Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 673 - 697 of 2213
AMSTERDAM (JTA)-The debate about wearing a kippah in Western Europe returned only a decade or so ago, but it has nonetheless come to follow a rigid pattern even in that short period of time. The cycle-there have been dozens of such cases-begins with an anti-Semitic assault. It prompts a Jewish community official to warn congregants not to wear the Jewish skullcap in a certain area or at certain periods to avoid inviting further violent attacks. This triggers a wave of indignation that often exce...
(JTA)—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acknowledged that the United States has known “for a while” about Israel’s cache of stolen documents concerning the Iranian nuclear program. Pompeo told reporters on the airplane traveling from Jordan to Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C., that he had been aware of the existence of the documents, and that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had discussed them when they met in Tel Aviv on Sunday. “I know there are people talking about these documents not being authentic...
Although many couples have often wondered what the results would mean for their future family if they discover the devastating reality that they are carriers for severe genetic diseases, new pathways now can lead these couples to start healthy families. Expanded genetic screening, best done before pregnancy, can test for hundreds of disease genes. Most couples get reassuring results. But for those who don’t, there are now life changing options to start the healthy family desired by millions. New options supported by JScreen and the Jewish F...
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump to attend Jerusalem embassy opening WASHINGTON (JTA)—The official White House delegation for the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will include President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, as well as Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. Kushner heads up the team seeking to restart Israeli-Palestinian talks Other members of his team—Jason Greenblatt, the lead negotiator, and David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel—will also be present for the ceremony on May 14, the 70th an...
(JNS)-The death toll from flash floods that hit a group of teenage hikers in southern Israel Thursday rose from nine to 10 after a body found overnight was identified as the last missing teen Friday morning. The ten victims, nine girls and one boy of around 18 years old, were killed during a field trip Thursday during flash floods that pummeled Israel. A group of 25 students, ages 17 and 18, who were accepted to the Bnei Tzion pre-military academy in Tel Aviv for the coming year, were hiking in...
In a US State Department annual report on human rights, the controversial term "occupied" was largely eliminated in references to various territories in and adjacent to Israel. While the term "occupied" had been used in such reports since the Carter administration, the 2017 version drops this term, which is generally used pejoratively to criticize Israeli policy following military victories through which the Jewish state acquired control of various territories. Whereas previous publications of...
(JNS)-The U.S. Senate easily confirmed Mike Pompeo as secretary of state on Thursday, elevating the former CIA director as the nation's top diplomat amid a slew of foreign-policy challenges. In a 57-42 vote, which included several moderate Democrats, Senate lawmakers moved quickly to confirm Pompeo, aware that the new secretary of state faces a number of serious international issues, including whether or not to remain in the Iran nuclear deal, tensions with Russia, the breaking of ice with...
Liviu Dragnea, the chairman of the Social Democratic Party who effectively runs the Romanian government, said in a television interview late Thursday that the government had decided to move the nation’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. His statement coincided with Israel’s 70th Independence Day celebrations. On Friday, President Klaus Iohannis, who is in charge of Romania’s foreign policy, said he hadn’t been informed and that the decision lacked “a solid... base.” However, he said such a decision could be made “after a deep analysis which t...
(JNS)—As part of the May 14 ceremony to mark the official opening of the US Embassy, a mezuzah will be affixed to the embassy building. According to a Channel 20 report, organizers decided on the unusual move of holding a religious ceremony to install the mezuzah as a gesture to Israel and following the recommendation of US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. At a special event to mark the 70th anniversary of Israel’s founding at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem on Monday, Friedman said he sees Jerusalem as a religious pla...
LONDON (JTA)-Keith Walker was having a sandwich in Parliament Square when he saw something that made him sit up straight and cut short his lunch. What did the 42-year-old activist for disabled people's rights find so fascinating? It was three billboards on wheels that circled around the square for several long minutes last week during one of its busiest days of the year. They carried text accusing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn of tolerating anti-Semitism in the party. Inspired by the...
‘Iran lied big time’ about nuclear program, Netanyahu says in describing secret files JERUSALEM (JTA)—“Iran lied big time” about the nature of its nuclear program, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Netanyahu on Monday evening unveiled copies of half a ton of material that make up part of what he identified as Iran’s secret nuclear files. He first delivered his presentation in English in an effort to reach the widest possible audience. The files, which the Israeli leader calls “new conclusive proof of Iran’s secret nuclear weapons...
KRAKOW, Poland (JTA)-At one of Poland's plushest synagogues, leaders of this city's small but vibrant Jewish community welcomed visitors from around the world to a celebration of what the hosts call their minority's "revival" in this country. The occasion for the party Sunday at Tempel Synagogue was the 10th anniversary of the adjacent Jewish Community Center of Krakow, located in the heart of the city's historic Jewish quarter, Kazimierz. Since its opening in 2008, the three-story building,...
Jason Greenblatt, President Donald Trump’s Special Representative for International Negotiations, hit back Friday after being accused of automatically “repeat[ing] Israeli talking points” while “omitting any word of condemnation” of Israeli forces at the Gaza border fence, where daily violence orchestrated by Hamas has been ongoing. Chief Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat had leveled these highly critical accusations at Greenblatt and the American administration in a letter sent to all foreign diplomats in Ramallah last week. Not...
(JNS)—The Iron Dome missile-defense system has been voted the winner of Israel’s Ministry of Economy and Industry contest ranking of the greatest Israeli inventions of all time, in honor of Israel’s 70th Independence Day. In the first stage of the competition, 70 Israel inventions were listed and then whittled down to the top nine by 52,000 participants. In the second stage, some 63,000 online participants had to choose the single greatest Israeli invention. In first place among the top nine came the Iron Dome missile-defense system; follo...
Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) released its traditional statistics report on the citizens of Israel in honor of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, which is celebrated this year on Wednesday night and Thursday. Israel boasts 8,842,000 citizens, more than 10 times as many as the 806,000 at the time of the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. On Israel’s 100th birthday, in 2048, the CBS estimate that Israel’s population will grow to about 15 million citizens. According to CBS projections, Israel’s population will surp...
AMSTERDAM (JTA)—When Barry Vingerling asked his employers at the Anne Frank House whether it was okay for him to start coming to work wearing a kippah, he did it mostly as a courtesy. “I hadn’t expected this to be an issue,” Vingerling, 25, told the Dutch-Jewish NIW weekly in an interview. “I work at the house of Anne Frank, who had to hide because of her identity. Should I have to hide mine in that same house?” His bosses’ answer to this question appeared to be “yes.” Suggesting at first that he wear a hat on top of his skullcap, they di...
Plenty of mazel tovs to go around on birth of #RoyalBaby (JTA)—Although the British royal family presumably does not speak a word of Hebrew, there were plenty of mazel tovs to go around after the announcement that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, aka Prince William and Kate Middleton, welcomed the arrival of a baby boy. The baby born Monday is the third child for the royal couple and will be fifth in line for the throne. “Mazal Tov it’s a boy!” the United Kingdom’s embassy in Israel posted on Twitter in both English and Hebrew, along wit...
(ISRAEL21c)-Take a journey through the last 70 years to discover how Israel has become one of the most creative and innovative countries in the world. Israel was founded on May 14, 1948. In the Hebrew calendar, it was 5 Iyar, 5708 (which is on April 20 this year). • Israel is founded a few hours before the British Mandate is due to expire. Eleven minutes later, the United States becomes the first country to recognize the Jewish state when it grants Israel de facto recognition. On May 15, E...
(JNS)-The recent missile strike on a military airbase deep in the central Syrian desert looks like the latest installment in a long-standing Israeli campaign to police its red lines against highly dangerous developments to its north. Usually, such strikes are driven by incoming intelligence of threatening activity underway in Syria-activity that breaches Jerusalem's ban on Iran from constructing military bases in Syria, from setting up weapons factories there and from using Syria as a transit zo...
JERUSALEM (JTA)—The latest alleged chemical attack on a town in Syria by government forces shows that the international organizations established after the Holocaust to prevent genocides have failed, a Yad Vashem official said. Avner Shalev, chairman of the Holocaust memorial and museum in Jerusalem, also condemned the indifference of the world community to such “crimes against humanity.” “In light of the horrific images emanating from Syria over recent days of the mass killings of civilians, including children, in the chemical attack, it woul...
(JTA)-Israel attacked Syria, just like it (reportedly) has countless times before. The difference now is that Russia is angry about the strike-and showing it. Russia has called out Israel publicly, condemned the attack and summoned the Israeli ambassador to "discuss developments." The alleged strike, which the Israeli government has not acknowledged, came soon after a Syrian chemical weapons attack on civilians. But the two attacks might not be connected. Here's a quick rundown of why Israel is...
The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, came to America last week to meet with President Trump, Secretary of Defense Mattis, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, and other top U.S. officials. With the focus on Qatar, this is thus, the appropriate time to announce the following. The Zionist Organization of America and its president, Morton Klein, are proud and pleased to announce that it was through ZOA's and Klein's efforts, that Qatar agreed to cancel and not allow the release of a...
Madoff victims to receive $500 million more in relief (JTA)—The Madoff Victim Fund began distributing $504 million in funds to victims of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. The funds, whose distribution began on Thursday, will be sent to over 21,000 Madoff victims around the world, according to a statement by the Justice Department. The distribution is the second in a series of payments that will eventually return over $4 billion to Madoff victims. “In one of the most notorious and unconscionable financial crimes in history, Bernie Madoff robbe...
(JNS)-If you've ever been in Israel for Yom Hazikaron-the Memorial Day for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the Jewish homeland-chances are you will never forget it. Even if you somehow miss the official ceremonies honoring the fallen, there's no way to sleep through the siren sounding across the Jewish state at 8 p.m. and then again at 11 the next morning. At that moment, Israelis everywhere freeze in mid-air-mid-bank deposit, mid-math lesson, mid-email or mid-carpool-while traffic...
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (JTA)-At a windswept harbor of this Nordic capital, a bearded man wearing a black hat dips eating utensils into the icy water while hissing from pain induced by the bitter cold. Perplexed by the spectacle, a caretaker helpfully offers to let the man and his three companions use a washing basin to clean their dishes instead of precariously bending over the freezing water. "Thank you, but we need to do it in the sea," one of the men, 27-year-old Avi Feldman of New York, tells...
