Travel and Food

BUCHAREST (WJC)–Romania’s National Bank has been strongly criticized after minting a coin which depicts the late patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Miron Cristea, who as prime minister stripped many Jews of their citizenship in 1939. Cristea is one of five Romanian Orthodox Church patriarchs the bank has honored with a silver-minted coin. However, after

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (WJC)–Jews in New Zealand have won a temporary exemption from a new legal requirement  that animals must first be stunned before being slaughtered. Representatives of the Jewish community last week filed legal proceedings against Agriculture Minister David Carter and on Monday said said a Wellington court had ordered a temporary exemption until

NEW YORK (Press Release)– In response to Fareed Zakaria returning an award that was presented to him in 2005, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said it was “saddened, stunned and somewhat speechless” by his decision. Zakaria, the host of Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN and a Newsweek columnist, was presented the League’s Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment

SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–The Center For Lifelong Jewish Learning (CLJL) at Congregation Beth Am is presenting two one-night classes to make your High Holiday experience more meaningful. High Holidays 101: How do I Forgive? will take place Thursday August 19 at 6:15pm.  This class will focus on stories and teachings meant to open your heart

SAN DIEGO  (SDJW)– Marti Emerald has voted with the San Diego City Council’s majority to place a ½ cent sales tax increase on the city ballot—an increase, which boost the levy from 8.75 percent to 9.25 percent. After doing so, the 7th District Councilwoman issued a statement, explaining her siding with the majority in the

NEW YORK (Press Release) — The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Wednesday  submitted recommendations to a trio of federal agencies on how the U.S. government can more effectively address the issue of bullying and cyberbullying.   The recommendations come in advance of an upcoming Federal Bullying Prevention Summit, scheduled to convene August 11-12 in Washington, D.C. “The

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Does it do more harm than good to describe Israel’s intense antagonists as anti-Semites? No doubt it assures that any discussion will be heated. However, if it was appropriate to use the term, it was, most likely, already at a fever pitch.  Is it a distortion of reality to accuse opponents of

NEW YORK (WJC)–The city’s Landmarks Commission has cleared the way for the construction of a controversial US$ 100 million mosque and Islamic center near Ground Zero in Manhattan. The commission voted unanimously to deny landmark status to the building located on the site, clearing the way for the construction project. However, court challenges could still stall

EILAT, Israel (Press Release)– EL AL Israel Airlines launched its newest route between Tel Aviv and the popular beach resort of Eilat this week with a historical and heartwarming father/son connection. General Avraham Adan, who was immortalized in the famous 1949 photograph when the Israeli flag was first raised in Umm Rashrash (now known as Eilat, located

HAMADAN (WJC)–Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reportedly escaped an assassination attempt in the western Iranian city of Hamadan. Several people were wounded in the blast, said media reports. The Arab news channel ‘al-Arabiya’ said the Iranian presidency had confirmed that Ahmadinejad “escaped an assassination attempt as his procession was targeted by a bomb.” The conservative

WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)- National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) President and CEO David A. Harris issued the following statement retracting his earlier comments about Representative Michael McMahon’s (D-NY) campaign: “At the time of this morning’s statement, we had initial press reports in hand but not all the facts. Now that we have the facts, including

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Depending on one’s perspective, Haim Ramon is either a naughty boy or wise man of Israeli politics. Currently 60 years old, he has been prominent since he took one of the conventional routes to national affairs via leadership of student politics. He was secretary of the Labor Party youth wing when he