Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JTA)—At least two gunmen opened fire on a synagogue during Yom Kippur services and a kebab shop in Halle, a town in eastern Germany. The shooters reportedly were from the far right. The masked gunmen reportedly were repelled by the synagogue’s doors, secured shut during the services Wednesday on the most solemn day of the Jewish year. There were 70 to 80 people in the synagogue at the time of the attack. One of the gunmen shot a woman dead at a nearby Jewish cemetery and a gunman threw a grenade at the kebab shop, and then fired at it, kil... Full story
(JTA)-The identity of the German synagogue attacker may have sounded familiar to American Jews, who have endured multiple attacks by far-right extremists over the past year. But the suspect's identity was more surprising for Jews in Western Europe. The murder of two people in Halle on Yom Kippur was the first lethal anti-Semitic assault in decades in that region by a far-right extremist. Most of the terrorist attacks against Jews there over the past 30 years have been carried out by radical... Full story
(JNS)—Jewish and pro-Israel groups reacted unfavorably to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision on Sunday evening to withdraw U.S. forces from northeast Syria, ahead of an expected invasion by Turkey against Kurdish forces. The White House announced the withdrawal on Sunday, following a call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, eliciting alarm from the Syrian Kurds, whom Erdogan considers to be terrorists. Trump’s decision was also met with bipartisan condemnation, including from U.S. House Speak... Full story
(JNS)—A major Swedish political party has voted to change its official stance in favor of banning circumcision. The Swedish Centre Party tally at its annual meeting was 314-166, overturning the 18-member party board’s unanimous rejection of the proposal. The vote was criticized by party chief Annie Loof. The party has 31 of the 349 seats in the parliament. It currently backs the left-wing bloc, though it’s not officially part of the coalition. Both the Jewish and Muslim communities expressed outrage over the vote. “The Swedish Centre Party’s de... Full story
Hundreds of etrogs held up at airport in England over new import regulations By Marcy Oster (JTA)—Hundreds of etrogs, the citron fruit used for the holiday of Sukkot, were seized at an airport in England. The Animal and Plant Health Agency held up the shipment at the Manchester Airport under new and stricter regulations on the import of citrus fruit. Etrog importers were unaware of the new rules, the London-based Jewish Chronicle reported. The Board of Deputies of British Jews worked with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affai... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)—The Jewish Telegraphic Agency has launched a Hebrew-language website and syndication service aimed at the Israeli public. The service features original Hebrew articles and videos with Hebrew translations of items published in English by JTA and adapted for Israeli audiences. JTA’s new Hebrew news site is www.jtahebrew.com. The goal is to inform the Israeli public about Diaspora Jews and Jewish issues, and to use news items, feature stories and videos to increase Israelis’ understanding of Diaspora Jewry. Jewish communal leade... Full story
(JNS)-When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Sochi in Russia last month to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the event turned into a political football back in Israel. Seizing on the fact that Netanyahu was made to wait for almost three hours to see Putin (allegedly because the Russian leader was late returning from an event in Dagestan), Netanyahu's political rival, Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman, stated on Sept. 13 that "in Russia, nothing happens by chance... Full story
Broward County, Florida commission passes anti-Israel boycott resolution By Marcy Oster (JTA)—A county commission in southeastern Florida unanimously passed a resolution opposing the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel. The Broward County Commission passed the resolution at a meeting on Sept. 24. The commission said in the four-page resolution that it “opposes the BDS movement targeting Israel, including all efforts to delegitimize the state of Israel and efforts to target United States companies that are engaged in legal... Full story
(JTA)—Two reports of anti-Semitic bullying at schools in Australia are receiving widespread media coverage. A photo that allegedly shows a 12-year-old Jewish student being forced to kneel to kiss the shoes of a Muslim classmate was circulated on social media. The incident occurred at the Cheltenham Secondary College in the town of Cheltenham, a Melbourne suburb, according to The Age, a Melbourne-based newspaper. The report did not make it clear if the Muslim boy’s religion had anything to do with the incident. A second incident took place at... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Explosions earlier this week at two Hamas police checkpoints in Gaza City left three policemen dead. But it wasn’t Israel that planted the explosives, as many might have suspected. Hamas says it was Islamic State suicide bombers. A day after the deadly attacks, Hamas began mass arrests of supporters of Islamic State and other Salafist organizations in the Gaza Strip. It’s not the first time that Hamas and members of the Islamic State, or ISIS, have clashed in recent years. Israel and the United States consider both Hamas and I... Full story
‘Seinfeld’ will move to Netflix in 2021 By Ben Sales (JTA)—Starting in 2021, Netflix will officially be the master of the “Seinfeld” domain. The iconic “show about nothing,” whose episodes are currently available to stream on Hulu, will move to Netflix the year after next. It will stay on Netflix for five years. The move comes after Netflix lost the rights to two other mega-hits that aired on NBC, “The Office” and “Friends.” But Netflix negotiated with Sony, which owns “Seinfeld,” and—yada, yada, yada—the deal was struck. Netflix also streams... Full story
(Chabad.org)—As Hurricane Dorian was unleashing its unimaginable devastation on the Bahamas earlier this week, Rabbi Sholom and Sheera Bluming, co-directors of Chabad of the Bahamas, hunkered down in the capital city of Nassau, making phone calls to residents, galvanizing the community, coordinating with government aid officials and rallying volunteers during their country’s time of need. After pummeling the islands for two days with winds in excess of 180 miles per hour and rain pouring down by the inches, Dorian moved on. At least 30 people h... Full story
(ISRAEL21c)-Michal Bar, head of emergency operations for Israeli humanitarian NGOIsraAID, doesn't mince her words. "The level of destruction is shocking," she says. "Since we arrived in the Bahamas last week, we have visited communities in both affected regions-the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Islands," Bar told ISRAEL21c. "In Abaco there are about 17,000 affected people and in Grand Bahama there are about 50,000. People here are waiting for information and for relief." Bar is leading a... Full story
(JTA)-The Israel-based humanitarian group IsraAID, B'nai B'rith International and Chabad are among those pitching in to help the Bahamas in the wake of Hurricane Dorian's devastation, which has killed at least 20 people. "We are in the midst of a historic tragedy in parts of the northern Bahamas," Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said at a news conference Tuesday, adding the "devastation is unprecedented and extensive." The hurricane stalled over Grand Bahama Island for nearly two days, leaving... Full story
(JNS)-"We are not strangers in Hebron, and we will stay here forever!" were the climactic remarks made on Wednesday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an official state ceremony at the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs in Hebron commemorating the 90th anniversary of the 1929 Jewish massacre. Netanyahu also said that he was proud that his government approved dozens of additional housing units last year for Jewish residents of the ancient city. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Anti-aircraft missiles were fired from Lebanon at an Israeli military base and at military vehicles. “There are a number of confirmed hits,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on Sunday afternoon. It later confirmed that a military ambulance and a military post were hit, but that there were no casualties. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also serves as defense minister, spoke about the incident late Sunday afternoon at a news conference to mark the opening of Honduras’ diplomatic office in Jerusalem. “We are... Full story
(JNS)-While many Israelis might already feel fatigued by the upcoming elections on Sept. 17, former justice minister Ayelet Shaked, who heads the newly formed right-wing Yamina Party, is both making history and surging in the polls. "I am the first female to head a right-wing political party in Israel's history," she told JNS. Heading a party that is polling consistently at 10 mandates, which would make it the fourth-largest party in the Knesset, Shaked has been very open about her nationalist... Full story
(JNS)—Jewish and pro-Israel community leaders and groups reacted to the White House announcement on Thursday that U.S. Middle East special envoy Jason Greenblatt plans to resign within the coming weeks. “Mr. Greenblatt has played a pivotal role over the last two years in strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship and in working on ways to seek a peaceful resolution of the conflict,” American Israel Public Affairs Committee spokesperson Marshall Wittmann told JNS. “We are grateful for his service to our country, and we wish him well in his fut... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will extend “Jewish sovereignty” over all communities in Judea and Samaria. He made the remarks Sunday to the new first graders on the first day of school at a national religious school in the Jewish settlement of Elkana, located in the northern West Bank, which is Samaria. “We will not uproot anyone here. There will be no more Gush Katif; there will be no more uprooting, and with G-d’s help we will apply Jewish sovereignty over all communities as part of the land of Israel an... Full story
To many, the term “Middle East peace” represents the impossible dream, if not the ultimate contradiction in terms. But there is a place in the region where Jews, Muslims and Christians meet peacefully every day on the basis of shared concerns and a sense of humanity. It’s not a country, though it is older than many of the nations in the vicinity. Nor is it a mirage, though the desert is within view. It’s the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. In the corridors, waiting areas, operating theaters, examination rooms, gardens and cafeter... Full story
(JTA)—As of this writing, Israel has not bombed Iran’s nuclear program. But according to an exposé in The New York Times that dropped Wednesday, it could still happen. And nearly did. The 10,000-word story details how close Israel came to attacking Iran, how Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush tried to deter the Israelis and what actually stopped the would-be bombing raid. It also tells the story of how President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and what that means for the future of the Iran-Israel-U.S. hate... Full story
In case you missed it, Israel will be holding national elections on Sept. 17. Yes, this is the second time this year. Hopefully the outcome will not be a stalemate like last time. Please enjoy this series of articles offering insight to perspectives beyond whether Bibi will be re-elected. These details are probably not understood overseas and ultimately, at least indirectly, is part of answering who will be Israel’s next prime minister. (For background about the electoral system from prior to the election in April, please feel free to c... Full story
Far-right Alternative for Germany party makes large gains in two state elections By Toby Axelrod (JTA)—The head of Germany’s Jewish community is urging democratic political parties to clearly distance themselves from the right-populist Alternative for Germany Party, which made large gains in two state elections. The anti-immigrant party, with some politicians who also have suggested that Germany is too obsessed with the Holocaust, achieved second place in elections Sunday in the former east German states of Brandenburg and Saxony, with 23.... Full story
(JNS)—The big news in Israel is not that Iran attempted to send kamikaze drones into Israeli territory last week or that Israel targeted that terrorist cell in Syria; these are not completely out of the ordinary or even unexpected. Rather, what was quite the unusual occurrence took place in central Israel when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered officials from the security establishment to brief his chief rival, former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, who serves as l... Full story
(JNS)-As the Sept. 17 elections draw here, a flurry of activity among the various political parties continues to be a game-changer. Israel is holding a second round after the April 9 elections because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government, mainly due to Knesset member Avigdor Lieberman's refusal to sit in a government with the ultra-Orthodox parties. Now, those same parties may prove the sleeper of the election and might provide Netanyahu with the 61 mandates... Full story
