In the past, the Brooklyn-based public-relations firm Big Duck has worked extensively with several Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. But it recently informed the Shalom Hartman Institute (SHI)—an educational and research center with a decidedly liberal bent—that it would not do business with it for unclear reasons related to Israel. Daniel Gordis, in a wide-ranging reflection on contemporary anti-Semitism, observes:

Last month, the Chinese minister of defense, together with senior military figures, paid a visit to Tehran, where they met with their Iranian counterparts, as well as with the Iranian president. Tuvia Gering and Jason M. Brodsky doubt the talks will result in a grand Sino-Iranian alliance, but they nonetheless expect increased collaboration between the two countries. For many years, they note, Beijing has evaded or violated embargoes to sell arms to the Islamic Republic, and there’s reason to expect more of the same: