International

Hebrew University to inaugurate legal center named for Aharon Barak

JERUSALEM – The Faculty of Law at the Hebrew University will inaugurate the Aharon Barak Center for Interdisciplinary Legal Research this week on December 22. The event will be attended by the former President of the Supreme Court, Prof. Aharon Barak, President of the Supreme Court, Justice Dorit Beinisch and Dean of the Faculty of Law […]

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Middle East

Reform Jews hail repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– In response to the Senate’s historic vote ending the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, Mark Pelavin, Associate Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement: The  Senate vote ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was long overdue: After 17 years of misguided and discriminatory policy, gay and

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USA

A Palestinian lunch to launch a new Israeli peace party?

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The headline is upbeat: “Palestinian Leader Has 60 Israelis to Lunch.” The picture features Mahmoud Abbas alongside Amram Mitzna, a former head of the Labor Party. Both seem pleased. The article mentions individuals concerned with the Geneva Initiative, “a group of Israeli and Palestinian figures who negotiated an unofficial blueprint

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

In Israel, Reform must focus on providing alternative to Orthodoxy

By Rabbi Dow Marmur  JERUSALEM–In the closing decades of the last century, the complaints I used to hear in Progressive/Reform/Liberal Judaism circles in Israel had to do with the dangers inherent in the secularization of the Jewish state. Religiously and politically liberal Jews were urged to articulate viable alternatives and create institutions to promote them.

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Middle East

American Jewish Committee urges passage of DREAM Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.  (Press Release)– American Jewish Committee (AJC)  is urging the Senate to pass the DREAM Act, which is scheduled for a vote today (Saturday, Dec. 18) “The DREAM Act, addressing the critical needs of the undocumented student population, is an important step towards desperately needed reform of our immigration system,” said Richard T.Foltin, AJC Director of

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USA

U.S. senators urge boycott of Durban III

WASHINGTON, D.C (Press Release)– A bipartisan coalition of 18 U.S. Senators, led by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, on Friday  urged United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Susan Rice to refrain from participating in the United Nation’s Durban III World Conference Against Racism, citing concerns that the conference will once again serve as a forum for

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USA

Highly sophisticated Israeli spy equipment found in Lebanon; more border attacks from Gaza

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Here’s a good report on Israel’s amazing intelligence activity along its northern border, with new types of information-gathering and targeting equipment concealed in rocks: And here’s a good report on the heating up of terrorism activity along Israel’s Gaza border: Note that something very important is happening here–unnoticed [surprise!]

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Middle East

ACLU says U.S. agents improperly question Muslims about their religion and beliefs

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are questioning innocent Americans who are perceived to be Muslim about their religion and their political beliefs without any suspicion that they have done anything wrong, according to a letter the American Civil Liberties Union and Muslim Advocates sent to the top internal watchdog

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USA

Coordinated effort needed to deal with domestic terrorism, congressional report suggests

  WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–While there is a coordinated federal government approach to combatting terrorism emanating from foreign countries, there is no such coordination in countering the threat of domestic terrorism, according to a report provided by the Congressional Research Service.   The report provides history of domestic terror incidents in the United States, several of

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USA

Conference of Jewish presidents urges U.N. to reject call for Durban III session

NEW YORK (Press Release)– The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations called on Thursday  for countries to vote against a 10th anniversary commemoration of the infamous World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban in September 2001.  That conference, which began with lofty goals, deteriorated into an orgy of hatred,

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Middle East