Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, source of past controversy on Israel, to resign (JNS.org) U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, a past source of controversy due to his statements about Israel, will resign. The New York Times, citing senior U.S. officials, reported Monday that President Barack Obama decided to push for Hagel’s resignation “as a recognition […]
JNS news briefs: November 24, 2014 Read More »
Middle East, USABy Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO –“Each of us thinks we’re unique. But we’re somebody else’s stereotype.” -Sam Woodhouse Before Honky opened, the REP was accused of being racist for staging a show with such a racially charged title. Somebody even stole the poster from the REP’s front window –a first in their history. These
‘Honky’ explores racism from two sides of the divide Read More »
Travel and Food
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO– Shmaltz Brewing Company, brewers and bottlers of He-Brew Beer, has issued in time for the Dec. 16-24 Chanukah holiday a new special-label beer. It’s called “Hanukkah, Chanukah Beer,” apparently with an eye toward not taking sides in the age-old debate about how the name of the 8-day holiday should
Chanukah Beer passes amateurs’ taste test Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonNEW YORK (Press Release) — The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Sunday, Nov. 23, expressed outrage at a Turkish governor’s threats to turn a century-old synagogue into a museum — as punishment, he says, for Israel’s alleged actions against Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque. Dursun Sahin, governor of the province of Edirne, said he was turning the 107-year old Buyuk
ADL denounces Turkish governor’s threats against shul Read More »
Middle East, USABy Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — Okay, so we all have dysfunctional families. And their doppelgangers have been running rampant, loving and hating one another, as in August–Osage County, or attempting to provide hilarity onstage a la Kaufman and Hart’s You Can’t Take It With You. So enough already! The latest entry in the “whimsical family” category is a heavy-handed attempt
Cast of ‘Reasons to Live’ tries too hard Read More »
Travel and Food
By Tzvi Zucker JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — Archaeological excavations in Netiv Haasarah have uncovered a Persian era military installation. Netiv Haasarah is a town in the “Gaza envelope” with a population of about 700. The dig, being headed by Dr. Yael Abadi Rice, found a fortified town and a military tower, from approximately 2,100 years ago.
Ruins of fortified town of 2100 BCE found near Gaza Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education
By Tzvi Zucker JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — Sheikh Samir Aasi, Imam of the main mosque in the city of Akko, openly condemned the massacre that took place last week in a Har Nof synagogue. This terror attack was perpetuated by two Palestinian men, who entered during morning prayers and shot worshipers dead as well as stabbed
Acid thrown on car of Imam who promotes peace Read More »
Middle East
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — Once upon a time a man with endless buckets of money decided to build a big house; he wanted it look like a French Renaissance chateau. It would be filled with rare art treasures of every kind, but especially French art. He wanted to set this jewel of
From the Jewish library: Waddeson Manor Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The more we know about politics, the less we should try to explain anything, or propose how to solve problems that have proven to be insoluble. What limits us is the great variety of influences on what happens next. That makes politics and policymaking a crap shoot. It’s not only the economy,
Progress comes in increments, not grand schemes Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastSAN DIEGO (Press Release)– On Monday, Nov. 24, City Councilmember Marti Emerald and Rabbi Laurie Coskey will cook and deliver a Thanksgiving meal to fast-food worker Nicolas Cervantes and his family. “Receiving this Thanksgiving meal from Councilwoman Emerald and Rabbi Coskey will be a blessing for my family,” said Cervantes. The Burger King employee earns
Rabbi, Council member to cook, deliver turkey Read More »
San Diego CountyTo Be An Actress by Nava Shean; 2010, Hamilton Books. By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — The life and times of actress Nava Shean, born Vlasta Schonova in Czechslovakia in 1919, embody many of the events experienced by the Jewish people during the course of the twentieth century. But above everything towers her dogged
Book Review: ‘To Be An Actress’ Read More »
Travel and FoodWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) –Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, Congressman Harold Rogers (R-KY), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Kay Granger (R-TX), Chairwoman of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, on Thursday, Nov. 20, wrote Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to urge decisive
Key Congress members to Abbas: End incitement Read More »
Middle East, USABy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — I am sure New York Times columnist David Brooks meant well when he wrote his “Love and Gravity” column the other day about the faith aspects of Christopher Nolan’s new Interstellar movie. Brooks is a very good writer, a bit on the rightwing side of things and with a
Clearly that column was not stellar reporting Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–This week’s parasha begins with Yitzchak’s genealogy: “These are the generations of Yitzchak the son of Avraham. Avraham begot Yitzchak.” (Gen. 25:19) Usually when we think about generations of human beings and their descendants we are referring to their children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces, and other family members of the next
Who are Abraham and Sarah’s other descendants? Read More »
Jewish Religion