Terrorism doubles in Israel from August to September, Shin Bet says
(JNS.org) The number of terror attacks and attempted terror attacks roughly doubled in Israel over the last month, rising from 68 in August to 133 in September, new data from the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) revealed Thursday, Israel Hayom reported.
Two notable instances of Palestinian terrorism were the murders of Israeli soldiers Staff Sgt. Gal (Gabriel) Kobi, 20, on Sept. 19, and Sgt. Tomer Hazan, 20, on Sept. 21. The Shin Bet noted that 104 terror attacks in September took place in Judea and Samaria, compared with 68 terror attacks in those communities in August.
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Council of Europe’s anti-circumcision ruling fosters ‘racist trends,’ Israel says
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israel on Friday strongly condemned a decision by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that Jewish ritual circumcision is a “clear human rights violation.”
With a majority of 78 in favor, 13 opposed and 15 abstentions, the council—an international organization whose resolutions are non-binding but heavily influence EU countries—deemed the practice a “violation of the physical integrity of children.”
The council passed a resolution calling for a ban on “certain operations and practices… before a child is old enough to be consulted.” The age suggested for allowing circumcision was 15.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the resolution “cast a moral stain” on the council and that it “fosters hate and racist trends in Europe.”
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Unilateral strike on Iran nuclear program backed by two-thirds of Israeli Jews, poll shows
(JNS.org) Should the need arise to attack the Iranian nuclear program, 65.6 percent of Israeli Jews would support a unilateral Israeli strike even without international support and 21.8 percent would oppose the move, a new Israel Hayom-New Wave Research poll shows.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the U.N. General Assembly Oct. 1 that Israel would not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, and that if Israel “is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone.”
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New Iran sanctions should be delayed until negotiations, State Department official says
(JNS.org) U.S. State Department official Wendy Sherman, America’s lead negotiator with Iran, recommended that the U.S. Senate hold off on additional Iranian sanctions before scheduled Western talks with Iran on Oct. 15 in Geneva, Reuters reported.
Republican senators, however, slammed Sherman and said they plan to go ahead with Iran sanctions regardless of negotiations.
“The State Department should not aid and abet a European appeasement policy by pressuring the Senate to delay sanctions while the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism races toward a nuclear weapons capability,” U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), a leading advocate of sanctions, said in a statement.
In an interview with Charlie Rose of PBS on Oct. 2, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that all Iran sanctions should be maintained.
“The policy should be not to let Iran… wiggle away with a partial deal in which they make cosmetic concessions, you lift the sanctions or part of them. Once you do that, the sanction regime can collapse,” Netanyahu said.
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Jewish federations, Ruderman foundation launch national initiative for people with disabilities
(JNS.org) The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and the Ruderman Family Foundation are launching The Ruderman Family Foundation Opportunity Initiative, which will place young adults with disabilities in internships and fellowships at Jewish federations across the U.S., beginning in 2014.
“By making people with disabilities more visible, we will raise awareness of the importance of inclusion, thus strengthening the Jewish community and benefitting us all,” said Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family Foundation.
The initiative will launch as a one-year pilot for five Jewish federations, with the plan to expand to more federations if the project moves into its second year. “Our core Jewish values compel us to further embrace and include people with disabilities in our community,” said Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of JFNA.
Pope Francis I, Argentine rabbi make history by spending Sukkot together
(JNS.org) Argentine Rabbi Abraham Skorka made history when he spent several days in the Vatican living together with Pope Francis I over the Sukkot holiday.
“I eat with him at breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. He cares for me, and controls everything regarding my food to makes sure it is all kosher, and according to my religious tradition,” Skorka told the Italian daily La Stampa, which covers Vatican affairs.
“These are festive days, and I have to say certain prayers at meals and, I expand the last prayer and translate it. He accompanies me together with the others at table—his secretaries and a bishop, and they all say ‘Amen’ at the end,” Skorka said.
According to Skorka, who is rector of the Latin American Rabbinic Seminary, his friendship with Pope Francis began in 1997 when Francis, known at the time as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, became Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Skorka said that while their close friendship might be shocking to some, he believes that “history is made more by action than by political reasoning.”
“We hold to different traditions, but we are creating a dialogue that has not existed for centuries. Both of us believe that God has something to do with our friendship and with what we are doing,” he said.
Skorka also revealed that he is planning to travel to Israel with Pope Francis next year.
“I dream of embracing him at the Kotel, or Wailing Wall, and I will accompany him to Bethlehem, in the Palestinian territories. His presence can help a lot at this moment when the peace talks are starting again,” Skorka said.
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Preceding provided by JNS.org