By Sarah Beller WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) –Joan Davenny was more than just my eighth grade teacher. As my day school graduating class splashed through Ein Gedi and heard a young kibbutznik’s poem on Yom Hazikaron, walked the ramparts of the Old City and sang “Al Kol Eileh” in the courtyard of Goldstein Youth Village, […]
Remembering Joan Davenny amid Mideast peace talks Read More »
Middle East
Egypt’s Catholic leader says country in a ‘war against terrorism’ (JNS.org) The ongoing turmoil in Egypt “is not a political struggle, but a war against terrorism,” the head of the Catholic Church in Egypt, Bishop Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak, Patriarch of Alexandria, said in a recent statement. “With pain, but also with hope, the Catholic Church
JNS news briefs: August 19 & 20 Read More »
International
By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — After enacting its ban on the promotion of homosexuality, Russia is defying demands to change its policy or face a boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics there. Putin has dug his heels in and renamed St. Petersburg St. Burg because the mere mention of peters is too homosexually
Humoring the headlines: August 20, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, USA
By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — The Sinai was a bit of heaven; now it is a chunk of hell. Muslims are killing each other in the wilderness where Moses received the Law; in Israel, hands are wringing and hearts are breaking. Since 1979, when Israel dutifully returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, the
Cry, the beloved Sinai Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — When President Barack Obama took time out from his Martha’s Vinyard golfing holiday to comment on events in Egypt, he produced an iconic moment of unreality comparable to George W. Bush declaring victory in Iraq from the deck of an aircraft carrier. Obama’s lengthy comments have been summarized with the
Obama seen by Mideast commentators as naive, out of touch Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastIsrael dismisses accusations that it was behind Beirut bombing (JNS.org) Current and former Israeli officials dismissed Lebanese accusations that the Jewish state was behind Thursday’s car bomb in a Hezbollah-controlled area in southern Beirut that killed 22 people. Lebanese President Michael Suleiman said the Beirut bombing“bore the fingerprints of terrorism and Israel, intended to undermine
JNS news briefs: August 16, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — President Obama denounced the violent repression of Muslim Brotherhood protestors in Egypt by the military government. Fearing that new democratic elections might bring the Muslim Brotherhood back to power, he suggested that new elections be monitored by the North Carolina Electoral Board to guarantee that a wealthy white Christian
Humoring the headlines: August 15,2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, USA
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — While the loss of life in Cairo over the past two days is deeply to be regretted, President Obama’s tepid statement on the “cycle of violence” in Egypt and cancellation of the biannual U.S.-Egypt Bright Star military exercise evidence a lack of strategic awareness. The result is increasing American
U.S. becoming increasingly irrelevant in Egypt Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenJERUSALEM — The present stage of discussions between Israelis and Palestinians, is occurring with loud noises of complaint from both parties, with Americans also squawking, more often in one of the Palestinian choruses than in an Israeli chorus. There are multiple sources of noise from all sides. “Moderate” Palestinians criticize Israel for proceeding with the
In a volatile region, just talking is valuable Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastCantor: Peace requires Palestinian ‘cultural mind-shift’ (JNS.org) U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), the House Majority Leader, said while leading a trip of 28 congressmen to Israel that he doesn’t envision progress in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict until there is a Palestinian “cultural mind-shift.” “Until that point comes, I don’t think that there will be much
JNS news briefs: August 15, 2013 Read More »
InternationalJohn Kerry, ‘capitalizing’ on Netanyahu ‘anxiety,’ warns Israel may face increased isolation (JNS.org) Secretary of State John Kerry, “capitalizing” on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “anxiety” about Israel facing increased isolation, recently warned Netanyahu that the Jewish state might soon face an international delegitimization campaign “on steroids,” columnist Jeffrey Goldberg reported for Bloomberg View. “There
JNS news briefs: August 14, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There was a three-minute item tucked into the middle of Tuesday’s Channel 2 prime time news that would provide ample justification for the Israeli government to suspend negotiations with the Palestinians, if they chose to do so. By scrolling, you can find it in the 17 to the 20 minute
Palestinians continue anti-Israel incitement amid ‘peace’ talks Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Jeffrey F. Barken and Jacob Kamaras/JNS.org HAIFA—Jay Ruderman has observed for years that when American Jewish leaders visit Israel or when Israeli leaders visit the United States, the conversation is “always about Israel” and how the Jewish state relates to Iran, Syria, the Palestinians, and others. “What’s happening in the American Jewish community?” and
Haifa University to offer American Jewish Studies Read More »
Jacob Kamaras, USAJohn Kerry: U.S. views all Jewish communities beyond pre-1967 lines as ‘illegitimate’ (JNS.org) Reacting to Israel’s announcement of 1,200 new housing units in eastern Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that the U.S. “views all of the settlements as illegitimate.” Israel is “only building within the borders of communities
JNS news briefs: August 13, 2013 Read More »
International