Actor Bob Hoskins dies at 71
This week, the world said farewell to beloved British-Jewish actor, Bob Hoskins.Hoskins was best known for roles like Lou in “Mermaids” and Eddie in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” His passing came after a bout of pneumonia. Read more on Tablet Magazine. Continue Reading
Papal cardinal found to be Jewish
Research has shown that, according to the halachic tradition of Judaism being passed down maternally, the late archbishop of New York, Cardinal John O’Connor, was actually a Jew. Through genealogical research, the cardinal’s sister, Mary O’Connor Ward, recently discovered that her mother was actually born a Jew and converted toContinue Reading
New archive documents events surrounding 1948
By Linda Gradstein, The Media Line By age 20, Elad Peled was a senior commander in the Palmach, one of the branches of Israel’s pre-state army. He was wounded during the fighting, and was taken to the hospital. On the way, he passed the Israeli town of Pardes Hanna, andContinue Reading
Campus divestments increase yet anti-Israel activity kept at bay
According to JTA today, while an incredible number of college campuses have ratified divestment resolutions, those same universities have not seen a surge in pro-Palestinian activity on campus. Following the example of several other schools around the county, on April 23, student governments at three Southern California public universities all votedContinue Reading
New Fatwa issued allowing foreign Muslims to visit Temple Mount
A new Fatwa issued by the Amman today allows visiting Muslims to enter the Al-Aksa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. The new Fatwa cancels out what previously disallowed travelers from visiting the holy site, however there has been an emphasis placed on the fact that this should not be consideredContinue Reading
The truck fueled by cheese
By Dikla Tuchman, Jewish Sound Correspondent At about this time last year, Greg Wagner was your average sales guy at Microsoft. But like many long-time tech industry folk here in the Pacific Northwest, Wagner was ready to embark on his next big adventure: Crafting outlandish grilled cheese sandwiches fromContinue Reading
Op-Ed: The pulpit isn’t the place for Israel criticism
By Richard A. Block, JTA World News Service NEW YORK (JTA) — Freedom of the pulpit is a cherished Jewish value, yet some rabbis hesitate to share their “true views” about Israeli policy from the pulpit, as a study last year from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs found. ThereContinue Reading
Vandalism in northern Arab-Israeli town being called ‘price-tag’ attack
As tensions mount over the current peace process turmoil, some Israeli extremists are turning their frustrations to anti-Arab graffiti. Several news outlets reported today that a mosque in the northern town of Fureidis was vandalized. The tags read “Close mosques, not yeshivot,” and a Star of David was also foundContinue Reading
Rachel Ada Galanti
Rachel will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah May 3, 2014 at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. Rachel is the daughter of Richard and Barrie Galanti of Mercer Island and the sister of Sam and Oliver. Her grandparents are Ann and Sam Galanti of Atlanta, Ga., and the lateContinue Reading
Brielle Bush
Brielle will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on May 3, 2014 at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. Brielle is the daughter of Rob Bush and Rochelle Romano of Redmond. Her grandparents are Becky and Dave Romano of Seattle, Barbara Bush of Seattle, and the late Harry Bush. Brielle isContinue Reading
Turkey and Israel to normalize relations once again
Saying that a return to normal relations with Israel could come in a matter of weeks, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said one issue is holding up the final signatures on the agreement: That of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. Read the full article from the Jerusalem Post.Continue Reading
Jail time suspended for Torah Day School child molester
Janis Siegel JTNews correspondent Jordan Eareckson Murray, the Torah Day School teacher charged with seven counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes in his classroom in May 2013, will not see further jail time. Murray changed his innocent plea to guilty on two of those counts in Feb.Continue Reading
On Yom HaShoah, world leaders call for combating of anti-Semitism
(JNS.org) On Yom HaShoah, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, world leaders called for the combating of anti-Semitism. President Barack Obama said in a statement, “On this Yom HaShoah, let us recommit ourselves to the task of remembrance, and to always oppose anti-Semitism wherever it takes root. Together, we must give enduringContinue Reading
Israeli cabinet minister calls to dismantle security fence
By Felice Friedson and Linda Gradstein, The Media Line Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said on Sunday that Israel should annex the 60 percent of the West Bank that is under full Israeli control, and that includes all of the Jewish communities built since acquiring the areas in the 1967Continue Reading
JCPA has J Street’s back in Presidents Conference bid
By Ron Kampeas, JTA World News Service J Street has the backing of the major Jewish domestic policy umbrella organization in its bid to join the major foreign policy umbrella organization. The ballot next week of the 50 or so constituent groups of the Conference of Presidents of Major AmericanContinue Reading
Israel parade fracas pushes outraged Jewish groups to define mainstream
By Edwin Black, JNS.org If a small group of grassroots Jewish organizations have their way, more than one hundred protestors will assemble in New York City on April 29, each carrying a shofar. On cue, at 5:30 p.m., rain or shine, all will raise their curved rams’ horns, long and short,Continue Reading
Ashrawi: Pacts with Israel and Hamas are NOT mutually exclusive
By Abdullah H. Erakat, The Media Line [RAMALLAH] — Dr. Hanan Ashrawi was the first woman elected to the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Ashrawi served in Palestinian governments and is a former spokesperson for the Palestinian delegation to the Mideast peace talks, beginning with the MadridContinue Reading
New Israeli cooking app takes off
By Linda Gradstein, The Media Line When Cindy Flash wanted to make eggs benedict a few days ago, she turned to a new cooking app developed in Israel, called Look & Cook. “It’s a great idea — you set up your tablet in the kitchen and you can see allContinue Reading
Sadie Alexander
September 13, 1913–April 4, 2014 Sadie Alexander was born in Newark on September 13, 1913 and died April 4, 2014 in Seattle. She was the youngest of the four children of Fradel and Elazar Levy, trilingual immigrants who spoke Polish, Yiddish, and then English. In 1934 Sadie married Harry Alexander,Continue Reading