Judge with ties to Jewish community taking over Nisman probe of Kirchner
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — A federal judge in Argentina who has authored a book about the Holocaust was tapped to pick up the late AMIA prosecutor Alberto Nisman’s case against President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Daniel Rafecas, who has a relationship with the Jewish community, was chosen by lotteryContinue Reading
Driver in Metro-North crash was Jewish mother of 3 from Scarsdale, N.Y.
NEW YORK (JTA) – Ellen Schaeffer Brody, a Jewish mother of three from Scarsdale, was identified as the driver of the SUV that caused a deadly Metro-North train accident in suburban New York. Brody, 49, and five passengers aboard the train were killed during rush hour on Tuesday evening whenContinue Reading
Where the Jews are: Our community’s demographic study is released
By Joel Magalnick, Editor, The Jewish Sound By any stretch of the imagination, the Jewish community of the greater Seattle area is a growing, vibrant place. Where those Jews are and how they live offers a fascinating and at times surprising overview of who we are as a community. AccordingContinue Reading
Why Jewish families should vaccinate their kids
By Jamie Rubin, Kveller.com (Kveller via JTA) — Since the news of the recent Disneyland measles outbreak and the subsequent chatter on Facebook began, I discovered I have at least four Facebook friends (and likely a few more) with healthy, non-immunocompromised, vaccine-aged children who have decided, for non-medical reasons, to not vaccinate.Continue Reading
Candidates go head to head on Israel’s future — and in English, too
By Ben Sales, JTA World News Service TEL AVIV (JTA) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Labor Chairman Isaac Herzog won’t be debating each other ahead of Israel’s March election, but English speakers in Tel Aviv who packed an event hall here got the next best thing: Candidates from five parties cameContinue Reading
Islamic radicalism poses dilemma for Jews in interfaith dialogue
By Ron Kampeas, JTA World News Service WASHINGTON (JTA) — After the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris last month, Kari Alterman heard from every one of her Detroit-area Muslim dialogue partners, all of them calling to express their sadness and concern. They just didn’t do so publicly. Statements condemning violenceContinue Reading
In Tel Aviv, it’s Super Bowl Early Monday Morning
By Ben Sales, JTA World News Service TEL AVIV (JTA) — There were wings, beers, giant TV screens, and football fans wearing New England Patriots sweatshirts and Seattle Seahawks jerseys. If not for the fact that it was 1 a.m. and former Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid stood in the center ofContinue Reading
At Cal Davis, swastikas at Jewish frat house follow BDS resolution
(JTA) — Two swastikas were spray-painted on a Jewish fraternity’s house at the University of California, Davis, two days after the student senate passed a divestment resolution targeting Israel. The swastikas were painted on the off-campus house of Alpha Epsilon Pi sometime early Saturday morning. “I don’t think that it’sContinue Reading
From Holocaust to healer, one woman’s lifelong work as a trauma counselor
By Tori Gottlieb, Jewish Sound Correspondent Seventy years after the end of World War II, Holocaust survivor Dr. Edith Eger is still motivated by the fear and determination that shaped her experience in Europe’s concentration camps. It was during her time in Auschwitz that Eger discovered her inner strength, and beganContinue Reading
Griselda “Babe” Lyon Lehrer
January 29, 1921–January 24, 2015 Griselda “Babe” Lyon Lehrer, born January 29, 1921, died peacefully at her home on January 24, 2015. Babe was a Tacoma native and a lifetime promoter of the “Great Pacific Northwest,” and specifically the City of Tacoma. Babe is survived by her two sons, MichaelContinue Reading
GOP trip to Israel funded by ‘hate group,’ Southern Poverty Law Center says
(JTA) — An upcoming Republican National Committee trip to Israel is being fully funded by a hate group, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an American civil rights organization. The trip, which will take 60 RNC members to Israel for nine days beginning Saturday, is being paid for byContinue Reading
Rivlin in U.N. address stands up for Islam
NEW YORK (JTA) — Israeli President Reuven Rivlin defended Islam in a U.N. address and said that “neither the West, nor the Christians nor the Jews are at war with Islam.” Rivlin made his remarks Wednesday at a General Assembly ceremony for International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which was the dayContinue Reading
2 soldiers dead, 7 wounded as Hezbollah hits Israeli tank
TEL AVIV (JTA) — Two Israeli soldiers were killed and seven were wounded when a Hezbollah anti-tank missile struck an Israeli patrol on the Israel-Lebanon border. Wednesday’s attack by the Lebanese terrorist group included shelling of Israeli army positions in Israel’s North, according to Israeli reports. In response, the IsraelContinue Reading
When winter’s deep in your bones, this will warm you up
By Michael Natkin, Jewish Sound Columnist This simple, warming side dish goes well with mac and cheese or a rustic soup and salad. It might be just the ticket to converting a confirmed Brussels sprout hater into a true believer. I’ve also been known to fry up a plate justContinue Reading
Teens who hang with seniors: We are all better together
By Maya Pogrebinsky, Special to the Jewish Sound When was the last time you paid a visit to a resident of an assisted-living center? When was your most recent encounter with an elderly member of the community who wasn’t a relative? A group of about 15 students from Northwest YeshivaContinue Reading
Where the Jews are — can you find any?
By Ed Harris, Jewish Sound Columnist I recently visited Los Angeles, which delivered a sharp reminder, in the form of spectacular weather, that I don’t live there. Every choice we make represents a set of tradeoffs. Seattle is glorious — for at best six months of the year. The restContinue Reading
What Jewish ethics tell us about ‘Deflategate’
By Hillel Kuttler, JTA World News Service (JTA) – “Deflategate,” the controversy surrounding the New England Patriots that has made national news, made its way to a Houston business conference led by a rabbi. Rabbi Yossi Grossman, dean of the Jewish Ethics Institute, on Monday transformed the football prattle intoContinue Reading
Bulgarian president keeping palace lights on to protest anti-Semitism
PRAGUE (JTA) — The presidential palace in Bulgaria’s capital will remain lit throughout the night of International Holocaust Memorial Day to encourage actions against anti-Semitism. The symbolic act at the Sofia residence was announced Tuesday by Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev at a meeting organized by the European Jewish Congress inContinue Reading
Argentine president backing measure to disband intelligence agency
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said she supports a bill to dissolve the country’s main intelligence agency, which she accused of conspiring against her government. In a televised address on Monday, her first since the body of AMIA special prosecutor Alberto Nisman was foundContinue Reading