Facing Islamist threats, Arab nations tilt toward Israel
By Uriel Heilman, JTA World News Service (JTA) – Between the war in Gaza and gains by Islamic militants in Iraq, Syria and Libya, there’s plenty of cause these days for pessimism about the Middle East. But amid all the fighting, there’s also some good news for Israel. If itContinue Reading
Both sides claim victory after seven weeks of fighting
By Abdullah H. Erakat and Linda Gradstein, The Media Line (RAMALLAH) — After the rockets comes the spin machine, and both Israel and Hamas are claming victory in the fighting that has left 2,200 Palestinians, 69 Israelis, and one foreign worker dead, thousands of Palestinians wounded, and widespread devastation inContinue Reading
Fifty days, fifty points: Bibi’s approval ratings, buoyed by war, are now plummeting — but why?
By Ben Sales, JTA World News Service TEL AVIV (JTA) — Israel’s war is over, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fight may only have just begun. The past month has seen Netanyahu’s approval rating plummet, according to polling by Israel’s Channel 2. On July 23, about a week after IsraelContinue Reading
Bnei anarchy
Emily K. Alhadeff Associate Editor, The Jewish Sound You might expect to see a line of motorcycles parked outside a dive bar, but lined up outside a Jewish assisted living facility — you might do a double take. That was the scene on the sunny Sunday morning of August 24,Continue Reading
Egypt hopes to regain regional role through Gaza conflict
By Linda Gradstein, The Media Line An old Bedouin proverb says, “Me against my brother, me and my brother against my cousin, and me and my cousin against the world.” In the Gaza conflict, while Egypt and Israel may not be brothers, they are certainly cousins with a joint interestContinue Reading
So is it over?
By Ben Sales, JTA World News Service TEL AVIV (JTA) — A rocket barrage fell on Israel, a boom sounded over Tel Aviv and then it was over — at least for now. After 50 days of missiles, airstrikes, ground operations, tunnel incursions, truce talks, cease-fire proposals, death and destruction,Continue Reading
Port protesters block nothing but traffic
By Janis Siegel, Jewish Sound Correspondent Updated August 29, 2014 Chanting “Long live Palestine” and “Free, Free, Palestine” underscored by a mobile sound system playing a booming pro-Palestinian political mixtape, nearly 150 marchers came to Terminal 18 at the Spokane Street Fishing Area in Seattle Monday afternoon to stop longshoremen fromContinue Reading
In shadow of Ferguson, group builds ties across racial and cultural lines
By Anthony Weiss, JTA World News Service (JTA) — On the evening of Aug. 12, after two consecutive nights of clashes between police and protesters in Ferguson, Mo., Mikal Smith rose to address a community meeting in the neighboring city of Florissant. In front of Gov. Jay Nixon, Obama administrationContinue Reading
Using seismic vibrations, Israeli tech firm aims to detect Gaza tunnels
By Ben Sales, JTA World News Service OR YEHUDA, Israel (JTA) — Something that looks like a can of soda could be Israel’s high-tech answer to the network of tunnels that Hamas has created under the Gaza border. A sensor known as a geophone can detect underground movement based onContinue Reading
Stallone, Rogen among Hollywood elite to slam Hamas
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Nearly 200 Hollywood elite, including Sylvester Stallone and Seth Rogen, signed a statement condemning Hamas as its conflict with Israel continues.From actors to directors to studio heads signed the statement by members of the Creative Community for Peace and posted on its website Saturday. The signers alsoContinue Reading
Protesters unsuccessful in blocking unloading of Israeli ship in Tacoma
By Jewish Sound staff Though protesters attempted to block workers from entering the Port of Tacoma on Saturday to unload a ship owned by Zim Integrated Shipping Services, an Israeli shipping company, workers entered through a different route and unloaded the ship without incident. The Tacoma News-Tribune reported that aboutContinue Reading
Temple U. Jewish student punched and called ‘kike’ by SJP members
(JNS.org) A Temple University student was punched in the face and called anti-Semitic slurs by members of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) on the Philadelphia campus Wednesday. Daniel Vessal, a campus fellow of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) and a member of the Jewish fraternity AEPi,Continue Reading
Farmers in Israel’s south to get 120 new shelters
(JNS.org) Farmers in Israeli communities near Gaza will receive some 120 portable shelters to protect the manual laborers who work the land, officials said on Wednesday. The decision comes amid renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas. With fields close to the Gaza Strip border fence, agricultural workers in the south haveContinue Reading
Ohio Jews mourn death of IDF lone soldier
(Cleveland Jewish News/Exclusive to JNS.org) The Columbus, Ohio, Jewish community is mourning the loss of one of its lone soldiers as the Israel Defense Forces continues to investigate the death of Cpl. David Menachem Gordon, whose body was found Aug. 19 in central Israel with gunshot wounds. Gordon, 21, had beenContinue Reading
Jessica Katherine Manner
Jessica will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah Saturday, August 30, 2014 at Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue. Jessica is the daughter of Paul Manner and Denise Joffe of Mercer Island, and the sister of Karl and Matthew. Her grandparents are Phyllis Manner of New Rochelle, N.Y., the late George Manner, andContinue Reading
Shayna Rose Wagner
Shayna will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on August 30, 2014, at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. Shayna is the daughter of Ilyse and Greg Wagner and the sister of Risa and Bailey. Her grandparents are Pauline and Jack Reiter of Mercer Island, Naomi and Gerald Beane of Oxnard,Continue Reading
Gillian Aviva Simpson
Gillian will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on Sept. 6, 2014, at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. Gillian is the daughter of Amy Wasser of Bellevue and the late Chuck Simpson. She is the sister of Harry and Ariel. Her grandparents are Stephen and Barbara Wasser of Schenectady, NY,Continue Reading
Taleah Dina Levin
Taleah will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on August 30, 2014 at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. Taleah is the daughter of Craig and Sandra Levin, and big sister to Kayla and Ziva. Her grandparents are Gail and Bob Levin of Bellevue and Eva and Itshak Sarfati of Mercer Island. TaleahContinue Reading
George Grashin
April 28, 1928–July 28, 2014 George Grashin, age 86, of Seattle, has passed away after a brave and courageous fight with cancer. He was born April 28, 1928 to Harry and Mary Grashin. George was one of four siblings, all of whom were raised in Seattle. He attended the UniversityContinue Reading