Weekly roundup of world briefs

‘Schindler’s List’ waffle fries taken off Aussie restaurant’s menu

By Marcy Oster

(JTA)—A restaurant in Australia removed “Schindler’s List” waffle fries from its menu following a complaint by a Jewish customer.

The manager of The Arc at Nobbys, located on the Gold Coast of Australia’s eastern coast, apologized to the customer who brought the Holocaust-themed item to her attention on Friday, and said the restaurant would print new menus.

The “Schindler’s List” fries—at $15 an order—were one of several items on the menu named after blockbuster movies, The Daily Mail reported Monday. Other films referenced on the menu included “Pulp Fiction,” “The Terminator” and “The Godfather.”

“I cannot express how disturbed, uncomfortable and in plain shock we were both in after reading the menu,” said the customer, whom the The Daily Mail identified only as Lisa of Melbourne.

“The manager was apologetic after I had explained to her why the name of the dish is extremely offensive, and she assured me that it would be changed to something else,” she said.

She also lodged a complaint with Australia’s Anti-Defamation Commission. Its chairman, Dr. Dvir Abramovich, called the incident “hurtful and insensitive,” and said it would  “leave most gasping.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pledges to look into allegations of Jeremy Corbyn’s anti-Semitism

By Ron Kampeas

WASHINGTON (JTA)—Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told a Jewish writer that she would reach out to discuss allegations that Jeremy Corbyn, the British opposition leader, is anti-Semitic.

Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party, wrote Monday on Twitter that he had spoken with Ocasio-Cortez.

“Let’s build a movement across borders to take on the billionaires, polluters and migrant baiters, and support a happier, freer and cleaner planet,” he said.

The tyro lawmaker replied that the conversation was “lovely” and that she and Corbyn shared “a great hope in the peace, prosperity, and justice that everyday people can create when we uplift one another across class, race, and identity both at home and abroad.”

Elad Nehorai, a Brooklyn-based writer who explores Jewish themes, replied to Ocasio-Cortz, “I hope you’ll take a look at the amount of Jews trying to call attention to Corbyn’s long, documented history of anti-Semitism. The left’s blind spot in this regard can still be fixed. But we need leaders like yourself to listen.”

Ocasio-Cortez thanked Nehorai.

“We cannot and will not move forward without deep fellowship and leadership with the Jewish community,” she said. “I’ll have my team reach out.” She signed the tweet with a heart icon.

Some 85 percent of British Jews believe Corbyn, who has long associated with Palestinian radicals and in at least one case a Holocaust denier, is anti-Semitic and they say he is responsible for a hostile environment in a party that for over a century was a natural home for Jews.

Dozens protest Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall

By Marcy Oster

(JTA)—Dozens of protesters got the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s weeklong tour of the United States off on a sour note.

The demonstrators from Adalah-NY, the New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel, carried signs and chanted outside of Carnegie Hall in New York during a fundraising brunch on Sunday that was followed by a performance.

The signs read “BDS,” “Whitewash Apartheid Orchestra” and “Israel fiddles while Palestine burns.”

The orchestra is in the United States to play concerts in New York, Florida and Michigan.

Israel begins construction of 40-mile-long steel barrier to surround Gaza

By Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israel has begun construction on a 40-mile-long steel barrier that will surround the Gaza Strip in an effort to prevent terrorist infiltration.

The construction of the 20-foot-high barrier was announced Sunday by the Defense Ministry. The barrier is slated to be finished by the end of this year. It will connect to the new sea barrier being built by the Israeli army.

The barrier will have sensors to provide a warning if an infiltrator attempts to breach it. It sits atop a wall reaching several yards underground and is meant to prevent terror tunnels from being dug from Gaza into Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday called the barriers necessary to “prevent the infiltration of terrorists into our territory.”

Israeli study finds cannabis improves autism-related symptoms in teens

(JNS)—A new Israeli study shows that more than 80 percent of children with autism-related symptoms who took cannabis oil enjoyed moderate to significant improvement in their condition.

A six-month study at Ben-Gurion University in the Negev and Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva found that 30 percent of patients reported significant improvement and 53.7 percent of patients reported moderate improvement regarding symptoms such as seizures, tics, depression, restlessness and rage attacks after taking the cannabidiol-rich treatment with an addition of 1.5 percent THC on a regular basis.

The study, funded by medical marijuana firm Tikun Olam and titled “Real Life Experience of Medical Cannabis Treatment in Autism: Analysis of Safety and Efficacy,” tested 188 teenagers on the autism spectrum between 2015 and 2017.

After treatment concluded, 66.8 percent of patients said they had a good quality of life, compared to the 31.3% who identified their lives as such prior to the report, and 63.5 percent said they were in positive moods, as compared to 42 percent prior to the beginning of the study.

The authors lauded the success of the study and said they want to move on to double-blind placebo-controlled trials.

5 Palestinians arrested after crossing into Israel from Gaza

By Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Five Palestinians who crossed into Israel from Gaza were arrested and held for questioning.

The men were stopped by Israel Defense Forces soldiers at the security fence in southern Gaza on Sunday morning, the IDF said. They were carrying a variety of knives and a wire cutter. They were turned over to the Israel Security Agency for questioning.

They have not been identified, the Palestinian Maan news agency reported.

Earlier on Sunday morning, two Jordanian citizens were arrested after they entered Israel illegally. They were not carrying weapons. They also were turned over to the Israel Security Agency for questioning.

On Friday, about 10,000 Palestinians protested along the Gaza border with Israel. The demonstrations turned violent, with protesters burning tires and throwing rocks and explosives at Israeli soldiers. The soldiers responded with tear gas and live fire, injuring 23 Palestinian protesters.

Foul ball struck and killed Jewish woman at Dodger Stadium

By Marcy Oster

(JTA)—A California Jewish woman died four days after being hit in the head by a foul ball at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Linda Goldbloom, 79, died Aug. 29, ESPN reported Tuesday, citing a Los Angeles County coroner’s report. The incident had not been reported in the media.

Goldbloom, a mother of three and grandmother of seven, was a “true fan” of the Dodgers, her daughter said. She and her husband of 59 years, Erwin, had a 10-game season ticket plan for the past 10 years.

The coroner said the cause of death was “acute intracranial hemorrhage due to history of blunt force trauma” and cited Goldbloom being hit in the head with the ball at Dodger Stadium as the cause of the injury.

Though not reported by news outlets, the family said in an emailed death announcement, “While the end came suddenly by a foul ball at Dodgers (sic) Stadium, she had a long beautiful and blessed life.”

The accident happened in the top of the ninth inning during a game against the San Diego Padres, according to ESPN. Goldbloom was taken to the hospital and had emergency brain surgery. She was unconscious and on a respirator for three days before the family allowed her to be taken off, per wishes she had made known before the accident, according to the report.

Erwin Goldbloom turned down his chance for Dodgers postseason tickets and did not renew his subscription for 2019, according to the report.

“Mr. and Mrs. Goldbloom were great Dodgers fans who regularly attended games,” a team spokesman told ESPN. “We were deeply saddened by this tragic accident and the passing of Mrs. Goldbloom. The matter has been resolved between the Dodgers and the Goldbloom family. We cannot comment further on this matter.”

The family plans to establish a fund in her memory to assist victims of such accidents and their families.

‘The Band’s Visit’ to close in April

By Gabe Friedman

(JTA)—“The Band’s Visit,” a musical set in an Israeli village that won 10 Tony Awards last year, will end its Broadway run on April 7.

The New York Times reported that although the play was relatively successful on Broadway and has booked a national tour to begin in June, it failed to draw a large enough audience to sustain an “extended run.”

“[I]ts delicate tone and subtle story line proved a tough fit for brassy Broadway... where ticket-buyers are mostly tourists drawn to shows with more pizzazz or bigger brand names,” Michael Paulson wrote.

The show, which won the Tony for best musical, depicts an encounter between a group of Arab musicians and residents of a small fictional Israeli town, and drew rave reviews from critics. It was adapted from a 2007 Israeli film by Eran Kolirin.

Three of the show’s leads—Katrina Lenk, Tony Shalhoub and Ariel Stachel—won Tony Awards for their performances, in addition to its director, composer and book writer.

Likud Party members vote for Knesset candidate list ahead of April 9 elections

(JNS)—Likud Party members took to the polls on Monday to set the party’s Knesset list ahead of general elections on April 9.

The party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu puts 142 candidates in front of 120,000 registered members from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 113 polling stations across the country.

Each eligible voter is entitled to choose 12 representatives, who will be added to the list of spots picked by Netanyahu, district candidates, new immigrants and young candidates, and slots reserved for women.

Official results are expected to come in on Wednesday morning, after votes are counted at polling stations, and then again manually at Kfar Maccabiah.

Netanyahu and Putin to meet in Moscow on Iranian threat in Syria

By Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin later this month.

The Feb. 21 meeting is being billed as a follow-up to the November face-to-face the two leaders had in Paris. They will talk about Iranian efforts to establish a military presence in Syria, Netanyahu said in his announcement Tuesday during a meeting with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen.

“It’s very important that we continue to prevent Iran from entrenching in Syria,” Netanyahu said. “In many ways we’ve blocked that advance and we’re committed to continue blocking it, preventing Iran from creating another war front against us, right here opposite the Golan Heights. This is the main subject I will be discussing with President Putin.”

In September, Russia blamed Israel for the downing by Syria of a Russian reconnaissance aircraft following an alleged Israeli airstrike on a Syrian airbase near Latakia. Israel used the Russian plane as cover for its mission, Russia’s Ministry of Defense charged.

Israeli tank hits Hamas target in Gaza after rockets fired on southern Israel

By Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israeli tank fire struck a Hamas military position in Gaza following a rocket attack on Israel.

A rocket fired from Gaza landed in southern Israel late Wednesday night, triggering the Color Red alert system. A second alert was triggered minutes later but no rocket landed, leading to reports that it landed in Gaza territory. No one was reported injured in the attack.

About an hour later an Israeli tank struck the Hamas position in southern Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Upstate New York yeshiva set on fire and painted with swastikas

By Marcy Oster

(JTA)—A yeshiva in upstate New York was set on fire and swastikas were spray painted on the building.

The incident at the Yeshiva Yoreh Deah, located on a former farm in White Sulphur Springs, occurred on Jan. 28 but was first reported by the Rockland/Westchester Journal News on Wednesday afternoon.

Two barns on the property of the yeshiva, which combines education and farming, were damaged and numerous swastikas were painted on the walls.

The incident is being treated as a hate crime, state police spokesman Steven Nevel told the Journal News.

Calls to the yeshiva went unanswered while a representative for the affiliated Congregation Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim declined to comment.