Britannia Radio

Daily Briefing

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

FEATURED STORY Critics of Knesset NGO bills say Israel's democracy being undermined Critics say two bills that would restrict foreign funding of nongovernmental organizations undermine Israel's democratic character.Read more » EDITORS' PICKS Sarko said, Obama said A week after the overheard conversation between two heads of state, JTA's Ron Kampeas reports on what the episode portends for U.S.-Israeli relations. Silverman sister act Comedian Sara Silverman and her sister, Rabbi Susan Silverman, appeared last week at Boston University. The school's website has video of the event. Ben-Gurion the genius (Washington Post) Columnist Richard Cohen writes that a new biography of Israel's founding father, by current President Shimon Peres, is a worthwhile -- if idolizing -- account of the man who bequeathed the Jewish state an enduring moral legacy. Contain and constrain (New York Times) Cataloging the potential consequences of an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear installations, Roger Cohen argues that a strategy of containment can work against a weak and divided country. High in the Rockies (Tablet) Ean Seeb, the man hired to organize after-hours entertainment at the Jewish Federations' recent conclave in Denver, is also a leader in the city's medical marijuana community. Pursuing Nazi criminals (Wall Street Journal) A documentary premiering tonight on PBS documents postwar efforts to collect evidence to prosecute war criminals at Nuremberg. A reviewer calls it "extraordinary in its detail and revelatory power." BREAKING NEWS U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords appeared in her first television interview since she was shot in the head in January. Israel's Cabinet decided to continue to withhold the transfer of tax funds to the Palestinian Authority. An Orthodox rabbi, Steve Greenberg, officiated at a same-sex wedding. Tnuva, Israel’s largest dairy company, said it will not renew its contract with its Brooklyn distributor, which is accused of underpaying workers and firing employees illegally. Google will open a startup incubator in Israel. The family of a 14-year-old Ohio girl is suing school officials in the state for allowing bullying and anti-Semitic attacks aimed at their daughter. A synagogue in eastern Belarus was vandalized for the second time. Kathy Manning, board chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, was named to Jewish Women International's annual list of 10 “Extraordinary Women to Watch. Omri Casspi of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers has signed with his former Israeli team. Several Palestinians tried to enter Jerusalem on an Israeli bus from the West Bank. An Israeli man was jailed for up to four years for stealing nearly $150,000 from parking meters in Melbourne. French President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged his friendship to Benjamin Netanyahu in a condolence letter written to the Israeli prime minister. Vice President Joe Biden said the U.S. commitment to Israel was "unbreakable."