Was Chaucer an Anti-Semite?

One of the tales that is told in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is the controversial story told by a prioress called “The Prioress’s Tale.” A prioress is a woman who is head of a house of nuns. She is next in rank below an abbess. She is seemingly a religious person with religious ideas. Chaucer describes his prioress in his book in two ways. She is introduced in his Prologue as an aristocratic, genteel, pious nun, but the story she tells shows her demeaning Jews and stating that Jews drink Christian blood in a Jewish ritual. She describes how Jews were rounded up, treated brutally, and then murdered by the Christian community. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History

Good News from Israel (November 22, 2020)

In the 22nd Nov 20 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
In a human trial, Israeli scientists have reversed the aging process.
The UN overwhelmingly approved an Israeli-led resolution on sustainable solutions.
A 62-year-old ex-Air Force pilot will be the next Israeli astronaut.
An Israeli company has solved the problem of recycling dirty plastics.
Joint US-Israeli agriculture projects give the world huge economic benefits.
Two Israelis basketball players were selected in the NBA drafts …. [Michael Ordman]

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International, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, USA

Key US Senate race candidate quarantining after possible Covid infection

Washington (AFP) – A US Republican senator contesting a closely watched runoff election in Georgia was quarantining on Saturday after possibly being infected with Covid-19, her campaign said.Kelly Loeffler had campaigned with Vice President Mike Pence on Friday as well as David Perdue, another Republican Georgia senator up for re-election in the January 5 runoff

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USA

Torah for Children: Does the End Justify the Means?

Parshah Toldot, which was read this weekend in synagogues, tells the story of Isaac’s two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob is the third of our three forefathers—our line of ancestors who came before—the first three generations who formed the foundation of Judaism. Abraham and Sarah had Isaac. Isaac married Rebecca in last week’s story. This week, Rebecca gives birth to twin sons. The second one born (the “younger” son), Jacob, was born holding the heel of his brother, Esau. [Marcia Berneger]

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Jewish Religion, Marcia Berneger

Loren Culp, refusing to concede Washington gubernatorial race, turns on top Republicans

SEATTLE — Loren Culp lost Washington’s gubernatorial race by more than 545,000 votes, but he’s not conceding — and says he’s not going away.Culp, the Republican who took 43% of the statewide vote against Gov. Jay Inslee, has taken a page from President Donald Trump’s playbook by attempting to sow doubts about the election results

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USA

Pennsylvania judge tosses out Trump election fraud claims

Washington (AFP) – A Pennsylvania judge on Saturday threw out Donald Trump’s claims of widespread electoral fraud there, dealing a new blow to the Republican’s bid to overturn his loss in the US presidential election.The decision — announced in a scathing judgment which excoriated the Trump team’s legal strategy — paves the way for Pennsylvania

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USA

Editorial: Rahm Emanuel in President-elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet? We could see it

“Someone like Rahm Emanuel would be a pretty divisive pick,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., recently said about the former Chicago mayor possibly joining President-elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet. “And it would signal, I think, a hostile approach to the grassroots and the progressive wing of the party.”Rahm Emanuel … divisive.As we think back on Emanuel’s two

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USA

Israel’s Netanyahu welcomes end of travel ban on ex-spy Pollard

Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday welcomed the ending of strict parole conditions on convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, an American jailed in the US in 1985 for spying for Israel.”The prime minister welcomes the lifting of restrictions from Jonathan Pollard” and expects him to “arrive in Israel soon,” a statement from the premier’s office said.Pollard

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Middle East, USA

Trump maintains unproven ‘massive’ fraud claim as Michigan lawmakers depart his hotel

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump reiterated his unproven claim that there was “massive voter fraud” in Michigan’s election on Saturday, a day after he met with Republican lawmakers from the state at the White House.In Saturday morning tweets, as multiple Michigan lawmakers departed the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., the president responded to a

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USA

Republican Sens. Mitt Romney & Ben Sasse Blast Trump’s Attempting To Undo Election Results

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska) has publicly attacked President Donald Trump‘s claim of election fraud by calling out Trump’s legal team for failing to provide substantial evidence to back their allegations.Sasse is one of the few Republican leaders to criticize the president’s attempts to overturn the election outcome and President-elect Joe Biden‘s victory. Most have yet

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USA