Dutch police are investigating the “sophisticated theft” of two artworks by the famous Dutch Jewish painter Isaac Israels. The paintings are worth approximately $250,000, police said Wednesday. Police reportedly believe two middle-aged men stole the paintings from the home of a collector in The Hague. The men told the 68-year-old collector that they had been sent to fetch the paintings for restoration. The collector told police that he had planned to send the paintings to the conservator named by …More

Sarah Jessica Parker landed a multi-episode guest role on the hit TV musical “Glee,” and an incredible stylist to help her channel her Carrie Bradshaw style for the part. In season four, Chris Colfer’s character Kurt will make his way to the Big Apple – which is where Parker comes in (let’s face it, her best performances happen in New York). “Glee” co-creator Ryan Murphy revealed via Twitter yesterday that the most powerful woman in fashion is on board to ensure Parker …More

Whether they'll qualify for a medal and make Israeli Olympic history remains to be seen, but Israel's tennis duo of Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich has already made it an Olympics to remember in London. The South American-born Israeli duo popularly known as "AndiYoni" stunned Switzerland's duo of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka on Wednesday at the All England Club, advancing to the quarterfinal round of the Olympic men's doubles tournament. Federer and Wawrinka were the gold medalists four years ago in Beijing, …More

Israeli and Palestinian officials reach a deal on tax transfers. [The Huffington Post] Times of Israel breaks down the confusing story of Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi's now-infamous letter to Shimon Peres, which Israel insists was genuine. [The Times of Israel] French swimmer Fabien Gilot sports a Hebrew tattoo in remembrance of his grandmother's Holocaust-surviving husband. [Tablet] Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga are among the celebrities congratulating Aly Raisman and the rest of the US Olympics gymnastics …More

A new poll sponsored by The Israel Project (TIP) reveals that four out of five American voters see Iran’s nuclear weapons program as a threat to the United States and its NATO allies. In short, 80 percent of Americans see Iran as a threat. The poll asked 800 likely voters in the upcoming presidential election multiple questions. It found that 39 percent considered the Iranian nuclear weapons program a very big threat and 41 percent thought it was a moderate threat to the US and NATO. The poll also found …More

The crisis over Iran’s nuclear ambitions not only grabs headlines. It’s also grabbing plotlines. The hotly anticipated second season of “Homeland” starts September 30 and the backdrop is familiar to anyone following news about the Middle East: the show opens amidst a fictional Israeli bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities. Earlier this week, the show’s producers revealed that the first few episodes are set in Beirut, although filming took place in Israel. “Homeland” …More

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard that Mitt Romney took a trip to Israel, and hasn’t said the smartest things while being abroad. Extreme jet lag maybe? Well, when Jon Stewart heard Romney’s comments regarding the cultural differences between Palestine and Israel, he decided to get relentless (in his usual funny spirit of course) in a segment, “National Geogaffe-ic,” on “The Daily Show” last night. He starts with Romney’s claim …More

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the Israeli Defense Forces to draft haredi Orthodox men as it does other Jewish Israelis. Barak has allowed a month for officials to formulate regulations on haredi conscription, according to reports. The order came as the Tal Law, which allowed haredi men to defer army service, expired on Wednesday. Israel’s Supreme Court overturned the law in February. Israeli law mandates that Jewish Israelis enter the army at age 18. Some Israelis legally defer army service …More

While Bob Costas received plenty of press in the US for his tribute to the Munich 11 at Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony, he wasn’t the only broadcaster to pay homage. Canadian newsman Brian Williams (different than the NBC journalist of the same name) used the Israeli team’s entrance at last week’s ceremony to condemn the Olympic Committee’s refusal to host a minute of silence for the athletes killed at the ’72 games. “As Israel prepares to enter, my position is well …More

Actor Jason Segel told Austrian Web site kurier.at that he’s ready to quit “How I Met Your Mother” after the end of the next season. He said, “It's great to do some 'Rated R' stuff again, because I've been playing the nice guy for quite a long time now. That's why I'm gonna quit ‘How I Met Your Mother’ after the eighth season." The hit show has been on the air since 2005, and Segel has been along for the seven-year journey alongside Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Josh …More

The question of Israel’s capital is still being talked about in White House press briefings, thanks to Mitt Romney’s highly publicized comments in Israel on Sunday. The GOP candidate shared his stance that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, a line that is in contrast with typical US policy. The statement came after White House press secretary Jay Carney took flat for dodging questions on the same subject last week. A reporter Monday referred to Romney’s capital comment, pointing out that the …More

The second social protester to set himself on fire in protest of Israel’s welfare system has died of his injuries. Akiba Mafi, a wheelchair bound Israeli war veteran, suffered burns over 80 percent of his body after following the actions of Moshe Silman. Mafi lit himself on fire at a bus station in a suburb of Tel Aviv, sparking an outcry by veterans claiming the government is refusing to respond to their needs. “The bodies that are supposed to support him, i.e. the Defense Ministry and National …More