J Street sets up $10,000 matching fund for Haifa fire relief

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — Now that the Carmel fire near Haifa is contained,  the real work of rebuilding tattered homes, communities, and Israel’s gorgeous northern areas begins. Accordingly, J Street announced a $10,000 matching fund to help rebuild the communities affected by the disaster. With matching donations from the J Street community, the organization

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Middle East

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism urges START ratification

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–In response to the New START treaty pending in the Senate, Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, sent a letter to Senators urging ratification. The full text of the letter follows: Dear Senator: On behalf of the Union for Reform Judaism, whose more than 900 congregations

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USA

Poole report tells of U.S. failures in screening Islamists seeking government posts or influence

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — There is a very important—one might say, life-and-death—distinction that should be made in considering U.S. counterterrorism policy. Certainly, U.S. forces have had many successes in stopping intended terrorist attacks against the United States. Yet there have also been a number of failures in the war against terrorism or al-Qaida

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Middle East, USA

New theory offered how Greeks came to have a Nile Delta settlement in 7th Century BCE

TEL AVIV (Press Release)― Naukrtis, a Greek trade emporium on Egyptian soil, has long captured the imagination of archaeologists and historians. Not only is the presence of a Greek trading settlement in Egypt during the 7th and 6th century B.C.E. surprising, but the Greeks that lived there in harmony hailed from several Greek states which

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Science, Medicine, & Education

U of Haifa’s School of Social Work faculty to help provide post-fire counseling

HAIFA (Press Release)–The University of Haifa’s School of Social Work has set out to provide assistance to the Regional Council of Hof Hacarmel in the wake of the massive fire. Hof Hacarmel is the regional council responsible for managing much of the area affected by the great fire in the Carmel Mountains over the past

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Middle East

Haifa fire controlled; experts suggest letting landscape recover on its own

By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM, Monday, Dec 6 — Light rain and a change in the direction of the wind overnight signaled the end of the 4-day fires in the Carmel Forest. This morning, as grey skies and cooler temperatures blanketed the country, officials announced that the foreign fire-fighting help would be heading home and

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Middle East

Haifa fire burned more this time than all fires in region since 1978

HAIFA (Press Release)– “Since 1978 the Carmel Mountains have seen some 500 small and medium fires and 9 large-scale conflagrations, which are considered such when over 100 hectares are burnt. All these fires together burnt some 3,000 hectares of forest, while the present fire has burnt some 5,000 hectares,” says Dr. Leah Wittenberg of the Department

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Middle East

Christmas and Chanukah to share spotlight in ‘Giving Season’ production

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Write Out Loud presents its annual celebration of the season with  a program of short stories designed especially for the whole family.   This year Sean Sullivan and Lynne Griffin, popular San Diego actors, are flying into town from Toronto just in time to participate.  Sullivan, a San Diego native, and his wife,

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Jewish Religion, Travel and Food

‘Forever Plaid’ makes a comeback…from heaven

By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO — For the “Forever Plaids” their return to San Diego is a welcome sight.  Just as a short trip down memory lane the musical Forever Plaid started at the Old Globe way back in 1991. The off- Broadway musical comedy, written by Stuart Ross hit New York in 1990 and became

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Carol Davis, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Israel’s defensive shield against missiles changes Middle East’s strategic calculus

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — A factor up until now neglected in the Middle East strategic picture is Israel’s development of a strong, multi-level missile defense system aimed both against short-range rockets fired by Hamas and Hizballah as well as to guard against a future Iranian nuclear long-range threat. Many, unconsciously perhaps thinking of

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Middle East