International

Jewish news briefs: June 11, 2015

Birthright names 500,000th participant, launches ‘Tel Aviv Urban Experience’ (JNS.org) The Taglit-Birthright Israel program, which takes Jews ages 18-26 on free 10-day trips to Israel, on Wednesday named its 500,000th participant. During an event at Tel Aviv’s Wohl Amphitheater on Wednesday, Birthright’s founders, philanthropists Michael Steinhardt and Charles Bronfman, met the milestone trip participant, 24-year-old […]

Jewish news briefs: June 11, 2015 Read More »

International, Middle East, USA

Sibling rivalry: why religious groups fight each other?

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Speaking on Tuesday night  to introduce his forthcoming book, Not in God’s Name, Jonathan Sacks, the former chief rabbi of modern Orthodoxy in Britain, argued that sibling rivalry is a fundamental cause of violence, also in religion. The Book of Genesis offers many telling instances – beginning with Cain’s

Sibling rivalry: why religious groups fight each other? Read More »

Jewish Religion, Middle East

France, U.S. horse- trading over Israel’s security?

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sometimes, if you smash two stories together, you end up with something interesting; sometimes you get something worrisome. This is one of the latter. The first story is about France, a member of the P5+1 negotiating a deal with Iran on nuclear capabilities. The French government has expressed increasing

France, U.S. horse- trading over Israel’s security? Read More »

International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Ben Gurion president honored by Queen Elizabeth

  By Anav Silverman RAMAT GAN, Israel — An honorary Commander of the British Empire in the name of Queen Elizabeth II was conferred upon the President of Ben Gurion University, Professor Rivka Carmi yesterday. Carmi was honored by Buckingham Palace for her significant work in deepening academic and scientific links between the United Kingdom and

Ben Gurion president honored by Queen Elizabeth Read More »

International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

Besides all the rhetoric, Israel faring well

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — In the background of this column is the recent one about the misadventures of great powers, and producing unintended outcomes. It could have employed Barbara Tuchman’s title, The March of Folly. Here the focus is on the diplomatic maneuvers, proclamations, politely announced policy preferences, along with the yelling, screaming and chanting

Besides all the rhetoric, Israel faring well Read More »

Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Kagan Center tutors needy Jerusalem students

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Helena Kagan was born in 1889 in Uzbekistan, where her father, who was originally from Lithuania, had been sent as a chemical engineer to establish and supervise the construction of glass-manufacturing plants there. In 1914, after qualifying as a physician, she settled in Jerusalem and was a pioneer

Kagan Center tutors needy Jerusalem students Read More »

Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education