Brussels rocked by terror blasts, about 30 believed dead (JNS.org) Three suicide bombers blew themselves up in Brussels on Tuesday in the worst terror attack to hit Europe since the Islamic State-organized terror attacks in Paris last November. Two suicide bombers detonated themselves at the Brussels Zaventem airport, and a third detonated his bomb at […]
Middle East Roundup: March 22, 2016 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The news on Saturday night and Sunday was of a suicide bombing in Istanbul, with three Israeli tourists among the dead. Some will see a political irony in the death of an Iranian, as well. It’s not clear whether the presence of an Israeli tour group prompted the attack, whether
Suffering is not what makes Jews unique Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Jewish History, Middle EastIstanbul suicide bomber reportedly trailed Israeli tourists (JNS.org) Several Turkish media outlets reported Monday that contrary to initial assessments by Turkish authorities, a group of Israeli tourists were in fact the specific target of a suicide bombing on Istanbul’s busy Istiklal Street on Saturday. Three Israelis were killed in the suicide bombing on Saturday, which
Middle East Roundup: March 21, 2016 Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Not all Zionist pioneers came to Eretz Yisrael to till the soil as a way of building a new society where Jews would be like all other nations. There were those who came in the belief that only in the Land of Israel could Judaism be renewed. It was
Zionist dream of renovating Judaism unrealized Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–An American friend, who is almost as old as I am, can’t remember a presidential election with worse choices. An internet friend wrote about a bumper sticker, “I hate them both.” Another likes ABC, Anybody but Clinton. The latter recalls a movement in the Knesset when the Members had to select a
Clinton v. Trump seen as unpalatable choice Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Kenneth Bandler NEW YORK — A nine-person leadership delegation of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) has concluded a two-day visit to Greece’s capital during which the mayor of Athens, Giorgos Kaminis, pledged to fight anti-Semitism. The group, led by AJC President Stanley Bergman and CEO David Harris, was joined by leaders of the Central Board
Athens mayor signs pledge against anti- Semitism Read More »
International, Middle EastBy Steve Kramer HERZLIYA, Israel –I recently attended an excellent lecture by Dr. Mordechai Kedar on the history of Jerusalem, presented by “The Jewish Narrative” Thursday English Lecture series in Herzliya. In many ways this lecture was similar to another I had attended several years ago by Emeritus Professor Moshe Sharon of Hebrew University. Both
Religious doctrine shapes contest for Jerusalem Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –The American public tends to see military action as binary: all in or not in at all. Mostly we’re not in — as befits a country that is not aggressive or acquisitive. But if we’re in it, win it. In this age of transnational enemies and vacuums of governance, however,
Russia has clear policy objectives in Mideast Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana BryenIsrael brings complaint against Time magazine (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israel’s Government Press Office went public with a complaint against Time Magazine Thursday, five months after the magazine published an article referring to a terrorist as a “graphic designer … killed by Israeli security forces,” with no mention of the people he murdered and injured.
Middle East Roundup: March 18, 2016 Read More »
Middle East
The Passover Surprise by Janet Ruth Heller; illustrations by Ronald Kauffman; © 2015; Fictive Press; ISBN 978-1-927663-17-1; 35 pages including glossary and discussion drive. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –A lot of ground is covered in this story for middle schoolers. It begins with a pre-teenage girl, Lisa, competing with her younger brother, Jon,
‘The Passover Surprise’ is brief yet topic rich Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — We should think about the implications of what we do. Bad things may come from good intentions. On the other hand, predicting the future with anything close to certainty should have limited appeal. There are lots of variables, factors, and phenomena that interact with what we do. All those things
Putin, Saudi Arabia, U.S. elections changing Mideast Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Merrick Garland, who if approved would be the 4th Jewish person to sit on the current United States Supreme Court, was not the first member of his family to receive an appointment from a president. What relative of his shares that honor? A. As Merrick Garland said
Jewish Trivia Question: Merrick Garland Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USABy Tammi Rossman-Benjamin SANTA CRUZ, California — As a vote looms on how to address the alarming rash of anti-Semitism at the University of California (UC), AMCHA Initiative today released letters from dozens of Jewish and education advocacy groups, nearly 750 UC faculty and UC alumni and state and federal legislators calling for UC to recognize
Drive to outlaw anti- Zionism on UC campuses Read More »
Middle East, USABy John Kerry WASHINGTON, D.C. — In 2014, the terrorist group Daesh began to seize territory in Syria and Iraq, overrunning major cities and committing atrocities. The United States responded quickly by denouncing these horrific acts and – more importantly – taking coordinated actions to counter them. In September of that year, President Obama mobilized
Kerry: U.S. will pursue genocide charges against Daesh Read More »
Middle East, USA