USA

Used to isolation in world opinion, where does Israel put its trust?

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–It is sad, even pathetic, but not surprising that the UN meeting of parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons concluded their month long conference by calling for the monitoring of Israel’s nuclear program without mentioning that of Iran.  The United States participated in the consensus, but senior officials […]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Female rabbis assume leadership of Rabbinical Assembly

By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–On Thursday evening I returned from attending the International Rabbinical Assembly Convention. For the first time in its history, this year’s RA Convention was held at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. JTS is the premiere academic institution of the Conservative Movement and many  JTS scholars, as well

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

A special dinner for America's wounded veterans

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C.–Long time readers know, and have generously supported, Fran O’Brien’s dinners for soldiers, primarily amputees, recovering from their wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital. The dinners, which take place outside of the hospital, began in 2004 and offer recovering soldiers a chance to socialize, eat a

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Illegal immigration is a problem throughout the world

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Immigration is again a hot button in the United States, with attractions for demagogues of right and left. The President has ordered 1,200 National Guard personnel sent to border areas of the Southwest, in response to other politicians demanding that something be done. The targets of this effort are illegal drug shipments

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Rabbi criticizes Lieberman's support for repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

MONSEY, N.Y. (Press Release)–Orthodox Jews will be among religious leaders and pro-family activists converging on Washington DC on Thursday to protest the latest efforts to hastily repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in the House of Representatives. Chief among their concerns are the ways that changes in the armed services rules would seriously compromise religious liberty

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USA

North Korea threatens to reactivate war with South Korea

By Shoshana Bryen Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–It was North Korea that torpedoed a South Korean submarine-an internationally recognized act of war that killed 46 South Korean sailors. It wasn’t an accident. As follow-on, North Korea announced that any act of retaliation by the South would be considered a provocation. When the South Korean

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Shoshana Bryen, USA

Emerald seeks repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law governing Armed Service participation

SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–With Congress poised to take pivotal votes this weekend on Defense funding bills, City Councilmember Marti Emerald is urging repeal of the military’s policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, which bans openly gay and lesbian Americans from serving in the Armed Forces. This policy has resulted in the discharge of hundreds of

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USA

Counter-terrorism specialist says greater efforts needed in host countries

WASHINGTON, D.C (Press Release)–Following is a speech that Daniel Benjamin, coordinator of the counter-terrorism office in the U.S. State Department, gave on Friday to members of the Washington Institute: Good afternoon. It is a great pleasure to be back at the Washington Institute and see so many familiar faces in the room. Thanks to Matt

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Middle East, USA

Jews have had differences with each other throughout the centuries

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The Economist has joined a small crowd of commentators who have discovered a growing split between American Jews and Israel. It puts at least part of the blame on “declining bonds between an increasingly right-wing religious Israel and liberal American Jews.” No doubt that is one of the tensions between the two

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Middle East, USA

General Dynamics NASSCO guided by the tides of September 11th

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—This coming September 11, the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, General Dynamics NASSCO plans to christen and launch the USS Washington Chambers, named for the Navy officer who arranged a century ago for the first airplane flight from the deck of a Navy ship. Having

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Donald H. Harrison, USA

Israel Route 443: a challenge for the peace process

 By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Israelis’ preoccupation with security is focusing on Route 443. It is one of two four lane, high speed, divided highways that link Jerusalem with the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. It is the favored route for the northern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, and the best way to travel to the expanding complex of Modiin-Reut-Maccabeen-Modiin

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA