USA

Health care controversy continues to rage following House vote for repeal

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The  House of Representatives, under new Republican leadership, voted along party lines to repeal the Health Care law crafted by the last Congress, which was controlled by Democrats. But the repeal will have difficulty in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats still are in control. The repeal prompted criticism from Democrats and also […]

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USA

Lieberman, on announcement of retirement, wins plaudits from across the aisle

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — After Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut) announced on Tuesday that his current Senate term would be his last, Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matthew Brooks responded by lauding the Senator’s accomplishments and expressing gratitude for friendship across the political aisle.   “Senator Lieberman is a true mensch and a great American. 

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USA

Palin defends her use of ‘blood libel’ in Tucson shooting reaction

NEW YORK (WJC)–The prominent US Republican politician Sarah Palin has defended her reference to “blood libel” that aroused controversy last week when she used the term to condemn links between her fiery rhetoric and the deadly Arizona shootings. “Blood libel obviously means being falsely accused of having blood on your hands. In this case, that’s

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USA

Bill would declare ‘no-gun zone’ in 100-foot perimeter around members of Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D-California)  introduced legislation on Tuesday to protect Members of Congress and their constituents from potentially violent situations at scheduled events where an elected representative is engaging in official acts, representational duties, or campaign activity.  Specifically, the “Freedom to Serve Without Fear” Act, would make it unlawful for any person to knowingly

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USA

Court holds U.S. cannot prosecute cases of sexual abuse that occur in other countries, without some connection to the U.S.

NEW YORK — The 2nd Circuit U.S. Appeals Court has set aside the conviction on one count of a  father who sexually abused his teenage daughter before and after a flight between Belgium and Israel, saying that the United States had no jurisdiction over the case.  However,  other convictions on counts in which the father was charged with sexual

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USA

U.S. health care system staggers along without proper analysis

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The New York Times has published yet another item that describes confusion in the highest American government circles dealing with health care.  The story is one of hope and guesswork by competing experts.   You’ve heard of a pass and a prayer, or a Hail Mary. The image carries over from football

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Ira Sharkansky, USA

How Palestinian Authority manipulates Western news media to carry its propaganda

  By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel  (Press Release)–How incredibly bad is media coverage of Israel-Palestinian issues and of the Middle East in general? Here’s an example. CNN has just run a report on how wonderfully moderate the Palestinian Authority (PA) is. They are firing imams of West Bank mosques who are spewing out incitement against

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Middle East, USA

Two plead guilty in desecration of Modesto synagogue and churches

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– Brian Lewis, 23, of Modesto, Calif., and Abel Mark Gonzalez, 23, of Morgan Hill, Calif., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to conspiring to violate the civil rights of congregants of Congregation Beth Shalom, a synagogue in Modesto, Calif. According to court documents, on or about Feb.

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USA

Remembering the Exodus and the American Civil Rights struggle

By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–Wednesday night Judy, Margalit, and I watched The Secret Life of Bees. The movie, produced in 2008, is based on the book by the same name by Sue Monk Kidd. The story takes place in Southern Carolina in 1964 in the midst of racial turmoil. The Civil Rights Act had

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International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Americans United for Separation of Church and State sue Tennessee county over Ten Commandments display

MOUNTAIN CITY, Tennessee (Press Release)–A Tennessee county’s preference for Christianity in its courthouse displays violates the U.S. Constitution, according to a federal lawsuit filed Thursday by Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Americans United, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group, is challenging the Johnson County Commission’s decision to display the Ten Commandments and Christian

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USA

Commentary: The fact is accusations against Palin were ‘blood libels’

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Without taking any partisan position, but purely on the issue’s historical merits, nothing could have been more appropriate than Sarah Palin’s use of the term “blood libel” to describe what happened to her after the Tucson killings. I know because my direct ancestors were the target of a blood libel.

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International, USA

Obama calls for ‘words that heal’ in aftermath of Tucson rampage

TUCSON, Arizona (Press Release)– Following is the text of a speech made by President Barack Obama at the memorial service on Wednesday for the victims of the shooting rampage the previous Saturday: THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  Please, please be seated.  (Applause.) To the families of those we’ve lost; to all

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USA

Sarah Palin bears responsibility for political climate–and should apologize

By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO– On this very day of national mourning for the atrocity of Tucson, it is regrettable that we find ourselves having to again be distracted by the indulgent and self-serving—and now appalling—proclamations of Sarah Palin. Again blabbing from her cyber-haven of Facebook and not from anyplace in the real world, Palin

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USA