LOS ANGELES (Press Release)– The Grand Rabbi of Spinka, a religious group within Orthodox Judaism, was sentenced Monday morning to two years in federal prison for orchestrating a tax evasion scheme that prosecutors called “an astonishingly complex and sinister enterprise.” Grand Rabbi Naftali Tzi Weisz, 61, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty last summer to a […]
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The issue of Gilad Shalit rocketed again this week to the top of the national agenda, and now seems to have receded to another period of probing about further negotiations. For the nth time, the later headlines are more pessimistic than the earlier headlines. As far as one can tell from the
Comparing and contrasting Gilad Shalit and Rachel Corrie Read More »
Middle East, USAATLANTA (WJC)–Former US President Jimmy Carter has asked the Jewish community for forgiveness for any offense he may have caused when criticizing Israel. In a letter release by the news agency JTA, Carter sent season’s greeting and wished peace between Israel and its neighbors. He concluded: “We must recognize Israel’s achievements under difficult circumstances, even
Jimmy Carter says an 'Al Het' if any of his words stigmatized Israel Read More »
Middle East, USAMUNICH (WJC) — In the war crimes trial against Ivan (John) Demjanjuk, which resumed on Monday, Holocaust survivors gave testimony. The court rejected a defense motion to suspend the trial and release Demjanjuk, who complained about back problems. Prosecutors accuse him of assisting in the killing of 27,900 Jews at the Nazi death camp Sobibor
Survivors shed tears during Demjanjuk trial Read More »
Travel and FoodKRAKOW, Poland (WJC)–Polish police have interrogated the five professional thieves who stole the infamous ‘Arbeit macht frei’ sign from the entrance of the former Nazi death camp in Auschwitz. According to rumors, a foreign collector might have commissioned the gang to steal the wrought-iron sign which was recovered 72 hours after being stolen from the
Auschwitz sign thieves apolitical, may have been commissioned by collector Read More »
Travel and FoodVATICAN CITY (WJC)–Pope Benedict XVI has moved his controversial war-time predecessor, Pius XII, a step closer to sainthood, declaring that Pius had displayed “heroic virtues” throughout his life and thus been a Christian worthy of imitation. Pius was one of 17 people approved by Benedict on Saturday in a list that also includes Pope John
WJC provides background on its doubts about Pius XII sainthood Read More »
Middle EastBy Gary Rotto SAN DIEGO-I did my neighborly duty and helped my neighbors celebrate Christmas on Sunday night. For our immediate neighborhood, we have an annual “Holiday Lights” judging party, in which families get together for an hour, roam the neighborhood together and judge the light displays. Yes, holiday lights as several neighbors tried to
This Jewish single dad wonders what to do on Christmas Eve Read More »
Travel and FoodNEW YORK (Press Release)–A new poll has revealed that 61% of Americans support the United States coming to the military defense of Israel if it strikes Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran retaliates. The December Survey of The Israel Project, carried out during December 14-16, also found that 51% of Americans favor military strikes by the
ZOA reports poll finds Americans favoring military action to stop Iran's nuclear program Read More »
Middle East, USA
SAN DIEGO — Shoshi Bogoch, the new Israeli emissary or shlicha assigned to the United Jewish Federation of San Diego County submitted some recipes reflecting her mixed Ashkenazic-Sephardic background to A Taste of Hebrew Day School recipe book now on sale for $18. One recipe, which might have been made by the German Jewish side
Two recipes from the Israeli shlicha at United Jewish Federation Read More »
Travel and Food
By Gary Rotto SAN DIEGO–The Guardian of Great Britain called the recently completed Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, “the biggest environmental meeting in history.” But the final result is an agreement that calls for monitoring emissions but neither sets a target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and no deadline for reaching a formal international climate treaty.
Climate Change Summit long on rhetoric, short on action Read More »
Middle East, USANEW YORK (Press Release)—Recent press reports rehashing an interview from 10 years ago regarding the practices at Abu Kabir forensic institute have no relation to the false accusations that appeared this past August in the Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet. In the 2000 interview, Dr. Yehuda Hiss, then head of the Abu Kabir facility, acknowledged that body
By Jeanette Friedman NEW YORK–Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Prof. Elie Wiesel and New York Governor David Patterson participated in the installation of Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier, spiritual leader of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue, to his new post as President of The New York Board of Rabbis. Congregants and well-wishers packed the East 62th Street sanctuary on the seventh night
NEW YORK… In an effort to lure young people into the white supremacist movement, neo-Nazis are using deceptive new tactics to appeal directly to high school and college students through advertisements in their school newspapers, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which actively monitors neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups. One scheme hatched by neo-Nazi Kevin
Neo-nazis promoting white supremacy through music downloads Read More »
Travel and FoodHAIFA, Israel (Press Release) — Students of the School of Political Sciences at the University of Haifa have produced a series of short videos campaigning for the release of Gilad Shalit and to enroll volunteers in “Gilad’s Army of Friends”. The campaign, which can now be viewed on the Internet, was carried out as part
University of Haifa students mount video campaign for Gilad Shalit's release Read More »
Middle East