International – Page 1709 – San Diego Jewish World

A new schism in Israeli Orthodoxy

September 18, 2015

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–There’s more to religious divisions in Israel than those between Orthodoxy and Liberal (Conservative and Reform) Judaism. There’re also many opposing forces within Orthodoxy: Ashkenazim and Sephardim; Hasidim and their opponents; Zionists and anti-Zionists. Yet they’re together in the Knesset and currently all in the government. In recent years, however, yet […]

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A Progressive Jew experiences Orthodox Yom Kippur

September 18, 2015

By Jenn Lindsay ROME, Italy–On Kol Nidre night that year, it was raining at dusk. I decided not to ride my bike to the progressive Yom Kippur service on the Boston University campus. If I rode my bike, I would get too thirsty coming home and I wouldn’t keep the holiday fast. So I went to

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Jewish Religion, USA

Middle East Roundup: September 18, 2015

September 18, 2015

Declassified CIA report: Israeli offensive in Six-Day War surprised U.S. (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) A newly declassified Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report sheds new light on how the U.S. intelligence community viewed the outbreak of the 1967 Six-Day War, suggesting American officials were surprised by the clashes. “Hostilities began early this morning,” reads the

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International, Middle East, USA

Arab – Jewish holy-day battles have many precedents

September 17, 2015

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — An American cousin sent me a link to the PBS documentary, 1913: Seeds of Conflict, and asked if it was a fair and accurate presentation. I clicked, and received a message, “We’re sorry, but this video is not available in your region due to right restrictions.” The Internet being what it

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Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East

Is Vatican City a model for Temple Mount?

September 17, 2015

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–The received wisdom of many pundits is that Jerusalem should be the last item in any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, because it’s such a thorny issue. Professor Moshe Amirav of the Hebrew University believes that it must be the first item – precisely because it’s the most difficult

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Middle East

Judge upholds Kapparot custom for Yom Kippur

September 17, 2015

(JNS.org) A New York City judge upheld the right of Jews to conduct the Kapparot ritual for Yom Kippur despite the opposition of animal rights activists. Traditionally, Jews who engage in the practice will wave a chicken over their heard while chanting “this is my substitute, this is my exchange, this is my atonement. This

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Jewish Religion, USA

Middle East Roundup: September 17, 2015

September 17, 2015

Iceland’s capital city votes to boycott all Israeli products (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, voted to boycott all products made in Israel. According to a symbolic bill passed in a majority vote by the municipality, the city will not purchase any products manufactured in Israel, whether within or beyond the 1967

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International, Middle East

Iran issue points again to need to end filibusters

September 16, 2015

‘You won’t let us have a vote. You won’t let us have a debate.’ – Sen. Lindsey Graham (R- South Carolina) By Bruce S. Ticker　 PHILADELPHIA –Republicans could have done more to save Israel from presumed destruction, after all. His protestations to the contrary, Lindsey Graham and his 53 fellow Republicans could have easily launched

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Middle East, USA

Middle East Roundup: September 16, 2015

September 16, 2015

Netanyahu vows to stem terror wave after fatal Rosh Hashanah attack (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting in Jerusalem on Tuesday night to discuss ways to stem the recent surge of rock-throwing and firebombing attacks in Israel’s capital, including the killing of 64-year-old Jerusalem resident Alexander Levlovich in

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International, Middle East, USA

Uncertainty, incremental change staples of government

September 15, 2015

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — One of the principal lessons that should be taught in courses dealing with politics and public policy is the persistence of uncertainty. People who insist on telling us what will be, or what will not be, have a lot to learn. Many who claim to be predicting are telling us what

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International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Lou Lenart: The pilot who saved Tel Aviv

September 15, 2015

By Joe Spier CALGARY, Alberta, Canada — On July 6, 2010, as the sun was about to set over Arlington, Virginia, 89 year-old ex-U.S. Marine and Israeli Air Force fighter pilot, Lou Lenart stood on the reviewing stand at the base of the Marine Corps War Memorial, flanked by generals and took the salute

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Middle East

JFS, others call for U.S. to admit Syrian refugees

September 14, 2015

SAN DIEGO (SDONA)– Local Jewish organizations are joining a national effort to ask President Obama to allow 100,000 more Syrian refugees to settle in the United States. Jewish Family Service of San Diego and the Leichtag Foundation in Encinitas are joining HIAS, the oldest international migration and refugee resettlement agency in the U.S., to petition the government. As over

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Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Jewish year 5776 starts ominously

September 13, 2015

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It’s not an auspicious beginning. Or maybe it is. The year is 5776, according to the Hebrew calendar, תשע”ו as you’ll find it on Israeli documents. By tradition, the calendar began with the creation of the world, but we needn’t let doubts about that bother us. As it is beginning, the

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International, Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Israel has many problems as Jewish year turns

September 12, 2015

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Israel seems to know how to keep out people it deems to be unwelcome intruders. But it’s helpless in protecting itself against the weather. The extreme heat that’s still with us and the accompanying sandstorm that’s now mercifully on the way out have taken center stage even in the

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Middle East

A new schism in Israeli Orthodoxy

A Progressive Jew experiences Orthodox Yom Kippur

Middle East Roundup: September 18, 2015

Arab – Jewish holy-day battles have many precedents

Is Vatican City a model for Temple Mount?

Judge upholds Kapparot custom for Yom Kippur

Middle East Roundup: September 17, 2015

Iran issue points again to need to end filibusters

Middle East Roundup: September 16, 2015

Uncertainty, incremental change staples of government

Lou Lenart: The pilot who saved Tel Aviv

JFS, others call for U.S. to admit Syrian refugees

Jewish year 5776 starts ominously

Israel has many problems as Jewish year turns

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