WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– Rabbi David Saperstein, formerly the executive director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, was sworn in Friday, Feb. 20, as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Religous Freedom. Following are the comments by Secretary of State John Kerry and Ambassador Saperstein at that cremony: SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good afternoon to all of […]
Saperstein sworn in as U.S. Amb. At Large Read More »
International, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–At the close of the Summit to Combat Violent Extremism, President Barack Obama gave this address to an international gathering that participated at the U.S. State Department. We come together from more than 60 countries from every continent. We speak different languages, born of different races and ethnic groups, belong to
Obama: Media portray Islam’s bad, but not its good Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
NEW YORK (Press Release)– America’s Reform rabbis are making a major effort to change worship to match the needs and desires of today’s Reform Jews. In alignment with trends highlighted by the recent Pew study on American Jews, Reform rabbis are creating a new High Holiday service that makes all prayers LGBT friendly, adds references to God as
Reform Machzor more LGBT friendly, gender neutral Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA
LOS ANGELES (Press Release)– Leaders of NA’AMAT USA joined representatives of the organization from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Belgium, Argentina, Uruguay and Israel last week for the first NA’AMAT International Solidarity Conference in Israel. The delegation, led by national president Elizabeth Raider, were special guests of the President of Israel Reuven Rivlin during the conference’s opening
Na’amat USA delegates return from Israel meetings Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — A baby girl was born on Thursday night, February 19 in Jerusalem during the snowstorm that swept the capital, Golan Heights and other part of northern Israel as well as Judea and Samaria, and even the southern city of Be’er Sheva. In Jerusalem, Magen David Adom (MDA) received a
Baby girl has dramatic arrival in Jerusalem snow Read More »
Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Jordanian, 21 Egyptians and 4 Americans sounds like the start of a bad joke, but it is not. They, along with thousands of others, have been murdered by the Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh) in the Middle East, and by Boko Haram in Nigeria. The victims
U.S. plans for fighting ISIS are muddled Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USABy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Is there a qualitative difference between the murder of over six million Jews by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Shoah and the beheading of twenty-one Egyptian Coptic Christians by ISIS in Libya? I don’t think so. Genocide is the intentional destruction of a national, cultural, or
ISIS fighters are genocidal Nazis of today Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Motti Kirshenbaum, the co-host of a popular daily television news hour, suggested on Thursday evening that Jerusalemites were preparing for the snow storm – it came late that day and continued through the night and on Friday – the way our ancestors prepared for the siege of Jerusalem by
Jerusalem snow prompts most to stock up Read More »
Middle EastNEW YORK (WJC) — A significant majority of Americans — some 77% of those polled — see the “development of nuclear weapons by Iran” as a “critical threat;” another 16% see it as “important but not critical”, according to new numbers from Gallup. ISIS and international terrorism loom largest in Americans’ minds as critical threats
Poll: Americans view ISIS, Iran, as critical threats Read More »
International, Middle East, USAIsraeli-made ‘TaxiBot’ airplane tow vehicle makes debut in Germany (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) An Israeli-made robotic airplane tow vehicle made its debut at Frankfurt Airport on Thursday in a ceremony attended by journalists from around the world. Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) “TaxiBot” was designed to ferry the most commonly used passenger airplane, the Boeing 737,
Jewish news briefs: February 20, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – British journalist Melanie Phillips said the reaction of Jews in Europe to radical Muslims killing Jews in Paris and in Copenhagen is split into two major camps: there are those who are fearful and are considering moving to Israel or to other parts or the world, and those
Phillips: Europe awakens to its anti- Semitism Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego CountyBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The term “quisling” refers to anyone who collaborates with an enemy occupying force. The word originates from the Norwegian war-time leader Vidkun Quisling, who headed a domestic Nazi collaborationist regime during WWII. That era also produced appeasers, such as as former British Prime Minister Arthur Neville
Obama’s policies restrain allies, encourage terrorists Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USABy Morton A Klein and Daniel Mandel NEW YORK — We are at that periodic occurrence, a crisis in Israeli/U.S. relations. This one revolves around White House pique over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s acceptance of an invitation by House Speaker, John Boehner, to address the U.S. Congress on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, an issue
Obama – Netanyahu tiff: no reason for alarm Read More »
Middle East, USAOSLO, Norway (WJC) — The city of Oslo decided to permanently close to traffic the street leading to its main synagogue. Ervin Kohn, president of the Jewish Community in Oslo, told JTA that the decision was made following the slaying on Feb. 15 of a guard at the main synagogue of Copenhagen in Denmark. The
Oslo to close street leading to synagogue Read More »
Middle East