New Zealand’s Jewish community is celebrating a new website, jewishlives.nz, in which Jewish Kiwis’ past, present, and plans for the future will be shared with each other and the rest of the world. New Zealand’s Jewish population is estimated at 7,500, out of a total New Zealand population of 4.2 million, according to the independent TotallyJewishTravel website. [Donald H. Harrison]
New Zealand Jewry Take Their Story Online Read More »
Travel and Food
Published by Reuters By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday imposed new travel restrictions on India in light of the COVID-19 epidemic, barring most non-U.S. citizens from entering the United States. The new restrictions, which take effect on Tuesday, May 4 at 12:01 am ET (0401 GMT), are on the advice
Biden bans most travel to U.S. from India to limit COVID-19 spread Read More »
International, USA
This May, I am delighted to celebrate the 16th annual Jewish American Heritage Month. When I first sponsored the legislation creating JAHM in 2005, our goal was to honor and share the amazing contributions that American Jews have made to our nation. [Debbie Wasserman Schultz]
16th Jewish American Heritage Month Starts May 1 Read More »
Jewish History, USA
Enrique Morones, a humanitarian who has spent decades advocating for dignified and welcoming treatment for migrants, told Thursday of a woman at a Jewish congregation who expressed shock that parents would allow their minor children to cross into the United States by themselves to whatever fate might await them. [Donald H. Harrison]
Baby Moses and the Unaccompanied Migrant Minors Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, USA
Sometimes when we are hit with an immense tragedy we are left speechless. The Torah tells us that after the Jewish people had inaugurated the Mishkan (Tabernacle), Aharon’s two sons, Nadav and Avihu, died tragically. At the height of the celebration tragedy struck. The Torah tells us that Aharon was silent (“VaYidom Aharon”), there was nothing for him to say. G-d Himself, and the Children of Israel led by Moshe, came to comfort Aharon in his profound distress. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
Tragedy Strikes on Joyous Day of Lag B’Omer Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
An Israeli national disaster occurred at the Lag B’Omer festival on Mount Meron in northern Israel on April 28 when 45 people were killed and 155 were injured when thousands people gathered in the tightly packed confines of a compound surrounding the grave of a Jewish holy man. The tragic incident demands answers for why a hundred thousand mainly Haredi Jews from Israel and abroad would make their way to this isolated site at this special time. [Barry Shaw]
Who was Shimon Bar Yochai? Read More »
Barry Shaw, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East
Another of the consolations provided by the internet was on-line shopping. I don’t know about everyone else, but my screen ‘feeds’ constantly contained images of desirable garments, books, items of furniture, gadgets and sundry items with which someone out there sought to entice me. Most of the time I managed to resist the temptation, but , I must confess that there were occasions on which I succumbed. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Joys and Perils of Internet Shopping Read More »
Business & Finance, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Middle East
Published by DPA Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced late Thursday that the Palestinian election will be postponed. Abbas made the announcement after meeting with representatives of several Palestinian groups in Ramallah on Thursday evening. The Palestinian president said it had been agreed to postpone the poll election until the participation of the people in East
Palestinian election will be postponed, says Abbas Read More »
Middle East
Published by DPA At least 38 people have been killed in a crush of people at a Jewish religious festival in northern Israel, rescue services said early Friday. A spokesman for the Magen David Adom rescue services called it an “inconceivable catastrophe.” Rescue workers said more than 100 people were injured, with many in a
At least 38 killed in crush at Israeli religious festival Read More »
Middle East
Published by Reuters By Carl O’Donnell (Reuters) – Pfizer Inc’s shipment of COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico this week includes doses made in its U.S. plant, the first of what are expected to be ongoing exports of its shots from the United States, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. The vaccine shipment,
Exclusive: Pfizer begins to export U.S.-made COVID-19 shots, first doses sent to Mexico Read More »
USA
Two famous Israeli Poets, Natan Alterman and Zelda, will be featured at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, in a salute to Jewish Poets of the Past. The evening presented by Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices, under the auspices of the Lawrence Family JCC’s Astor Judaica Library and the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture, will feature on Zoom two dozen readers and vocalists. [Eileen Wingard]
Poems of Natan Alterman, Zelda, to be performed May 4 Read More »
Travel and Food
Published by AFP Washington (AFP) – US health authorities announced Thursday their intent to soon ban menthol cigarettes, adding the action would save hundreds of thousands of lives. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to issue new product standards that would classify menthol as a flavor, which are banned in cigarettes, and also
US to ban menthol cigarettes Read More »
Science, Medicine, & Education
Published by Reuters By Alasdair Pal and Francis Mascarenhas NEW DELHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) – India’s total COVID-19 cases passed 18 million on Thursday after another world record number of daily infections, as gravediggers worked around the clock to bury victims and hundreds more were cremated in makeshift pyres in parks and parking lots. India reported 379,257
India infections top 18 million as gravediggers work round the clock Read More »
International
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with regard to elections in South America, tweeted earlier this month: “I recall @POTUS saying: ‘Democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant.’ Elections are the first step. We must respect results and hold leaders accountable to sustain our democracies.” [Shoshana Bryen]
No requirement to respect elections rigged by dictators Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA