Weekly roundup of world briefs

Z3 Presents: Who Can Predict the Future? Future Workshopping as a Tool for Jewish Peoplehood

By The Z3 Project

War games, also known as simulations, are often used by policy planners to come up with new ways of thinking about longstanding threats and challenges.

This year’s Z3 2021 Futures Workshop uses a simulation to game out the year 2025, in Israel and the Diaspora. For approximately 200 individuals, this exercise will happen in person, at the Palo Alto JCC. For others this will happen virtually. In this fully participative experience, speakers and attendees will team up together to play out potential responses to a predetermined scenario, set in a futuristic 2025.

Join Michal Hatuel-Radoshitzky, a former research fellow at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies, as she talks with colleagues Ehud Eiran of the University of Haifa and Scott Lasensky of the University of Maryland about the Z3 simulations and what takeaways they may offer for communal leaders in Israel and the United States.

This series is sponsored by the Z3 2021 Futures Workshop. Featuring lively debates on future Diaspora-Israel relations with Natan Sharansky, Rachel Azaria, Bethamie Horowitz, Bret Stephens and many more.  Join Sunday December 5th 2021, online or in person, at the Oshman Family JCC of Palo Alto, CA.

Tel Aviv is the world’s most expensive city to live in, study finds

By Gabe Friedman

(JTA) — Tel Aviv is now the world’s most expensive city to live in — and the reason why is tied in part to Israel’s successful COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

The Israeli city rose from No. 5 to No. 1 in the annual Worldwide Cost of Living index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the research arm of The Economist Group. The London-based media company also publishes The Economist magazine.

The 2021 report explains that Israel’s world-leading pace in vaccinating its population helped the shekel reach a “soaring” value against the U.S. dollar, leading to steep local inflation rates in dollar terms. By Jan. 1, 2021, Israel had vaccinated over 10% of its population, earning international praise and attention.

The price of about one out of every 10 everyday goods found in Tel Aviv, especially grocery items, “increased significantly,” the report said. The city is also the second-most expensive place in the world to purchase alcohol and public transportation, the report added. The increased prices of household goods, cars and fuel are noted too.

Tel Aviv’s real estate property prices also rose in 2021, but the EIU index does not factor those into its research.

After Tel Aviv, the EIU ranking lists Paris, Singapore, Zurich and Hong Kong as the other most expensive cities in the top five.

Boris Johnson loses pieces of a menorah he received as a gift from Jewish group

By Shira Hanau

(JTA) — United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson made Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid laugh on Monday, but likely not in a way he intended.

At a luncheon in London hosted by the Conservative Friends for Israel group, Johnson and Lapid received menorahs as gifts as a token of gratitude in the midst of the Chanukah holiday, which began Sunday night.

After receiving his, Johnson waved it in the air like a trophy — sending pieces of the candle holders in all directions.

In a video published by the Jewish News of London, Johnson looked sheepish as the pieces were reassembled, while Lapid got a good laugh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F69F_rhEhiQ

This was not Johnson’s first struggle with a Jewish religious object.

At a synagogue groundbreaking ceremony in 2011, Johnson, then the mayor of London, attempted to blow a shofar with little success as Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, then the chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, stood beside him and chuckled.

A video of the moment shows Johnson’s repeated attempts to blow the shofar and bewilderment when an onlooker tells him to try “on the side,” presumably referring to the side of his mouth but confusing Johnson as he looked in vain for another hole to blow into on he side of the shofar.

Austin Chabad lights menorah at highway overpass where neo-Nazis hung antisemitic banners

By Shira Hanau

(JTA) — A Chabad house in Austin organized a Chanukah menorah lighting in an unusual place on Monday night: on a highway overpass looking out over the busy MoPac Expressway.

They didn’t just pick the location so drivers would see the menorah on their evening commute. Instead, they wanted transform the spot, which had been the site of an antisemitic demonstration, into something brighter.

On Oct. 24, members of the neo-Nazi group the Goyim Defense League hung antisemitic banners from that spot reading “Vax the Jews.” The overpass is just a few blocks away from the Shalom Austin Jewish Community Center and several synagogues, and the incident happened just a few days after racist and antisemitic graffiti was discovered at Anderson High School, about a mile and a half away from the community center.

The incident was soon followed by another incident of antisemitism, when a fire was set in front of Congregation Beth Israel in another part of Austin. While no one was hurt, the fire damaged the synagogue’s carved wooden doors and caused smoke damage throughout the sanctuary.

Rabbi Yosef Levertov, director of Chabad Lubavitch Austin, told Chabad.org that the menorah lighting in that spot was a deliberate symbol of Jewish pride in the face of antisemitism.

“We will transform these sites to places of light,” Levertov said.

OECD report: Economy in Israel is rapidly recovering from pandemic

(JNS) — Israel’s economy is making a rapid recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, a new report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has stated.

According to Army Radio, the report said that Israel’s GDP will rise by 6.3 percent in 2021 and is forecasted to rise by around 5 percent in 2022.

Exports have risen by more than 11 percent, despite the strengthening shekel and decrease in world trade, said the report, as quoted by Army Radio.

According to the assessment, inflation in Israel will stand at 2 percent in 2022 and 1.4 percent in 2023.

According to the Israeli Finance Ministry’s own estimates, Israel’s economy will likely grow by 7.1 percent by the end of this year and 4.7 percent in 2022, Reuters reported in November.

In 2019, prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, the economy grew by 3.8 percent.

During the past two years, the state paid 40 billion shekels (nearly $13 million) in grants to hundreds of thousands of businesses and self-employed citizens.

In October 2020, the Israel Employment Service recorded almost a million unemployed citizens, approximately half of whom went on unpaid leave.

Hundreds of Chanukah kits sent to Jews living in Arab countries

(JNS) — Hundreds of kits containing Chanukah items, such as menorahs and dreidels, were recently sent to Jews living in Arab countries who must “observe their Judaism secretively.”

The kits were also filled with candles, chocolate coins (gelt) and prayer texts. They were delivered to Jewish residents in Iraq, Yemen and Kurdistan, among other areas, by a special task force from the Israel-based NGO Yad L’Achim.

The Orthodox Jewish organization keeps in contact with Jews in Arab countries, and due to the large demand this year, increased the number of Chanukah kits it typically sends out.

“Jews in Arab countries, for the most part, live in fear and observe their Judaism secretively,” said Nir, who manages the Yad L’Achim task force. “Each time, we have to find creative solutions to transfer the kits, whether the ‘Four Species’ for Sukkot or menorahs. On many occasions, we have to distribute other types of items related to Judaism, which the residents of these countries have no way of getting.”

Yad L’Achim president Rabbi Shmuel Lifschitz said, “We remember well the slogan of our organization: ‘We don’t give up on even a single Jew.’ This is also the reason we make herculean efforts to reach every Jew, man or woman, who turns to us and asks for our help in this regard.”

IDF, US senior officers meet to talk strategy at CENTCOM headquarters in Florida

(JNS) — The heads of the Israel Defense Forces’ Operations Directorate, Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk, and Strategic Planning and Cooperation Directorate, Maj. Gen. Tal Kelman, visited the United State’s Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Tampa, Fla., the IDF announced on Wednesday.

U.S. CENTCOM is responsible for regional operations in the Middle East and serves as one of America’s regional commands.

“The IDF officials held an operational and strategic meeting to discuss the challenges facing both militaries, and deepened operational readiness through strategic dialogue,” the Israeli military said in a statement.

The meeting was attended by CENTCOM’s director of operations, Maj. Gen. Grynkewich, and director for strategy, Maj. Gen. Benedict, among others. It also included the IDF Defense Attaché to the United States, Maj. Gen. Hidai Zilberman, and the head of the IDF’s International Cooperation Division, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin.

“This week, the IDF officials will attend various meetings with U.S. senior officials as part of the ongoing strategic cooperation,” said the military.

In September, Israel officially came under CENTCOM’s area of operations, away from European Command (EUCOM), in a move seen by many observers as facilitating greater Israeli cooperation with both American military forces in the Middle East and with pragmatic Sunni states in the region.

$10,000 reward offered for information on attack of Jewish kids in Brooklyn, N.Y.

(JNS) The Anti-Defamation League is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those behind three separate attacks on Jewish children in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“We are outraged by this string of attacks targeting Jewish children and youth,” said Scott Richman, ADL NY/NJ regional director. “Two of the three incidents occurred on the first night of Chanukah, which should be a time of celebration, not fear and trauma for our young people. ADL is offering this award to send a clear message that hate-motivated violence is absolutely unacceptable.”

On Friday, three suspects reportedly approached two boys, ages 3 and 12; one of the attackers, a female, slapped the younger victim in the face before fleeing the scene.

Then on Sunday, three female suspects apparently tugged at an 18-year-old girl’s jacket and pulled her to the ground while she accompanied a 7-year-old girl. Later the same day, the NYPD said the group approached a 9-year-old boy who was walking and slapped his head repeatedly.

The victims all declined medical attention and all wore traditional Jewish attire, according to police.

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incidents.

Anyone with any information is urged to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS or submit a tip on their website or via DM on Twitter.

Iran blames Israel ‘lies’ as way to ruin nuclear-deal talks

(JNS) — Iran accused Israel on Wednesday of “trumpeting lies to poison” the nuclear talks going on in Vienna with world powers meant to reach a deal regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

“Israeli regime whose existence relies on tension is at it again, trumpeting lies to poison Vienna talks,” tweeted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh.

“All parties in the room now face a test of their independence & political will to carry out the job—irrespective of the fake news designed to destroy prospects for success,” he posted.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Tehran started producing enriched uranium with advanced centrifuges at the Fordow plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, as reported by Reuters.

European diplomats said on Tuesday that if Iran does not demonstrate seriousness in nuclear negotiations with world powers this week, it will be a sign of immediate problems to come.

Hitler stickers appear at Dickinson College Jewish center near Harrisburg, Pa.

(JNS) — Police are investigating an anti-Semitic incident at the Milton B. Asbell Center for Jewish Life at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa.

Someone placed stickers with Hitler’s image at the Jewish center, which has a student lounge and vegetarian kitchen open to all, reported ABC News 27 on Sunday night.

Rabbi Marley Weiner, director of the Asbell Center, said the sticker had “two little young smiley face stickers, but with a little mustache, a little swoopy, so clearly indicating a cartoon iced version of Hitler’s face.”

He added, according to the report, that “as a community, we have to take it seriously every single time. Because we don’t know whether it’s just somebody trying to shock or whether it’s truly a sign that something that is dangerous to the physical safety of our students is coming.”

In response, university administrators wrote a letter stating: “We do not tolerate hate, and we do not tolerate discriminatory acts. Every member of the Dickinson community must work to create a culture that is respectful and inclusive.”

Bennett to Blinken: Nuclear talks must be halted

(JNS) — Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called on Thursday for a halt to the nuclear talks taking place in Vienna between Iran and world powers.

Bennett made this plea in a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Referring to Wednesday’s International Atomic Energy Agency report that Iran has begun enriching uranium to the level of 20 percent purity at its Fordow underground facility, Bennett told Blinken that Tehran was engaging in “nuclear blackmail” as a bargaining tactic.

This, he said, must be met with an immediate cessation of negotiations and concrete steps by the powers involved.

Talks between Iran and world powers around a return to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action resumed on Monday in the Austrian capital after a five-month hiatus.

The United States unilaterally exited the JCPOA in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump.

Hamas leaders reach deal with Qatar, Egypt to resume subsidizing public salaries

(JNS) — Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip reached an agreement with Qatar to resume subsidizing public workers’ salaries by sending fuel, a Hamas official told the AP on Tuesday.

Qatar was donating to the salaries of an estimated 50,000 government workers in Gaza until Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad started launching rockets towards Israeli civilian populations centers, which led to an 11-day conflict with Israel in May.

The new deal reached with Qatar and Egypt allows the Gulf state to send fuel to Gaza via Egypt. Hamas can then resell the fuel to cover its expenses, said the unnamed official.

OECD report: Economy in Israel is rapidly recovering from pandemic

(JNS) — Israel’s economy is making a rapid recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, a new report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has stated.

According to Army Radio, the report said that Israel’s GDP will rise by 6.3 percent in 2021 and is forecasted to rise by around 5 percent in 2022.

Exports have risen by more than 11 percent, despite the strengthening shekel and decrease in world trade, said the report, as quoted by Army Radio.

According to the Israeli Finance Ministry’s own estimates, Israel’s economy will likely grow by 7.1 percent by the end of this year and 4.7 percent in 2022, Reuters reported in November.

In 2019, prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, the economy grew by 3.8 percent.

During the past two years, the state paid nearly $13 million in grants to hundreds of thousands of businesses and self-employed citizens.