Pondering the state of American Jewry
After months of speculation, it’s really happening: the U.S. Embassy is moving from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israel’s capital. The official move is slated for May 14th, Jerusalem Day. An access road has been created and road signs have gone up. Rumor has it that Jared and Ivanka Trump will be representing the Trump administration …
The Trump administration isn’t going to let Assad’s chemical strikes on his own people be ignored any longer. Moreover, the incoming U.S. National Security Advisor, John Bolton, made sure to coordinate the U.S. response to Syrian chemical attacks with Israel. No more fuzzy red lines. No more blowing off allies in favor of enemies. Whether …
Fake news is an irritating phenomenon, but not reporting the real news is even worse, in some ways. CAMERA reports that Syria put tanks and heavy artillery into a demilitarized border zone it shares with Israel. This should have been shocking front page news. But you couldn’t have read about it, since not one major …
Last week, the United Nations Human Rights Council called on the international community to stop selling arms to Israel. That was just one of five anti-Israel resolutions the UNHRC approved during its 37th month long session in Geneva. Naturally, the UNHRC wants to take away Israel’s ability to defend itself, but not to fear, the …
Nothing like the refreshing candor espoused by DC Councilman Trayon White Sr. (D-Ward 8) who posted a video to Facebook blaming climate change on the Jews, then expressing surprise that anyone could think that was antisemitic. Here’s what he said in the video so you can judge for yourself: “Man, it just started snowing out …
A Pearson Airport security agent failed the sensitivity test in Toronto when he failed to recognize a religious Jew’s tefillin (phylacteries) and insisted on opening up the boxes to inspect the contents, a violation of religious liberty, for sure. Especially when the religious Jew, remaining respectful throughout, asked twice to speak to the agent’s supervisor. …
Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism Ana Mendes Godinho recently attempted to woo American Jews to spend time in and invest in Portugal. “We want a Jewish presence in Portugal and we look to Jewish investment,” said Mendes Godinho, who spent two weeks in the United States. This puts one in mind of the tragic …
Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach didn’t feel well in the hours leading up to Shabbos. Rushed to the hospital, he died on Shabbos. Perhaps a fitting end for a man born on Yom Kippur. His passing was sudden, and his loss is felt keenly in Jerusalem. Rav Shmuel was close to Rab Eliashiv and Rav Shach, and …
A recent article in Mishpacha Magazine, from Rabbi Moshe Grylak relates a story about Israeli Jews who have moved to the U.S., and how intermarriage is affecting them. In the story, one expat Israeli blames another expat for the fact that his son is about to marry a non-Jew. Why? Because the congregation didn’t offer …
One synagogue is banning the music of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach for a period of one year, because of allegations of abuse toward the late rabbi and singer songwriter. This is the era of #MeToo, which means that such allegations are accepted without question. Even when they concern a dead person who cannot give testimony. Banning …