US Requesting Extra Funding for Israel’s ‘Iron Dome,’ Obama Gaining Praise

Posted on: March 28th, 2012

The Pentagon will ask Congress for additional funds for the "Iron Dome" missile shields for Israel, based on their success in intercepting rockets launched from Gaza. Coming one day after drawing fire for his open-mic remarks, President Obama is winning points from pro-Israel Congress members for his increased support. Rafael, which manufactures the Domes systems, just reported $111 million in net earnings for 2011.

Obama Off-the-Record: I Will Have Greater Flexibility on Foreign Policy After Presidential Election

Posted on: March 27th, 2012

President Obama was unaware that he was within microphone range at the Seoul Nuclear Summit when he made the comments to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

UNRWA Press Release: US is UNRWA’s Largest Bilateral Donor

Posted on: March 27th, 2012

The Commissioner-General of UNRWA expressed his gratitude for the crucial support extended by the United States: "The United States remains UNRWA's largest bilateral donor and this latest contribution again demonstrates America's strong support to the Agency and its activities, of which improving the lives of Palestinian refugee youth, and the opportunities open to them, is such an important part."

US Supreme Court Orders State Dept. to List Jerusalem, Israel, in American Passports

Posted on: March 26th, 2012

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday on the case of Zivotofsky v. Clinton, a suit in which Naomi and Ari Zivotofsky are challenging the way the State Department may list the birthplace of their son, nine-year-old Menachem. The State Department decided that little Menachem's US passport should show Jerusalem as his birth place, without an accompanying country.

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Ranking US Congressman Introduces Legislation Offering Further Assistance on Iron Dome

Posted on: March 26th, 2012

The Iron Dome Support Act (IDSA) authorizes and encourages President Obama to provide funds for the "procurement, maintenance and sustainment" of more of the anti-missile defense systems, should the Israeli government request it. The legislation was actually inspired by an op-ed by Israeli Ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, in which he wrote that "at least ten Iron Dome systems will be necessary in order to defend the whole country."

Farrakhan Tweets Retaliation for Slain Trayvon Martin

Posted on: March 25th, 2012

As federal and local authorities investigate the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, and whether or not Florida's “stand your ground” law applied to the shooter, George Zimmerman (not Jewish), Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan has been calling for "justice" in typically disturbing ways.

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Sunday Rematch: Frum Soccer Winners and their Caribbean ‘Victims’

Posted on: March 24th, 2012

The Crown Heights Caribbean soccer players who were destroyed last year by a team of Orthodox Jews are seeking revenge this Sunday. Of course, this is all about good sportsmanship and harmony, as the organizers of "Soccer for Harmony" keep repeating, because in Crown Heights it's better to repeat those things, just to be on the safe side.

Obama, Clinton, Abbas, Comparing Notes on Eve of Quartet Meet

Posted on: March 22nd, 2012

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton phoned President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, ahead of a meeting of the international Quartet scheduled for next month. Clinton's call to Abbas was to follow up on discussions between Abbas and Obama a day earlier.

Backlash Against Inclusion of BDS in Israel Day Parade

Posted on: March 22nd, 2012

A major backlash against a UJA-Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) decision to permit groups encouraging Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel to march in the upcoming Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City has led to a campaign to oust the groups from the event. “A coalition of community Jewish organizations urgently […]

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Quick Takes: News You May Have Missed

Posted on: March 21st, 2012

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Aaron Klein Offers $50,000 Challenge To Pro-Palestinian Activist

Posted on: March 21st, 2012

On his WABC Radio show, Aaron Klein offered $50,000 to an organizer of the upcoming Global March to Jerusalem if the activist could name one city in the Middle East outside of Israel that has more freedom than Jerusalem.

Evangelical Ministers Converge On Jerusalem In Support Of Israel

Posted on: March 21st, 2012

From a raucous display of affection for the Israeli prime minister to an inspiring encounter with beleaguered Israeli citizens who live near the Gaza Strip, influential evangelical leaders visiting from the U.S. this week gave the people of Israel a much needed injection of moral support.

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Chicago Billionaire Fundraiser Drops Obama for Romney Over 67 Border

Posted on: March 21st, 2012

Susan Crown, a philanthropist and member of the billionaire Crown family, says she has switched sides this election year, after supporting candidate Barack Obama in 2008. She will be bundling donations for candidate Mitt Romney this year.

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Tuesday’s Senate Vote Amid Accusations of Neo-Nazism and General Nastiness

Posted on: March 20th, 2012

Following the resignation of bribery plagued Senator Carl Kruger, voters in Sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach, Gravesend, Mill Basin and Midwood, are choosing his successor. Both candidates, Democrat Lewis Fidler and Republican David Storobin, have not discussed the issues so much as exchanged wild and nasty accusations regarding Storobin's affiliations with… neo-Nazis.

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Democratic Rep. Gary Ackerman Announces He Will Not Run For Reelection

Posted on: March 19th, 2012

Ackerman was most recently involved in the successful efforts to free Israeli-American citizen Ilan Grapel from prison in Egypt on spy charges. Grapel is a constituent of Ackerman's.

Author A.B. Yehoshua: American Jews are ‘Partial Jews’

Posted on: March 18th, 2012

Noted Israeli author and Israel Prize Laureate A.B. Yehoshua said that living outside Israel "is a very deep failure of the Jewish people," and lamented that immigration numbers from the United States are "minimal" and "embarrassing." He was equally acerbic regarding the large Israeli ex-patriot community.

Poll: 78% of Republicans Support Israel versus 53% of Democrats

Posted on: March 18th, 2012

The Republican Jewish Coalition: "Over the last dozen years of Gallup polling on this question, there has been a clear trend: Republican support for Israel has risen steadily, moving from 60% to a high of 85%, while Democrat support has been relatively flat, at around 50%."

The Groggers: It Ain’t Your Uncle Moishy’s Rock N’ Roll

Posted on: March 18th, 2012

It's not easy being a modern, Jewish singer/songwriter and refuse to utter a preachy note about anything, refuse to be a nice Jewish boy, and refuse to include a clarinet in your music. That's why The Groggers stand out – because they manage to do great punk rock that's totally and irrefutably Jewish without ever sounding like they need to get approval from some mashgiach.

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Groggers’ Yidvid Nose Job Doc in Trouble with ASPS

Posted on: March 15th, 2012

A Miami plastic surgeon decided on an innovative way to reach the market of nose job enthusiasts – young Jews ages 15-30 – and have fun doing it. He hired the Groggers, an up and coming Orthodox rock band, and traded a nose job for their hilarious Jewish video entermercial "Jewcan Sam." Now the American Society of Plastic Surgeons wants to lower the boom on the guy.

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New Hampshire House Squashes Bill Allowing Vendors to Refuse Serving Gay Weddings

Posted on: March 15th, 2012

The New Hampshire House of Representative Wednesday defeated by a 246-85 vote a bill that would have allowed photographers, caterers and others to turn away wedding gigs if they had a religious objection to the marriage. "As New Hampshire goes, so goes the nation," and political trends have a way of trickling down to the more populated states.

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