By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Change may occur, but as mother used to say when I wanted something beyond the possible, “Don’t hold your breath.” Prominent in what does not appear to be changing are the gaps between Iran, Israel, and the more powerful of western countries. On the eve of meetings in Geneva that
Haven’t we heard this news before? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
SAN DIEGO―Republican Congressman Trey Radel of Florida pled guilty of cocaine possession and use this week and blamed his addiction on his alcoholism. This is the same excuse embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford gave for smoking crack cocaine. Reporters checking into the drinking habits of the two men have learned that they always ordered rum
Humoring the Headlines: November 22, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Jonathan Pollard enters 29th year in U.S. prison (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) On Thursday, Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard entered his 29th year in American prison. Pollard, now 59, was arrested in Washington on Nov. 21, 1985. He was later convicted of spying for Israel, and is the only person in U.S. history to receive a
JNS news briefs: November 21, 2013 Read More »
International
By Arlene S. Moskowitz, JD and Joel A. Moskowitz, MD LA JOLLA, California –A prescription for Jews: Singing is good for your health, spiritual and physical. At the recent Society for Neuroscience meeting at the San Diego Convention Center, there was a section that emphasized the benefits of music. New findings: …. “that musicians have
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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — In his Torahmusings, R. Gill Student cites an endorsement of R. Steinsaltz’s translation from R. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb. His comments are especially important for anyone interested in the science of translation as it pertains to the translation of the Talmud: Every translation is to some extent a
Two digital versions of the Talmud compete Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Israel appears to be losing big time on the two issues topping its international agenda. Predictions are that the greater powers will reach an agreement with Iran that the Prime Minister has said time and again will be very bad, worse than no agreement, and making no meaningful contribution to ending Iran’s
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Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastAyatollah Ali Khamenei calls Israel ‘rabid dog’ (JNS.org) On the day negotiations on the Iran nuclear program were renewed in Geneva, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Israel a “rabid dog.” “It came from the mouth of the rabid dog of the region—Israel—that Iran is a threat to the world! No, the fake regime
JNS news briefs: November 20, 2013 Read More »
International
Hitler’s Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing Fields by Wendy Lower, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, NY’ ISBN 978-0-547-86338-2©2012, $26, p. 270, including index By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — That Hitler and the Nazi Party succeeded in killing more than twelve million “undesirables,” including six million Jews, hinges as much on the technology available
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Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish HistoryNY Times features photo of perpetrator’s family for story on murder of IDF soldier (JNS.org) The New York Times was criticized by the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) for its lead photo in coverage of a Palestinian terrorist’s murder of 19-year-old Israeli soldier Eden Atias. “CAMERA has urged New York
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International
By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — Like anybody else old enough, I remember when President John F. Kennedy was slain, fifty years ago this Friday. Our tiny Hebrew day school suddenly sent us home just before two o’clock—exactly when we would have concluded our day with the weekly, all-classes welcoming of Sabbath. There would
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USABy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―Last week President Obama admitted he had fumbled the ball in the rollout for the Affordable Health Care Act and pledged he would rectify his mistake: “If I fumbled the ball, I’m somebody who’s going to wait until I get the next play and run as hard as I can. We
Humoring the Headlines: November18, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireIran says new combat drone has range to reach Israel (JNS.org) Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said his country’s new reconnaissance and combat drone, Fotros, has a range of 1,250 miles, meaning it could reach Israel from Iran. “This drone is able to carry out reconnaissance missions and carry air-to-surface rockets for combat operations,” Dehghan
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InternationalBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Those who doubt that Israel is a normal country–along with everything that makes it abnormal–only have had to look and listen to the Hebrew media over the most recent few days. The bulk of the print and noise has not concerned Iran or Palestine, but a famous singer, his middle age relatives
Israel has a sex scandal and a new political one Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Anav Silverman BEER-SHEVA, Israel — A replacement for oil has become a burning need in the 21st century, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu having made it clear that for the Jewish state at least, developing oil alternative is a national priority. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers have invented a process to make a green
Ben Gurion University devises fuel substitute Read More »
Science, Medicine, & Education