Cailin Acosta

Fusing bluegrass with Judaism, Nefesh Mountain seeks to uplift during challenging times

By Howard Blas (June 10, 2021 / JNS) Thanks to the Jewish holiday of Shavuot and the Torah, Mount Sinai is the best-known mountain in Jewish history. If the husband-and-wife bluegrass team of Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff continue their climb through the music world, their Nefesh Mountain band may be the next mountain the […]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Israeli President Lays Wreath in Memory of Romanian Jews Murdered in the Holocaust

BUCHAREST, Romania (Press Release) — Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday laid a wreath at the Holocaust memorial to Romanian Jews. Head of the Elie Wiesel National Institute for Studying the Holocaust in Romania Alexandru Florian also laid a wreath. The monument, designed by Peter Jacobi was inaugurated on October 9, 2009, Romania’s national Holocaust

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International, Middle East

New Israeli government seals coalition deals as Netanyahu era approaches its end

Published by Reuters By Ari Rabinovitch JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The new Israeli government set to end Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year tenure as prime minister signed its final coalition agreements on Friday, pointedly including term limits. The coalition of parties from far-right to left is expected to focus mostly on economic and social issues rather than risk

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Middle East

ADL Report Exposes Antisemitism and Incitement in State-Sponsored Sermons

NEW YORK (Press Release) — During and after the recent outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas, top religious officials in seven U.S.-allied Mideast countries used their positions of authority to spread incitement to hatred or violence against Jews and Israel. A new report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), issued Friday, provides new translations of

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Middle East, USA

‘Becoming Dr. Ruth:’ A Passion for Purpose, Action, and All Things Jewish

By Eva Trieger SOLANA BEACH, California — Hummingbird-like, Tovah Feldshuh inhabited Dr. Ruth Westheimer as she flitted around the stage, all the while, espousing optimism, warmth, and humor. The actress incredibly mastered the German-Swiss-French-Hebrew-English accent with nary a dropped rolling R, as she relayed the fascinating life of the petite renowned sex therapist. The audience

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Jewish-owned cafe in San Francisco tagged with antisemitic graffiti

(June 9, 2021 / JNS) A popular Jewish-owned bookshop, cafe and event space in San Francisco was vandalized on Sunday with antisemitic and pro-Palestinian graffiti. Manny’s in the Mission District was tagged with blue paint and the phrases “Racist pigz,” “Zionist pigz,” and “Free Palestine.” “Targeting Jewish businesses is straight-up anti-Semitic,” California State Sen. Scott

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Middle East, USA

Los Angeles teachers union to vote on resolution endorsing BDS movement

(June 9, 2021 / JNS) The leadership of the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) is scheduled to vote in September on a proposed resolution that urges the U.S. government to end aid to Israel and endorses the BDS movement “against apartheid in Israel,” reported The Los Angeles Times. “As public-school educators in the United States,

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Middle East, USA

Can the Biden administration capitalize on an inexperienced Bennett-Lapid government?

By Dmitriy Shapiro (June 9, 2021 / JNS) With the likelihood that new leadership will be sworn in next week in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s departure from the role he has held for almost two decades has some worried about how an inexperienced leadership spanning the breadth of viewpoints will handle Israel’s important relationship

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Middle East, USA

More Than a Raceway: Novel Presents a Jewish Side of Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen by Eleanor Lerman; Mayapple Press 2021; ISBN 9781952-781018; 213 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – The Finger Lakes region of upstate New York is known for Watkins Glen International, a race car venue that permits ordinary citizens to take three laps around the track in their personal cars for a fee.

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Fiction, USA

Exclusive – In the belly of the whale: Israeli sub simulates strike

Published by Reuters By Dan Williams INS LEVIATHAN, Mediterranean Sea (Reuters) – When fighting erupted in Gaza last month and rockets rained on Israel, the men operating its navy submarine Leviathan knew next to nothing. Deep beneath the Mediterranean sea, they were relayed only brief bulletins so as not to be distracted from their mission.

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Middle East

Cautious Optimism After Israel’s Political Deadlock

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — About three years ago my husband and I rescheduled our flight back to Israel from London, at considerable financial and personal cost, because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called a snap general election. We were determined to cast our votes in order to get rid of the party

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East