Britannia Radio

Daily Briefing

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

FEATURED STORY Crisis-hit Greek Jews fear for their future Jews in Greece worry that the country's economic crisis may mean an exodus of their young people. Read more » EDITORS' PICKS Israeli researcher wins European honor Naama Geva-Zatorsky, a 34-year-old biologist from the Weizmann Institute, won the $40,000 International UNESCO L'Oreal Prize for Women in Science. Meredith Mandell reports for JTA. Bar mitvah, Drake style In a new video, rapper Drake has decided to "re-bar mitzvah" as a sign of his Jewish commitment. It probably goes without saying, this isn't your grandfather's kind of bar mitzvah. 6NoBacon reports. Holocaust violins in America (WFAE Charlotte) For the first time, violins played by Jews during the Holocaust are going on display in the United States. But you'll have to travel to Charlotte, N.C., to see them. Squandering leverage over Iran (Washington Post) Michael Singh, managing director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, writes that despite mounting economic pressure and the looming threat of an Israeli military strike, the United States is preparing to squander its leverage over Tehran by demanding too little in upcoming nuclear talks. Islamist charm offensive (The New Republic) On their visit to Washington last week, representatives of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood used the oldest trick in the book to sell itself as moderate, Eric Trager writes: They completely misrepresented themselves. More shadiness surrounding Kabbalah Centre (L.A. Times) In the latest twist for a group already under investigation by the IRS, the L.A. Times reveals that major financial decisions -- including a $600,000 donation to the Kabbalah Centre -- were made on behalf of an 87-year-old widow with dementia. Orthodox anti-aging secrets (Haaretz) Israeli researchers have discovered four genes found in haredi Orthodox women who conceive naturally after age 45 have anti-aging properties. Goldberg on Grass (Bloomberg) Jeffrey Goldberg considers Gunter Grass' latest work of poetry, which fingers Israel as the leading threat to peace in the Middle East. (Spoiler alert: He's not very impressed.) The Eulogizer: Mike Wallace and Israel JTA's appreciation blog remembers Mike Wallace, the venerable "60 Minutes" correspondent, and gently pushes back against some of the criticism leveled at him for his coverage of Israel. Jewish views on nature quiz What does Judaism have to say about nature, now in full bloom? Our responsibilities to our environment? Take the nature quiz on MyJewishLearning. BREAKING NEWS Iranian intelligence has arrested a "Zionist regime-backed terrorist team," the official Iranian news agency has reported. In a letter to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, two congressmen said a medal awarded to veteran journalist Helen Thomas could hurt U.S. assistance to the PA. The Palestinians have sent a letter of protest against Israeli settlements to the United Nations Security Council. Vice President Joe Biden will address the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly. The Democratic National Committee's new Jewish outreach liaison should be forgiven for her 6-year-old Facebook post that used the term “Jewbags,” DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said. Up to 2,500 people are expected to arrive in Israel on what is being called a "fly-in" protest. Connecticut residents would be allowed to display religious symbols under legislation expected to be announced by state lawmaker Martin Looney. U2 lead singer Bono is on a personal visit to Israel. Israeli President Shimon Peres is awaiting a reply from the White House for his plea for clemency for Jonathan Pollard. Some Argentinians who moved to Israel have launched a campaign to rebuild a Buenos Aires province Jewish center destroyed in a tornado. More than 200 Jewish students at Florida Atlantic University's Boca Raton campus received fake eviction notices from a pro-Palestinian group. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum will honor Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the democracy movement in Myanmar, also known as Burma.