USA

Work proceeds on Bible Museum in nation’s capital

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)—The eight-story, 430,000-square-foot Museum of the Bible took a giant step toward its 2017 opening in Washington, D.C., beginning with surgical demolition of a 1982 addition to the historical building that will be reinvented as an international Bible museum. Purchased for $50 million in 2012, the former refrigeration warehouse and interior design showcase […]

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USA

Scholar of religion tells her Jewish journey

By Jenn Lindsay ROME, Italy –I was recently asked to tell the story of my Jewish journey. I think of this journey in terms of steps: discovery, exploration, commitment, deepening, challenge, compromise, and simplicity. Until now I restrained myself from writing too explicitly about my Jewish journey because it has been a circuitous path, perhaps

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Jewish news briefs: February 12, 2015

Israeli attorney general approves broadcast of Netanyahu’s Congress speech (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein told the country’s Central Elections Committee on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming speech to the U.S. Congress has significant news value and that broadcasting it in Israel does not constitute illegal election propaganda. Weinstein’s decision

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International, Middle East, USA

Divestment vote fails at Stanford University

Editor’s Note:  After an anti-Israel divestment resolution before Stanford University’s student government failed to obtain the necessary two-thirds vote, thus failing, the pro-Israel advocacy group, StandWithUs, issued the following commentary: LOS ANGELES (Press Release) —  StandWithUs congratulated Stanford’s student government for defeating an anti-Israel divestment resolution on February 10. The Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) voted

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Friends of Israel, P.A., maneuver in Congress

Compiled by Donald H. Harrison U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) has written to Secretary of State John Kerry that the United States “must speak out against unilateral moves by Palestinian leaders” such as the effort by P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas to join the International Criminal Court on April 1. In other Israel-related developments, Abe Foxman,

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Donald H. Harrison, USA

Trip to France revitalizes ‘We are One’ slogan

By Mark Gurvis/JNS.org My early days as a Jewish Federation professional were at a time when our system was evolving away from reliance on messages of combating anti-Semitism and statements of “never again,” to one of strengthening our communities through education and meaningful engagement. Yet reflecting on the turbulent and troubling start to 2015, I

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International, USA

Coalition math favors Netanyahu as P.M. again

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israel’s election campaign is settling down to right vs left, with several of the middle level and marginal parties campaigning on the basis of which camp they will join, a moderate level of nastiness between party leaders, and a higher level of nastiness between the two leading circulation newspapers. Zionist Union is

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

UCSA divestment vote denounced

LOS ANGELES (Press Release) — On February 8, the University of California Student Association’s (UCSA) voted 9 in favor, 1 against, and 6 abstaining, in favor of two divestment resolutions. One calls for divestment from American, Mexican, Russian, Turkish, Indonesian, Brazilian, Sri Lankan, and Egyptian government bonds. The other calls for divestment from certain companies that do business

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Anti- BDS conference to convene March 21 in L.A.

LOS ANGELES (Press Release) — StandWithUs will hold its first community  anti-BDS  (Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions) conference from March 21-23, 2015 at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. BDS, an international propaganda campaign that seeks to delegitimize and erode support for the Jewish state, is the latest threat to Israel.  This conference brings together the most comprehensive assembly of renowned

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Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, USA

Sanders and Leahy to boycott Netanyahu speech

Compiled by Donald H. Harrison Vermont’s two United States senators—Democrat Patrick Leahy and Independent Bernie Sanders have announced they will boycott the speech of Israel’s Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu to a Joint Session of Congress on March 3. Leahy released a statement on Tuesday saying: “The unfortunate way that House leaders have unilaterally arranged this,

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Middle East, USA