Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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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...
The Kinneret Council on Aging provided a Passover seder for the residents of Kinneret Apartments that was shared with family, friends and area youth. The seder was celebrated on the second night of Passover with over 50 participants. Partnering with the event was Central Florida Hillel, as well as KCOA staff and volunteers who provided table service that made each resident feel both special and appreciated. Dinner was provided by Kosher Central out of South Florida. "The seder provided our...
(JNS)—As American society has become more polarized in recent years, the debate over gun control has reflected this reality, with leaders and lawmakers on both sides firmly entrenched in their positions. Yet the recent school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which left 17 dead—14 of them teenagers—has transcended the usual debate on gun control as an entire new generation, fed up with violence in their schools, has launched a social movement for change. While school shootings seem to be a uniquely American phe...
In a Twitter post on Wednesday, former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani stated that Israelis have a right to live in their own land, The Jerusalem Post reported. “...Israelis have a right to live in their land in peace and safety, this is my conviction. I’ve had this conviction for many long years, and I still do,” Hamad wrote in Arabic, the Post said. Hamad also called on Qatari leaders to improve its relationship with other countries in the region. “What we need now in our Gulf,” he said, “is to advise each other...
In an interview by Jeffrey Goldberg published Monday in The Atlantic, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said Israelis have a right to their own land. Apparently pushing for a two-state solution, he said, “I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land. But we have to have a peace agreement to assure the stability for everyone and to have normal relations.” Ties between Israel and the Gulf states have improved over the past year, triggered by the common Iranian threat. “We have religious conce...
Amid uncertainty over the future direction of US policy in Syria, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley issued a stinging rebuke on Wednesday to President Bashar al-Assad’s regime over its continued use of chemical weapons. “We must not forget that while we sit here debating chemical weapons, there are people on the front lines in Syria who are facing the terrifying reality of those heinous weapons,” Haley declared at a meeting of the UN Security Council marking the first anniversary of the massacre at Khan Sheikhoun in northwestern Syria...
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially canceled an agreement made with the United Nations that would have relocated thousands of African asylum seekers to Western countries. The cancellation on Tuesday afternoon came a day after the agreement was first announced and hours after the prime minister said he would freeze the deal in order to consult with members of his government coalition as well as the residents of southern Tel Aviv, where many of the migrants live. “In the past 24 hours, I have held many con...
(JTA)—When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walked back an agreement with the United Nations last week to resettle abroad at least half of the African migrants seeking asylum in his country, it did not play well with the majority of Israelis. But don’t assume that means the public wants the migrants to stay in Israel, pollsters warn. While most knocked Netanyahu for a lack of leadership, the Israeli public overwhelmingly rejects the idea of granting residency to all or most of the migrants. “They are not ready to have 40,000 peopl...
Clarence Thomas’ wife says Jews ‘gave up their firearms to Hitler’ WASHINGTON (JTA)—The wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas shared a Facebook post blaming the Holocaust in part on gun control and attacking survivors of the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The post was one of several identified by The Hill on Monday as posted by Virginia Thomas. They registered strong disagreement with gun control while criticizing the survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High shooting in February that killed 17 students and faculty...
(JNS)-Ahead of Israel's 70th birthday in May, longtime Harvard University law professor, attorney and author Alan Dershowitz announced that he is donating an ambucycle to Israel's volunteer medic organization, United Hatzalah, in honor of his 80th birthday. JNS interviewed Mr. Dershowitz about this gift and to hear his thoughts on Israel at 70-and what the next seven decades might look like. Q: What prompted you and your friends to donate an ambucycle to United Hatzalah for Israel's 70th? A:...
