Published by DPA President Joe Biden kicked off a climate summit of 40 world leaders on Thursday by promising to cut US greenhouse gas emissions in half by decade’s end, one of many pledges at the online meeting to tackle global warming. “Scientists tell us that this is the decisive decade. This is the decade
World leaders pledge ambitious climate action at Biden-hosted summit Read More »
International
Published by Reuters By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday narrowly voted, for the second time in less than a year, to make the District of Columbia the 51st state, sending it to the Senate where it faces stiff Republican opposition. By a vote of 216-208, the Democratic-controlled House
U.S. House passes bill to make Washington, D.C., the 51st state Read More »
USA
Emuna is the Hebrew word for faith, and in his newest book, 13 Principles of Emuna, Rabbi Lazer Brody passionately reexamines Maimonides thirteen assertions, ranging from the fervent belief in one God to acknowledging the future resurrection of the dead and the coming of the Messiah, through a traditional orthodox-Jewish frame of reference. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]
Author Adopts Maimonides’ Principles as True Judaism Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion
Whether the refugee cap is increased to 125,000 annually, as President Biden originally promised in February, or kept at the 15,000 level set by his predecessor, or ends up somewhere in between — as now seems likely — America’s policy of admitting refugees remains inadequate for meeting the human rights challenges of our era. Perhaps the time has come for a new approach — one based on a proposal first made in 1943-44. [Rafael Medoff]
U.S. Should Revisit Idea of Temporary Havens Read More »
International, Jewish History, USA
Kobili Traore cannot stand trial for killing a Jewish woman since his state of mind was influenced by consumption – voluntary consumption, that is – of cannabis. [Bruce S. Ticker]
France’s Insanity Defense Is Itself Insane Read More »
Bruce Ticker, International
I believe Yom Haatzmaut is very representative of my journey of becoming an Israeli citizen and what my plans are now that I’m here. As a convert to Judaism, when I was fifteen, who made my first trip to Israel in 2016 with Taglit/Birthright and then enjoyed seven extensive trips to the country subsequently, my dream of making Aliyah was finally complete this year when I embarked on a Nefesh B’Nefesh charter Aliyah flight. [Ondria Rees]
Celebrating a Truly Independent Yom Haatzmaut Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, USA
The Israel Prize is awarded for academic or social excellence, and serves as Israel’s attempt to provide its own version of the Nobel Prize. Sadly, I have never attended a Nobel Prize ceremony, but I have read about it, and I know it is a very stately and serious occasion. Just imagine, if the ceremony would be the occasion for a series of pop singers to pop up, sing and play at the tops of their voices a medley of songs of questionable taste (and certainly not my taste). But that was the overriding tone of the Israel Prize ceremony last night. The whole occasion left an impression of bad judgment and inferior standards. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Israel Lowers Its Cultural Standards of Excellence Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
This short, entirely poetic message is from the writings of Amos, one of the 12 ‘minor’ prophets. He was from the Southern Kingdom of Judah, but his preaching (760-755 BCE) was against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, notably its cities of Samaria and Bethel. This was during the reign of Jeroboam II (788-747 BCE), a time of foreign conquests, thus internal peace and prosperity in the North. [1] Amos’ preaching coincided with the reign in the Southern Kingdom of King Uzziah (785-733 BCE), considered one of the ‘good and righteous kings.’ [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Haftorah Reading for April 24, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
After a Minneapolis jury on Tuesday convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin of murdering George Floyd, Jewish organizations and individuals issued their reactions. Among them: [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish Reactions to Chauvin Guilty Verdict Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
Published by Reuters By Jonathan Allen and Nathan Layne MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) -Former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder on Tuesday in the arrest of George Floyd, a milestone in the fraught racial history of the United States and a rebuke of law enforcement’s treatment of Black Americans. The 12-member jury found Chauvin, 45,
Minneapolis jury convicts ex-policeman Derek Chauvin of murdering George Floyd Read More »
USA
This week’s double Torah portion, Acharei and Kedoshim, springs off the scroll with applicability to the pandemic of our times, COVID, or if you prefer, kaf, bet, dalet, KOVOD. The English letters, K, V, D, form the root of the word Kavod. What’s dignity, respect or honor have to do with these parshiot? Plenty. Kavod, ,כָּבוֹד KVD, a word of strength and importance, refers to “glory,” “respect,” “majesty,” and “honor.” Other uses of kavod can refer to wealth (Gen. 31:1, the first use of kavod in the Bible), reputation (Gen. 45:13), the quantity of something, or splendor, all of which may be summed up in the word “dignity.” Another very important application is found in the fifth commandment, commanding us to “honor” (kavod in verb form) our fathers and mothers. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Extending Kavod to Others Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Published by The Bangkok Post PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron urged a change in French law after a man who murdered a Jewish woman in 2017 avoided a trial on the grounds he acted in delirium due to drug-taking, in an interview published Monday. Jewish groups have reacted with outrage to the decision by France’s highest
Macron urges law change after Jewish woman’s killer avoids trial Read More »
International
Published by TravelPulse After more than a year of being closed to international travel, Israel is reopening its borders with a phased approach. Starting on May 23, the country will welcome visitors from foreign countries who have been vaccinated for COVID-19. “I am happy to share the news that Israel is taking great strides in
Israel plans to open international travel to vaccinated visitors Read More »
Middle East
Published by Al-Araby Abandoning the two-state solution would result in a “de facto apartheid one-state solution,” Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas reportedly told J Street on Sunday. Abbas told the US-based pro-Israel lobbying group’s 2021 National Conference that this was an eventuality that would be rejected both in Palestine and around the world, Haaretz reported. He