National News

Federations Spending $5 Million To Help Israelis In War Zone

11/16/2012 | JTA

The Jewish Federations of North America committed $5 million for an Israeli terrorism relief fund to help Israeli victims of the conflict with Hamas in Israel's south.

Warning Signs For Israel In Vote

11/14/2012 | James D. Besser | Washington Correspondent

Israel could be a big loser in last week’s presidential and congressional elections — and not because of the re-election of a president whose middle name happens to be Hussein.

Beinart 'Disappointed' By Atlanta Jewish Book Festival Diss

11/14/2012 | Adam Dickter

Left wing lightning-rod Peter Beinart says he was “disappointed” by the change of venue of his talk at an Atlanta Jewish book festival -- in response to complaints about of his participation -- because he wanted to engage his critics.

Jewish Community Subject of First LGBT-Inclusion Index

11/12/2012 | Helen Chernikoff | Staff Writer

About 100 Jewish organizations are taking significant steps to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals and families, according to an “inclusion index” released today by the Human Rights Campaign, the LGBT civil rights organization.

In partnership with the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Morningstar Foundation, Stuart Kurlander and an anomymous donor, the campaign made the Jewish world the subject of its first index for a faith-based community.

Hamas-Linked Man Removed From Treasury Dept. Terrorist List

11/09/2012

The U.S. Treasury Department removed from its designated terrorist list a Chicago man who was convicted in Israel of assisting Hamas.

Muhammad Salah, 59, who spent 4 1/2 years in an Israeli prison for funding the terrorist organization, was taken off the list on Wednesday by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. The designation had meant that Salah could not get a job or make simple purchases without the department's permission.

Exit Poll: Jews Support Active U.S. Role In Mideast Peacemaking

11/08/2012 | Stewart Ain | Staff Writer

American Jews would like to see former President Bill Clinton named a special Middle East peace envoy, and they support an active United States role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — even if it means publicly pointing out U.S. differences with Israel and the Palestinians.

Those were some of the findings from a post-election national survey of 800 Jews by independent pollster Jim Gerstein for the liberal pro-Israel lobby group J Street. (J Street favors an active U.S. role in the Middle East peace process.)