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Friday, March 12, 2004

Good news from Israel: Palestinian workers prevented attack at Erez: Palestinian workers waiting at the Erez crossing in the Gaza Strip to enter Israel beat and overpowered two Palestinians planning to carry out a terror attack at the site, an inquiry conducted recently by the Defense Ministry's Coordination and Liaison Administration in the territories has revealed. (Ha'aretz)

posted by William @ 3/12/2004 10:42:46 AM  

Thursday, March 11, 2004

Jewish reggae: A Jewish boy won a grammy for his reggae music? Oi vey!

posted by William @ 3/11/2004 07:49:55 AM  

Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Jews in odd places: Russia: Like most Russians, Russian Jews don't get along so well.

The failure of a plan billed by proponents as an attempt to overcome the split between Russian Jewry’s two main umbrella organizations again has highlighted their divisions. The short-lived initiative first surfaced in December and was dropped in January without much negotiation between the rival parties. The plan sought to create a single community structure to replace the two rival religious umbrella organizations, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, and the Congress of Jewish Religious Organizations and Communities.

The federation, Russia’s largest Jewish organization, is dominated by members of the Chabad Lubavitch organization and is run by Berel Lazar, one of Russia’s two chief rabbis, who was installed to his post four years ago with what many saw as support from the government.

The congress, which includes both Orthodox and Reform congregations, is allied with Adolf Shayevich, the longtime Russian chief rabbi. Shayevich was elected to this post a decade ago, before Chabad made great strides in winning the support of numerous communities across post-Soviet territory.

The stakes are high: Estimates of Russian Jewry run anywhere between 500,000 and 1 million people.

posted by William @ 3/10/2004 12:39:18 PM  

Tuesday, March 09, 2004

John Kerry on Israel:
Some Jewish leaders yesterday voiced concern about Democratic nominee-to-be John Kerry's 1997 description of Yasser Arafat as a "statesman" and his conflicting comments on Israel's security fence.
The Post reported Kerry praised Arafat's "transformation from outlaw to statesman" in a 1997 book, although he told Jewish leaders last week in New York that he now agrees with President Bush that Arafat must be isolated.

"By 1997, we knew that Arafat had done nothing to change the promotion of hatred and murder of Jews in Palestinian Authority media and refused to outlaw Hamas and Islamic Jihad," said Mort Klein, head of the Zionist Organization of America.

"In 1997, to have said that is really shocking," Klein added.

Sen. Norman Coleman (R-Minn.), speaking on behalf of the Bush campaign, yesterday denounced Kerry's remarks on Arafat, saying: "Yasser Arafat has been a terrorist from the beginning to the middle to the end."

But American Jewish Congress President Jack Rosen said many people were wrong about Arafat in 1997, adding he's more concerned that Kerry told Arab-Americans that Israel's security fence is a barrier to peace while defending it to Jews. ("JEWS WARY OF DEM'S ARA-FLATTERY", By DEBORAH ORIN, The New York Post)


I would have to agree with Mr. Rosen that Kerry's 1997 statement is not so different from similar sentiments expressed at the time by both Democrats and Republicans. It is indeed his more recent musings on Israel which give me the willies.

posted by William @ 3/09/2004 09:16:33 AM  

Lieberman's next gig:
It’s not exactly the White House, but would Joseph Lieberman consider taking over one of America’s premier Jewish organizations? Officials at the World Jewish Congress say Lieberman’s name has been raised in talks about leadership changes.

In addition, sources in the Jewish federation world say Lieberman has been mentioned as a possible successor to Stephen Hoffman, who is due to step down in June as president and CEO of the United Jewish Communities, the federation umbrella organization.

.... In some ways, it would be the inverse of the experience of Frank Lautenberg, who served as chairman of the United Jewish Appeal in the 1970s before going on to become a senator from New Jersey. ... (JTA, Feb. 5)

posted by William @ 3/09/2004 08:33:54 AM  

Monday, March 08, 2004

Jews in odd places: France: According to Roger Cukierman, president of the CRIF umbrella organization of French Jews, France sucks for Jews.

Jews in France are living “in a time of malaise,” Cukierman told more than 800 guests at the group’s annual dinner in February. Cukierman’s speech, given in the presence of Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and dozens of leaders from across France’s political spectrum, detailed in alarming terms what has become the norm at such events in recent years — a catalog of violence against Jewish individuals and community institutions.

“A simple meeting on the street, traveling on public transport or just a glance” often can lead to insults and physical violence for French Jews, Cukierman said. His use of the term “malaise” is what has characterized the state of the largest Jewish community in Europe. Even if reported acts of anti-Semitism have dropped in 2003, the feelings of uncertainty clearly are going to take a long time to disappear.

posted by William @ 3/08/2004 08:52:28 AM