The Latest News

Hadassah Probing Top Officials On Allegations Of Funds Misuse
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 | JTA

Two top Hadassah officials are being investigated by the organization for possible misuse of funds.

The probe was launched after board members of Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America were sent a letter on Jan. 12 by the organization’s chief operating officer, Larry Blum, alleging that Hadassah national president Marcie Natan and former national president Nancy Falchuk had used organizational assets for personal use.

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State Dept. Advising Modest Dress In Some Jerusalem Areas
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 | JTA

The U.S. State Department in revised travel recommendations on Jerusalem advises visitors to "dress appropriately when visiting the Old City and ultra-orthodox Jewish neighborhoods."

The advisory for Israel, West Bank and Gaza Strip, in the section on Jerusalem updated last month, warns that "Assaults on secular visitors, either for being in cars or for being 'immodestly dressed,' have occurred in these neighborhoods."

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Long-Shot Super Bowl Bet Winner To Give 50G To Charity
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 | JTA

The Jewish owner of a real estate company in New York is donating his $50,000 winnings in a Super Bowl bet to charity.

Jona Rechnitz, 29, of New York, had wagered $1,000 on Super Sunday at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas that the New York Giants would score first -- on a safety.

With the odds at 50 to 1, earned Rechnitz a $50,000 payout.

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Massive Workers Strike Hits Israel
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 | JTA

Israeli workers launched an open-ended general strike.

The strike launched Wednesday by the Histadrut, Israel's main labor union, closed down the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, stopped trains across the country and caused major delays at Ben Gurion Airport. The crippling strike also affected hospitals, government offices and banks.

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Hamas leader Khaled Meshal, left, with PA President Mahmoud Abbas.
Young Palestinians Frustrated With Hamas And Fatah
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 | Joshua Mitnick | Israel Correspondent

Tel Aviv — When the rival Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, first signed a reconciliation agreement last May in Cairo, young political activists in Gaza went outside to celebrate.

But after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Meshal announced on Monday a new agreement in Qatar on the formation of an interim government to prepare the first national elections in years, there was no such public rejoicing.

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Lessons From Beit Shemesh: Some Slow Progress
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 | Natan Sharansky | Special To The Jewish Week

In recent weeks my head has been full of the angry voices of my friends and partners in the United States — leaders of the American Jewish community, allies and comrades-in-arms in the great task of strengthening the bonds between Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. They are angry about the same things I am angry about.

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Sergey Novikov, seated at left, plans to build an anti-conservatory as a member of PresenTense’s first Moscow fellowship class.
PresenTense Joins JDC In Russia
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 | Helen Chernikoff | Staff Writer

Russia has long been known for its musicians — and for the grueling conservatories in which those musicians are trained. The notion of learning and playing an instrument for pleasure is a foreign one, but with the support of PresenTense, the Jewish social entrepreneurship incubator, Sergey Novikov is trying to change that.

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Sorry, “Downton” fans: Lady Cora Grantham, nee Levinson of the Cincinnati Levinsons, is a bit of an anachronism.
To Daven At Downton?
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 | Helen Chernikoff | Staff Writer

Not since the news that Princess Kate Middleton’s mother’s maiden name was “Goldsmith” launched a million Google searches have the masses gotten so excited.

Today the British noble with possible Jewish background is Cora Grantham, lady of the manor on the blockbuster PBS import “Downton Abbey.” We latter-day peasants lust so much for a connection to our betters that we don’t even care if they’re fictional.

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Good Enough To Eat, Ritually And Ethically
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 | Steve Lipman | Staff Writer

Within the next few months, consumers will probably see a small symbol — a series of Jewish stars within a white circle — next to the familiar OU or OK or other familiar kosher certification heksher marks on kosher foods in groceries.

The symbol is the sign of Magen Tzedek, a “comprehensive ethical certification” that this week officially announced its certification standards and started accepting applications from interested food producers and processors.

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Attorney Michael Lesher, right, hopes to get documents relating to the case of Avrohom Mondrowitz.
Fight Over Mondrowitz Documents Coming To A Head
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 | Hella Winston | Special To The Jewish Week

Next week, attorney and author Michael Lesher will argue before New York State’s highest court for the release by the Brooklyn District Attorney of documents he has been seeking since 2007, related to the failed extradition of Avrohom Mondrowitz.

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