By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Obviously Jewish survival must depend upon something more than empty sentimentalism. There must be something more than a cultural Jewish identity that finds Jewish fulfillment in bagels and lox. While many Jews live a nostalgically religious life, at least an equally large number have become ambivalent […]
When Jews seek spirituality elsewhere Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiDexter Van Zile writes that the letter calling on Congress to investigate military aid to Israel—which prompted major Jewish groups to walk away from interfaith dialogue—has all the markings of Churches for Middle East Peace, an organization that interprets its mandate to promote peace as a call to assail Israel with one-sided criticism and treat
Christian letter on Israel a ‘big muddy’ for their leaders Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Jacob Kamaras/JNS.org The largest-ever joint defense exercise between the United States and Israel kicked off on Sunday and is lasting for three weeks in the Jewish state. Austere Challenge 12 (AC12), an air and missle defense training exercise, will involve 3,500 U.S. military members and another 1,000 from the Israel Defense Forces, according to
U.S., Israel in joint missile defense exercise Read More »
Jacob Kamaras, Middle EastJimmy Carter blames Israel for ‘vanishing’ peace (JNS.org) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter lamented the “vanishing” prospects of Israeli-Palestinian peace during a trip to Jerusalem this week, blaming Israeli construction in the West Bank. Carter called the current situation “catastrophic” and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of pursuing a one-state solution, despite Netanyahu’s previous
JNS news briefs: October 23, 2012 Read More »
InternationalBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–For Jewish voters who love Israel but consider themselves liberal on social issues, this is an agonizing presidential election. There is no way to get all that we want. Clearly President Obama is far more likely to protect women’s control over their own bodies, or gay couples’ right to marry,
A reluctant endorsement for Mitt Romney Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Eva Trieger SAN DIEGO –Sometimes words fail him, but Jake Zeldin, who talked to me by telephone from Toronto, can really bust a rhyme. Robyn, Jake’s mom, reported that Jake has been affected with a serious stutter since he began speaking. As a concerned parent, she took Jake to all of the experts in the field, but
Stutterer is flawless when he raps Read More »
Eva Trieger
Story and photos by Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–A German school principal and teacher bearing gifts from their K-4 students in the elementary school of the small town of Neuhaus-an-der-Oste in the far north of Germany helped on Monday, Oct. 22, to formally inaugurate a sister-school relationship at Cabrillo Elementary School that is based,
By Danny Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — Having lived in Alaska for 10 years in the 1980s, I often browse the online newspapers in Juneau and Fairbanks from my electronic lair here in Taiwan, and the other day I came across an arresting term I had never heard of before — “botanicaust.” The newly-minted
Sci fi writer warns of ‘botanicaust’ Read More »
Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Robert Gluck/JNS.org If anyone can escape from the afterlife, it is Harry Houdini. Born Erik Weisz to Austro-Hungarian Jews, Houdini was arguably the greatest escape artist ever. Magic enthusiasts from around the globe gather annually in a predetermined city to celebrate Houdini. Since Houdini died on October 31, 1926, the gathering takes place on
Houdini fans plan seance in Fort Worth Read More »
Travel and Food
By Bruce S. Ticker LOS ANGELES — Poor Jewish Angelenos. California’s new “top-two” primary must be an anti-Semitic plot. Uncle Leo of “Seinfeld” would conclude nothing less, especially since an Austrian-born governor signed off on it. Recall that Uncle Leo once accused a cook of anti-Semitism for overcooking a hamburger. The state’s first “top-two” primary should
Open primaries disserve Los Angeles Read More »
USABy Robert Gluck/JNS.org More than 25 years after it was first published, the graphic novel Maus continues to revolutionize both comics and representations of the Holocaust—and its Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Art Spiegelman, remains on tour. By depicting “complex and complicated stories of intertwining human destinies acted out by mice, cats, pigs and dogs,” Maus turns
‘Maus’ author on tour of America Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Jacob Kamaras and Sean Savage/JNS.org “There are, I think, almost 3,000 Americans in foreign jails. Almost all of them are in there for doing something.” That is the assessment given to JNS.org by U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (R-NY), a leading advocate for the freedom of 53-year-old Brooklyn flooring contractor Jacob Ostreicher—who, according to
U.S. Jews jailed, held hostage overseas Read More »
International, Jacob Kamaras, USAEmir of Qatar to visit Gaza, raising geopolitical concerns (JNS.org) The emir of pro-Western Qatar is set to become the first head of state to visit Gaza Strip, raising serious geopolitical concerns over the future direction of the Hamas-dominated Palestinian enclave. According to Israel Hayom, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is officially visiting the Palestinian
JNS news briefs: October 22, 2012 Read More »
InternationalBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The rawness of democratic politics does not appear in the most thrilling run-up to the final voting, but in the maneuvering at the early stages. Americans see it in presidential primaries, and even lower on the political food chain in jostling for nominations for governor, senator, House of Representatives, and even lower
Israel’s feisty political brew Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East