By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO –The Talmud tells us that after the Greeks were defeated and expelled from the Land of Israel, the Maccabees entered the Temple and removed all of the pagan idols that had been placed there. They cleaned the Temple and rededicated it to the worship of God. The Talmud adds that […]
Reflecting on the Maccabees victory Read More »
Jewish HistoryBy David Strom SAN DIEGO — A few months before the surrender of Nazi Germany two unlikely associates were sitting and cordially drinking liquor together in Switzerland. One was Nazi General Karl Wolff the right hand to SS chief Heinrich Himmler and the other the top US spy in charge of gathering wartime intelligence on
‘Nazis Next Door’ tell of U.S. coverups Read More »
Jewish History
MIAMI, Florida (Press Release)–Continuing the tradition of lighting the Chanukah Menorah by prominent public officials, presidential hopeful Jeb Bush who announced an exploratory committee on Tuesday, Dec. 17, invited Jason Lyons to light the Menorah on the first night of Chanukah. Lyons chaired the US-Israel Security Alliance Congressional Tribute last month on Capitol Hill. Former Florida
Jeb Bush hosts Chanukah celebration Read More »
Jewish History, USA
HAIFA, Israel (Press Release) — In two articles recently published in leading journals (Ugarit Forschungen and Semitica), Prof. Gershon Galil of the University of Haifa (Department of Biblical Studies) presented important information about the period of David’s reign, based on new archaeological and epigraphic data unearthed in northwestern Syria and southern Turkey. Prof. Galil points
In David’s time, Israel and Palistin were allies Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California–Hanukkah, the little holiday that could, begins with the lighting of the first candle against the darkness this Tuesday, December 16. Year after year, the assessments begin and the questions accumulate: Is Hanukkah the Jewish Christmas? Which one came first and how are they related? (Of course, the real inquiry
Why Chanukah is important to Christmas Read More »
Jewish History
AUSCHWITZ, Poland (WJC)–More than 100 Auschwitz survivors from at least 17 countries will travel to Poland to participate in the observance of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz on 27 January 2015, on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The official event will be organized
Auschwitz prepares for 70th anniversary of liberation Read More »
International, Jewish HistoryWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — The following is the text of a joint statement issued December 8 by the United States of America and France. “Today, France and the United States have signed an agreement in Washington to establish a compensation fund for those Holocaust victims deported from France who had not been able to
France, U.S. formally agree on Shoah payments Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, USABy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — I wasn’t searching specifically for this story, and I did not know the reporter’s byline until recently, but while surfing the internet last week for some news about France, I stumbled, happily, upon Cindy Mindell’s nice touch-your-heart story about the power of “thank you” and the redemption of
Jewish ‘thank you’ story resonates across time Read More »
International, Jewish History, USANEW YORK (Press Release)– Shurat HaDin, a civil rights organization based in Israel, has filed a whistleblower action against the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In its 38 page complaint, the group provides substantial evidence that PCUSA violated its non-profit tax-exempt status for engaging in a range of prohibited activities
Tax status challenge to Presbyterian Church USA Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, USANEW YORK (WJC) — A lawmaker of Venezuela’s governing party recently told Lebanese television that Zionists had bankrolled Hitler prior to World War II and suggested that “no representatives of global Zionism” had been killed during the Nazi Holocaust for that reason. Speaking in Arabic, Adel El Zabayar, a member of Venezuela’s National Assembly born
Venezuelan lawmaker: Zionists, Bushes funded Hitler Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA
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 East
BERN, Switzerland(WJC)–The Kunstmuseum Bern, which earlier this week accepted the Gurlitt bequest, has published a list of all art works found in the possession of the late Cornelius Gurlitt. The museum was named as sole heir to the collection and on Monday reluctantly accepted the bequest, pledging total transparency to head off any criticism over
Bern museum publishes list of Gurlitt art collection Read More »
Jewish HistoryVATICAN CITY (WJC) — Pope Francis has reiterated his position to open the secret Vatican archives covering the period of World War II to allow researchers to assess the role played by Pope Pius XII during the Holocaust. In an extensive interview with the Israeli newspaper ‘Yediot Ahronot’, Francis said there was “an agreement between
Pope Francis willing to open Pius XII archives Read More »
Jewish History