After a long and heated debate on Wednesday night, the government approved the regulations for the country’s latest lockdown, which begins Thursday at midnight and ends two weeks later on January 21.The following are the lockdown rules:> Gatherings: Limited to five people inside and 10 people outside, except for at approved events such as weddings […]
Israel is locking down (again): Here’s what you need to know Read More »
Middle East
Washington (AFP) – Every living former US president on Wednesday denounced the violence of a mob that stormed the Capitol building in Washington, forcing lawmakers to flee to safety and leaving one woman dead. The crowd, made up of supporters of President Donald Trump, opposed the certification underway in Congress of Joe Biden’s presidential election
Former US presidents denounce Capitol violence Read More »
USA
To tune of ‘American Pie’:
But November made me shiver.
With every statement he’d deliver.
The results he discounted
As the margins mounted.
I can’t remember if I thought
It was just time that he bought.
His claims struck me as overwrought.
The day democracy died. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Satire: Bye, Bye Lost American Dream Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Jan. 6, 2021, should have been another proud day for American democracy, with Congress formally ratifying the results of a free and fair election, signaling the peaceful transition of power and determining Joe Biden will become the next president of the United States. Instead, it will go down as a dark day in the history
Editorial: Concede or resign, President Trump Read More »
USA
ATLANTA — Democrats swept Georgia’s two U.S. Senate runoffs on Wednesday to flip control of the chamber, pulling off stunning victories that will shape President-elect Joe Biden’s administration and transform the state’s political landscape. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock narrowly defeated U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler after a nine-week runoff that attracted record-setting
Democrats sweep Georgia’s runoffs, flip control of US Senate Read More »
USA
Because of the disruptions and criminal trespass at the Capitol by a mob of President Trump’s supporters, some may be tempted to remember January 6, 2021, as one of the worst days for American democracy. And they would be right! Our coverage may be found in companion articles about the demonstration that turned violent and forced postponement of the counting of the Electoral College votes by a joint session of Congress. Ironically, January 6, 2021, also was one of American democracy’s best days because it demonstrated that racism and anti-Semitism, at least in the halls of government and in the polling places of Georgia, are on the wane. Furthermore, the value that Americans place on racial and religious diversity is on full display. [Donald H. Harrison]
January 6 was the worst and best of times Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
ATLANTA — Control of the U.S. Senate hung in the balance Tuesday as Georgians rushed to the polls to decide a pair of runoffs that will shape President-elect Joe Biden’s legislative agenda. The contests were too early to call Tuesday evening as campaigns braced for an extended vote count. The stakes were monumental as Republican
Georgia US Senate races still to too close to call Read More »
USA
WASHINGTON — Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley claimed on Twitter Monday night that his family faced vandalism and threats of violence during a protest outside of their northern Virginia home, but video posted by activists and a description from local police don’t match his account. The protest took place ahead of his planned objection to
Modern scholars easily detect that they refer to events in at least three widely separated chronological times. This leads to the conclusion that the package called the Book of Isaiah had at least three major authors, and likely many more minor contributors. [1] These three are called by modern scholars, respectively: Isaiah I (Chapters 1-39, c. 730-701 BCE), Isaiah II (Chapters 40-55, c. 586-539 BCE), and Isaiah III (Chapters 56-66, c. 5th Century BCE). [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Notes on the Haftorah Reading of January 9, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
The mid-life journey that led me back to college began in the mikvah. I had been observing the laws of Niddah (aka “Family Purity” or Taharat haMishpacha) for about six years when this immersion initiated a series of changes that brings me to where I am today. The night of this immersion (momentous only in retrospect), I had been struggling with post-partum hip pain for about a year and a half that no amount of physical therapy or chiropractic treatments was fixing. This night, the pain was unusually bad as I limped sideways down the mikvah steps. The attendant asked with clear concern in her voice, “Do you need help?” I said, “No, it only hurts”. But stairs had never hurt that bad. [Isobel-Marie Johnston]
Out of the Mikvah and onto a Ph.D Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
The former Israeli ambassador to Jordan Jacob Rosen published an extensive list of Jewish surnames in Cairo that disclosed a stunning number of Ashkenazi surnames.In an interview with The Jerusalem Post ,Rosen said “Jewish refugees from Russian pogroms settled in Egypt.” Rosen, who also served as a diplomat in Egypt, said there were about 40,000
Ex-Israeli envoy reveals large number of Ashkenazi Jews lived in Cairo Read More »
Middle East
The new chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Tuesday he would look to resume humanitarian aid to the Palestinians as part of a push by President-elect Joe Biden for a two-state solution. In an interview with AFP, Representative Gregory Meeks also supported the return of a diplomatic presence following outgoing President Donald Trump’s
New House foreign affairs chief eyes resuming US aid to Palestinians Read More »
Middle East, USA
To anyone paying attention the last four years, Trump’s refusal to accept that he lost the 2020 presidential election fair and square could not truly come as a surprise. That he would never concede was practically a given. What we could not know (and still do not know) with any certainty is just how far Trump will go to maintain his grip on power. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]
OpEd: Power versus Duty in American politics Read More »
Sam Ben-Meir, USA
Iconic talk-show host Larry King has been moved out of the intensive care unit amid his battle with COVID-19, but he’s not out of the woods yet. King remains hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he checked in more than a week ago. “Larry continues to improve,” King’s family said in a
Larry King out of ICU amid COVID-19 battle Read More »
Theatre, Film & Broadcast