By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―The Affordable Health Care Act mandates that vending machines indicate the number of calories next to each of its products. Since research indicates that many people ignore such information, Health and Human Services is considering posting a photograph of Chris Christie on the containers for high caloric snacks and sodas. *
Humoring the headlines: December 31, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Abraham Joshua Heschel: The Call of Transcendence, by Shai Held. Indiana University Press, 2013. 332 pages. $30. By Rabbi Jack Riemer/JNS.org Whenever a new book on the life and thought of Abraham Joshua Heschel appears, I always have two reactions. One is to marvel at the fact that Heschel is the only one of the
Abraham Joshua Heschel’s insights elucidated for a new generation Read More »
Jewish Religion
Ayatollah’s ‘rabid dog’ remark tops 2013 list of anti-Semitic/anti-Israel slurs (JNS.org) Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s remark that Israel is the “rabid dog” of the Middle East topped the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s list of the top 10 anti-Semitic or anti-Israel slurs of 2013. Following Khamenei on the list were Turkish Prime Minister Recep
JNS news briefs: December 31, 2013 Read More »
International
By Anav Silverman EFRAT, Israel — On a day where snow still covers the Judean hills, a Jewish doctor from Efrat drives into the neighboring Palestinian village called Wadi Nis. He is greeted by the local Palestinian villagers with smiles and warm hellos. “There’s the doctor,” says one Palestinian woman to another as Dr. Yitzchak
Doctor lives the dream of Israeli-Palestinian coexistence Read More »
Middle EastBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-With the New Year practically upon us, the 11th commandment demands that movie critics compile a list of their favorite films from the past year. Rather than incur the wrath of Rex Reed and Gene Shalit, I will comply with two caveats. Even though I have the opportunity see many movies
The Wandering Review: Top 10 Jewish Movies of 2013 Read More »
Travel and Food
By Donald H. Harrison SANTEE, California — The Hoosier Poet James Whitcomb Riley is credited with the saying, “When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck.” However, an informational sign board at Mast Park “rails” against
With animals or people, what you see is not always what you get Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, The World We Share, Travel and Food
TEL AVIV (Press Release) — Surprisingly little is known about schizophrenia. It was only recognized as a medical condition in the past few decades, and its exact causes remain unclear. Since there is no objective test for schizophrenia, its diagnosis is based on an assortment of reported symptoms. The standard treatment, antipsychotic medication, works less
Tel Aviv researchers make progress against schizophrenia Read More »
Science, Medicine, & Education
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the P5+1 nuclear negotiation with Iran was taking shape, Secretary of State John Kerry was irritated by the discomfort shown by Congress, Israel and the Gulf States of both Iran and of the Administration’s decision making process. “We are not blind and I don’t think we’re stupid,” he
Iran proving to be big winner in nuclear negotiations Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– While some Arab Christians in Israel are about to form a political party with a platform that specifically includes commitment to service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), a sizeable group of Hasidic gurus in Israel are planning a trip to the United States to lobby against their
Haredim mount campaign to avoid IDF service Read More »
Middle East
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Was Jesus a Palestinian? That is the latest historical claim of Mahmoud Abbas. The status of Abbas is its own problem, due to his term as President of the Palestine.National Authority having run out in January, 2009, and there being no subsequent election. His claim about Jesus is even
Abbas claims Jesus was a Palestinian Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastJordan Valley sovereignty bill approved by Israeli ministerial committee (JNS.org) Israel’s Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Sunday approved a bill proposed by MK Miri Regev (Likud) that would apply Israeli law to Jewish lands and communities in the Jordan Valley. “This bill is purely motivated by diplomatic and security considerations,” Regev said, Israel Hayom reported.
JNS news briefs: December 30, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Alina Dain Sharon/JNS.org As 2013 is drawing to a close, JNS.org takes a look at its biggest news stories from Israel and the Jewish world that have shaped the outgoing year. Egypt Andrew Driscoll Pochter, a Jewish student at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, was fatally stabbed June 28 in Alexandria during clashes between
2013 Jewish news year in review Read More »
International
Mike Sager, High Tolerance, Sager Group, 2013, ISBN 9780988178564, 265 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–If you enjoy puzzles, you may like to ponder the meaning of this novel’s title, “High Tolerance.” Does it refer to the protagonist, Jewish television writer Nathan Sulcov, who is the white partner in a black/white marriage, whose biracial,
Current fiction: ‘High Tolerance’ Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
QUEENS, N.Y. (Press Release) – Victor Mooney, AIDS crusader, had the words “Shalom” and “Never Forget” printed in Hebrew in vinyl letters onto a 12 inch metal tube to symbolize the Peace that we all pray for in this world, but also to remind us to Never Forgot our history. Mooney will carry this tube
‘Shalom’ tube to be carried on Transatlantic rowing attempt Read More »
The World We Share