By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Reformations are good for the soul. They keep the religious leaders and faiths in check. In the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, people began to read the Bible critically for the first time without having the local priest spoon-feed it to them while they sat on […]
U.S. government should welcome Islamic reformers Read More »
International, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USAPrime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s push for Israel to be granted “observer status” at the African Union gained the backing of continental heavyweight Ethiopia on Thursday. “Israel is working very hard in many African countries. There is no reason to deny this observer position to Israel,” said Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn as Netanyahu began the
Israel wins Ethiopian support for African Union ‘observer’ role Read More »
International, Middle EastChris Grayling, Leader of the House of Commons, told British MPs that Home Secretary Theresa May would be informed of concerns surrounding the display of Hezbollah flags at anti-Israel marches, reports the Jewish Chronicle. Grayling’s comments came after nearly 600 demonstrators on Sunday waved Hezbollah flags while participating in an annual anti-Israel Al Quds Day
Dismay in UK after Hezbollah flags fly at anti-Israel rally Read More »
International, Middle EastADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday met with his Ethiopian counterpart in Addis Ababa and asked him for assistance in securing the release of Avraham Mengistu, an Ethiopian Israeli held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Mengistu, who entered the Gaza Strip in September 2014, is one of two Israelis
Netanyahu asks Ethiopia to help free Israelis held in Gaza Read More »
International, Middle EastAircraft wreckage washed up on the beach near the central city of Netanya on Thursday and Israeli authorities believe they are parts of the EgyptAir passenger jet that crashed into the Mediterranean on May 19. Israel notified Egyptian and French authorities, which are investigating the disappearance of Paris-Cairo flight MS804. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has
Parts of downed EgyptAir flight wash up on Israeli beach Read More »
International, Middle EastAccording to a report in the Kuwaiti-based Al Jarida newspaper, Kenyan security forces foiled an attack targeting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s convoy during his visit to Kenya earlier this week. A senior security official told the paper that Kenyan police altered the convoy’s route just before its departure from the Nairobi airport. The change was
Report: Assassination attempt on Netanyahu thwarted Read More »
International, Middle EastKIGALI, Rwanda — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected international criticism of his recent decision to build additional housing units in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The US State Department, the UN and the European Union have harshly criticized those plans, which were announced after two Israelis — a 13-year-old girl and a father-of-10 —
Rejecting US criticism, PM denies settlements are preventing peace Read More »
International, Middle East, USAConservative and Reform Jews held a mixed-gender egalitarian service at the Western Wall plaza on Thursday amid jeering from a handful of protesters but few other disturbances. The organizers said they complied with an attorney general order not to pray at the site and held a singing and dancing service instead. “It passed totally quietly,”
Despite heckles, pluralistic services at Western Wall pass ‘quietly’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastStrains of the Israeli national anthem “Hatikvah” overpowered the sounds of morning rush hour as some 200 protesters demonstrated outside the Supreme Rabbinical Court at the entrance to Jerusalem on Wednesday morning. The protest was organized by former students of New York Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, the former principal of the Ramaz High School and spiritual
MK Ya’akov Peri (Yesh Atid), the former head of the Israel Security Agency (ISA, also known as the Shin Bet or Shabak), has expressed support for the demand from the parents of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, the teenager who was murdered by Jews in 2014, that the homes of the murderers should be demolished just like
Former Shin Bet head: Demolish houses of Jewish terrorists too Read More »
Middle EastThe parents of a Palestinian teenager beaten and burned to death in Jerusalem two years ago have petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice for the demolition of his three Jewish killers’ homes. On July 2, 2014, three Jewish men, led by 31-year-old Yosef Haim Ben-David, kidnapped 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir from an East Jerusalem neighborhood.
Dad of Slain Arab Asks Court to Destroy Killers’ Homes Read More »
Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The report that was recently released by the Middle East Quartet – comprised of the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations – is a welcome step. The report reiterates the importance of reaching a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians on the basis of
Moving beyond the Middle East Quartet Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastSAN DIEGO (Press Release)—As part of its Speaker Series, Jewish National Fund (JNF) will present Adele Raemer at the next JNFeature event on Tuesday, July 26 at 7 p.m. This complimentary event will be held at a private residence and the address will be provided upon RSVP. Born and raised in the Bronx, Raemer, a former
JNF speaker to tell of living next to the Gaza border Read More »
Middle East, San Diego CalendarTEL AVIV (Press Release) — Computerized attention training may prevent the flare-up of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in soldiers exposed to combat, according to a new study from researchers at Tel Aviv University. Attention bias modification training (ABMT) — a computerized intervention — was used to help soldiers attend to pre-combat threats, reducing the risk of
Tel Aviv study: Computer regimen can help prevent PTSD Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education