LONDON (WJC)– In a keynote speech in London, World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder has called on Jewish community and organizational leaders to step up the battle against the anti-Israel Boycott, Sanctions, and Divestment (BDS) movement, saying that this was perhaps the most important thing they would ever do. Such work “is not […]
Lauder calls for PR, legal battles against BDS Read More »
InternationalRISHON LEZION, Israel (Press Release) — The opening of a weibo micro-blogging account by President of Israel Shimon Peres highlights the emergence of the new media and the importance of public opinion in China’s dynamic information environment. The commercialization of the media in China and the rise of the Internet created an information-hungry, technology-savvy public that
Peres’ micro- blogging account good for China trade Read More »
International, Middle East
By Aryeh Savir JERUSALEM (TNA) — Under the title “Why does the Chinese Government abuse many of his citizens?” Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, one of Israel’s leading rabbis, attacked on his website the Chinese Government for its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Rabbi Aviner writes that he believes that even though this persecution is carried
Rabbi calls for protests in behalf of Falun Gong Read More »
International, Middle EastInternational Monetary Fund: Israel’s economy will grow 3.5% in 2015 (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) The Israeli economy will grow by 3.5 percent in 2015, up from 3.2 percent in 2014 and 3.4 percent in 2013, the International Monetary Fund said in its World Economic Outlook mid-year report. The IMF’s outlook is more optimistic than that
JNS news briefs: April 9, 2014 Read More »
InternationalWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– April 8, Equal Pay Day, marks the extra days into the new year a woman would have to work to earn as much as a man. Congresswoman Susan Davis has been working to close the wage gap that still exists between women and men, while President Obama took executive action to
Davis pushes ‘Paycheck Fairness Act’ Read More »
USA
By Josh Hasten/JNS.org PARIS — Against the backdrop of studies revealing rising anti-Semitism both in France and across all of Europe, as well as one particularly brutal attack in Paris last month, French Jews are flocking to Israel. On March 30, the Jewish Agency for Israel released figures showing that aliyah from France increased dramatically
Aliyah from France increases as anti- Semitism grows Read More »
International, Middle East
By Dmitriy Shapiro/JNS.org/Washington Jewish Week WASHINGTON, D.C. — With only weeks left before the planned April 29 deadline to reach an agreement in the U.S. brokered Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, the Obama administration has been working overtime to salvage talks that unraveled early last week. Despite the effort, experts are bearish on whether any progress can be
Parties try to get Mideast talks back on track Read More »
Middle EastRussian bill against denial of Holocaust and Nazi crimes gains initial approval (JNS.org) Russian legislators have given initial approval to a bill against the “rehabilitations of Nazism” that will punish historians for denying Nazi crimes, including the Holocaust, Voice of Russia reported. “Our country has not simply defended itself. We have defended the whole world
JNS news briefs: April 8, 2014 Read More »
International
By Aryeh Savir JERUSALEM (TNA) — Tawfik Hamid, Ph.D., is a unique and solitary voice in the Islamic world. A self-described former terrorist, he was a member of the militant al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya with Dr. Ayman Al-Zawaherri who later on became the second in command of Al-Qaeda and now heads it. He stresses he has never actually committed an
Self- described former terrorist wants peace with Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Whenever there is a hiccup in the peace process, or signs of real crises between Israelis and Palestinians, the Israeli and international left trot out the one-state solution. Their message is that Israel will be stuck with one state between the Jordan and the Sea that will include both Israelis
Quiet steps short of peace ease Jewish-Arab relations Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
BORDEAUX, France (WJC) — A French court handed a 28-year-old Moroccan native a fine of € 3,000 (US$ 4,100) for performing the controversial quenelle gesture in front of a synagogue. The tribunal in the southwestern city of Bordeaux last Wednesday convicted the man of incitement to racial hatred. The man, who was not named in media
Moroccan fined for quenelle gesture Read More »
International
BUDAPEST (WJC) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party narrowly defended its two-thirds majority in elections for the country’s legislature, but significant gains the extreme-right Jobbik party caused concern. With over 98 percent of the votes counted, Hungary’s National Election Office said Fidesz had won 133 seats in the 199-seat legislature. The right-wing Fidesz and
Jobbik gains in Hungary worrisome to Jews Read More »
International
KAIFENG, China (Press Release) – Nearly 100 members of the ancient Jewish community of Kaifeng, China, are expected to attend a first-of-its-kind traditional Passover Seder that will take place next Monday, April 14, at the start of the holiday in Kaifeng. The Seder, which is being sponsored by the Jerusalem-based Shavei Israel organization, will be conducted
Kaifeng Jewish descendants to observe Pesach Read More »
International, Jewish ReligionSamaria-based Ariel University left out of Israeli universities heads’ conference (JNS.org) Representatives from Ariel University—the first accredited Israeli university located beyond the Green Line—were absent from the invitation list to Sunday’s Committee of University Heads conference on the future of higher education in Israel. Ariel University said in a statement, “The Committee of University Heads
JNS news briefs: April 7, 2014 Read More »
International