USA

Jewish New Year Presents New Opportunities for Thousands of Young Adults from US and Worldwide

NEW YORK (Press Release) — On Thursday, September 2, an advertisement in New York City’s Times Square displayed a send-off message to thousands of Masa Israel Journey (“Masa”) Fellows who are starting their long-term, immersive experiences in Israel. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of young adults from around the world have arrived in or are […]

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Middle East, USA

Most US Teens Experienced Harassment When Gaming Online, ADL Survey Finds

NEW YORK (Press Release) — Sixty percent of children ages 13-17 have experienced harassment while playing games online, according to a first-of-its-kind survey of online gaming experiences released today by the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) Center for Technology and Society. Despite the significant percentage of young adults who reported experiencing harassment while gaming online within the

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USA

Jewish Voters Seen as Crucial Bloc in California Recall Election

By Dmitriy Shapiro (JNS) Despite the odds that California’s embattled Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will defeat an effort to recall him on Tuesday, Democratic organizations, including the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) and the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA), as well as the party’s leading politicians are not taking the race for granted. U.S.

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USA

Iran’s Strategy Works

By Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — While the U.S. and the Europeans dawdle and vacillate at the JCPOA (Iran nuclear agreement) meetings – or non-meetings – in Vienna, Iran gets ever closer to nuclear weapons capability. This situation is very dangerous to Israel and the West. Europe and the U.S. are oblivious to this,

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Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

Editorial: Don’t parole Sirhan Sirhan. The murder of Robert F. Kennedy was an assault on democracy

Published by The San Diego Union-Tribune Early in the morning of June 5, 1968, during an event at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles marking his victory in the California presidential primary the day before, Robert F. Kennedy was shot three times by Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian immigrant with Jordanian citizenship whose diary detailed a

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USA

Russia, Israel Need Working Accord on Syria

Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid made a quick trip to Moscow just after the end of the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) to meet with his counterpart, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.  The meeting was focused on Iran, the nuclear threat, and Iranian activities elsewhere, particularly Syria. It is clear that Israeli-Russian relations need a restart. [Stephen D. Bryen]

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International, Middle East, Stephen D. Bryen, USA

StandWithUs Says AFT Guild 1931 Fuels Antisemitism

StandWithUs is deeply disturbed by the bias and misrepresentations in the AFT Guild Local 1931 statement. Simply writing “we’re not antisemites” does not eliminate the antisemitic nature and impact of this statement, which at its core denies Israel’s right to self-defense, and the Jewish peoples’ right to decide what constitutes antisemitism. [StandWithUs)

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Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

AFT Local Representing Community College Faculty Denounces Israel

The local guild of the American Federation of Teachers serving faculty members of the San Diego Community Colleges as well as its Continuing Education Branch, and faculty at Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College has adopted a resolution denouncing Israel, while leaving unmentioned the more than 3,000 rockets fired by Hamas from Gaza during the recent violence with Israel. [AFT Local 1931 press release]

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

4,000 American Teens, Including 21 San Diego County Residents, Experienced Israel This Summer

Heroic efforts navigating the global pandemic made it possible for nearly 4,000 American teens to travel this summer to Israel on multi-week trips designed and heavily subsidized by the new RootOne, run by The Jewish Education Project. The Jewish Agency for Israel, along with youth serving organizations (YSOs) and Jewish residential camps, made the trips possible under unprecedented circumstances. As teens return home, they are brought into a pipeline of Jewish community opportunities that will continue to tap into their interests, strengthen relationships, and add meaning to their lives. [Root One Press Release]

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Middle East, San Diego County, USA

California Legislature Approves Anti-Hate-Crime Legislation

The California Legislature passed legislation to significantly strengthen California’s response to the recent surge in hate crimes and hate-motivated violence. Authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills), Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, Assembly Bill (AB) 57 would implement specific recommendations from the State Auditor to enable law enforcement to better prevent, respond to, and document hate crimes. The measure passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both the State Assembly and the State Senate. [Press Release from Assemblyman Gabriel]

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USA

Comparing and contrasting Halloween and Sukkot

The month of October unleashes a tension of sorts in our predominantly Jewish Pico-Robertson neighborhood in Los Angeles.  As one walks farther from Pico Boulevard, the ubiquitous sukkot on front lawns give way to macabre Halloween decorations. Jewish kids must grapple with a continuum of responses to trick-or-treating: for the far right, it’s as if the holiday doesn’t exist. In a non-COVID year, Modern Orthodox might allow their kids to make the rounds seeking kosher candy and haunted houses, but downplay any outward signs of participation. Sadly, Jews of other denominations are more likely to be carrying a light saber than a lulav. [Sam Glaser]

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Jewish Religion, Sam Glaser, USA

OpEd: Two Jewish Issues the Biden Administration Must Clear Up

The Biden administration’s actions beg two disturbing Jewish-themed questions: Why would a president lie about such an insignificant detail as visiting a Pittsburgh synagogue? How can a U.S. Foreign Service officer be effective at his job when he demeans Jews and homosexuals? [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, USA