Jewish news briefs: March 19, 2015

Number of Israeli ministers expected to rise in next government (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Despite the decisive victory by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party in the March 17 Israeli election, the negotiations to build the Jewish state’s next coalition government could take up the entire 42-day time period allotted by Israeli law. In his […]

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International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Reacting to the prayers in the siddur

Shma Koleinu: A Jewish People’s Commentary on the Siddur by Rabbi Steven Schwarzman, editor, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, an Amazon Company, Seattle, WA;  ISBN 978-1-50535-392-1 ©2014, $17.99, p. 202, plus contributor’s list By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — Jews communicate with God through animal sacrifice, or at least they did when the Temple stood in

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Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion

Justice Ginsburg, Rabbi Holzblatt offer seder reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) –American Jewish World Service has distributed a Passover reading emphasizing the accomplishments of women in the Exodus story. “We are grateful to Justice Ginsburg and Rabbi Holzblatt for offering a powerful feminist reading for Passover, which highlights the leadership of women in the liberation of the ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt,”

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Jewish Religion, USA

U.S. admonishes Israel over rhetoric

By Donald H. Harrison The White House and the U.S. State Department on Wednesday, March 18, both voiced their displeasure with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party’s  call to Jewish Israelis on Israel’s election day, March 17, to counter that country’s Arab vote, and additionally with Netanyahu’s pre-election announcement that he no longer supported creation of an

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, USA

Netanyahu victory spurs diverse reactions

SAN DIEGO (SDJW)–Reactions to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s election victory were not long in coming after the results were announced on Tuesday, March 17.  Here are some of them collected by San Diego Jewish World: Americans for Peace Now — Israel’s general election results are a disappointment for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans. They will undoubtedly make

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Middle East, USA

Rep. Israel: Revoke U.S. citizenship of terrorists

WASHINGTON, D.C (Press Release) – Congressman Steve Israel (D-New York) announced that he joined Rep. Steve Womack (R-Arkansas) in support of the Terrorist Denaturalization and Passport Revocation Act, which will prevent U.S. citizens from retaining their citizenship status if they fight for a known foreign terrorist organization (FTO). Since 2001 there has been a substantial increase

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USA

74 senators protest Turkey’s treatment of journalists

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-New York)  along with 73 other United States Senators, wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry to urge the State Department to immediately address issues stemming from of the intimidation of journalists and censorship of the media by President Tayyip Erdogan’s Administration in Turkey. According to Turkish and

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Middle East, USA

Armenian genocide recognition introduced in Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – Reps. Robert Dold (R-Illinois), Adam Schiff (D-California), David Valadao (R-California), and Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), along with 40 other Members of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday, March 18, introduced the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution. This bipartisan resolution calls upon the Administration to work toward equitable, constructive and durable Armenian-Turkish relations

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Middle East, USA

J Street: Continue to work for 2-state solution

By Jeremy Ben-Ami WASHINGTON, D.C. — Benjamin Netanyahu’s victory is a deep disappointment to all who hoped that Israel might choose a new direction for the country in yesterday’s election. The Prime Minister’s renunciation of the two-state solution and resort to a campaign grounded in fear and tinged with racism successfully moved 150,000 votes from

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Middle East, USA

Humoring the headlines: March 18, 2015

“Israeli Election Roundup” By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO─ It’s March Madness time in Israel.  Pundits are crunching numbers and filling out brackets, trying to figure out what the composition of the next Israeli coalition government will be. * Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Likud had a “great victory.”  This bolsters his claim that he speaks for

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Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire