By Eva Trieger LA JOLLA, California –This is not your father’s sukkah! Joshua Foer fondly remembered the nearly annual sukkah construction in his parent’s home, though he learned that he was in the mere 5 percent of American Jews who do so. When nostalgia set in, this secular Jew had a flash of inspiration. […]
Sukkot so original, you’d like to keep them Read More »
Travel and Food
By Dmitriy Shapiro/JNS.org/Washington Jewish Week Efforts to keep a significant collection of artifacts seized from Iraq’s Jewish community by Saddam Hussein from being returned to that nation by the United States may be picking up steam on Capitol Hill. With just months to go before a June deadline mandates the return of the religious archive,
U.S. Senate ponders Iraqi Jewish archives legislation Read More »
InternationalIsraeli foreign ministry sets up team to combat boycotts (JNS.org) Israel has established a new inter-ministerial team to fight efforts to boycott the Jewish state and products manufactured beyond the Green Line, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced Monday. The creation of the inter-ministerial team, which includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and International, Intelligence, and Strategic
JNS news briefs: February 4, 2014 Read More »
InternationalBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Is US Secretary of State stirring up trouble for Israel by speaking about – and perhaps thereby encouraging – the potentially crippling boycott of Israel because of the settlements, or is he warning us in good faith of what might happen if Israel doesn’t make peace with the Palestinians? Opinions are
Advice to Israelis: don’t despair, just worry! Read More »
Middle EastBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-Since Hollywood loves sequels to successful movies and stories “ripped from the headlines,” production has begun on films that mix these genres. Here are some scripts currently under consideration. American Tussle-An American diplomat futilely tries to convince obstinate Israeli and Palestinian leaders that making peace is better than descending into an
Humoring the headlines: February 4, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–What we hear are hints of American proposals, veiled threats of sanctions and violence, yet claims of salvation if everyone behaves reasonably. If this is a place for reasonable action, it would be a change of what has happened too many times since David sent Bat Sheva’s husband to his death alongside
Abbas: Palestine state will welcome Israeli citizens Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastDr. Barry Rubin, a Mideast scholar bassed in Herzliya, died Sunday, Feb. 2, at age 64 of cancer. Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) reports that he leaves his wife Judy and two children, Gabriella and Daniel. “Barry was a prolific scholar, and friend, who was fervently committed to the pursuit of truth
Barry Rubin, Mideast analyst and journalist, dies Read More »
Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)– The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today issued an open letter to Secretary of State John Kerry in response to his comments February 1 at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, in which he described the price he believes Israel will pay if there is a breakdown in the peace talks between
ADL politely criticizes Kerry in open letter Read More »
Middle East
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM – It was an unusual sight on Friday night at Judaism’s most sacred site, the Western Wall. Around the blue-and-white Israeli flag, waving over the multitudes of Sabbath prayer-goers, a group of young adults were holding hands and dancing – in complete silence. The group consisted of young deaf Jewish
Deaf Jews tour Israel Read More »
Travel and Food
By Alex Traiman/JNS.org Egyptian Defense Minister and Field Marshal General Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Jan. 27 was cleared by the country’s army to run for president, one day after an interim government announced that presidential elections would be advanced to take place within 30-90 days. Now, just three years after a revolution that toppled longtime secular
El-Sisi presidency in Egypt would help Israel Read More »
Middle East
By Alina Dain Sharon/JNS.org With the Winter Olympics gearing up for their Feb. 7 start in Sochi, Russia, the Jewish debate on the games mirrors the discourse taking place in the broader international and athletic communities. While some Jews say they view the games purely as sport—with social or political issues not factoring into
Jewish world debates Soshi Olympics Read More »
International
TEL AVIV (Press Release)–Camels are mentioned as pack animals in the biblical stories of Abraham, Joseph, and Jacob. But archaeologists have shown that camels were not domesticated in the Land of Israel until centuries after the Age of the Patriarchs (2000-1500 BCE). In addition to challenging the Bible’s historicity, this anachronism is direct proof that
Dating of camel bones contradicts Bible account Read More »
Science, Medicine, & EducationWhile Roger Waters targets Johansson, SodaStream CEO ‘proud’ of Israeli factory (JNS.org) SodaStream CEO Daniel Birnbaum, whose company aired a Super Bowl commercial featuring Jewish-American actress Scarlett Johansson on Sunday, said he is “very proud” of his company’s presence in Israel. “We are very proud of our factory in Mishor Adumim,” Birnbaum said. “It is
JNS news briefs: February 3, 2014 Read More »
International