USA

California Ethnic Studies Legislation Passes

Today, the Legislature voted to advance Assembly Bill (AB) 101, legislation that would make ethnic studies a high school graduation requirement in the State of California. This legislation enjoys broad support in the Legislature and is a top priority for our allies in the Latino, Black, Asian Pacific Islander (API), and Native American Legislative Caucuses. It is our sincere hope that this course will provide an opportunity for young Californians to deepen their understanding of our society’s complex history when it comes to issues of race and diversity, and we would like to recognize Assemblymember Jose Medina for his persistent leadership on this important issue.” [California Legislative Jewish Caucus press release]

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Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

OpEd: U.S. Should Put Caps on Income

Is it not extraordinary that in a country that claims to be as enlightened and advanced as ours that the combined wealth of three individuals – Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and investor Warren Buffett – should exceed the total wealth of the bottom half of Americans? One has to return to the days of the pharaohs of Egypt to find a parallel to the extreme wealth inequality that we see in in America today. Such stark inequality, and the ever-growing concentration of wealth in the hands of a tiny few will only intensify if we continue as we have for the past 40 years. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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Business & Finance, Sam Ben-Meir, USA

Biography Tells of Jewish Family’s Holocaust Survival in the Forest

Meticulous research documents the lives of the Rabinowitz family in small town Poland; their suffering after the Nazis invaded; their miraculous escape to the forest, where they survived in hiding for several years; their post-war relocation to Italy, while awaiting permission to immigrate to Palestine; their decision to move instead to the United States; their lives in Connecticut; and the marriage of daughter Ruth to a future rabbi, from whom author Rebecca Frankel received her Jewish education. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, USA

Palestinianism and the New Antisemitism

A recent survey conducted by Alums for Campus Fairness, “A Growing Threat: Antisemitism on College Campuses,” asked some 500 Jewish-affiliated college students and recent alumni what their perceptions were regarding campus antisemitism. The findings of the survey were troubling, given that: “Nearly 100% of respondents said antisemitism is/was a problem on their campus,” “95% of respondents identified antisemitism as a problem on U.S. college campuses, with three out of four describing it as a ‘very serious problem,’” almost “half of current students say antisemitism is getting worse on their campus,” and “69% of students and grads say they have avoided certain places, events, or situations at school because they are Jewish.” [Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D]

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Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Biden: Antisemitic Violence is Violence against America

(JNS) U.S. President Joe Biden may have gotten himself in hot water during a well-meaning teleconference with Jewish religious leaders in advance of the High Holidays on Thursday. The teleconference was facilitated by the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Rabbinical Assembly, the Rabbinical Council of America and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. During the roughly

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Jewish History, USA

Good News from Israel (September 5, 2021)

In the September 5, 2011 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
–Israeli oral treatment can protect against all Covid variants.
–An Israeli low-cost health company is coming to the USA.
–An Israeli hi-tech company only employs autistic individuals.
–Free hi-tech industry training for new English-speaking Israeli immigrants.
–With Israeli technology you can star in a movie trailer.
–Israeli swimmers won six gold medals at the Tokyo Paralympics.
–A tree grown from a 2,000-year-old seed produced a bumper crop of dates. [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

ADL Offers Reflections for Jewish New Year 5782

The Jewish New Year presents us with an opportunity to renew ourselves and our world and to look forward to a brighter year ahead. As we gather with friends and family to celebrate the advent of 5782, it is a good moment to take stock of the year that’s passed and to reflect on what we as a people and a society might do to improve our world and ourselves in the year to come. [Esta Epstein and Jonathan Greenblatt]

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International, Middle East, USA

United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, ADL Form Partnership to Combat Antisemitism

NEW YORK (Press Release) — The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have agreed to form a partnership aimed at combating the alarming rise in antisemitic rhetoric and violence through education and advocacy. This partnership will make ADL’s expertise and tools readily accessible to almost 600 USCJ-affiliated synagogues through the

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USA

Iranian Americans Motivated to Build New Bridges with Israelis

By Karmel Melamed (JNS) After a visit to Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in late July, Khosrow Beitollahi, a former Iranian air force pilot and activist against Iran’s current regime, said he was devastated to learn of the magnitude of the Nazi genocide also but inspired by the spirit of the Jewish people to rebuild

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Middle East, USA