USA

Commentary: Scapegoating versus politics in the Middle East

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Some basic definitions useful for living in civilized societies and on their fringe: A scapegoat is an individual or group blamed for faults properly due to some other individual or group. Scapegoating is a way to pass on responsibilities for offenses real or imaginary. A minority is often chosen as a scapegoat, […]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Senate confirmation of Justice Kagan hailed by NJDC, ADL

WASHINGTON, DC  (Press Release)- National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) Chairman Marc R. Stanley released the following statement in response to today’s Senate confirmation of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court of the United States: “The National Jewish Democratic Council heartily applauds the Senate’s vote to confirm Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme

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USA

Commentary: PA's editing of Boney M's songlist epitomizes effort to erase Jewish history

By Morton A. Klein and Dr. Daniel Mandel NEW YORK — Last week, a small item of news shed piercing light on the reason for the intractability of the Arab war on Israel. The well-known 1970s disco group, Boney M, invited by the Palestine International Festival to give a concert in Palestinian Authority (PA)-controlled Ramallah,

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Middle East, USA

U.S. judge sides with Chabad in demand that Russia return a Jewish library

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge has issued a ruling against the Russian government for its refusal to return a library of historic books and documents to the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. The documents seized by the Nazis were transferred by the Soviet Red Army as war booty to the Russian State Military Archive. In an order

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USA

U.N. investigators say Lebanon at fault in cross-border firefight with Israel

NAKOURA CROSSING, Israel-Lebanon Border (WJC)–The peacekeeping force of the United Nations in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) has confirmed that Israeli forces were pruning trees located on Israeli territory before an exchange of fire with Lebanese troops. An UNIFIL statement largely vindicated Israel’s account of how the fighting, in which one Israeli and two Lebanese soldiers as

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Middle East, USA

Adventures in San Diego Jewish History, November 12, 1954, Part 4

Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff Three Synagogues Observe Tercentenary Sabbath Southwestern Jewish Press, November 12, 1954, Page 9 In accordance with the call issued to all Synagogues by the Synagogue Council of America, the official voice of all Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Congregations, Rabbi Morton J. Cohn has invited the Rabbis and members

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Adventures in SD History, USA

Commentary: Israelis divided on fate of children of foreign workers

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The New York Times headlines  its article about a recent Israeli government decision dealing with the children of illegal immigrants, “Israelis Divided on Deporting Children.” Its first paragraph claims that “Deep divisions emerged here on Monday over the fate of about 400 children of foreign workers who have no legal status

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Middle East, USA

4 SDJA students bring home water reclamation prize from Israel

SAN DIEGO (Press Release)– After winning the national Gildor Family Projects and Inventions Competition in New York last June, San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA) students Ari Colton, Matan Kaminski, Noah Sutton-Smolin and Jake Posnock traveled to Israel to represent the United States at the international competition. After nearly seven months of work developing an innovative

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Middle East, USA

Rothman lauds funding for U.S.-Israel anti-missile programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–U.S. Representative Steve Rothman (D-NJ), a member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, released the following statement: On July 27, 2010, the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a strong message – to our allies and enemies alike – by appropriating more funds than ever before toward joint

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Middle East, USA

A short history of anti-Semitism and its modern equivalent

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Anti-Semitism is ancient, although the term itself appears only from the 19th century onward. By the latter part of the 20th century, Arabs were ridiculing the charge that they were anti-Semites, on the grounds that they are Semites. Tendentious claims aside, no less a reference than the Oxford English Dictionary defines anti-Semitism

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA