ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Press Release) – Former Prisoner of Zion Yosef Mendelevitch made an emotional return to the city where he was imprisoned in the 1970s to join hundreds of Jews from across Russia for the 4th Annual Limmud FSU (former Soviet Union) St. Petersburg during the Nov. 28-30 weekend. The three-day Jewish learning festival, at the […]
Former prisoner Mendelevitch returns to Russia Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — Although the Israel Border Police have been very busy in Jerusalem amid the terrorist attacks that have engulfed the city in the recent month, a group of border policemen took the time between shifts to celebrate a very important birthday to Leah Genzel, 79, a Holocaust survivor living in
Border police ‘adopt’ Holocaust survivors Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastBy Sheryl Rowling SAN DIEGO — Year end is approaching. If you act before December 31st, you just might be able to cut down on your 2014 tax bill. Here are five ways to do that: Harvest tax losses. If you have investments like stocks or mutual funds, you should take a look at positions
Five tax moves to make now Read More »
Sheryl Rowling, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–It would be prime material for a stand up comedian if it was not the reality that could do us all a lot of harm. The current triumvirate dealing with three interdependent national entities, with more than the average capacity to affect wider catastrophes, have all been operating as political caricatures, making
Abbas, Netanyahu, Obama all slip in popular polls Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USANEW YORK (Press Release) — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) has condemned the overnight arson attack on a Jewish-Arab school in Jerusalem. A classroom at the bilingual Hand in Hand school was badly damaged and hateful anti-Arab graffiti was scrawled on the walls of the building. “Hand in Hand is an inspiring example of the effort to
Attack on Jewish-Arab school in Jerusalem denounced Read More »
Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There is an old American saying that the country is safest when Congress in on vacation. It may have been spoken in America, but it applies to all western democracies. Politics is the essence of civilization when viewed as the most acceptable way of settling disputes, first by arguing and then
Emotional proposals may signal elections coming Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastIn Turkey, Pope Francis calls for interfaith dialogue to protect Mideast Christians (JNS.org) In his first visit to the Middle East since Israel last spring, Pope Francis called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to engage in interfaith dialogue in order to protect Middle East Christians and other persecuted minority groups. “It is essential that
JNS news briefs: November 28, 2014 Read More »
Middle EastHAIFA, Israel (Press Release) — They say there is no joy like the joy at another’s misfortune, but at what age do we already know how to feel and express it? Until now, researchers believed that children didn’t develop such a sophisticated emotion until the age of seven, but a new study conducted at the University
Tykes take pleasure in others’ misfortunes Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — Over 200 hair salons across Israel took part in the annual nationwide drive to collect hair for the Zichron Menachem Cancer Support in Israel in partnership with Pantene Products Israel. From Kfar Tapuach to Herzliyah and from Arad to Haifa, women and girls donated their hair locks at
Israelis donate masses of hair to cancer patients Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — Israel’s cabinet is embroiled over the proposed nationality bill that would raise the Jewish, democratic ethos, mentioned in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, into a Basic Law, which is Israel’s version of a constitution. Not only are many Israelis, and especially Arabs, fearful that their status will be downgraded, others
The importance of Israel being ‘Jewish’ Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerTEL AVIV (Press Release) — “Memetics,” or the study of memes, is a very popular discipline among cultural researchers now, particularly as it concerns new media like viral videos. But no one seems to know what a meme really is. Originally coined by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, the “meme” transfers cultural information much the way that
How do we transmit culture? Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USABy Tzvi Zucker JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — In 2014, cruise ship traffic to Israel decreased by almost two-thirds in comparison with the year before. A cruise ship that docked in Ashdod during Operation Protective Edge was hit by shrapnel from a rocket. The AIDA Diva, a cruise ship with a capacity of 2,050 passengers and run
Fewer cruise ships calling in Israel Read More »
Middle East, Travel and FoodISTANBUL, Turkey (WJC)– A provincial governor of Turkey whose anger at Israel led him to call for turning a synagogue into a museum, has apologized to the country’s chief rabbi – though he claimed he was misunderstood. Dursun Şahin, governor of the northwestern Edirne province, offered an “apology” that expressed “profound sadness” that his words
Turkish governor apologizes to chief rabbi Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Overlapping events in Jerusalem and Ferguson, Missouri make it timely to consider one of the most sensitive of policy issues in both Israel and the United States, with emerging similarities in European countries that are no longer homogeneous ethnically. Even the label “managing minorities” will be viewed by some as disparaging, arrogant,
How Israel, U.S. ‘manage’ minority problems Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA