By Mimi Pollack LA MESA, California — This is not a political story, but rather a human interest one. It is my recollections of the weekend I spent with Jeb and Columba Bush, and why he impressed me. In October 1981, my ex-husband, Carlos, and I traveled from Mexico City to Miami. We were with […]
My weekend with Jeb and Columba Bush Read More »
Mimi Pollack, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Now it’s almost official, having become the subject of a detailed article in The Economist. Barack Obama has produced a New Middle East, but it ain’t the one he intended. Democracy has not blossomed as called for in his Cairo speech of 2009. The new Egyptian government that the American President
Saudi- Israel relations warm as Iran threat looms Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — The Supreme Court has struck down as unconstitutional a congressional effort that would allow Americans born in Jerusalem to list Israel as their birthplace on passports. This ruling also upholds the principle that the president alone has the power to recognize foreign nations. Mr. President, if you would
Jerusalem, Mr. President, is Israel’s capital Read More »
Middle East, USABy Shoshana Bryen and Stephen Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –While most people were watching the debate over the NSA’s “metadata” collection program, a potentially more serious event occurred. Under the rules of metadata, personal information, including the contents of phone calls, is inaccessible; only the general outlines of phone numbers and duration are available. That, one
At the very least, U.S. should encrypt sensitive data Read More »
International, Shoshana Bryen, Stephen D. Bryen, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–This column is not about the great stuff circulating around Israel. It’s not relevant to the unhappiness of Jews with Israeli morality, or the more widespread animosity of goyim who qualify for contemporary conceptions of anti-Semitism. It’s about one of the littlest pischers in Israeli politics. The youngest Knesset Member who barely squeaked
Bulgarian prostitutes, drugs, and MK Hazan Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USAU.S. Jews feel more warmly about Netanyahu than Obama, poll finds (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) American Jews feel more warmly about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than U.S. President Barack Obama, a new poll says. In the poll, commissioned by the left-wing J Street lobby, respondents were asked to quantify their feelings about the two
Jewish news briefs: June 12, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABirthright 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, USABy 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, USAIsrael may nix funding for theater over Arab actor’s Jordan Valley boycott (JNS.org) Israeli Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev issued a strong rebuke of Arab-Israeli actor Norman Issa on Tuesday after Israel Hayom reported that he was unwilling to join his fellow cast members in the play Boomerang when they perform in the Jordan Valley.
Jewish news briefs: June 10, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy 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, USAHosting Czech FM, Netanyahu says Palestinians set ‘perfect trap’ on peace talks (JNS.org) The Palestinian Authority rejects peace talks with Israel and then tries to get boycotts imposed on the Jewish state over the absence of peace talks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told visiting Czech Republic Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek in Jerusalem on Monday, calling
Jewish news briefs: June 9, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — President Reuven Rivlin has important things to say about many issues, e.g., the rights of Israel’s Arab citizens and the problem with haredi schools that don’t teach the basic curriculum and thus render their graduates unproductive and unemployable. But he has a blind spot about Reform and Conservative Judaism. Thus
President Rivlin snubs non- Orthodox movements Read More »
Middle East, USAU.S. Supreme Court strikes down law allowing ‘Jerusalem, Israel’ on passports (JNS.org) The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday struck down a law that enabled Americans born in Jerusalem—which the U.S. government does not recognize as a part of any country—to list “born in Israel” on their passports, on the grounds that Congress overstepped the president’s
Jewish news briefs: June 8, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
Following is a speech delivered on Sunday, June 7, by World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder at a forum in New York City sponsored by The Jerusalem Post. Underlined, bold-faced and capitalized portions reflect what Lauder emphasized By Ronald Lauder NEW YORK — I want to thank the Jerusalem Post for allowing me to begin
Lauder offers program to combat anti- Semitism Read More »
International, Middle East, USA