International

Parallelism seen in communists of yesteryear and Islamists of today

By  Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel (Press Release)–History does not simply repeat itself, wrote Karl Marx. It often happens that a phenomenon’s first round is a tragedy; the second round is a farce. So is it today as thousands of young people devote themselves to extreme left-wing causes, including the destruction of their own countries, democracy, and […]

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International, Middle East

B’nai B’rith International says tax cuts could endanger Social Security

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — As Congress and the White House hold increasingly contentious conversations about a package of tax cuts, B’nai B’rith International expresses its deep concern about the impact some of the proposed changes could have on the vital senior safety net, Social Security. The White House and Congressional Republicans are working on

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USA

A non-Chelmic approach to the immigration issue

By Isaac Yetiv LA JOLLA, California — In Jewish Eastern-European folklore, the legendary mythical town of Chelm occupies a place of honor. Hachmei Chelm , the  Wise Men of Chelm, meet regularly in Council to “hear” and adjudicate difficult cases in their community. Their verdicts are invariably counter-intuitive, disarming with their pseudo-reasoning,and hopelessly comical. Books

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International, USA

As U.S. role fades, Palestinians invest their anti-Israel hopes in U.N.

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Palestinian Authority (PA) is moving away from the principle of a negotiated settlement with Israel under the auspices of the United States because it seems to have concluded that the United States is unable to force or bribe Israel into abandoning its fundamental principles, that: a) The State of

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen

Reform Jews decry Senate’s failure to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– In response to the Senate’s failure on Thursday, Dec. 9, to advance legislation to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement: “Today, Senators have failed to support the men and women of the U.S. Armed

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USA

If left alone, Carmel forest will grow back, professor asserts

HAIFA (Press Release)– Prof. Ido Izhaki, head of the Carmel Research Center at Israel’s University of Haifa, recommends after the massive fire:  “Let nature take its course” “The forest on the Carmel Mountains is adapted to fires. Some vegetation species have developed resistance to fire and some have developed a dependence on fire, such as the

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Middle East

Palestinian leaders yell political theatre at a crowded Israeli fire

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Often, small details give a tremendous insight into political realities. Such an example is the remark made by a high-ranking Palestinian official about the tragic fire in northern Israel. When the fire broke out, 40 Israeli prison guards were rushed to a prison to evacuate the prisoners there in

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Middle East

Blaming Israeli rightwingers for frozen peace efforts is for the intellectually simple

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It is easy to blame Binyamin Netanyahu’s right of center coalition for the failure of the American peace initiative. Examined in isolation, it seems clear that five parties with 61 seats in the 120 member Knesset are standing in the way of that 90 day extension of the building freeze,

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

ARZA condemns Israeli rabbis who forbid renting homes to non-Jews

NEW YORK (Press Release)– ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) reacts with alarm to a recent report that 50 leading Israeli municipal chief rabbis, all employed by the State of Israel, have signed on to a religious ruling that forbids renting homes to Gentiles–a move particularly aimed against Arabs. This ruling comes just months

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Middle East

Bill would extend housing access to LGBTs, others, under U.S. Civil Rights laws

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI), and Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns (D-NY) have introduced the Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) Act in order to extend critical federal civil rights protections

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USA