Week of November 29, 2024
Week of November 29, 2024
Greece, Israel in talks to develop $2 billion ‘Iron Dome’ By JNS Staff (JNS) — Greece is negotiating with Israel to develop a 2 billion euro ($2.11 billion) anti-aircraft and missile defense similar to Israel’s highly successful Iron Dome, according to Israeli and Greek officials. The talks, which were first reported by Reuters last week, come as multiple countries around the world have voiced interest in purchasing the Israeli missile defense system, which has won international accolades for its performance during Israel’s war...
(JNS) - The Emirati interior ministry announced that it has arrested "the three perpetrators involved in the murder of Zvi Kogan, a Moldovan national according to his identification documents at the time of entry into the UAE, where he lived as a resident." The Emirati Ministry of Interior then confirmed on Monday, Nov. 25, that the three suspects arrested for the murder of Chabad-Lubavitch emissary Rabbi Zvi Kogan are Uzbek nationals. Security authorities identified the suspects as Olimpi...
(JNS) — U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Saturday threatened to sanction America’s allies if they sought to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. “To any ally—Canada, Britain, Germany, France—if you try to help the ICC, we’re going to sanction you,” Graham said in an interview with Fox News. The U.S. “should crush [their] economy, because we’re next,” he continued. The ICC on Thursday issued arrest...
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant based on allegations that they starved Palestinian civilians in Gaza during Israel’s war against Hamas. The court on Thursday also issued an arrest warrant against Mohammed Deif, the Hamas military chief whose death has been reported but is not confirmed. The Hague-based court’s pre-trial chamber decided to issue the warrants based on a recommendation in May by its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan. The...
(JNS) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told lawmakers at the Knesset in Jerusalem that outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden’s advice on how to handle the wars with Iran and its terrorist proxies across the region was often incorrect, and that Jerusalem had opted to “follow our own view.” Following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border massacre from the Gaza Strip, Washington “suggested that we not go in on the ground,” he said during a 40-signature debate, which opposition lawmakers can call once a month and in which the...
(JTA) - Pam Bondi, who President-elect Donald Trump has tapped to be his attorney general, said last year that campus protesters who express support for Hamas should face FBI questioning. Trump named Bondi, who served as Florida attorney general from 2011 to 2019, on Nov. 21. The nomination came after his first pick, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew following meetings with Republican senators, who apparently made clear that allegations of sexual predation and drug use, which he has...
(JNS) — The decision to extend Israeli sovereignty to Judea and Samaria is one “for Israel to make,” according to Mike Huckabee, who was tapped by President-elect Donald Trump last week for the post of U.S. ambassador to Israel. Speaking to Israel National News on Nov. 15, the former Arkansas governor said that the decision is not one the United States will impose. “I don’t think Donald Trump is the kind of president that wants to tell other countries what to do and how to do it. He wants to accommodate, help, encourage peaceful...
(JNS) — The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire on Wednesday morning, citing its failure to condition a halt in hostilities directly to the release of the hostages. “We could not support an unconditional ceasefire that failed to release the hostages,” Robert Wood, deputy U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the council. Wood accused Hamas—and not Israel—of blocking a negotiated ceasefire and cited Israel’s reference for a temporary ceasefire and a phased...
(JNS) — The final two months of the Biden administration may see diplomatic actions taken against Israel, although the White House has neither confirmed nor denied assessments on the issue. One scenario could see the administration consider approving a United Nations Security Council resolution that would target Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria, reminiscent of Resolution 2334 passed in 2016 during the Obama administration’s transition period. A report by Israel Hayom on Tuesday cited an American source close to the Biden...
(JNS) — Several Democratic senators told JNS on Wednesday night that the significant number of their colleagues who voted for an Israeli arms embargo weren’t representative of the party. Republicans in the upper chamber said the figure—up to 19 on one measure—represented the Democrats’ abandonment of a key ally. Asked how decisive an issue the votes on the three resolutions of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), which would have banned the transfer of certain categories of weapons to Israel, were for his party, Cory Booker (D-N. J.) said,...
(JNS) — A poll of Jewish voters in the 2024 election suggests that President-elect Donald Trump made modest gains among Jews over his Democratic opponent Vice President Kamala Harris. The non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute published the responses from a national survey of 1,000 Jewish respondents taken between Oct. 30 and Nov. 8. It found that 71 percent of Jewish voters went for Harris and 26 percent voted for Trump. “Jewish voters continue to support Democratic candidates by a substantial margin, while Republicans have made modest...
(JNS) — Jewish patients coming to the University of California, San Francisco for medical care are hiding their identity, a senior faculty member at the school told the Washington Free Beacon. The professor added that the public school has “contributed to an erosion of professionalism” and a “loss of the centering of the patient-physician relationship” with its activist teaching, per the Free Beacon. The publication reported that a required, six-week medical “justice and advocacy” workshop taught that an anti-Israel protest on...
(JNS) — The Biden administration announced a new round of sanctions against three Israeli entities and three individuals, pursuant to the president’s Feb. 1, 2024 Executive Order 14115, which targets Israelis accused of undermining “the foreign policy objectives of the United States.” Per the U.S. Department of State and in accordance with the E.O., “All property and interests in property of the designated persons described that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to...
(JNS) — The Knesset’s Economic Affairs Committee will convene on Monday to discuss a request made by airline companies to amend the Aviation Services Law so they can resume their flights to and from Israel. In the wake of Israel’s more than year-long war on its southern and northern borders, a host of foreign airlines suspended flights to the Jewish state, sharply cutting options for travelers and leading to higher prices for seats on local carriers. Airline companies complained that the law is causing them great losses, through no...
(JNS) — Jewish teens involved in Jewish camps, schools and other programming are more likely to hold positive views of Israel and less likely to harbor negative sentiments about the conflict, according to a new study. The global survey of teens aged 14-18 was conducted by Mosaic United, an initiative of Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Of the 1,600 responses collected, half were disqualified for various reasons. The final sample consisted of 80 percent American...
Recently, I graduated with my master’s degree. The experience, while rewarding, came with a hefty price tag — about $25,000. At the time, I thought, “Whew, education is an expensive investment.” But I quickly realized that for many of us, the true value of education is not just in the cost, but in the curriculum itself. After graduation, I, like many new college graduates, found myself entering the job market. After six years of college and 12 years of grade school, I thought I’d finally escaped the classroom. But, as life often...
(JNS) — Israel’s detractors believe that America’s unwavering support for Israel is driven by the mythologically omnipotent “Jewish lobby.” The truth is it is the Arab lobby, entrenched within the deep state, which has been adversely affecting U.S. policy since the discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia in the 1930s. The Arabists fought first to prevent the establishment of Israel, then to strangle the nascent state at birth, and ever since, have sought to drive a wedge between the two countries despite their shared values and interests....
(JNS) — Rolling Stone, a magazine once renowned for its solid investigative journalism, is planning to publish a reckless, unsubstantiated attack on two of my heroic sons serving in the Israel Defense Forces. Doing so is not just journalistic negligence but a grotesque blood libel and a nauseating, stomach-turning display of antisemitism. Rolling Stone is legitimizing the Hind Rajab Foundation, a minuscule joke of an organization that claims to represent Palestinian interests. The foundation, which has fewer than 1,000 followers on social...
(JNS) — One of my favorite stories of the Jewish American experience begins in the early days of Hollywood. Jewish immigrants, newly rich from the success of their movie studios, were denied entry to Los Angeles’s elite country clubs. So, of course, they built their own. Shortly after the Hillcrest Country Club was opened in 1920, oil was discovered on the club’s grounds. As a result, among Hollywood’s elite, the Jews were the only ones whose club paid them for their membership. Today, we face a growing list of entities that—openly...
(JNS) — Before the first Trump administration upended nearly every piece of common knowledge about the Middle East, figures like former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry set the tone. In its relentless pursuit of a peace process that would end the Israel-Palestinian conflict—viewing Israeli concessions as the key to peace in the entire region—that tone was often quite negative. As in, “No, no, no and no,” Kerry’s infamous conclusion about the possibility of Israel reaching out to its other Arab neighbors. Trapped in a mindset...
(JNS) — It was an ideal opportunity to get opinions and reactions, and elicit what they think and feel beyond their words. After all, people from all over the world flock to Las Vegas for this specific market. But it wasn’t just any universal gathering of people coming to buy and sell their wares; it was the annual American Film Market. The movie industry. An industry that carries exceptional weight and influence on vast, diverse audiences. Despite being part of that industry years ago, I was now writing about it from a specific Jewish...
(New York Jewish Week) - In the new comic book, "We Are Brooklyn: Stories of Hope," Francil Tejada shares her story about the Dominican Republic, where she was born, and the death of her grandmother, which inspired her to change how she connects with people and shows love. It's a personal story, a Brooklyn story and an American story - one of six being told through an anti-hate project initiated by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York. Others tell stories about an imam's trip to...
(JNS) - Thrown into a tank after being riddled with seven bullets in Gaza, the 23-year-old Israeli soldier kept his hand on his mortally wounded Dutch Shepherd through the entire ride to the hospital, even as he drifted into unconsciousness. "I kept hoping that he was OK even as I felt my organs were popping out of my body," Ben Ladany told JNS in an interview in Herzliya on Wednesday of his beloved IDF counter-terrorism dog, Jack. For the next two months, Ladany lay in an induced comatose at...
*A glimpse of Jewish Italy Thanks to a wonderful tour director, a great itinerary, and perfect weather, our recent trip to Italy was all that we had hoped for and more. We stayed in medieval buildings that had been converted to hotels, drove the stunning Amalfi coast, made our way through the Coliseum, tread over the ancient streets in Pompeii, enjoyed wine tasting in Umbria and Tuscany, climbed numerous stairs to churches and bell towers, and rode on a gondola in Venice. We enjoyed fabulous...
Part I (JTA) - In 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius erupted in southern Italy, burying the nearby Roman city of Pompeii in scalding stone and ash. The catastrophe famously entombed, and preserved, the city's villas, workshops, and a gladiator barracks known as the Caserma dei Gladiatori. Excavators first unearthed the barracks in the late 1700s. Among the ruins they found a bronze helmet, with a circular brim, a griffin rising from its crest, and on its forehead, a palm tree - then a symbol tied to Jews in...
(JNS) - On several recent flights in the United States, I was rather surprised, and somewhat bemused, to see full-page ads in the airline magazines for a matchmaking service. In fact, there was more than one such service being advertised. Who would believe that in the sophisticated 21st-century, old Yente-the matchmaker from "Fiddler on the Roof"-is being resurrected? "Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch." Oh, the ad was very slick and professional, but...
Most comfortable in jeans and a polo shirt in his younger years and casual slacks and button-down shirts later in life, Harris Rosen's appearance might not have been the image of a wealthy hotelier and philanthropist, but it did reflect the soft-spoken and unassuming man he was. The Central Florida community lost this "hotel titan" on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, when he passed away surrounded by his family and friends. Frank Santos, Rosen Hotels and Resorts vice president, released the following...
Yvette Lubitz Blum, aged 93½, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by immediate family and song on Nov. 9, 2024, in Orlando, Florida. Born on May 29, 1931, Yvette dedicated over six decades of her life to the field of dental hygiene, significantly impacting many through her profession and volunteer work. A graduate of Ohio State University College of Dental Hygiene, she was not only a committed dental hygienist but also a mentor and pioneer, instrumental in founding the Life Member group of the Florida Dental Hygienist Association....
Submitted by the family It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Dr. Bob Faber at the age of 80, on Nov. 6, 2024, following a long-fought battle with cancer. Bob was a loving husband to Pat, a devoted father to Lisa and Ben, and a cherished grandfather to Reeve and Frances. He found immense joy in his family, always sharing his love and wisdom. Bob attended undergraduate school at the University of Florida and went on to attend two years of medical school in Guadalajara, Mexico....
Mr. David W. Popick, Esq, 83, Fern Park, Florida passed away Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at Advent Health Hospice following a brief illness. Mr. Popick was born Jan. 31, 1941, in New York City, New York to the late Jacob and Ruth (Waldman) Popick. Mr. Popick grew up in Miami Beach, Florida and was a graduate of the University of Miami and the University of Florida. After graduating law school he practiced in Coral Gables, Florida before moving to Winter Park, Florida in 1982. He regularly attended Congregation of Ohev Shalom. Mr. Popick is...
Mr. Gregory (Greg) Ross, 74, Lake Mary, Florida passed away peacefully Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, with his family at his side at Orlando Health, South Seminole Hospital following a brief illness. Mr. Ross was born March 31, 1950, in New York City, New York to the late Robert and Marie (Forster) Ross. Mr. Ross moved to the Central Florida area in 1993 from New York as a retired respiratory therapist with Winnie Palmer Hospital. Mr. Ross is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Marilyn (Weinstein) Ross of Lake Mary, Florida; son; Eric (Jaime)...
MORNING MINYANS Chabad of South Orlando — Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. and 10 minutes before sunset; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 8:15 a.m., 407-354-3660. Congregation Ahavas Yisrael — Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-644-2500. Congregation Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Daytona — Monday, 8 a.m.; Thursday, 8 a.m., 904-672-9300. Congregation Ohev Shalom — Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-298-4650. GOBOR Community Minyan at Jewish Academy of Orlando — Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Temple Israel — Sunday,...
