Palestinians begin exhuming Arafat’s body (JNS.org) Palestinians have begun work to exhume the body of their former leader Yasser Arafat as part of a probe into his death that some experts say is fueled by politically charged rumors, AFP reported. Arafat’s mausoleum in Ramallah has been cordoned off, according to local sources. International experts will […]
JNS news briefs: November 13, 2012 Read More »
InternationalEditor’s Note: Janis Coulter was among the victims who died with San Diego’s Marla Bennett in a terrorist explosion that rocked the Hebrew University cafeteria. New York City has memorialized her. By Rafael Medoff/JNS.org The average pedestrian standing at the corner of Madison Avenue and 69th Street in New York City may not appreciate the
NYC remembers Hebrew U bombing victim Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Is revenge or vengeance permissible in Judaism? Has the view of revenge changed over time? Answer: You ask a difficult question and the answer is far from simple. Numerous laws and passages proscribe revenge and vengeance. Conversely, revenge plays an important role in rectifying injustices that occurred. The
What Judaism says about revenge Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Maxine Dovere/JNS.org NEW YORK—Noam Sheriff, conductor of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra and 2011 winner of the Israel Prize (largely regarded as the state’s highest honor) in music, believes decades of experience gives him a unique perspective on major prizes. “If I were 20 or 30, the excitement would be overwhelming,” the 77-year-old Sheriff,
Composer Sheriff carries Jewish history on his shoulders Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Jacob Kamaras/JNS.org BALTIMORE—The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) set a theme of “Where the Jewish community downloads/uploads/shares” for its 2012 General Assembly well in advance. Then Hurricane Sandy came along and ravaged the East Coast, making the theme that much more relevant. “The uploads, the downloads, the connection—to me it’s all around the
Federation CEO on Sandy, Iran, young leadership Read More »
Jacob Kamaras, USABy Jacob Kamaras/JNS.org BALTIMORE—Rabbi Rick Jacobs, head of the Reform movement’s congregational arm, was an atypical choice as scholar-in-residence for the 2012 Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) General Assembly—by his own admission. “First of all, it’s an honor,” Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), said in an interview with JNS.org in
Jewish Federation pick Reform movement head as its scholar Read More »
Jacob Kamaras, Jewish Religion
By Donald H. Harrison MOORPARK, California –Reflecting on a Civil War reenactment that was staged at the Underwood Family Farms here, I found myself focusing on two lessons from the proceedings. First, a mistake may snowball into a disaster. And second, charisma can outlast even death. Our nation is now observing the sesquicentennial of
Lessons from a Civil War reenactment Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — God help our veterans. Yes, this is the day after what was originally called Armistice Day, November 11, 1918—when the Great War (World War I) ended. Many saw that horrifically bloody conflict (The United States entered in the final year, 1917, but our “doughboys” were bludgeoned in ditches
Veterans Day: a day of contrasts Read More »
USAEditor’s Note: Sha’ar Hanegev, the sister region of San Diego’s Jewish Federation, lies along Israel’s border with Gaza and has been suffering the effects of the constant rocket attacks from across the border. By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — My correspondents on the East Coast of the United States may view this note as a parallel to waiting
Rockets from Gaza lead to calls for retaliation Read More »
Travel and FoodCabinet minister highlights Israel’s pioneering space efforts (JNS.org) Drawing on Israeli technological and scientific prowess, Israel’s top science minister highlighted Israel’s ambitious space efforts including a project by an Israeli company to be the third country to land on the moon, the Jerusalem Post reported. At a cabinet meeting on Nov. 11, Science and Technology
JNS news briefs: November 12, 2012 Read More »
InternationalBy Shoshana and Stephen Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. _- Most of the questions related to the Benghazi debacle are about the mechanics, both offensive and defensive. What did the White House know and when? What assets were available to the military? Did someone order a stand down, and if so, who? Why was “the video” blamed
Was there a Syrian arms connection to Stevens’ death? Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, Stephen D. Bryen
By Rabbi Dow Marmur TORONTO — Though President Barack Obama will have many urgent challenges to contend with in his second term, it’s reasonable to assume that Israeli-Palestinian relations will be high on his agenda. During the election campaign he said he would visit Israel when “we’re actually moving something forward.” He seems to
Rabbi Melchior says some in Hamas ready for peace Read More »
Middle EastA routine blood test done during the IDF induction process led Idan Dukatch, a soldier from Ashkelon, to the opportunity to save a life. His bone marrow donation was transplanted to Alex Katz, a 17-year old boy from New Jersey with cancer. At the end of a nerve-racking half year, waiting for updates on Katz’s
Donor meets beneficiary of his bone marrow Read More »
Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Is it better for the Jews in Moscow than in Boston? Just my asking the question will start Grandpa Sharkansky spinning in his grave. I never knew the man, but I know that he left the Czar’s realm in 1880, part of the first wave of Jews spurred on by pogroms and
Reversing fortunes of Jews in Moscow and Boston Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky