bob Vylan have had more coverage since the Glastonbury Festival appearance, and many more people will know who they are." "I don't believe that all publicity is good publicity," Coleman said. "Their behavior has caused significant damage to them and has outraged many, but whether this is a fatal blow to their future is in the hands of their fans and followers." Bob Vylan's Net Worth Takes Big Hit Bob Vylan's net worth will most certainly be impacted after their Glastonbury set, Beeching tells Newsweek. "Touring is usually the main source of income for independent artists, and they were due to open for American singer Grandson's U.S. tour in October and November. That's now off the table following their visa revocation. The cancellation means lost fees, scrapped merch sales, and the breakdown of future international revenue," she shared. "Being dropped by UTA also ends access to global booking networks, corporate stages, and brand tie-ins. Even if those opportunities weren't fully developed yet, they were within reach. Now, anyone looking to work with them commercially would have to factor in reputational risk and likely backlash. That alone shrinks their options." Beeching said it was important to note that "being dropped by a booking agent like UTA is different from being dropped by a label." "Bob Vylan are independent and release music themselves. So while they don't have a label to sever ties with, losing agency support cuts off live revenue opportunities, tour planning, and international expansion," she explained. "You don't need a label to build a career anymore, but you do need access, and that's what's just been taken away." Beeching made it clear, however, that despite criticism, they will also "likely gain fans from this, especially those who view the backlash as censorship or hypocrisy." "They haven't been erased, but they have been repositioned." While Bob Vylan may also still earn money "through streaming, direct fan support and U.K. performances," the "ceiling has lowered." "From a PR and commercial strategy perspective, this shifts them from being a politically provocative act with growth potential to one the industry will now avoid. That doesn't mean financial collapse, but it does mean their future is far more limited than it was two weeks ago."

Former Toledo city council member Mike Ferner chucks cow's blood on US mission in gory stunt, but New Yorkers were unfazed
Former Toledo city council member Mike Ferner chucks cow's blood on US mission in gory stunt, but New Yorkers were unfazed

New York Post

timea day ago

  • New York Post

Former Toledo city council member Mike Ferner chucks cow's blood on US mission in gory stunt, but New Yorkers were unfazed

Nothing fazes New Yorkers. A former Toledo, Ohio city council member chucked a paint can full of cow's blood onto the windows of the US mission to the UN this week in a gory stunt denouncing Israel, but passersby didn't seem to notice or care. 'It was not an easy job and there was blood all over the place, but as usual in New York people just walked by and said, 'Oh, that's interesting.' Nobody asked anything,' said Mike Ferner, 74, who spent Monday morning using a screwdriver to break up a gallon of frozen cow's blood on an East Village sidewalk. 4 Former Toledo city council member Mike Ferner, 74, chucked a paint can full of cow's blood onto the windows of the US mission to the UN in broad daylight Monday. Anadolu via Getty Images 'Here, United States, have some blood. You like shedding it all over the world so much? There ya go. How about some blood,' Ferner shouted after chucking a paint can of blood onto the windows of the Israel mission. Ferner was promptly arrested after the 12:30 p.m. blood-hurling and charged with criminal tampering, unlawfully possessing or selling of a noxious material and disorderly conduct, according to a criminal complaint. He and spent a night in jail, in conditions he compared to Guantanamo Bay or Abu Ghraib. Ferner was released on his own recognizance following his Manhattan Criminal Court appearance the next day. The Toledo politician is a renowned rabble-rouser who has been arrested multiple times as a member of Veterans for Peace, an organization whose mission is to 'end all wars,' according to their website. Ferner's bloody protest served as the grand finale of the organization's '40 Day Fast for Gaza,' during which he was hospitalized for low potassium levels. 4 Ferner was released on his own recognizance Tuesday after spending the night behind bars. Anadolu via Getty Images 'It's so important for [Palestinians] to know not everybody in our government is a murderous psychopath,' Ferner said. On Monday morning, Ferner stopped into a butcher shop in the East Village to pick up a gallon of cow's blood in a large plastic Coke bottle. 'It was completely frozen like a rock, and I thought 'God, what am I going to do with this?',' Ferner said. 'I asked them if they had a microwave, and they said no. Next door was a laundromat, and I asked if I could put in the dryer, and they said no.' To melt down the Coke bottle of frozen blood, Ferner stepped out onto the sidewalk and began shaving it off into a paint can with a pocketknife. 4 Ferner picked up a gallon of frozen cow's blood from an East Village butcher shop before the gory stunt. Anadolu via Getty Images 'I had blood all over the place,' Ferner said. 'I was thinking if anybody asks me, I could tell them this is concentrated cherry juice that I'm trying to defrost, but nobody asked!' Ferner borrowed two screwdrivers from a nearby construction crew, which he used to chip at the block of frozen blood. 'I just kept hacking away at it with a screwdriver, and it was a warm morning, and as I was doing that it slowly melted,' he said. 4 Ferner said he borrowed two screwdrivers from a local construction crew, which he used to hack up the frozen blood. Anadolu via Getty Images Slowly, it started to melt, so Ferner hopped into a cab and sped to the US mission. There, he chucked his paint can of melted blood onto the windows and was promptly arrested. 'There was a core of it that I didn't have time to chop up, and it didn't melt, so when I threw it on the window there was this small football [of frozen blood], and it was laying on the sidewalk. The cops said, 'What's that?' And I said, 'Well, that's just a part I couldn't defrost'.' Ferner is pleased with the response to his stunt and said people around the world are responding to the video. He hopes the Israel and US missions will 'regain a piece of humanity' after his protest. Ferner worked in an Illinois Navy hospital during the Vietnam War, and remembers planes full of injured soldiers arriving back home. 'I started seeing what happens to people when you go to war, it's not like the movies. It's not like John Wayne,' Ferner said. Ferner has become a fan of the Big Apple and plans to spend his last few days in town riding the Staten Island Ferry and people watching in the East Village.

Organization denies AP report that US contractors at its Gaza food distribution sites used live ammo
Organization denies AP report that US contractors at its Gaza food distribution sites used live ammo

Hamilton Spectator

timea day ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Organization denies AP report that US contractors at its Gaza food distribution sites used live ammo

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American organization running a new aid program in Gaza, on Thursday denied a report by The Associated Press that American contractors guarding the foundation's aid sites inside Gaza were using live ammunition and stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scrambled for food. AP's story, released Wednesday, is based on accounts from two U.S. contractors who spoke anonymously because they were revealing internal operations of their employer. They said they were coming forward because they were disturbed by what they considered irresponsible and dangerous practices. It draws also on text messages, internal reports and videos filmed by one of the contractors. The GHF said it launched an 'immediate investigation' when it was first contacted by the AP for comment. 'Based on time-stamped video footage and sworn witness statements, we have concluded that the claims in the AP's story are categorically false,' they wrote. 'At no point were civilians under fire at a GHF distribution site,' the GHF wrote. GHF, Israeli military disagree In its statement Thursday, GHF said the fire heard in videos obtained by The AP came from Israel's military, located 'outside the immediate vicinity' of the aid sites themselves. It offered no evidence. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an army spokesman, told the AP Thursday that the army is 'not within the sites' and 'not in the immediate proximity to the sites.' GHF said the gunfire in the videos obtained by the AP 'was not directed at individuals, and no one was shot or injured.' The AP's initial report included photos taken by the contractor showing a woman lying on a donkey cart after the contractor said she was hit in the head with a stun grenade, a Palestinian crying after the contractor said he was tear gassed and videos where the sound of live ammunition can be heard. Men dressed in grey — people whom the contractor who filmed the video identified as his colleagues — can be seen lobbing multiple stun grenades toward crowds of Palestinians squeezed into a narrow, fenced-in lane leading to one of the sites. The stun grenades flash as they land, and Palestinians are engulfed in thick clouds. The contractors said they deployed pepper spray regularly. The contractors also told the AP that Israel's military was not stationed at the sites or in their immediate vicinity. The GHF called the AP's decision not to share the videos filmed by the contractor with them ahead of publication 'troubling.' It claimed that the 'primary source' in the story was a 'disgruntled former contractor who was terminated for misconduct weeks before this article was published.' AP decided not to share videos before publication The AP reached out to the GHF, Safe Reach Solutions, the company subcontracted to handle logistics for GHF, and UG Solutions, the company that hired the security contractors, a week before publication. The AP described the videos in detail in an email to UG but decided not to share the videos to protect sources' safety during the lead-up to publication. The AP thoroughly vetted both contractors who provided testimony and verified the videos using geolocation, confirming they were filmed at the aid sites, and sought audio analysis from forensic experts who determined the gunfire came from within 50-60 meters in most videos and within 115 meters in one. The AP has asked to visit the GHF sites numerous times and had not been granted access. Journalists have been unable to visit the GHF sites, located in Israeli military-controlled zones. The GHF also said in its statement that it had already removed one contractor seen 'shouting' in a video published by the AP. In the case of one video, the contractor who filmed it said he witnessed two other contractors firing in the direction of Palestinians leaving the site after collecting their food. He said the contractors were egging each other on. In the video, English-speaking men say 'I think you hit one,' and 'Hell yeah, boy!' after a burst of gunfire sounds, but who is shooting and what is being shot at is obscured. The contractor filming said he watched a man amid a group of Palestinians leaving the site drop to the ground, in the same direction of the bullets being fired. The contractor who filmed the video says he doesn't know whether anyone was hit or injured in that instance. GHF did not address that account in its statement Thursday but said 'no one was shot or injured.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

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