Tuesday, 18 January 2011

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FEATURED STORY

Limmud becoming new favored networking tool for Jewish authors, artists, groups

As the Limmud Jewish learning extravaganza spreads, it has become an opportunity for authors to promote books, artists to collaborate and Jewish organizations to find new audience and donors. Last year alone, Limmud attracted 35,000 people in 55 conferences from Siberia to South Africa.Read more »

Rabbi David Ingber, right, hits the stage at the January 2010 Limmud NY with musicians, from left, Bill Jonas, Michelle Citrin and Saul Kaiserman. Partially obscured, in the black cap, is an unidentified stagehand

EDITORS' PICKS

'Blood libel' debate still raging

The post-Tucson shooting debate over political civility is cooling down, but passions are still raging over Sarah Palin's claim that critics were guilty of perpetuating a "blood libel" against her, JTA's Ron Kampeas writes.

Kashering a Nazi kitchen

Norm Eisen is leaving Washington to become the U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic, returning to his mother's home country and moving in to a home in Prague that once served as Nazi headquarters, NPR reports.

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Adjusting agendas

Faced with a new Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives intent on slashing the federal budget, Jewish groups are adapting to promote priorities that would find favorable reception in the new Congress, JTA's Ron Kampeas reports.

Jacob's rockin' bar mitzvah

"Saturday Night Live" sketch featuring Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow takes aim at the Jewish rite of passage and puts a Jewish twist on Taylor Swift's song "You Belong With Me."

The Eulogizer: Del Reisman and Tuvia Friedman

JTA's Appreciation column remembers a veteran TV writer and a Nazi hunter.

'Jewish Jordan' inspires

In retirement in Cleveland, former schoolboy hoops star Tamir Goodman is preaching positive reinforcement as a high school coach, the Cleveland Jewish News reports.

On Jewish identity

In an essay in the Foreign Policy Journal, Richard Falk says being Jewish should not take precedence over being human or open and receptive to the insight and wisdom of other traditions.

BREAKING NEWS

A Baltimore Jewish day school will close its high school division at the end of the school year due to financial problems.
Acts of vandalism at five Jewish facilities in suburban Montreal are not isolated, according to the head of the city's Jewish Community Security Coordinating Committee.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the four other lawmakers that split from the Labor Party will remain in the government with ministerial positions.
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In her first interview since the Arizona shooting, Sarah Palin defended her use of the term "blood libel" and said she understands its meaning.
The Orthodox Union installed Simcha Katz as president at its national convention.
The Society of Professional Journalists retired a lifetime achievement award named for Helen Thomas.
Israel's Sephardic chief rabbi reportedly has ordered the recognition of all Israeli's military conversions after Rabbi Ovadia Yosef said in a letter that the conversions were valid.
The computer worm Stuxnet, which some say has set back Iran's nuclear program by several months or years, was a joint project between America and Israel, The New York Times reported.
Jerusalem's planning commission approved the construction of 124 apartments in two Jewish eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods.
Berlin Jews joined hundreds of demonstrators to protest a meeting marking the merger of two neo-Nazi parties.
The trial of a West Australian man who posted a video on YouTube accusing Judaism of being a "religion of racism, hate, homicide and ethnic cleansing" opened in Perth.
A painting looted by the Nazis in Holland was returned to the heirs of its Jewish owner by Rutgers University.
Israeli President Shimon Peres called on the Knesset to reject proposed legislation that establishes a committee to investigate the funding of left-leaning human rights groups.
The Supreme Court of Spain has indicted accused Nazi war criminal John Demjanjuk on charges of accessory to genocide and crimes against humanity.
A South African organization dedicated to dispelling stereotypes about Muslims is seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli lawmaker Tzipi Livni for her role in the Gaza war.
A Jewish group garnered 10,000 signatures on a petition asking Fox News Channel to fire political commentator Glenn Beck.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, exiting leader of France's far-right National Front party, made a public anti-Semitic slur while handing over the party leadership to his daughter.
Work on the construction of a Jewish housing project in eastern Jerusalem has been halted pending a meeting on the project.
South African Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein has slammed a petition seeking the removal of Desmond Tutu as patron of two Holocaust centers in South Africa.
Jewish talent won some and lost some at the Golden Globe Award ceremonies, auguring a mixed outlook for the upcoming Oscar nominations.
Israel has offered to help Australia as it continues to battle wild floods that have claimed the lives of at least 18 people.
An Israeli immigrant from the former Yugoslavia has been arrested for alleged involvement in Bosnian genocide.
A Chicago man who presented himself as a rabbi and allegedly ran a scam that stole $54 million has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and mail fraud charges.
More Palestinian Arabs living in eastern Jerusalem would prefer to retain their Israeli citizenship after a two-state solution is reached than live in Palestine, a new study found.
The French singer Vanessa Paradis canceled a performance in Tel Aviv.
Israel's Land Administration has razed an unrecognized Bedouin village in the Negev reportedly for the ninth time.