2013-05-21T23:54:43-04:00 Zend_Feed_Writer http://www.jspace.com Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-21-13-round-up-pm-edition/14086 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Warsaw Ghetto insurgent Boruch Spiegel dies at 93. [Haaretz] The EU says it is preparing to add Hezbollah to its terrorist list. [Times of Israel] Despite rift, Israel-Turkey trade continues to flourish. [Algemeiner] A European airline wants to make special Auschwitz routes. [Arutz Sheva] The sister of yesterday's Israel bank shooter says perpetrator was "damaged." [Ynet] Bin-Laden's son-in-law wants to keep his Jewish lawyer. [Tablet]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/residents-home-front-minister-oppose-new-power-plant-in-kiryat-malachi/14084 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 On Sunday, residents in Kiryat Malachi staged a protest demanding a planned power plant in their community be stopped. Protestors insist the plant, which has been approved for construction by the Ministerial Committee on Interior Affairs, will pose a serious risk to the environment and the surrounding communities if a missile strikes the site or the plant malfunctions. Home Front Minister and former Environment Protection Minister Gilad Erdan has also joined in on the efforts to stop the plant, which he believes

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/streisand-to-receive-honorary-doctorate-from-hebrew-university/14082 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Barbra Streisand is set to receive an honorary doctorate of philosophy from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The legendary Jewish songstress will be granted the honor while in Israel to perform at Shimon Peress Israeli Presidential Conference. Barbra Streisands transcendent talent is matched by her passionate concern for equality and opportunity for people of every gender and background, said Hebrew University President Professor Menahem Ben-Sasson. Equally important, her

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/idf-musician-struggles-to-find-his-tune/14079 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 You have night blindness, the Israeli army doctor announced unsympathetically at my pre-service medical examination. Youre dismissed from your IDF mandatory army service by law, he said and called the next soldier-to-be. I was frightened by the diagnosis. I had worn glasses since I was 3, but I never thought I would lose my vision at 18. It turned out not to be as serious as it sounded: My eyes just didnt get used to darkness as quickly as they should. It took me time

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/200-firebombs-thrown-at-rachel-s-tomb-in-past-3-months/14073 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Over the past three months, some 200 firebombs and 80 explosive devices have been thrown at worshippers and Israeli soldiers at Rachels Tomb on the outskirts of Bethlehem in the West Bank. The figures were provided by senior Israel Defense Forces and Border Police officers on Monday during a meeting of the Knessets Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Israel Hayom reported. The committee gathered to discuss the security threats facing worshippers at the tomb. Committee Chairman MK Avigdor

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-21-13-round-up-am-edition/14072 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 US reform Jewish seminary reconsidering policy against intermarried students. [Haaretz] Ex-IDF chief rabbi takes over Israel's new Jewish identity administration. [Haaretz] Yair Lapid talks about removing settlers for peace. [Reuters] A new exhibit highlights Albanians who saved Jews. [New Jersey Jewish News] Charges are sought after a Jewish high school student found a swastika carved into her locker. [Republic] John Kerry announces a new anti-Semitism envoy. [JPost] The ZOA regains its tax exempt

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-20-13-round-up-pm-edition/14070 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The US says bigotry against Jews and Muslims is on the rise. [BBC] Syrians trot our IDF Jeep "captured" from rebels. [Times of Israel] A UNESCO visit to Jerusalem is canceled by Israel. [Times of Israel] A New York exhibit highlights US Jews that helped refugees from Nazis. [WSJ] A UK program targets the "Jewish cancer gene" with DNA analysis. [Haaretz] Was the Toulouse terrorist a lone wolf? [Jewish Press] A look at Helen Keller's letter to Nazi Germany. [Tablet]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-leads-world-drone-sales-4-6b-sold-in-last-8-years-video/14068 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel is the world leader is drone sales, according to insiders. The Jewish state reportedly sells $400 million in drones annually, and has sold a total of $4.6 billion worth in the last eight years. The data was published in a report by leading business consulting firm Frost Sullivan, which also found unmanned drones account for 10 percent of the Israeli military's export. In 2008, Israels drone exports totaled $150 million, a sum that increased to $650 million for the 2009 year. In 2010, Israel

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/idf-captain-one-hand-prosthetic-and-other-paralyzed-still-yearns-to-defend-israel/14067 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Alina Dain Sharon, JNS.org By the time Israel Defense Forces Captain Ziv Shilon realized an explosive device had detonated near him while on patrol near the Gaza border, his left hand was torn off and his right hand was still hanging on by just a few pieces of skin. Ten surgeries and months of rehabilitation later, his left hand has been replaced by a hook prosthesis and his right hand is paralyzed. Thats not going to stop him, he insists. Despite his injury, Shilon plans to enroll in law school and to

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/lapid-jerusalem-will-remain-capital-of-israel/14066 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Yair Lapid opened up about speculation that his political acumen is fading in a sit down with the New York Times. Lapid, the head of Israels new Yesh Atid party, shocked the international world last January when his party became the second largest in the Knesset. Since that time, however, Lapid has struggled under his role as finance minister, in particular with regards to an austerity budget that increased taxes and made certain subsidy cuts. Im going to be bashed now, and be the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-honors-arab-soccer-legend-walid-badir/14065 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Two Israeli soccer legends, both members of Israels national team, retired this weekend: Nir Davidovich and Walid Badir. The players ended their respective careers with a match against each other Saturday night, earning an emotional standing ovation from the crowds. Maccabi Haifa (Davidovich) beat Hapoel Tel Aviv (Badir) 3:2, but the climax of the game came when both players were substituted, cheered on by fans of both sides. This was the most emotional moment of my career, said Davidovich.

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/ebay-to-begin-start-up-incubator-in-netanya/14064 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 EBay is setting up a start up incubator in Israel, to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. The center will be located at Israels eBay headquarters in Netanya, and will focus on ecommerce, social networks and big data start ups. We want to work with the Israeli startup community in a more organized and orderly fashion, said eBay Senior Director Amit Menipaz, also a former head of eBays Israel branch. In general terms, I can say that we want startups that deal with

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-integrating-arabs-into-high-tech-world/14063 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Four years ago, the Israeli government named Nazareth a national priority area, meaning that Israel's largest Arab city would be granted economic incentives as a preferential area and firms that relocate to the city are entitled to tax breaks. Recently, the first industrial park in Nazareth was officially opened in April by Israeli entrepreneur and philanthropist Stef Wertheimer after 12 years of construction. The Israeli billionaire tycoon, the founder of the Warren Buffet-owned Iscar Metalworking Cos., has

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/syria-reportedly-aiming-missiles-at-israel/14062 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Syria currently has weaponry aimed at Israel, a report by the Sunday Times alleges. The British paper said Sunday that satellite imagery shows several advanced missiles aimed at the ready to strike the Jewish state should Israel hit targets in Syria. The paper did not cite a particular source for the information, but did speak with Israeli officials for the report. "Better the devil we know than the demons we can only imagine if Syria falls into chaos and extremists from across the Arab world gain a foothold

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/report-israeli-airstrikes-could-target-russian-missiles/14061 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 US officials told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that another round of Israeli airstrikes could soon target a new Russian transfer of advanced anti-ship missiles. Israeli and Western intelligence services believe the Yakhont missiles, which have been sold by Russia to Syria in recent years, could be transferred to Hezbollah within days, the newspaper reported on its website Friday. At the same time, the New York Times reported Friday that the Yakhont missiles have already been delivered to Syrias

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/german-foreign-minister-expresses-israeli-friendship-on-trip-to-j-slem/14059 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle met with Israeli leaders Friday in Jerusalem, iterating his nations support for the Jewish state. "I'm using the word friendship, which is from our understanding more than a partnership, Westerwelle told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This is not only a strategic alliance; this is a friendship between societies, between peoples and between governments. He added: "We will do what we can to support the security and a peaceful and

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/canadian-pm-criticizes-nations-unwilling-to-back-israel/14057 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper criticized nations unwilling to back Israel, calling the Jewish state the one stable, democratic ally in the Middle East. Theres nothing more shortsighted in Western capitals in our time than the softening of support weve seen for Israel around the globe, the prime minister said. Harper made the remarks during a visit to New York on Thursday, adding his rejection of arming Syrian rebels. We should not fool ourselves about

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-20-13-round-up-am-edition/14056 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Four are dead in a Beersheba bank shooting. [Times of Israel] Vandals spray paint slogans against liberal Jewish women's prayer group in Israel. [Washington Post] Nazi flags were spotted flying over the West Bank. [Algemeiner] A Jewish PR firm is set to represent victims of the Cleveland kidnappings. [Jewocity] Many of Spain's Sephardic Jews are still waiting for citizenship. [NYTimes] Imprisoned contractor Alan Gross settles a lawsuit with his company over negligence claims. [Arutz Sheva] The New York

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/donald-trump-will-build-golf-course-in-israel/14054 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 Donald Trump is bringing his luxury real estate and outspoken charm to Israel. Well, at least his luxury real estate! The mogul plans to build a golf course resort in Ashkelon, a seaport city on the Mediterranean coast 13 kilometers north of the Gaza Strip border. Trump is hoping to build an 18-hole course, 650 hotel recreation units, a convention hall and country club on the 210-acre site adjacent to the Nitzanim Nature Reserve. With Caesarea Golf Country Club being Israels only full course, it is

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/haifa-judge-calls-for-legal-rights-for-animals-to-prevent-animal-cruelty/14052 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 A Haifa judge is calling for independent legal rights for animals. Judge Daniel Fisch made the statement after a ruling on an animal abuse case exposed the limits of the judicial system in prosecuting animal cruelty cases. The case centered around a man from Kafr Samia who is accused of tying his dog to the back of the car and dragging the dog, severely injuring the animal. Veterinarians were unable to save the dog, which had to be humanely euthanized due to the extent of his wounds. Fisch, who presided over the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/interview-with-israeli-musician-tali-rubinstein/14049 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Every Friday, Jspace News partners with the America Israel Cultural Foundation to bring you an interview with one of the many Israeli artists they support throughout the world. Tali Rubinstein is a contemporary recorder player, singer, and composer. She graduated with honors from prestigious music institutions in Israel: Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts, Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. She also studied at the Buchman-Mehta School of Music, Tel-Aviv

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-17-13-round-up-pm-edition/14048 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Egyptian police have blocked the border between Egypt and the Gaza strip, after Islamists kidnapped seven members of the force. [Forward] Moroccos King Mohammed VI is funding the restoration of his countrys Jewish burial sites. [IJN] The London Jewish Cultural Center in Golders Green will host the countrys largest Jewish food festival, Gefiltefest. [Times] South Africas chief rabbi, Warren Goldstein, defends Israel amongst his countrys widespread support for the anti-Israel

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/thousands-protest-in-israel-against-haredi-draft/14046 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Israelis protested in Jerusalem against plans to enlist haredi men into the military. The protesters gathered Thursday night near the citys military draft bureau to listen to rabbis warn that army service would irreparably harm their way of life. The government wants to uproot and secularize us, Rabbi David Zycherman said, according to Reuters, They call it a melting pot, but people cannot be melted. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-hugging-vest-helps-calm-autistic-ptsd-patients/14045 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Hugs have been scientifically proven to have a calming effect on people, especially those with PTSD, autism or under high stress. Now a new Israeli innovation, BioHug, is offering comfort and stress relief for those who need hugs most. Were all familiar with stress, which is associated with lots of health problems, BioHug CEO Andrew Schiffmiller explained. For some populations it can be associated with much more severe symptoms someone with autism under stress may injure

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/bibi-quest-to-stop-russian-sale-of-arms-to-syria-in-murky-water/14042 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to the Jewish state this week following a visit to Russia earmarked by attempts to stop Russian supply of arms to Syria. Russia is in the process of reportedly delivering hundreds of advanced S-300 missile systems to Syria. While Moscow responded that it would continue to uphold existing weapons contracts, press secretary Sergey Lavrov indicated his government would consider cessation of future sales. "We have already gone through with some of our previous

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/cia-head-john-brennan-in-israel-to-talk-syria/14041 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 CIA head John Brennan landed in Israel Thursday to discuss the Syrian conflict and Irans nuclear proliferation. During the visit, Brennan met with heads of security and defense in the Jewish state, including Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon at army headquarters in Tel Aviv. The pair briefed one another on intelligence regarding chemical weaponry in Syria, specifically steps taken to prevent weapon spillover to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The surprise meetings come just days after Israel allegedly struck

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-determined-to-keep-weapons-out-of-hezbollah-hands/14039 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel is determined to keep advanced weapons from Syria out of Hezbollah hands, an anonymous official told the New York Times. The senior Israeli insider told the paper that if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad seeks retaliation against Israel involvement in the matter, he would face serious consequences. If Syrian President Assad reacts by attacking Israel, or tries to strike Israel through terrorist proxies, he will risk forfeiting his regime, for Israel will retaliate. Israel has

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-navy-the-watchmen-of-the-sea/14037 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The Israel Navy is charged with the defense of the countrys 190 km-long coastline as well as protecting the states vital maritime assets. The IDFs impressive fleet of patrol boats, missile boats and submarines are eternally vigilant against hostile forces attempting to attack, sabotage and infiltrate sovereign Israeli territory. With 70 percent of Israels eight million citizens settled in the countrys narrow coastal plain, the Navy bears the immense responsibility for their

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-16-13-round-up-pm-edition/14035 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men rally against forced military service. [Times of Israel] Colonial Jewish roots in America take center stage. [Times of Israel] Susan Rice briefs Jewish leaders on the Middle East. [Forward] A bullet from the Sinai hits an Israeli structure. [Ynet] The IDF may beef up security around Hevron. [Arutz Sheva] Ed Miliband is ranked 20th in list of most influential Jews. [Independent] A Polish couple has been posthumously named Righteous Among the Nations. [Algemeiner]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jspace-featured-org-ma-ase-olam/14033 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Maase Olam isnt just a travel experienceits a life experience. The organization facilitates 10-month visits to the Jewish state, helping young Jews engage in Israel through a volunteer approach. Maase Olam is one arm of a larger Israeli organization, Maase. We were formed to promote volunteerism among young Israelis, said Mollie Breger, Maase Olam North American manager. Maase Olam was developed two years ago to promote North American

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/disabled-israeli-fights-for-right-to-raise-child-born-to-surrogate/14032 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An Israeli woman is locked in a legal fight to gain custody of a child she had through a volunteer surrogate mother. Ora Mor Yoseph, who suffers from muscular atrophy and is unable to bear children on her own, has been denied rights to claim the child by a Beersheba Family Court that insists Mor Yoseph has no genetic connection to the child. The volunteer surrogate, an Israeli woman willing to give birth on Mor Yosephs behalf, was artificially inseminated in India. After giving birth to a healthy baby

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/woman-who-helped-save-jewish-children-honored-as-righteous/14029 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A woman from Cork has become Irelands first hero named Righteous Among the Nations. Mary Elms risked her life during World War II to help protect Jewish children, helping a large number escape deportation to the Rivesaltes camp in France in the summer of 1942. Elms, who died in 2002, was in France at the time with the Quaker group the Religious Society of Friends. She was just 34 when she began shielding the persecuted children from arrest. Ronald Friend, one of the children saved by Elms,

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/significant-evidence-of-third-israeli-natural-gas-field/14028 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A joint US-Israeli group has discovered "significant signs" of another natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Haifa. The Karish 1 natural gas field could hold up to two trillion cubic feet of natural gas, the Texas-based Noble Energy and the Israeli-owned Delek group announced Thursday. The discovery at the exploratory well in Israeli territorial waters is smaller than the other Israeli offshore gas fields, Tamar and Leviathan. The gas from the Tamar field is expected to meet Israels

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-16-13-round-up-am-edition/14027 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 After a ban, Poland may be set to reinstate kosher slaughter. [Times of Israel] Unseen Amy Winehouse photos go on display at London Jewish Museum. [Londonist] Bulgaria's Ataka party is following neo-Nazi lines. [Arutz Sheva] Palestine has chosen a new president--on TV. [Ynet] Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men are breaking the fashion mold. [Forward] The Vatican plans a Torah art exhibit in Venice. [Forward] In praise of dairy restaurants...and blintzes. [Tablet] Gazans like KFC so much, they're smuggling it

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-15-13-round-up-pm-edition/14024 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Judaisms biblical practice of schmita, a mandated year of rest, offers modern Jews the opportunity to diminish their consumerism. [NJJN] An Orthodox Jewish school in Brooklyn sent letters home to parents, banning the hipster-themed thick-framed glasses and requesting that they only buy their children simple frames. [Scallywag] The man who confessed to kidnapping and killing 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979 in New York, will stand trial. [Forward] The 25-year-old man who defaced a Torah and Jewish prayer

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-keeps-vat-tax-exemption-for-tourists/14022 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel has decided to continue granting tourists a VAT tax exemption for the 2013-14 year, the cabinet announced Monday. The idea to remove the exemption was floated through the government in a bid to raise revenue, but the finance committee passed its annual budget this week without implementing the measure. Instead, a 2 percent spending cut was issued as part of the 388 billion shekel, of $106.7 billion, budget plan. [This is a] responsible decision not only for the 200,000 people working in the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/may-15-1941-remembering-the-creation-of-the-palmach/14016 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 On May 15, 1941, Israels first elite fighting squad was created. The Palmach, as it would come to be known, was a special fighting force of the Haganah, Israels precursor to the Israeli Defense Forces. The Haganah defended the Jewish state during the British Mandate for Palestine era, and the Palmach provided crucial services from 1941 to 1948. Beyond its military services, though, the Palmach had incredible influence over the shape of Israels defense system generations after it ceased to

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/bibi-peres-mark-shavuot-with-first-fruits-tradition-video/14012 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli leaders celebrated Shavuot this week, the ritual holiday commemorating the gift of the Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu honored the holiday at a gathering with children from the Valley of Springs Regional Council. Bibi spoke with the children and accepted gifts of locally grown fruit, a traditional food for the holiday, as biblical commandment mandated that farmers bring their first fruits to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. "I thank you for

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/coach-guttman-pumps-match-against-honduras/14010 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 As Team Israel prepares for a friendly match against Honduras soccer team in New York on June 2, which will mark the first official Israeli appearance in the city in decades, head coach Eli Guttman held a phone press conference from Israel Monday afternoon. We know a lot of Jewish people over there [New York] are waiting for us, and we want them to proud of the Israeli National team, said Guttman. Israels soccer team is currently ranked 59th in the world, and second place in their

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-paralympian-eyes-2016-rio-games/14005 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Pascale Bercovitch has a firm handshake and a ready smile. Shes hard to keep up with as she takes an elevator to a cafe on the ground floor of her gym in northern Tel Aviv and talks about her hopes to compete in 2016 in Rio De Janeiro. Its easy to forget that shes 45 years old and has no legs. I love to find my limit and push it, to succeed more than I did yesterday, Bercovitch told JTA. What interests me is the journey. For Bercovitch, who has represented Israel

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-13-13-round-up-pm-edition/13992 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Ashton Kutcher has arrived in Israel. [Algemeiner] A study shows conversion of non-Jewish Israelis is declining. [JPost] The head of Hungary's Jewish community has been ousted. [Arutz Sheva] The Church of Scotland has decided Israel can keep existing. [Jewish Press] Have trouble keeping your place in Torah readings? There's an app for that. [Times of Israel] Evidence is mounting that the Boston bombers were behind the murder of two Jewish men and a third victim some years ago. [Tablet]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/casspi-discusses-down-season-joining-team-israel/13989 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 On July 23 the Israeli National Basketball team will start training for the European Championships in September. As the players met with Arik Shivak and the rest of Team Israels coaching staff, Omri Casspi took the opportunity to discuss his past season, scoring more DNP (Did Not Play) games than points. Ever since the native Israeli failed to replicate the beginning of his NBA career, there has been talk of him returning to play for Israels powerhouse, Maccabi Tel Aviv. The forward debunked those

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/1-500-year-old-mosaic-uncovered-at-israeli-dig/13987 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A 1,500-year-old mosaic was discovered by chance in the northern Negev, during excavation prep for the construction of a traffic interchange between Maahaz and Devira Junction. The mosaic, which researchers say dates to the Byzantine period, includes colorful tiles in a geometric pattern, with wine jugs, peacocks and doves at the corner. The design was likely used as a faux rug, and historians at the Israel Antiquities Authority said Monday the number of motifs used in the mosaic is incredibly

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/violence-and-drama-in-israeli-sports/13984 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 While Yossi Benayoun has been suffering anti-Semitic abuse on Twitter, basketball and soccer fans in the holy land have continued to cross all lines, causing riots and interfering with police work. In Israeli soccer, Beitar Jerusalems fans are causing most of the commotion during bouts with Saknin. Beitar management has also been targeted by a violent group of racist fans that call themselves La Familia and are dedicated to Keep Beitar Pure as signs stated months ago in a match

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-13-13-round-up-am-edition/13982 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A new poll shows half of Israeli Jews back the Women of the Wall. [Israel Hayom] Sholem Aleichem's granddaughter writes e-books. [Jewish Business News] Jimmy Carter wants the EU to label products coming from the West Bank. [Arutz Sheva] A Jewish center in New York is contributing to Google Art. [Ynet] A British lawyer has been fined $12,000 for an anti-Semitic rant. [Forward] The Newseum will "re-evaluate" its plans to honor two Hamas cameramen. [Times of Israel] Some non-dairy dishes for Shavuot. [Tablet]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/tel-aviv-university-discovers-new-planet-using-einstein-s-theory-of-relativity/13981 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 NoCamels Team, NoCamels - Israel Innovation News A Tel Aviv University professor and his students have discovered a new planet outside the solar system. Tsevi Mazeh and his team were able to identify the planet using a light-measuring method, based on Albert Einsteins theory of relativity. The planet, later reaffirmed by a Harvard research team, will be called Kepler-76b, after a NASA spacecraft that supplied much of the data used for the discovery. Kepler is an observation craft, launched in 2009, with

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/interview-with-israeli-composer-ady-cohen/13975 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Every Friday, Jspace News partners with the America Israel Cultural Foundation to bring you an interview with one of the many Israeli artists they support throughout the world. Ady Cohen is a film composer who also composes music for the stage, television, and the concert hall. He is the winner of the 1998 Israeli Academy Award for Best Film Score. The film, Dangerous Acts, won seven Israeli Academy Awards, including Best Director. Ady has composed over 30 film scores in Israel, the United States,

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-10-13-round-up-pm-edition/13972 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Jewish leaders in the Boy Scouts of America are vocally advocating for the acceptance of gay members into the youth organization. [Forward] The story of the Pennsylvania Avenue Newseum honoring two Hamas journalists continues to grow. [Tablet] A Washington-based think tank has condemned the Newseums honoring of Hamas members, and threatens to break affiliations with the journalism museum. [Algemeiner] Noam Chomsky was one of twenty academics supported Stephen Hawking boycott of Israel's Presidential

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jspace-featured-org-tarbuton/13973 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Nearly a decade ago, Jennie Starr noticed a problem in her San Diego community. The majority of Jews didnt affiliate with a particular synagogue or Hebrew school, despite the fact the city had a large Jewish population. So Starr set out to do something about it. Tarbuton is an Israeli cultural center in California focused on giving Jewish families a space to come together and share their collective culture. About eight years ago I created informal social gatherings to create Israeli social

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/yossi-benayoun-receives-anti-semitic-twitter-abuse-on-birthday/13971 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli soccer star Yossi Benayoun fielded anti-Semitic abuse this week, directed at his Twitter account on his birthday. The abuse has led to a police investigation in the UK, initiated by Chelsea, Benayouns current team. Yossi received many birthday wishes by fans on Twitter, but not everybody took the opportunity to bless him. He decided to retweet the nasty tweet, which resulted with his team calling the police. Last month, Chelsea launched an investigation after Benayoun said he was the victim of

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/australia-and-israel-commemorate-1917-battle-with-joint-stamp/13970 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israel and Australia jointly released stamps marking the charge of the Australian Light Horse Brigade at Beersheba in 1917. The official release Friday in the office of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy celebrates the friendship between Australia and the Zionist enterprise that has endured since the battle. Israels Ambassador to Australia, Yuval Rotem, noted the friendships forged between Australian soldiers and Jewish residents amid the 1917 battle. Despite great geographical distance

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-25th-best-place-in-world-to-be-a-mother/13968 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli mothers are in a better than average position compared to global comparisons. The Jewish state was recently ranked the 25th best nation for mothers, in a report by the UKs Save the Children. The Mothers Index, as it is called, ranked the UK at 23 and the US at 30. Factors like child mortality rates, maternal mortality, education, economics and womens employment in government were considered in making the designations. At the top four spots were Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/a-look-back-at-operation-isotope/13967 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 On May 8, 1972, Palestinian terrorists hijacked Belgian airliner Sabena Flight 571 en route from Vienna to Tel Aviv. The four terrorists--two men and two women--were part of the Black September terror organization, the same group that, just four months later, would perpetrate the notorious Munich Olympics massacre. Motivation for the hijacking stemmed from lingering anger over Israels success during the Six Day War in 1967. Terror organizations were looking to indiscriminately kill Israelis around the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-world-marks-ve-day-68th-anniversary/13966 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli leaders and groups around the world marked the 68th anniversary of VE Day yesterday, a commemoration of Nazi Germanys surrender. Each year, the anniversary is marked in the Jewish state by parades and celebrations, where Jewish vets come out to remember the victory. I call on you, young people standing here today: Look toward these fighters, look into their eyes and know that they are role models, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said yesterday at one such rally. Hundreds marched in the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/yahrzeit-for-yossi-banai-beloved-israeli-performer-video/13963 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Yossi Banai was a beloved Israeli musician and actor, known for his trademark combination of musical performances and dramatic interpretations. Banai was born in Jerusalem November 5, 1932, in the Mahane Yehuda neighborhood. It is a vibrant market area, known for its colorful shuks, or markets. The Banai family was recognized among neighbors for its artistic talent, and young Yossi was no different. From a small age, Banai was performing along side his brothers, Gavri, Yaakov and Haim, who

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-9-13-round-up-pm-edition/13959 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Sixty-one percent of Israelis support Barack Obama's foreign policy. [Forward] James Deen has some special words for mom on Mother's Day. [Forward] DC's journalism museum is honoring two Hamas journalists killed in Pillar of Defense. [Times of Israel] Hezbollah wants to help Syria capture the Golan Heights. [Tablet] Israelis are set to re-start the "cottage cheese protests" of 2011. [Arutz Sheva] A Likud MK says Israel will decide whether or not to strike Iran by early 2014. [Times of Israel] Is Dr. Who

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-app-waze-could-fetch-1b-from-facebook-or-apple/13952 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli app Waze is on the verge of some incredibly lucrative buy outs. The navigation app, which has emerged as a highly successful start up venture for its Israeli creators, has potential offers from Facebook and Apple, which could reach more than $1 billion in pay out. Facebook is reportedly interested in picking up the app for a sum between $800 million and $1 billion. Reports are also surfacing that Waze managers spoke with interested Apple execs earlier in the year as well. The app is used by drivers to

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-9-13-round-up-am-edition-video/13950 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told John Kerry he will "hold" settlement construction. [Jewish Week] The secret Jewish history of "The Great Gatsby." [Forward] After an arson threat, Yale's Jewish center remains "open and welcoming." [Yale Alumni Magazine] The Spielberg Jewish FIlm Archive releases a film list in honor of Jerusalem Day. [Algemeiner] Two Anne Frank charities are dueling over archives. [Tablet] A look at the forgotten Jews of the Red Army. [Times of Israel] James Franco and Andy Samberg

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-8-13-round-up-pm-edition/13947 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Coca-Cola has personalized its cans with common Hebrew, Arabic, and English names. [Tablet] A Jewish womens Greek cuisine offers a Shavuot-themed recipe. [Jewcy] The Bronx High School of Science now houses a hands-on, professionally designed Holocaust museum. [Times of Israel] Budapests historic Jewish quarter hosts memorials to the tragedies and re-building it has seen since Jews first arrived in Hungary in the 12th century. [Times of Israel] Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu continue to

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-and-china-sign-400-million-trade-agreement/13943 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli and Chinese officials signed a $400 million trade agreement during meetings on Wednesday, expanding trade between the two nations to $2.05 billion. The agreement was signed by Israeli and Chinese finance ministers during a meeting attended Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang. This is a very important agreement for expanding bilateral cooperation. China is a vast market and if we even slightly increase our market share here it will significantly help the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-nabs-medals-in-judo-gymnastics-and-shooting/13939 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Another great week for Israeli athletes across the board in international competitions, as more of Israels national teams returned home with medals. Israelis brought home medals in judo, gymnastics and shooting. Sergey Richter won bronze at Ft. Benning, GA in Olympic-style shooting on Monday, adding another medal to his career. The 23-year-old Israeli won the European title in February, and was ranked 4th in the world. This medal is Richters second in the current seasons world competition

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/for-senegal-israel-s-friendship-preferred-to-islamic-militancy/13938 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Struggling to be heard over a flock of bleating sheep, Israels ambassador to Senegal invited a crowd of impoverished Muslims to help themselves to some 100 sacrificial animals that the embassy had corralled at a dusty community center. That event, which was broadcast last October on national television and takes place every year to mark Tabaski, the local name of the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast, provides Israel with a powerful platform to burnish its image in a country that is 95 percent Muslim. It

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jspace-exclusive-interview-standwithus-ceo-on-pro-israel-ad-campaign/13936 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Pro-Israel group StandWithUs is placing a series of seven ads along New Yorks metro system this month, in response to an anti-Israel campaign launched earlier this year. The current anti-Israel ad campaign is sponsored by American Muslims for Palestine, and accuses the Jewish state of being an apartheid nation. The counter campaign, which focuses on presenting the positive strides Israel has achieved, is the third such counter campaign StandWithUs has had to launch in New York in recent years. Jspace

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-leaders-commemorate-jerusalem-day/13933 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 As Jerusalemites gathered today to celebrate Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to the annual commemoration with a special pre-celebration at Mount Herzl. Currently in China on a diplomatic trip, Netanyahu honored the day early, hosting his weekly cabinet meeting at the Mount on Sunday. The meeting inaugurated a new museum at the site, and Bibi invited Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat to the event, using the occasion to highlight the capitals importance to the Jewish

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/stephen-hawking-cancels-israel-trip-supports-academic-boycott/13932 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has canceled a planned visit to Israel in June because he feels he should respect a Palestinian call to boycott Israeli academics. Originally believing the decision to be based on health reasons alone, the University of Cambridge released a statement Wednesday explaining that Hawking decided not to attend the fifth annual Israeli Presidential Conference based on advice from Palestinian academics that he should respect the boycott. The original statement by the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-8-13-round-up-am-edition-video/13931 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 A female solicitor in Rawtenstall, England was fined for telling a colleague she could not stand Jewish people. [LT] The Yale University Slifka Center for Jewish Life was threatened with an arson attack on Shavuot. [NHR] John Galliano was removed from his upcoming teaching position at Parsons The New School for Design, after a protest by the schools Jewish Students Union. [Forward] Two women have volunteered to attempt to save the Canadian Jewish News, which plans to close its operations

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jerusalem-day-celebrated-with-flags-and-memories/13930 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 It felt like Messiah had come, says Avigail Shlesinger, 81, of the day Jerusalem was liberated from the Jordan army 46 years ago. Shlesinger, who is from a six-generation Jerusalem family, recalls what life was like in the Holy City during the time that the Jordanians were in control from 1948 to 1967. It was a dangerous era, she tells Tazpit News Agency. There were areas in the city like King George Street where barriers had to be built to stop the bullets that Jordanian

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-7-13-round-up-pm-edition/13929 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Syrian rebels nab UN peacekeepers near the Golan Heights. [Times of Israel] Oberlin students vote for divestment from the West Bank. [Forward] The Elie Wiesel Ethics Prize is awarded to a student for an essay on Hurricane Sandy. [Algemeiner] Israel backs the most recent ruling on the Women of the Wall. [ABC] Jack Lew's signature gets a makeover. [CNN] Jewish groups warn of neo-Nazi parties in Europe. [Fox] Daily Beast contributor Eli Lake shuts down an anti-Semitic rant during a C-SPAN call-in show.

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-makes-soccer-headlines/13928 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Over 600 officers, including riot police with surveillance balloons and a helicopter were used to secure a match at Sakhnin's Doha Stadium as Saknin and Beitar Jerusalem faced off. "We will ensure that the match is held in a sporting manner, but we will need plenty of officers to do so," said Roni Atia, senior police commander in northern Israel. The reinforcements were necessary, as fans of the teams clashed. These fans are not above the law, said Minister of Sports Limor Livnat on Monday. Livnat

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/report-88-percent-of-jerusalem-residents-love-their-city/13925 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 More young people are choosing to live in Jerusalem than in recent years. The data was released this week by the Central Bureau of Statistics in honor of Jerusalem Day, which will be celebrated tomorrow. The report also showed signs that the city is on an upward track in regard to population as well as attractiveness as a place of residence. The CBS found that 88 percent of those living in the city are pleased with Jerusalem as a whole, a figure that is two percent higher than those living in Tel Aviv and four

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/yom-yerushalayim-and-the-temple-mount-miracles-of-biblical-proportion/13923 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Alex Traiman, JNS.org While the 1967 Six Day War ushered in a 46-year period of controversial and complex political realities, Israelis joyously celebrate that years historic military victories over Egypt, Syria and Jordan on an annual basis. In particular, Israelis commemorate Yom YersushalayimJerusalem Daythe national holiday celebrating the 1967 reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City. The famous paratrooper call, which Israelis vividly

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/pine-trees-cleared-despite-israeli-community-protests/13922 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A stand of pine trees planted during the Jordanian occupation has been illegally cut down by developers to make room for a new housing complex. The 536 pine trees provided one of the last green areas in an otherwise rocky terrain in the Har Homa neighborhood of Jerusalem. Residents have been locked in a battle with the contractors since they noticed the trees were marked to be cut and decided to take their fight to court to prevent the destruction of the small forest. I saw that all the trees were marked,

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/mayor-nir-barkat-jerusalem-will-succeed/13921 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Nir Barkat has plenty of reason to advocate for Jerusalem. Not only is he local mayor of the city, but he was also raised there. Barkat was born in 1959 and moved with his family to the Israeli capital at a young age. At the age of 18, he joined the Paratroopers Brigade of the IDF, where he served for a total of six years, more than the compulsory time. Barkat was promoted to the rank of Major and received a bachelors degree in computer science at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He used those

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/while-jerusalem-day-is-celebrated-above-ground-archaeological-discoveries-reveal-city-s-layers/13920 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Judy Lash Balint, JNS.org Tens of thousands will visit the Old City on May 8 for Jerusalem Day, the anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War. While celebrations go on above ground, new excavations underneath and around the Old City are being uncovered and opened to the public, peeling back layers of history and expanding understanding of events in the center of the Jewish universe. Old City expert Rabbi Barnea Selevan, a veteran licensed tour guide and co-director of Foundation

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/us-official-talking-blood-diamonds-with-israel/13918 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A top US official is traveling to Israel to discuss trade with a focus on conflict diamonds. Jose Fernandez, the assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs, arrived in Israel on Monday for a two-day visit, the State Department said in a statement. "During this visit, Assistant Secretary Fernandez will meet with government officials and business community representatives to discuss US-Israel bilateral and regional economic issues and conflict diamonds, respectively," the statement

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/tzipi-livni-attends-liberation-anniversary-at-mauthausen/13917 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Tzipi Livni joined a score of leaders at Mauthausen Sunday, commemorating the 68th anniversary of the death camps liberation. "We who weren't there cannot and may not forget. The numbers engraved on the arms in Auschwitz are engraved on each of our souls," the Israeli justice minister said. "I came today as justice minister of the Jewish state to say together with you never again. Livni added: "It is not for us that we do not want the world to forget, it is for the future of

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/for-popular-musicians-performing-in-israel-makes-a-statement/13916 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Binyamin Kagedan, JNS.org Since the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement got its start in 2005, the decision to schedule an appearance in Israel has been become a difficult one for popular recording artists. American and British performers who announce plans to stop in Tel Aviv or Ramat Gan as part of their world tour quickly come under fire from blogs, Facebook groups, and other BDS outlets that call upon them to immediately cancel these shows. Some artists in recent years have complied with the BDS

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-7-13-round-up-am-edition/13913 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Ron Lauder is re-elected as head of the World Jewish Congress. [JPost] Descendants honor the Jews of Cape Verde's past. [AFP] Benjamin Netanyahu visits a Jewish Chinese quarter. [JPost] Greece is considering an anti-Semitism, Holocaust-denial bill. [Haaretz] Prisoner X botched an Israeli plan to recover bodies. [Forward] Naftali Bennett steps into the Women of the Wall fray. [Times of Israel] Adam Yauch gets his own park in Brooklyn. [USA Today]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-6-13-round-up-pm-edition/13911 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A US Jewish leader says Hungary should be more outspoken against anti-Semitism. [Washington Post] The brutal murder of a Jewish nurse in Cleveland is puzzling police. [Forward] Turkey and Israel close in on a reconciliation deal. [Times of Israel] Two women in Iowa have been denied unemployment benefits, after being fired for burning "gingerbread Jews." [Times of Israel] An alleged Auschwitz guard is arrested in Germany. [Ynet] The Israeli Pet Travel Agency helps you make aliyah with your dog. [Jewcy]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/stars-of-scandal-and-once-upon-a-time-israel-is-inspiring/13908 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 At the Western Wall on Friday night, a group of stars from the hit American TV shows "Scandal," and "Once Upon a Time" found themselves immediately recognized by religious Jewish prayer-goers. "People approached us at the Western Wall, saying they watch our shows," said Katie Lowes, who stars in the new American political thriller television series, "Scandal," created by "Grey's Anatomy" head Shonda Rhimes. "It has been an amazing experience, visiting across Israel. But the visit to the Western Wall and the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-trauma-unit-to-counsel-boston-students/13906 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An Israeli trauma unit trained in counseling victims of violence traveled to Boston yesterday to help the local school system following the Boston Marathon bombing. The Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) will be in the Boston suburb of Watertown through Friday. Watertown made international news last month when the city shut down during a manhunt for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the perpetrators of the attack that killed three and wounded hundreds more. Our partners in Israel, who are all too familiar with the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/young-gymnast-becomes-israeli-citizen-in-time-for-tournament/13905 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A young Russian immigrant received her Israeli citizenship Wednesday, and will now be able to represent Israel in official gymnastics tournaments. Twelve year-old Ksanya Kasrin has been waiting for this day for six years. Until recently, she registered for international competitions with her Russian passport, not as a part of Team Israel. Kasrin is currently ranked third in Israel, and recently won the Bronze medal in a Russian competition for her age group. She is considered a great talent and hope for

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/new-prize-to-promote-zionist-art/13901 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The Arthur Szyk Prize for Disruptive Thought and Zionist Art was recently launched to recognize artists whose works spark new ideas about Zionism in the 21st century. The prize, the first of its kind, acknowledges art that engages its audience in a conversation about Zionism and what it means to live in Israel in 2013. The prize is named after visionary Jewish illustrator Arthur Szyk, who created a legendary edition of the Haggadah. The prize will award $1,000 to an artist whose submission shows "exemplary and

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/bibi-in-china-to-increase-economic-cooperation/13900 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in Shanghai to boost economic cooperation, amid Chinas announced interest in helping further the Palestinian peace process. The diplomatic trip marks the first visit by an Israeli prime minister since Ehud Olmerts time in China in 2007. The government is also hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing. Netanyahu will travel to Beijing on Wednesday, after Abbass departure. The Chinese leadership was recently replaced and it is expected to

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-israel-has-right-to-defend-itself-against-hezbollah/13897 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 US President Barack Obama backed Israels right to defend itself against Hezbollah, as speculation over the Jewish states involvement in a Syrian strike over the weekend heats up. "The Israelis, justifiably, have to guard against the transfer of advanced weaponry to terrorist organizations like Hezbollah," Obama said. "We coordinate closely with the Israelis, recognizing that they are very close to Syria, they are very close to Lebanon. Neither the US nor Israel have confirmed the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-6-13-round-up-am-edition/13896 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Iron dome batteries are deployed in northern Israel as tension with Syria heats up. [ABC] Ultra-Orthodox Jewish college wins $10.6 million in public funds. [NJ.com] Israel asks Google to re-think its move to change "Palestinian territories" to "Palestine." [JPost] France thanks Sephardic Jews for bringing chocolate to the nation. [Times of Israel] A high profile neo-Nazi terror trial begins in Germany. [Arutz Sheva] Survivors say "never again" at Mauthausen. [Arutz Sheva] Young Israeli scientists conquer

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/us-assures-israel-on-iran-with-upgraded-bunker-busters/13895 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 US officials allegedly told Israel that the United States has improved weapons capable of destroying Iran's underground nuclear site in Fordow. The Wall Street Journal, quoting unnamed American officials, reported Thursday that the United States had assured Israel that advanced features added to its bunker buster bombs vastly improved its ability to destroy underground facilities. The Journal reported that the United States hopes the improved Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, will serve to convince Israel to

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/breaking-news-israel-reportedly-strikes-syrian-sites/13894 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli airplanes reportedly bombed a second site outside Damascus early Sunday morning, according to Syrian activists and news agencies. The targets of the alleged strike are unclear, but reports hold that a military research center and nearby ammunition depot were hit early in the morning. One of the sites, the Jamraya military research center, was previously targeted by Israel in January. Some activists claim that a missile brigade and two Republican Guard battalions were also targeted Sunday. Neither Israel

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/tau-researchers-launch-tadpole-rescue-mission/13893 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 Just weeks before a shopping center development project paved over one of the last remaining winter ponds in Haifa, a team of ecologists launched a rescue mission to save some of the rare and endangered amphibians living in the seasonal pool slated for destruction. Researchers for Tel Aviv University rescued 800 Syrian spadefoot tadpoles as well as several other endangered species from the winter pond. The amphibians are now temporarily living in a special facility at TAUs Garden for Zoological

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/interview-with-israeli-musician-daniel-meron/13891 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Every Friday, Jspace News partners with the America Israel Cultural Foundation to bring you an interview with one of the many Israeli artists they support throughout the world. A native of Israel, Daniel Meron succeeds in expressing in his music the diversity of influences from his homeland. Nourished by the tradition of jazz improvisation, but recognizing the value of classical and folklore music, Daniel finds a way to feature his unique playing style in brilliant compositions that are both sophisticated and

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jspace-featured-org-israel-cancer-research-fund/13888 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Israel Cancer Research Fund has some lofty goals, and the group is more than up to the challenge. Founded by a group of passionate individuals, ICRF is the only charitable group in the US committed to furthering cancer research in the Jewish state. We were founded in 1975 by a group of American and Canadian doctors and lay people who wanted to combat cancer, said Donna Ostrower, executive director of ICRF. They were determined to harness Israels scientific and medical

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-creates-national-service-initiative-to-clean-up-underserved-areas/13884 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israels Environmental Protection Ministry has announced plans to create a new national service initiative. The program will employ 500 workers in a range of service posts aimed at teaching sustainable practices and cleaning up environmentally neglected areas of the nation. This step will help the environment, said Amir Peretz, the new Environmental Protection Minister. He added that the program will also give those who serve the chance to find a rewarding job that will benefit local

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/google-upgrades-palestine-to-full-nation-state/13883 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Google has decided Palestine is a nation state. The declaration was made by the Internet search engine Wednesday, as Google changed its Palestinian edition from Palestinian territories to Palestine. Google hosts a unique platform for each country it serves. "We're changing the name 'Palestinian Territories' to 'Palestine' across our products. We consult a number of sources and authorities when naming countries, Google spokesman Nathan Tyler said. "In this case, we are

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/senegalese-celebrate-israeli-independence/13882 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A crowd of 1,000 people celebrated Israels 65th anniversary in the predominantly Muslim nation of Senegal in western Africa on Tuesday. Israel very much values its warm ties with Senegal, which is an island of stability in an unstable region, Israels ambassador to Senegal, Eli Ben-Toura, told the crowd of religious leaders, businessmen, artists and diplomats who gathered at Dakars Grand National Theater to celebrate. Ben-Toura told JTA that Israel has trained hundreds of

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-3-13-round-up-am-edition/13880 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Jewish sleep away camps serve approximately 2,500 special needs children, but are hesitant to advertise these services. [Jewish Week] Sarah Silverman spoofs black and white films in her recently released viral video. [Heeb] Rapper Scarface spews anti-Semitic comments in an interview with KollegeKidd.com. [Tablet] A painting stolen by the Nazis will be auctioned for more then $2 million at Christies in June. [Forward] The American Jewish Committee and Latino Coalition have signed an agreement to

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-2-13-round-up-pm-edition/13876 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Mortars were fired from Gaza on Eshkol this evening. [Times of Israel] Meanwhile, shots were fired on an Israeli car in the West Bank. [Times of Israel] A UK politician is suspended after giving a Nazi salute. [Arutz Sheva] Swastika graffiti is found on a New York sidewalk. [Arutz Sheva] The lyrics to an unreleased Bob Dylan song are up for sale. [Tablet] Turns out Martha Stewart just returned from a wedding in Israel. [Forward] Check out "Pizza Bagels," the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival's short

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jerusalem-zoo-serves-as-genetic-ark-for-endangered-species/13874 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 War, water pollution and human land development have left critically endangered wildlife in the Middle East on the brink of extinction. At Jerusalems Biblical Zoo, researchers are working hard at giving these native species a fighting chance through a unique breeding program. One of the functions of a modern zoo is to act as a genetic ark for critically endangered speciesparticularly where their natural environment is disappearingto ensure that they do not become lost to us

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/former-idf-head-talks-syria-iran-in-rare-cnn-interview-video/13873 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 In a rare press interview, former Israeli Defense Force chief Gabi Ashkenazi sat down with CNNs Christiane Amanpour to talk about Syria, Iran, and Israels newly mended fences with Turkey. Israels strategy relating to Syria is currently a popular topic on numerous news outlets, and Tuesdays interview was no different. Ashkenazi said the West could consider lethal assistance in dealing with the two-year long conflict, saying, Weapons, in order to help them to topple

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/ancient-gabriel-stone-goes-on-display-in-israel/13869 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A mysterious ancient stone containing Hebrew writing is on display in Jerusalem. The Gabriel Stone is named for its depiction of the archangel Gabriel and is believed to date back to the time of the Second Temple. It was discovered on the banks of the Dead Sea 13 years ago, and is on display now for visitors at the Israel Museum. "The Gabriel Stone is in a way a Dead Sea Scroll written on stone," said James Snyder, director of the Israel Museum. Researchers disagree on the original purpose of the stone,

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-team-performs-rare-conjoined-twins-separation/13866 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An Israeli medical team successfully separated a pair of conjoined twins Wednesday, the first surgery of its kind in the Jewish state. The incredibly rare operation took four hours to complete, after which one of the twins was said to be in critical condition. The second twin never fully developed in utero and had no chance of survival. The unnamed mother gave birth to the twins last week in Nazareth. The procedure was conducted at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. A team of doctors worked to remove from the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/warren-buffett-buys-remaining-share-in-israeli-firm/13864 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Warren Buffett is set to purchase the remaining stake in Israeli firm Iscar, a company the billionaire mogul already owns 80 percent of. Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway investment firm purchased four-fifths of Iscar, which produces cutting tools, for $4 billion in 2006. It was Buffetts first acquisition in the Jewish state. Now, the US investor is claiming the final piece, purchasing the remaining 20 percent share from the Wertheimer family for a reported $2 billion. Iscar now has a valuation of $10

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-2-13-round-up-am-edition/13863 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Jewish leaders are alarmed by the far-right anti-Semitism in Hungary. [Reuters] A testament to Jewish life in Morocco. [Haaretz] Holland Jews welcome their new king with prayer. [Ynet] A Jewish school in Houston canceled classes Thursday following a bomb threat. [Houston Chronicle] Napa County is getting its first Jewish cemetery. [Napa Valley Register] Should a pro-BDS activist Jew address a Jewish group? [Arutz Sheva] What if Justin Bieber had to do battle with Hitler? [New Yorker] A Jewish dinner

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/poll-shows-israelis-love-life-in-israel/13862 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Much is said about life in Israel; the challenges are counted, the fear of the various regional threats are often talked about, the unique difficulties entailed with living in Israel are recounted time and again, yet a recently published poll by the Central Bureau of Statistics which tracked the social trends in Israel during 2011 reveals that the majority of Israelis are very pleased with their lives. Eighty-eight percent of Israelis are content with their lives, and 52.3 percent believe their lives will improve

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/at-rutgers-a-colorful-way-to-support-israel/13860 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Despite the stress of finals, Rutgers University students are taking a break from their studies to advocate for Israel through paint. Last Wednesday, Rutgers Hillel set up a 20-foot mural in front of their building on College Avenue for students to graffiti about Israel. Any student who wants to contribute to the graffiti wall can do as such all day today, Jerry Enis, Rutgers Hillels communications consultant, told Israel Campus Beat before the event. While they are painting,

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/cable-car-to-link-western-wall-with-rest-of-jerusalem/13855 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The city of Jerusalem is moving forward with a plan to build a cable car system that will bring visitors to and from the Western Wall. One line will connect Dung Gate (the Old City gate closest to the Western Wall) with the Mount of Olives to the east, and a second line will connect Dung Gate with the Khan Theater on Hinnom Ridge to the west, Israel Hayom reported. The system will be able to transport 6,000 passengers per hour. Each of the 1.6 kilometer routes will take around four minutes to

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/11-remarkable-photos-taken-by-a-tank-driver-in-the-field/13854 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Less than a year ago, Dan Josephson enlisted in the IDF. He serves as a tank driver in the IDFs Armored Corps. Since the beginning of his service, he has been taking remarkable, professional-quality photographs, which are now available online. 1. Playing with the moonlight When he first began his army service, Dan preferred to keep his camera at home for fear of breaking it. "In basic training, I was afraid to use my camera, until I decided to take the initiative to take it with me and start

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/mount-herzl-israel-s-national-cemetery-video/13852 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Mount Herzl is the resting place of some of world Jewrys most beloved figures, from Yitzhak Rabin and Golda Meir to Theodor Herzl himself, the man for whom the site was named. Herzl spent a sizable portion of his life dreaming of a Jewish state, and working to convince others that such a dream was possible. He never lived to see his vision realized, but he wrote a year before his death that he hoped his final resting place might one day reside in the home of the Jewish people. I wish to be buried

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/regina-spektor-returns-to-israel-video/13849 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Moscow-born, New York-raised indie folk singer Regina Spektor plans to return to Israel for an August 24 concert in Caesarea. She first played in Israel in 2007, selling out both concerts of that tour. Since rising to indie fame in 2006 with her Billboard hit, Begin to Hope, Spektor has been open about her connection to Judaism and Israel. Though she has been away from the Jewish state for six years, the 33-year old singer-songwriter has stayed true to her roots in the interim. In 2009, amidst

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-30-13-round-up-pm-edition/13844 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 This morning's terror stabbing victim is laid to rest in Israel. [Arutz Sheva] Meanwhile, the terrorist responsible for the killing is glorified on Facebook. [Algemeiner] A Hezbollah leader denies sending a drone to Israel. [Times of Israel] Palestine may be on board with the Arab League's land swap idea for a two-state solution. [Times of Israel] News surfaces that the Maimonides Mishneh Torah brought in $8.5 million. [Forward] A mysterious Hebrew stone is displayed in Jerusalem. [San Francisco

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/idf-calls-up-2k-reservists-for-drill-along-lebanese-border/13842 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Some 2,000 Israeli army reservists were called up for a surprise drill along the Jewish state's border with Lebanon. The drill, which was announced Tuesday and is expected to run through Thursday, includes a simulation using live ammunition, according to Haaretz. It is the first such surprise drill in several years, the newspaper reported on its website. An active Israeli army unit joined with the reservists for the drill, which the Israel Defense Forces told military correspondents had been planned for several

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/us-announces-prospective-basketball-team-for-maccabiah/13840 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Team USA has announced its prospective basketball lineup for the upcoming Maccabiah Games, aka the "Jewish Olympics," to be held July 2013. Former NCAA Coach and current ESPN Analyst Seth Greenberg was supposed to be head the USA Open Men's Team, but due to personal reasons, he has stepped down, leaving the position to his older brother Brad Greenberg. Greenberg, a former general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, has been enjoying an outstanding coaching season leading Maccabi Haifa in Israels Basketball

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/arab-league-may-be-open-to-land-swap-for-palestine-not-67-borders/13838 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Arab League might be open to supporting a two-state solution not confined to 1967 borders, the prime minister of Qatar said Monday. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani made the admission after a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Arab League leaders in Washington. Al-Thani said in a press conference the Arab nations would be open to a land swap as a pathway to creating a Palestinian state, a departure from the Arab Leagues 2002 peace plan, which called strictly for 67 border lines

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/three-graves-in-jerusalem-three-lives-linked-by-history/13836 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Rafael Medoff, JNS.org Leading up to Jerusalem Day this year, leaders of four US Orthodox organizations in March sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about what they called continuous violence against visitors, rampant grave desecrations, dumping of refuse and gross defilement by local Arab youths at Jerusalems Mount of Olives cemetery, casting fresh attention on the largest and oldest Jewish burial site in the world. Additionally, in February 2012, a group of American

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-30-13-round-up-am-edition/13832 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Pro-Palestinians in Ireland cover "Visit Israel" ads with "Boycott Israel" stickers. [Times of Israel] A full Israeli division and 2,000 reservists are called up to prep for possible Lebanese or Syrian threats. [Times of Israel] A Scottish Jewish event is forced to move after threats. [JPost] Holocaust survivors and veterans gather at DC museum. [CJN] Harvey Fierstein's "Kinky Boots" nabs 13 Tony noms. [Forward] Mel Brooks has joined Twitter. [Heeb]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/peres-invites-pope-to-jerusalem-during-visit-to-vatican/13831 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Shimon Peres personally extended an invitation for Pope Francis I to visit Jerusalem, in the first meeting with the new pontiff by an Israeli official. The Israeli president landed in Rome today for the visit, which also included a face to face with Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta. During his time in Italy, Peres is scheduled to meet with leaders of the local Jewish community and receive an honor in the city of Assisi. I am departing for a special visit to Rome and the Vatican today, Peres

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/palestinian-stabs-israeli-to-death-as-idf-strikes-gazan-militant/13829 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel struck Gaza today, hours after an Israeli man was stabbed to death by a Palestinian in the West Bank. Evyatar Borovsky, a father of five, was stabbed multiple times by a Palestinian man at the Tapuah junction early this morning. After stabbing his victim, the assailant, Salam Asad Zaghal, reportedly shot him at close range. Police were able to subdue Zaghal, but Borovsky, 32, was declared dead at the scene. Retaliation attacks have already begun across the West Bank, with the ever-popular rock

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-29-13-round-up-pm-edition/13827 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 NBA Commissioner David Stern praised Jason Collins' coming out today as the first openly gay pro athlete. [HuffPo] A Spanish Jewish museum opened in Grenada, and its founders wed at the opening. [Forward] A fire has destroyed the Danish Museum of WWII resistance. [Forward] A filmmaker questioned the BBC's decision to shelve a Jewish documentary. [Guardian] A Hungarian Jewish leader was attacked ahead of the Jewish Congress. [JPost] The remaining Beastie Boys members are set to pen a memoir. [NYT] Bette

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-writers-to-be-featured-on-new-shekels/13825 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel is set to release a new line of currency, each sporting the visage of a beloved Israeli writer. The new shekel bills will bear the images of Nathan Alterman, Rachel Bluwstein, Shaul Tchernichovsky and Leah Goldberg. The first of these special bills will begin circulation later this year. "They are beautiful and touch our soul," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday. Bibi also spoke about some criticism the bills have faced, regarding the seclusion of any Sephardic writers. "I agree with those

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/new-israeli-device-measures-remaining-breast-milk/13824 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A new Israeli invention allows nursing mothers to measure how much breast milk their babies drink during feedings and how much milk is left in the breast. The device, MilkSense, is the first product to be developed by the Israeli startup Bradley and Luka. MilkSense uses electromagnetic signals to measure the amount of milk in the breast before and after a feeding. The Israeli chain store Dr. Baby will begin selling the device as early as next month, with plans to market it around the globe.

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/medals-for-israel-in-european-judo-championships/13822 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Team Israels claimed two bronze medals over the weekend in the European Judo Championships. After doing well in tournaments leading up to the championships, the Israelis proved they are a force to be reckoned with. Thursday, in the Mens Division, Tommy Arshansky claimed the bronze medal at the Euro Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The 21 year-old lost to Britains Ashley McKenzie in the quarterfinals of the under-60 kg competition, but beat Czech Pavel Petrikov in the first round of the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-water-firm-named-one-of-bloomberg-s-energy-pioneers/13819 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An Israeli smart water company has been named one of Bloombergs New Energy Pioneers for 2013. Israel-based Whitewater provides utility and industrial companies an efficient way of managing and monitoring water quality. The company received the Bloomberg recognition last week at a New York ceremony, along with eight other innovators. The Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit was the sixth annual gathering of its kind, aimed at honoring game-changing companies in the field of clean energy technology

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/syrian-rebels-claim-israel-struck-chemical-arms-site-video/13816 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Numerous reports surfaced over the weekend alleging Israel struck a Syrian chemical arms site Saturday. The rebel Free Syrian Army claimed the Jewish state struck a chemical site near Damascus, according to the daily Israeli newspaper Maariv. The FSA also released a video purporting to show the after effects of the strike, saying Israeli jets flew over the home of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad before the operation. Israel and the US are incredibly concerned with the possibility of the Syrian Armed Forces

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-receives-5th-dolphin-sub-from-germany/13813 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel received its fifth Dolphin-class submarine from Germany today, as part of an ongoing defense partnering between the two nations. The sub was unveiled in Kiel, Germany, at a ceremony attended by Israeli Navy Commander Ram Rothberg, Ministry of Defense Director-General Ehud Shani, and a convoy of German and Israeli officials. The vessel is part of six-sub deal between Israel and Germany, following a 2005 contract Germanys Thyssen-Krupp Marine Systems. The fourth submarine was delivered to Israel

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/from-struggling-immigrant-to-outstanding-officer-video/13812 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 On Wednesday, April 16, as Jews around the world celebrated Israel's independence, President Shimon Peres honored distinguished soldiers who displayed outstanding service to the defense of the State of Israel. Known as the President's Citation of Excellence, the prestigious award is given once a year on Independence Day to 120 soldiers. One of this year's recipients is 24-year-old lone soldier 2nd Lt. Nira Lee. Second Lt. Lee was always a Zionist. She grew up in Tempe, Arizona, in a Zionist household, but she had

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-strikes-gaza-terror-site-after-lag-b-omer-attack/13811 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel struck a terrorist training site in Gaza yesterday, following rocket fire from the Strip. A Gazan rocket launched Saturday evening landed at the Sdot Negev Regional Council, as local residents gathered to celebrate Lag BOmer, prompting the Israeli response. Sunday morning, the Israeli Air Force successfully targeted a training and weapons facility in Gaza, making a direct hit. The Kerem Shalom border crossing was also shut down, though humanitarian aid will still be allowed through. The strike

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/lag-b-omer-bonfires-in-israel-burn-out-of-control/13810 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Bonfires lit throughout Israel to mark Lag B'Omer burned out of control, stranding thousands of celebrants in the northern Israeli town of Meron. Hot, dry and windy conditions in Israel contributed to several fires around the country that burned out of control. Eleven people were injured at Maasiyahu Prison in central Israel, where former Israeli president Moshe Katsav is incarcerated, after a fire broke out in its wood factory. Officials began to take steps to evacuate the prison before getting the blaze under

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-29-13-round-up-am-edition/13809 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Some Parsons students are angry over John Galliano's new gig at their school. [CBS] President Obama is set to name two Jewish activists to economic posts. [Jewish Press] The Jewish community wraps up a peaceful pilgrimage to Tunisia, an annual Lag B'Omer tradition. [AFP] Israel receives its fifth dolphin class submarine from Germany. [Algemeiner] The US secretary of homeland security praises the Jewish community in the wake of the Boston Marathon attacks. [Arutz Sheva] Jerusalem seeks 10 million tourists.

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/interview-with-israeli-dancer-zvi-gotheiner/13802 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Every Friday, Jspace News partners with the America Israel Cultural Foundation to bring you an interview with one of the many Israeli artists they support throughout the world. Zvi Gotheiner began dancing at 17, and soon after formed his first performance group. He came to New York in 1978 on a dance scholarship from the America Israel Cultural Foundation, and went on to dance with the Joyce Trisler Dance Company, Feld Ballets/NY, and the Bat-Sheva Dance Company. After directing Tamar Ramle and the Jerusalem

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-26-13-round-up-pm-edition/13801 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 The rise of the ultra-nationalist party in Ukraine threatens an increase of anti-Semitism. [Forward] The small Jewish community of Dresden, Germany is appointing a hometown rabbi for the first time since 1938, when the towns last synagogue was destroyed in Kristallnacht. [Forward] Descendants of Peruvian Jews have converted back to Judaism and plan to make aliyah to Israel. [Israel National News] Israel and Lebanon have increased troops patrolling their border following the aircraft seen flying low

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-researchers-discover-napping-coral/13800 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Haifas Technion recently made an interesting observation while studying the coral outside the resort city of Eilat. For one half an hour each day, the coral colonies appear to nap. During the day the coral uses the photosynthesis to generate its food, and during the night it goes through respiration like other animals, said Uri Shavit, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Technion. Just before sunset when the level

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-human-rights-groups-call-for-end-to-gaza-fishing-restrictions/13793 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli human rights groups BTselem and Gisha are calling for an end to Israels fishing restrictions off of the Gaza Strip. According to the BTselem, the recently reinstated three mile rule preventing fisherman to only a small section of sea damages the marine environment and equals harsh damage to fishermen who have done nothing wrong." Last year, as part of a ceasefire agreement that ended Operation Pillar of Defense, the Israeli government committed to doubling the area allowed for

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/will-computers-and-humans-make-decisions-together-in-the-future/13792 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 NoCamels Team, NoCamels - Israel Innovation News The era of robots learning and reacting the same way humans do may still be in the realm of science fiction, but a young Israeli researcher is making impressive advances in the way computers understand and interact with humans. Dr. Yaakov (Kobi) Gal from Ben-Gurion University of the Negevs research focuses on designing intelligent agents algorithms that run on computers, robots and smart phones and interact with other

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-26-13-round-up-am-edition/13790 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 The Western Walls rabbi, Shmuel Rabinowitz, has vowed to fight against the proposal for a separate, egalitarian prayer section at the Kotel. [Forward] Lebanese media reported that Israel was conducting mock raids along the border, while Israeli defense minister blames Hezbollah. [Times of Israel] Bulgaria has re-enacted the bus bombing that killed five Israeli tourists at the Burgas airport, to gather more information about the attack. [Times of Israel] In 1948, the High Commissioner of Palestine

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-25-13-round-up-pm-edition/13785 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Hezbollah denies responsibility for this morning's drone over Israel. [Arutz Sheva] Kate Upton is canceling her date with a Jewish senior for his prom. [Times of Israel] Some Islamic MPs in Jordan are stepping up hostilities toward Israel. [Times of Israel] Yet another politician is saying the Jews orchestrated the Holocaust to earn a Jewish state. This time it's someone from the UK. [Algemeiner] A casual dining restaurant in Delaware is taking flak after using social media to call customers "cheap Jews."

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israelis-find-creative-solution-for-trash-and-forgotten-spaces/13784 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Art, history and recycled objects are coming together in exciting new ways in Israel. From a train station in Jerusalem to an upcycled art studio in Tel Aviv, Israelis are finding creative solutions for unused space and unwanted items that would otherwise end up in a landfill. In Jerusalem, a blend of funky eateries and recycled art will soon be on display at First Station. The Ottoman era train station, first opened in 1892, had for many years remained empty and dilapidated before two developers decided

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/lamed-hey-convoy-heroes-of-gush-etzion/13782 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 If youve never heard of the Lamed Hey convoy, youre not alone: surprisingly, half of Israeli Jews havent either, according to a poll a few years ago. Lamed Hey, which stands for 35 in Hebrew, was a convoy of 35 young soldiers--mostly students at the Hebrew University-- who set out from Jerusalem to bring much-needed supplies to the kibbutzim in the besieged Etzion Bloc south of the city during Israels War of Independence in 1948. While on their way, however, they were scouted in enemy

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/team-israel-to-compete-in-us-for-first-time-in-35-years/13780 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Israeli National Soccer Team will make its first New York appearance in over 35 years, as part of the Celebrate Israel Parade events across the city. Team Israel will play the Honduran team at Citi Field, Sunday, June 2 at 5:30 pm--the same day as the annual Celebrate Israel Parade on 5th Avenue in Manhattan. The New York Mets announced the upcoming match at a recent game at Citi Feild, as youngsters gave out flyers promoting the game at several Israeli Independence Day celebrations around NYC. The New York

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/peace-week-events-spread-the-message/13779 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Question: What do you get when you mix finger painting with cross-college training conventions and games on college quads? Answer: Israel Peace Week celebrations on college campuses across America. Israel Peace Week began as a grassroots initiative a few years ago when a group of Hasbara fellows on college campuses were looking for a way to spread the message that Israel wants peace. Since then, it has been adapted by students at dozens of campuses who devise new names and new methods to capture the attention of

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/idf-shoots-down-hezbollah-lebanese-drone-off-coast-of-haifa/13776 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The IDF shot down an unmanned aircraft drone near Haifa, which government insiders say was sent by Hezbollah out of Lebanon. Israeli fighter jets shot down the craft this morning, though the IDF was not ready to name Lebanon outright. "A short time ago, a UAV attempted to infiltrate Israeli airspace from the north," the IDF said in a statement. "The craft was intercepted by an Israeli Air Force fighter jet. The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israels sovereignty or security." Deputy Defense

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-24-13-round-up-pm-edition/13773 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Chuck Hagel was surprised to hear about the discovery of Syrias use of chemical weapons, says it didn't come up during his time in Israel. [Times of Israel] The United States has intervened, asking the Palestinian Authority to postpone planned condemnations of Israel at UNESCO. [JPost] Israel has defended its decision allowing border officials to occasionally inspect the emails of people entering the country. [Forward] Israels Finance Committee has raised taxes on beer in the hopes of

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-firm-to-produce-wings-for-us-fighter-jets/13765 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel Aerospace Industries will produce fighter jet wings for Lockheed Martin, a US leader in aerospace defense. The F-35 jets IAI will assist are the most expensive weapons program utilized by the Pentagon, with a $400 billion cost. "The contract marks a key milestone in the existing cooperation between IAI and Lockheed Martin," a statement read today. "This agreement represents an important milestone for IAI and ensures its involvement in the world's most advanced fighter aircraft," added Joseph Weiss,

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/us-to-un-expel-falk-for-comment-blaming-boston-attack-on-israel/13762 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice called for the expulsion of a UN Human Rights Council official, following comments yesterday blaming Tel Aviv for the Boston Marathon bombing. Richard Falk, a special rapporteur for the UNHRC on Palestine, published an essay this week in Foreign Policy Journal, titled A Commentary on the Marathon Murders. In it, Falk writes, "As long as Tel Aviv has the compliant ear of the American political establishment, those who wish for peace and

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-24-13-round-up-am-edition/13760 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Letters written by a young J.D. Salinger give hints of his future works, literary ideas, and flirtatious personality. [NY Times] Beyonce wears a new dress specifically designed for her by Israeli designer and "Project Runway" winner, Alon Livne. [Times of Israel] Israel honors a Muslim man, Selahattin Ulkumen, for rescuing 50 Jews from being deported from Rhodes to concentration camps in 1944. [Times of Israel] An archaeological dig in Cologne, Germany has uncovered 2,000 years worth of Jewish artifacts.

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/tribeca-film-festival-review-of-big-bad-wolves/13759 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Its not hard to see the parallels to Little Red Riding Hood in the opening of Big Bad Wolves, writer-director pair Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushados second foray into the thriller/horror blend. A golden-haired child in a red dress and bright red, patent leather shoes plays hide and seek with friends in the woods. Foreboding music pounds, the picture slows and she smiles, nymph-like, as she shuts herself in a wardrobe in an abandoned building. Then, suddenly, she is

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/swedish-knight-completes-4-500-mile-walk-to-jerusalem/13758 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Jorgen Nilsson, an officer in the Swedish military and a Knight Hospitalier in the Order of St. Lazarus, has arrived in Israel after a six-month journey on foot from his home in Sweden, Israel Hayom reported. Nilsson arrived in Jerusalem on Sunday, where he was given a medal of honor on behalf of the city. He took more than 7 million steps in a walk through Denmark, Germany, France, Italy and Greece on his way to Israel, and timed his journey so that he would arrive for the start of the First International

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-23-13-round-up-pm-edition/13757 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A new center for Orthodox women may be preparing women rabbis...sort of. [Times of Israel] John Kerry's not so sure about today's Syrian chemical weapon claims. [Times of Israel] The head of the UJA is stepping down. [Forward] An Israeli Chelsea footballer was the target of anti-Semitic slurs. [Algemeiner] Andy Dick is set to star in a remake of an Israeli show. [Ynet] Jewish groups are already slamming the UN's Falk for comments blaming "Tel Aviv" for the Boston bombing. [JNS]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/iran-to-cross-red-line-this-summer-israel-s-ex-military-chief-says/13755 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Iran will cross Israel's "red line" for nuclear proliferation by this summer, Israel's former director of military intel said. "In the summer, Iran will be a month or two away from deciding about a bomb, Amos Yadlin said Tuesday. "We have about two months to sleep soundly, until the [Iranian] elections. After that, I believe the Iranians will have to make a difficult decision." Yadlin was speaking at a conference run by Tel Aviv Universitys Institute for National Security Studies, on which he

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/rachel-bluwstein-israel-s-first-poetess/13753 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Rachel Bluwstein went down in history as the first noted female poet of British Mandate Palestine, emerging as a renowned poetess in a genre dominated at the time by men. Born September 20, 1890, in Imperial Russia, Bluwstein was the granddaughter of the rabbi of Kievs Jewish community. She moved to Ukraine as a child with her family, attending Jewish day school, then moved to a secular high school, where she first took up poetry. Bluwstein was en route to Italy for a holiday at the age of 19, making a

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-airlines-end-strike-after-agreement-with-finance-ministry/13752 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Three Israeli airlines ended their two-day strike following a deal struck between the Finance Ministry and El Al. The ministry agreed to fund 97.5 percent of the airline's security costs, up from 70 percent, in order to keep the domestic carrier competitive under the new "open skies" agreement with the European Union. The airlines also agreed to undergo a streamlining process in order to further cut costs. El Al, as well as Israir and Arkia, on Sunday launched an open-ended strike hours before the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/ancient-church-discovery-near-ark-of-the-covenant-site/13751 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Archeologists have discovered an ancient church in the ruins of the ancient biblical city of Shiloh. The church, which dates to the fourth century C.E., is believed to have been built over the site where the Ark of the Covenant was once housed by the ancient Israelites, Israel Hayom reported. The church was discovered by accident when archeological workers, who were digging a drainage ditch for rainwater, came across remarkably well-preserved mosaics. Shiloh is an ancient biblical city located in the hills of

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/hapoel-galil-gilboa-wins-second-balkan-cup/13750 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli basketball team Hapoel Galil/Gilboa made history by winning the Balkan Cup for the second year in a row, making them the first European team to do so. Hapoel, led by Coach Lior Lubin, beat Sofia from Bulgari 87:79 in a close game that ended in double over time. The Israeli team was behind for the first three quarters of the game, but managed to close the gap by the end of the forth with the help of Yaniv Green and Rakim Sanders, who tied the game at 63:63 and sent the match into overtime. Nimrod Tishman

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/un-official-blames-boston-marathon-bombing-on-tel-aviv/13749 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Richard Falk, an official for the UN Human Rights Council, blamed the Boston Marathon bombing on "Tel Aviv" in an online commentary. "As long as Tel Aviv has the compliant ear of the American political establishment, those who wish for peace and justice in the world should not rest easy," Falk, the council's special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, wrote in an Op-Ed posted to the online Foreign Policy Journal on Tuesday. Falk, who has said the George W. Bush administration was complicit in the 9/11

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-start-up-launches-automated-milking-system-video/13748 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An Israeli start up is revolutionizing the way average families receive their daily milk. MiRobot is an automated milking system that produces quick, efficient milk retrieval, a coup of a system in Israel, which leads the world in milk production. Automated milking systems that are on the market are not really appropriate for large dairy farms, MiRobots CFO David Rubin recently told the Times of Israel. The robots that are available can only handle about 70 cows a day

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/green-globe-awards-honor-israel-s-top-environmentalists/13747 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A coalition of 130 environmental groups nabbed top honors Monday night at the 10th annual Green Globe Awards, held at Ariel Sharon Park, the site of the former Hiriya landfill. Life and Environment was awarded Israels top environmental prize at the ceremony, which featured seven awardees and one "black globe" designee--a less coveted distinction. Life and Environment won top prize for their efforts to convince the government to abandon a controversial planning reform which would have had dire, long term

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/drones-to-replace-israel-s-aircraft-operations-in-40-to-50-years/13745 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Drones may replace all of the Jewish states military aircraft within 40 to 50 years, according to Israeli insiders. There is a process happening now of transferring tasks from manned to unmanned vehicles, an unnamed officer told the Associated Press. This trend will continue to become stronger. The officer added that drones would ultimately supplant all aerial crafts used for military operations, drastically cutting the rate of soldier casualties. The news came as the issue

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-23-13-round-up-am-edition/13743 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A French rabbi and his son were stabbed at a Paris synagogue. [Times of Israel] Chuck Hagel told Bibi that US-Israeli ties "must grow closer than ever." [Times of Israel] The Morocco Jewish museum re-opens after renovations. [Forward] Susan Rice said defending Israel is a key part of the UN's role. [Forward] Israeli insiders are saying Iran has already passed the "red line." [JPost] And others are saying Assad already used chemical weapons in Syria, a main point of focus for Israel. [NYT]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/canada-s-defense-head-meets-with-gantz-in-israel/13740 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Canadas chief of staff landed in Israel yesterday, marking his first official visit to the Jewish state. Thomas J. Lawson, chief of defense staff for the Canadian Force General, met with IDF Chief Benny Gantz, discussing cooperation between the two nations militaries. Lawson and Gantz met at IDF headquarters at the Rabin Base in Kirya, with the Canadian official receiving a welcome by the IDF guard of honor. Lawson is set to hold briefings with senior military leaders during his time in Israel.

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-s-captain-sunshine-featured-on-cnn/13739 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The weekend before Earth Day, Captain Sunshine became the first Israeli to make CNNs The Next List. Boston born Israeli Yosef Abramowitz, better known by his solar superhero moniker in Israel, was featured in a 30-minute profile tracing his life and green accomplishments, which aired on the American network on April 20. According to the shows producers, The Next List, hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, profiles innovators, visionaries and agents of change from around the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-22-13-round-up-pm-edition/13738 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A sex manual for the ultra Orthodox is causing a media storm today. [BBC] Three Jewish values for Earth Day. [HuffPo] Sharansky's Wall plan gets the green light. [Jewish Week] The elder Boston bomber may have killed three men in 2011, including two Jewish victims. [Tablet] John Galliano will begin teaching fashion school class. [Forward] Canada's flagship Jewish newspaper is folding. [Forward] After two days, Israel's airline strike ends. [Times of Israel] Want to buy Milton Berle's complete stock of

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-airport-strikes-after-lawmakers-approve-open-skies-agreement/13736 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Ben-Gurion Airport workers will launch a sympathy strike for the employees of three Israeli airlines, shutting down the airport for at least several hours. The strike in sympathy with the workers of El Al, Arkia and Israir will start at 5 a.m. Tuesday, the Histadrut labor union announced. All El Al flights scheduled to leave Israel before 9 p.m. Tuesday have been canceled. The general airport strike comes after Israel's Cabinet on Sunday approved an "open skies" agreement with the European Union. Employees of

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-honors-earth-day-with-series-of-events/13735 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel honored Earth Day today with a slew of activities to highlight the Jewish states efforts toward green living. Israeli singer Ivri Lider headed an event in Tel Avivs Rabin Square, which was powered entirely through renewable energy. Last night, businesses and homes also participated in Earth Hour, turning off lights for a full hour to respect the day. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat took part in the observance, overseeing the shutting down of city lights at the Old City

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/tribeca-film-festival-review-of-dancing-in-jaffa-video/13734 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 One, two, three, four. Counting rings out as children repress their giggles and face each other. Meeting arm-to-arm, elbow-to-elbow, they step right, right, right, right and turn. It could be any youth ballroom dance class, but it is one in Jaffa, one of Israel's only cities where Arabs, Christians and Jews live together in relative peace, so forces together children of opposing cultures. This is Pierre Dulaines program Dancing Classrooms, which is still going strong two years after the ballroom dance

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-doctors-praised-for-prepping-boston-on-disaster-response-video/13733 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 In the aftermath of last week's deadly bombing at the Boston Marathon, which left three dead and more than 170 injured, staff at Massachusetts General Hospital praised an Israeli team for its help in prepping local doctors in emergency response. Two years ago, a delegation of Israeli medical professionals traveled to Boston, participating in disaster training culled from the Jewish state's unfortunate experience in dealing with terrorist attacks. About two years ago in actual fact we asked the Israelis

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/european-gymnastics-gold-for-israel-s-shatilov/13730 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Alex Shatilov won the gold medal in the floor exercise final at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Moscow Saturday, tying for first place. Shatilov has many medals in his closet from his successful athletic career, but up until now had never won gold. He is now marked as the most successful Israeli gymnast. Shatilov recorded a result of 15.333 points, alongside Britains Max Whitlock who achieved the exact same score. Nothing can be compared to this feeling. This is the most

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-22-13-round-up-am-edition/13729 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Meet the only Jewish MP in the Muslim world. [Arutz Sheva] Tens of thousands of Hungarians gathered yesterday to protest rising anti-Semitism. [JPost] Thousands are stranded in Israel as an airstrike continues. [Times of Israel] Rumors are mounting that France will soon name Hezbollah a terrorist group. [Times of Israel] Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to China. [Algemeiner] An Iranian has been arrested in Burgas for monitoring a Chabad. [JPost] Babs answers readers questions for the Times. [NYT]

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/hagel-in-israel-israel-will-make-the-decision-it-must-to-protect-itself/13728 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel began a Middle East tour yesterday with a first stop in Israel, discussing Irans nuclear proliferation and a $10 billion arms deal between America and Israel and Arab nations. Upon landing, Hagel reiterated the US stance that Israel has the right to defend itself, including the autonomy to decide for itself when and if to strike Iran in hopes of fending off a nuclear attack. Israel will make the decision that Israel must make to protect itself, to defend

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/tribeca-film-festival-review-of-six-acts/13723 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Inspired by true events, Six Acts chronicles the destruction of a girl as she attempts to reinvent herself through six acts of increasing sexuality that begin to look more like sexual abuse. This opening salutation by Israeli director Jonathan Gurfinkel will undoubtedly divide critics and audiences between those who hail it as an arresting, gritty exploration of teenage desire and those who dismiss it as smutty and sometimes dull. Gili, a forceful performance by Sivan Levy, changes schools to

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-tennis-makes-gains-and-losses/13721 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 It was good news for Israeli tennis this week as both Shahar Peer and Yulia Glusheko climb up the world rankings. Shahar Peers year has been improving as the warm winds have been increasing, and she was eliminated from the Katovich Tournament in Poland last week after advancing all the way to the quarter finals, breaking her losing streak and inability to win more than one match in a row for quite some time. Peer upping her game resulted in a jump to the number 107 spot in the Womans World Tennis

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-19-13-round-up-pm-edition/13720 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 The Histradrut trade union federation is considering joining Israels three airlines in a nationwide strike, pending the approval of an air travel deal with the European Union. [Times of Israel] Azerbaijans foreign minister will visit Israel for the first time in 22 years. [Algemeiner] An investigation recently revealed the helicopter crash that killed two pilots near Kibbutz Revadim last month was caused by a break in the rear rotor blade. [Y Net] The new arms deal will allow Israel, for the

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jewish-athletes-in-the-news/13718 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Hall of Famer, Raisman Aly Raisman continues to make headlines and add achievements to her checklist. After a great Week 5 on Dancing With the Stars, she received more good news. The 18-year-old Jewish gymnast can now add Hall of Famer to her bio and personal archives. Raisman and her Fierce Five teammates--McKayla Maroney, Kyla Ross, Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber--this summer will be ushered into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. A wind of change for Casspi? Byron Scott has been

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-tech-company-revolutionizes-water-defense-video/13717 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel is no stranger to finding unique ways to protect its borders. And with The Protector, one Israeli defense company is redefining how nations can man their waters. The Protector is an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) created by Israels Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. It was developed in response to rising terrorism attacks, particularly water assaults like 2000s suicide bombing against the USS Cole. The Protector is fitted with a mini typhoon weapon station, a remote weapon

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/yale-elects-first-israeli-student-body-president/13716 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Yale University made collegiate history this week, electing the universitys first Israeli student body president. Daniel Avraham is a 24-year-old Jerusalem native and second year student at Yale, enrolled in the ethics and economics program. He will serve as head of YCC, the universitys student union. Avraham is a graduate of the Gymnasia Herzliya high school in Tel Aviv and a past IDF intelligence officer. When Avraham graduates, hell join the esteemed ranks of alumni like Bill Clinton,

2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:44-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/frog-smugglers-caught-at-ben-gurion-airport/13709 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Two men have been arrested at Ben-Gurion International Airport for smuggling frogs into Israel. Approximately 30 poison dart frogs, valued for their small size and colorful hue, were confiscated from the smugglers upon their arrival to Israels main airport from Holland. The bust came after Israeli custom agents received a tip-off that passengers on a flight from Amsterdam may be carrying live marine life. An inspection of the suspects boxes, as well as one of his companions, revealed the live

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/2-rockets-fired-on-israel-from-gaza/13707 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Two rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza last night, landing in an open field in Eshkol. No injuries have been reported. The 11 pm attack comes on the heels of similar firings over the last two weeks, after months of relative peace following a ceasefire after Operation Pillar of Defense in November. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned retribution would be in order if the missile attacks did not stop. Hamas, which runs Gaza, has not taken responsibility for the most recent firings, blaming

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-18-13-round-up-pm-edition/13704 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Berkley students call for occupation divestment. They mean Israel. [Forward] Gabby Giffords says gun law-killing senators "shamed themselves." [Forward] Syria's UN ambassador accuses Israel of aiding rebels. [Times of Israel] Anxiety attacks double in Sderot when fire intensifies. [Algemeiner] The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising: symbol of Nazi resistance. [Times of Israel] The lost Warsaw Ghetto diary. [Tablet] A GOP representative from Oklahoma used the turn "Jew down" to mean haggling. [Heeb]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/report-blames-idf-for-pollution-is-kishon-river/13702 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Thirteen years ago, the navy launched an investigation into the wide scale pollution of the Kishon River. Now new findings, soon to be published by the Environmental Protection Ministry, claim that a nearby naval IDF base was one of the sources of the rivers contamination. "I was here 12 years ago with the Shamgar Commission in an effort to map the enormous pollution that occurred here," Yuval Tamir, a former naval officer who heads up an organization to help support naval officers impacted by cancer after

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/us-to-invest-additional-400-million-in-israel-s-iron-dome/13697 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Despite sequester cuts, the Pentagon has officially requested an additional $400 million over the next two years to extend Israels missile defense system. The money will come from the defense departments Missile Defense Agency, with $220 million to be paid out in 2014 and $180 to be paid in 2015. The money must still be approved during the annual defense budget process, but is likely to go through, as President Obama alluded to the spending during his trip to Israel last month. The $400 million

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-journalism-school-named-in-daniel-pearl-s-honor/13696 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A journalism school at an Israeli college has been named in Daniel Pearls honor. The Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya opened the Daniel Pearl International Journalism Institute on Wednesday, a testament to the life of a journalist killed in the line of duty. Pearl was kidnapped by Pakistani radicals in 2002 while working for the Wall Street Journal. Before his beheading, his last words were, My father is Jewish. My mother is Jewish. I am Jewish. Pearls story has become

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/three-projects-win-israeli-palestinian-business-for-peace-contest/13694 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 NoCamels Team, NoCamels - Israel Innovation News Three innovative projects took top honors in Ben-Gurion University of the Negevs Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management year-long Business for Peace Competition, last week. The contest invited contestants to come up with innovative ideas to bridge the gap between Israelis and Palestinians and provide financial benefit to both sides. The competition was supported by Guilford Glazer of Los Angeles who has actively encouraged people-to-people

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-18-13-round-up-am-edition/13693 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Haifa chemical plant workers worry a disaster might be imminent, following the blast in Waco. [Times of Israel] A Hungarian accepts responsibility for his nation's role in the Holocaust. [Forward] Israel intelligence says prisoners from the Gilad Shalit swap are returning to terrorism. [Algemeiner] Ben-Gurion customs prevent a "frog terrorism attack." [Arutz Sheva] An Israeli lawmaker says Israel has too many chief rabbis in the kitchen. [Times of Israel] Yale has its first Israeli student union president.

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-17-13-round-up-pm-edition/13691 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Anne Frank's stepsister says the famed diarist would have indeed been a "belieber." [Sun] Five Jewish responses to the Boston attack, from Rabbinic and Torah sources. [HuffPo] An Israeli college opens the Daniel Pearl journalism center. [Haaretz] A runner plans to cross Israel in 12 days. [Times of Israel] A letter facilitating Zionism is to be sold at auction. [Arutz Sheva] The Simon Wiesenthal Center is demanding a stop to a French rally in support of a known terrorist. [Arutz Sheva]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-launches-facebook-campaign-showing-prime-ministers-throughout-history/13689 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 To coincide with this years Yom Haatzmaut themeHeritagethe Prime Ministers Office rolled out a special campaign to highlight past prime ministers in private moments. The project began this week and entails photo albums on the PMOs Facebook page, with archived images of past leaders like David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin. The photos range from the mundane, like a haircut for Yitzhak Shamir, to the historic, like Menachem Begins accords with Jimmy

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/balfour-declaration-to-go-on-display-in-israel-for-first-time/13686 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 One of the most important documents related to Israels founding will go on display in the Jewish state for the first time. The Balfour Declaration was written in 1917 by Lord Arthur James Balfour to Baron Rothschild, expressing Britains support for the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. Balfour was the UKs foreign secretary at the time, while Baron Rothschild was head of the British Jewish community. I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majestys

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/archives-show-speech-on-israel-einstein-was-set-to-give-before-death/13683 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 As part of this years Yom Haatzmaut celebrations, Israels State Archive released a never before published transcript of a speech meant to be given by Albert Einstein. The Jewish physicist was scheduled to give the address to the American people via broadcast with ABC, NBC and CBS. The speech was planned to take place on Yom Haatzmaut in 1955, giving a plea to the US to support the Jewish state. Einstein died eight days before the scheduled address. This is the seventh

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jewish-population-in-israel-reaches-6-million/13678 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 As Israel celebrated its 65th birthday this week, Israelis and the Diaspora also celebrated another milestonethere are now 6 million Jews living in the State of Israel. Israels Central Bureau of Statistics released the findings Sunday, also announcing the overall population in the country has reached 8 million, a 1.8 percent increase over last year. The 6 million figure undoubtedly recalls the deficit the Jewish community faced following the Holocaust. Six million Jews perished in the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-17-13-round-up-am-edition/13676 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 The husband of Jewish politician Gabrielle Giffords has threatened to back Senator Jeff Flakes opponent if Flake does not vote for stricter gun legislation. [The Hill] Security was increased at Bostons Israeli Independence Day celebrations following the marathon bombing. [Boston] Letters from American citizens debate FDRs ambivalence to assisting European Jews during the Holocaust. [LA Times] Twenty rabbis traveled from New York to Alabama in 1963 to support Martin Luther King Jr.s

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/2-rockets-fired-on-eilat-from-sinai/13675 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Two rockets were fired at Eilat this morning, causing sirens to ring out in the resort city and the local airport to shut down. The missiles reportedly came from Sinai, a stark change from recent attacks from Gaza, and landed in open fields. There are no reported injuries. A short while ago two rockets were launched from Sinai and hit open areas in the city of Eilat, the IDF said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in England for Margaret Thatchers funeral, held late night security

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/yiddish-the-link-between-past-and-present-in-the-jewish-state/13674 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 It is often overlooked that Yiddish, the language spoken by millions of Ashkenazi Jews for nearly 1,000 years across Europe, played an important role in the formation of Israeli culture. For Professor Chava Turniansky from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, that point is very clear. The 75-year-old professor was awarded the prestigious 2013 Israel Prize on Israels Independence Day for her lifelong research on the history of Yiddish and literature among Ashkenazi Jewish communities in the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/bibi-peres-extend-condolences-to-boston-victims/13672 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 As Yom Haatzmaut came to a close in Israel this evening, Israeli leaders took a moment to share condolences with their allies across the sea, offering sympathies for the victims and families of yesterdays Boston attack. Yesterday, a day of enjoyment in Boston was turned into a day of terror. We send our condolences to President Obama, the American people and the bereaved families, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Israel stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-16-13-round-up-pm-edition/13671 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A story of Boston marathoners fleeing to a Chabad house. [Tablet] Yom Ha'atzmaut highlights tensions for Israeli Arabs. [Times of Israel] A look at the Yom Ha'atzmaut speech Einstein was meant to give. He died eight days before scheduled to speak. [Tablet] A Jewish cemetery boss admits to a $1 million looting spree. [Forward] The Egyptian Jewish community elects a new leader in the wake of Carmen Weinstein's death. [Algemeiner] The Prime Minister's Office presents historic photos online. [JPost] Is

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/idf-puts-on-air-show-for-israel-s-birthday/13669 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 As part of todays Yom Haatzmaut celebrations, the Israeli Air Force was out in full display. The IAF, a branch of the Israeli Air Force, hosted an air show for spectators including some of the IDFs most sophisticated aircraft. Festivities today also included a ritual opening of all air bases, for Israelis to enter and tour. Spectators enjoyed face paining, barbecues and music to coincide with the 65th anniversary of Israels creation. Scroll below to view images from todays

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-israel-validates-herzl-s-zionist-vision/13668 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 US President Barack Obama said Israel's independence validated the vision of Zionism's founder, Theodor Herzl. In his message Tuesday, Obama wished Israelis a "joyous" Independence Day and recalled his visit to the Jewish State last month, when he lay a wreath at Herzl's grave in Jerusalem. "There, I was honored to pay tribute to Theodor Herzl, who did so much to realize the dream of an independent Israel, to the presidents and prime ministers who guided her, and to those in uniform who have laid down their

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/5-quirky-and-environmentally-friendly-israeli-inventions/13667 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 In honor of Israels birthday, Israel 21c listed 65 ways that Israel is saving the planet. From toilets that need no water to cardboard wheelchairs, the compilation of inventions is a testament to Israels ingenuity and impact in the world in the last 65 years. The country has set itself the goal of becoming a light unto the nations, wrote Nicky Blackburn, who compiled this years list for Israel 21c. Israel remains true to that vision and every year, with little fanfare,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-independence-day-at-65-programs-foster-israel-education-in-north-america/13661 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Alina Dain Sharon, JNS.org During the Six Day War, when famous Israeli spy Eli Cohen worked for the Mossad in Syria, he suggested that Syrian soldiers plant eucalyptus trees near army fortifications in the Golan Heights. He told Syrian officials this would make Israel think the area was unfortified and would help Syrian soldiers stationed there survive the heat. Shortly after, he conveyed the locations of the trees to Israeli officials, helping the Israeli army know exactly where the Syrian bunkers were. The

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/65-books-for-israel-s-65th/13660 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 In honor of Israels 65th birthday, a public relations firm has put together a list of the 65 best books written about the Jewish state. The concept was created by Stuart Schnee PR, which has offices in the US and Israel and focuses on Jewish-themed book publicity. The company runs a popular blog, and asked followers to vote for their favorites in the lead up to Yom Haatzmaut. The final list includes many familiar names, with the ever-popular Exodus by Leon Uris coming in at the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/bloomberg-and-aharoni-address-jspace-and-dor-chadash-yom-ha-atzmaut-gathering/13659 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Israel Consul General Ido Aharoni addressed a packed house at the newly redesigned Marquee nightclub in Manhattan on the occasion of Israels Independence Day. Both spoke of the indelible bond between the United States and Israel as a crowd of 1,100 rung in Yom Haatzmaut until 3:30 a.m. this morning at a party hosted by Jspace.com and Dor Chadash. With the tragedy of the marathon bombings so recent, Aharoni expressed condolences for the people of Boston.

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/in-wake-of-boston-marathon-bombings-israeli-independence-day-celebrations-toned-down/13658 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli Independence Day celebrations in Boston were muted and security was increased in the wake of bombings that left three dead and dozens injured at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Mike Rosenberg, director of community relations at Maimonides, a Jewish day school in suburban Brookline, said an event Tuesday commemorating Israel's 65th anniversary had been toned down out of respect for the victims of the attack and their families. Messages have gone out to parents and students that in the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-leaders-celebrate-independence-video/13657 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli leaders gathered at the Presidents residence today for Yom Haatzmaut celebrations. Shimon Peres hosted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, for a ceremony including musical performances and awards handed out to military soldiers. Peres called the IDF an army of peace, saying, Without you, Israel would not be defended. With you, Israel will know peace. Here and now, you carry a great legacy. The dangers from abroad: an

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-independence-day-honor-for-mayor-who-turned-a-mountain-into-a-metropolis/13656 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Alex Traiman, JNS.org On Israel Independence Day, Israelis take great pride in the hard work and military victories that have built the worlds only Jewish state. At the same time, many detractors of Israel continue push for boycotts and divestment from elements of that state. The accomplishments of 2013 Israel Prize awardee Ron Nachman, however, have managed to transcend much of the contemporary criticism of Israel. Nachman invested his entire life in a barren mountain in Samaria and turned it into a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-16-13-round-up-am-edition/13655 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Polish Jewish Museum has finally opened. [Forward] How "Hatikvah" became a national anthem. [Times of Israel] Pro-Palestinians attack an Israeli opera singer in South Africa. [Times of Israel] A look at the IDF Air Show in pictures. [Arutz Sheva] Eighty new immigrants join the IDF. [Ynet] The mystery of the "Jew in a bag" is solved. [Ynet]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/world-leaders-wish-happy-birthday-to-israel/13654 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 While Israel celebrates its 65th birthday today with Yom Haatzmaut, world leaders came out to offer a giant mazel tov on this milestone anniversary. "As Israelis celebrate Yom Haatzmaut, the American people join me in applauding the remarkable Israeli achievements over the past six and a half decades, said President Barack Obama. The United States stood together with the State of Israel at its founding, and we will stand together with you always. Democratic leader Nancy

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-15-13-round-up-pm-edition/13651 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 News is still unfolding as details from today's deadly attacks at the Boston Marathon emerge. [Algemeiner] Sixty-five things to love about Israel. [Times of Israel] The grandson of Shoah survivors loses his bid for president of Venezuela. [NYT] Egypt summons its Canadian envoy over John Baird's visit to Jerusalem. [Arutz Sheva] Blowing up Hitler's yacht. [Tablet] Some Twitter responses to Justin Bieber's Anne Frank message. [Rolling Stone]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/from-rummikub-to-the-god-particle-a-timeline-of-israeli-innovations/13650 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 While a great deal of international and media focus has been placed on Israel's military conflicts, the country quietly has become an energetic, ambitious incubator of entrepreneurialism and invention. What follows is a timeline chronicling some of the most important and interesting innovations produced by Israelis during their country's 65-year existence. RUMMIKUB (1940s): Ephraim Hertzano invents the smash hit board game Rummikub, which goes on to become the best-selling game in the United States in 1977. UZI

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/my-herzl-doc-to-premiere-this-summer-video/13649 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Wondering how to celebrate the Jewish states birthday? Honor the 65th anniversary of the creation of Israel with a look at the trailer for the upcoming documentary, My Herzl. Israeli filmmaker Eli Tal-El put together the movie as a response to his brother-in-law Davids fervent love for the famed founder of modern Zionism. In the documentary, David sets out on a quest to reform Eli, a self-avowed Theodor Herzl naysayer. The pair travel to a number of famous Herzl sites, including the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-independence-day-poll-israelis-overwhelmingly-proud-of-their-country/13646 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israelis are overwhelmingly proud of their country and view it as a good place to live their lives in, a new poll conducted by New Wave Research and commissioned by Israel Hayom ahead of Israel Independence Day shows. According to the survey, which used a representative sample of 500 Israeli Jews who are 18 or older, 74.6 percent of Israels Jewish population is very proud to be Israeli; this figure represents a 5 percentage point increase compared with a similar poll last year, a difference

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/idf-chief-gantz-apologizes-to-dead-soldier-s-family-for-yom-hazikaron-slight/13644 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, the Israel Defense Forces' chief of staff, apologized to the family of an Israeli soldier who was killed for not honoring him on Yom Hazikaron because his Jewishness is in doubt. Gantz visited the family of Yevgeny Tolochko in Jerusalem on Monday. In a ceremony on Sunday in which a flag is placed on the grave of the last Israeli soldier to be killed, Gantz placed the flag on the grave of another soldier because Tolochko is buried in a section of the Mount Herzl military cemetery set aside

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/remembering-our-fallen/13642 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Today, on the Day of Remembrance for Israeli Fallen Soldiers, the IAF will conduct its central ceremony on Pilots' Mountain. At the peak of the mountain in the 1950s, a monument was erected in memory of the fallen sons and daughters. At 11:00 a.m., at the sound of the siren heard around the country, a formation will conduct a memorial flyover. The three A-4 Skyhawks of the "Flying Tiger" squadron will mark 40 years since the Yom Kippur War, in which the lives of 53 air crew members were lost. This year, two more

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/yom-hazikaron-and-yom-ha-atzmaut-the-bitter-with-the-sweet/13641 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 As Yom Hazikaron comes to a close this evening, Israelis and Jews the world over prepare for another day of unityYom Haatzmaut. That Israels Independence Day follows on the heels of Memorial Day is not an accident. Every year on Yom Hazikaron, known as Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day, sirens ring out through Israel twice, once at 8 pm and once at 11 am. It strikes a somber mood as citizens stand in silence to remember the thousands who have bled and died for a free

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/knesset-honors-fallen-us-born-soldier-michael-levin-video/13639 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 As part of its Yom Hazikaron commemorations, the Knesset honored fallen soldier Michael Levin, a Philadelphia-born man who made aliyah and was killed in the Second Lebanon War. Levin immigrated to the Jewish state in 2002 at the age of 17. He joined the Paratroop Brigade, cutting short a vacation in the US to rejoin his squad at the outbreak of the war with Lebanon in 2006. On August 21 that same year, he was killed by a Hezbollah sniper in the southern Lebanese village of Ayta a-Shayeb. He was just 21. Last

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/chief-of-staff-we-are-guided-by-the-light-of-our-fallen-soldiers/13638 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz addressed the national ceremony marking Israel's Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Sunday evening at the Western Wall plaza. The Chief of Staff expressed sympathy for those who have lost loved ones, sorrow for those who have fallen and confidence in the IDFs capabilities. The Chief of Staff began his speech by expressing sympathy for parents whose children have fallen while defending Israel. "Through their sacrifice, these sons and

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-honors-fallen-on-yom-hazikaron-video/13637 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 In honor of Yom Hazikaron, Israels Memorial Day, the Jewish state hosted a series of commemorations and ceremonies to remember victims of terror and soldiers who have fallen in Israels defense. Today, the state of Israel honors the memory of its fallen, our soldiers and our people who fell in Israel's wars and in the terrorist attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday. From the moment the state was established, it has not ceased to wish for peace with its

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/the-idf-remembers-its-fallen/13636 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 As Israel stops today to remember those who fell in its defense and in terror attacks, the IDF is paying tribute to its fallen. Israels military plays an important role in the national observance of Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism. Memorial sirens sounded throughout Israel at 8:00 p.m. last night and again at 11:00 a.m. today. Israels central ceremonies took place last night at the Western Wall plaza, and today at the national cemetery on

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-15-13-round-up-am-edition/13635 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 After a two month investigation, a report concludes four Jewish students were unjustly removed from a BDS meeting at Brooklyn College. [Algemeiner] Carmen Weinstein, who led the Jews of Cairo, dies at 82. [NYT] German Chancellor Angela Merkel will receive the Rabbis' Award for her support of Jews and circumcision. [Bloomberg] A French Jewish group lodges another complaint against Twitter for anti-Semitism. [Haaretz] The nation's first sex segregated park opens up in a Satmar community. [Observer] A Canadian

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/does-the-modern-green-movement-have-nazi-roots/13633 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 Adolph Hitler is perhaps one of modern historys most infamous vegetarians. A self-proclaimed animal lover, during his reign of terror the Nazi leader enacted a number of humane animal laws and environmental legislation. These statutes limited suffering of slaughtered animals and restricted animal experimentation. The Nazi preservation laws also promoted organic farming and helped conserve the nations forests. Recent research uncovering the Nazis so-called green past, has also

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/interview-with-israeli-painter-avital-burg/13630 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Every Friday, Jspace News partners with the America Israel Cultural Foundation to bring you an interview with one of the many Israeli artists they support throughout the world. Avital Burg is an Israeli painter, currently residing in Brooklyn, NY. Burg attended the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, and completed a master class program at Hatahana School of Figurative Painting and Drawing, Tel Aviv. Burg currently attends the New York Studio School for Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture. Her work deals

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-12-13-round-up-pm-edition/13629 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 The Albany school district in New York has issued an apology, after an English teacher gave a writing assignment from the Nazi perspective. [Times Union] Modern Orthodox legal expert, Rabbi Michael Broyde, admits to using a fake identity and infiltrating a rival rabbinical organization. [Forward] Oprah is being protested by The Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project for endorsing a face cream that contains foreskin. [Heeb] Turkish police uncovered an al Qaeda plot to bomb the United States Embassy and

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/hawking-predicts-demise-of-humans-on-earth/13627 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Just months before arriving in Israel for Shimon Peres Facing Tomorrow conference, renowned physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking has predicted the end of humanity on this planet. We must continue to go into space for humanity. We wont survive another 1,000 years without escaping our fragile planet, Hawking told the audience of scientists and scholars. At a lecture held this week in Los Angeles, Hawkings also touted the so-called M-theory, which suggests that there

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/news-from-fifa-and-uefa/13626 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 UEFA has toughened its war on racism by proposing a minimum 10-match ban for any player found guilty of the offense. The new measures will be introduced next season in all European competitions. UEFA's General Secretary, Gianni Infantino, said there would be partial closure of stadiums for a first incident of racist abuse by fans and a full closure for a second offense plus far tougher financial penalties. "We have to have sanctions and they must have a deterrent effect. What we are proposing is if a player or

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jspace-featured-org-chabad-s-children-of-chernobyl/13622 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Chernobyl explosion in 1986 was a catastrophic nuclear disaster. Nearly 27 years later, the effects of the tragedy are still being felt. Chabads Children of Chernobyl (CCOC) was set up in 1990, with one simple but crucial goalfind a way to help the children affected. The Lubavitch Rebbe recognized the need for these children to be saved, said Rachel Fertel, director of events with CCOC. There was no organization in place to permanently remove these children. CCOC

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/absorption-minister-says-israel-to-guarantee-success-of-lone-soldiers/13620 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israel's minister of immigrant absorption said Israel will guarantee the "success and integration into Israeli society" of its lone soldiers. Eighty new immigrants who made aliyah without family and will be drafted into the Israel Defense Forces next week were honored in Jerusalem on Wednesday. These young men and women help guarantee the continued existence of the State of Israel," Minister of Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver said at the Friends of the IDF/Nefesh B'Nefesh Lone Soldiers Center, "and so

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-12-13-round-up-am-edition/13619 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Just days before the State of Israel was established in May 1948, officials were debating what to call the new country in Arabic. [Times of Israel] Holland will invite visitors into the homes of Holocaust victims to memorialize the people who perished in World War II. [Forward] A recent archaeological discovery has recently found evidence of a mass grave sight at the Treblinka death camp. [Algemeiner] The trial of an underground neo-Nazi trio, known as the National Socialist Underground, continues to raise

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/ny-mayor-bloomberg-to-headline-jspace-s-yom-ha-atzmaut-celebration/13614 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will address one thousand attendees Monday night, for Jspace.com and Dor Chadashs celebration of Yom Haatzmaut, Israels 65th birthday. The Mayor will be joined by Israel Consul General Ido Aharoni at the newly renovated and recently re-opened Marquee nightclub at 8 pm on April 15, with renowned DJ Nadav Vee taking on headlining duties for the evening. Sponsoring organizations include: Dor Chadash, UJA‐Federation, EL AL Airlines, Yedhiot Aharonot

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-11-13-round-up-pm-edition-video/13613 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Two roommates in New York put up a "Girls" inspired Craigslist ad. [NYMag] Pam Geller's anti-Muslim talk at a New York synagogue has been canceled. [Salon] How Raoul Wallenberg's time in the US shaped his character. [Times of Israel] The man arrested for burning 11 mezuzahs on Yom HaShoah says he "doesn't hate Jews." [Forward] Police are investigating a "jewish curse" threat against Naftali Bennett. [JPost] The Ministry has a virtual Yizkor app. [Ynet] Maccabee really wants you to try its beer. [Tablet]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/knesset-member-calling-for-israel-to-cooperate-with-neighbors-to-protect-environment/13612 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Knesset member Nitzan Horowitz insists that Israel must work with its regional neighbors to improve the environment. "I want people to understand that when locusts come from Egypt, this is a regional problem. To understand that borders are not hermetic sealswater, air, diseases and climate have no borders, Horowitz said in a recent interview with Al-Monitor. Horowitz is planning a lobby group to promote cooperation between Israel and its regional neighborsthe first of its kind in the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4k-year-old-monument-discovered-at-bottom-of-galilee/13609 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A large stone structure has been detected at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee, with researchers saying it could be a 4,000-year-old burial site. The construction was first discovered in 2003 during a sonar survey, but the monument has finally been inspected up close by a team of divers. The structure was the subject of a piece in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, with researchers saying the site reaches 32 feet high with a diameter of 230 feetabout twice the size of Stonehenge. "Close

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/ajc-critical-of-guatemala-s-designation-of-palestine-as-a-state/13607 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Jewish leaders are already expressing concern over Guatemalas decision to officially recognize Palestine as a nation state. A Guatemala statement on the decision claims the move was made to gain new momentum in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "The decision in no way alters Guatemala's long tradition of friendship and cooperation with the State of Israel, a relationship the Guatemalan government highly values," the statement said. Several other Latin American nations have made the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-11-13-round-up-am-edition/13602 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An Israeli court frees five Women of the Wall participants arrested at the Kotel today. [Times of Israel] France's chief rabbi finally resigns over plagiarism charges. [Times of Israel] Benjamin Netanyahu will attend Margaret Thatcher's funeral, his first foreign trip since elections. [JPost] A far-right Hungarian priest is planning an anti-Israel rally. [Forward] US aid to Israel will increase despite the sequester. [Algemeiner] UN's Human Rights Watch issues a report criticizing Hamas' failure to

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/famous-photo-tehran-children-arrive-in-israel/13599 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Tehran Children, some still living today, are a group of individuals with an inextricably linked history. In World War II, 1,100 Jewish children escaped Nazi persecution, heralded out of Europe by organizers and taken to Russia, then Iran. Images from those vagabond days remain as a lasting example of the trials these youths faced, as well as the care given from concerned organizers who would not remain silent until the children were safe. These children, dubbed the Tehran Children, faced

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-begins-harvesting-organs-even-after-donors-hearts-stop/13598 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Inspiring hope among patients waiting for life-saving organ transplants, the Israel medical community is expected to launch a pilot program in which organs will be harvested from donors whose hearts have stopped beating. Until now, organs have only been harvested from donors who were classified as brain-dead, but whose hearts were still beating. The main objective of the program is to reduce the number of patients waiting for organ donations on transplant lists. In the first stage of the program, organs will only

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-10-13-round-up-pm-edition/13596 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 The truck that killed six people and injured 15 in Haifa was determined to have been overweight, and unfit to be driven. [Times of Israel] The Cyprus Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, stated he would not cite Hezbollah as a terrorist group. [Times of Israel] An Israeli Arab was arrested and accused of aiding a radical Islamist group. [Forward] The ADL and Simon Wiesenthal Center question the Cardozo Law Schools honoring of Jimmy Carter with its International Advocate for Peace award.

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/transcripts-of-eichmann-s-capture-released/13595 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Hes in Israel, and will stand trial here. Thus begins the meeting on May 23, 1960, when Israels first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, informed his cabinet that Adolf Eichmann had been caught. The quote is taken from a transcript just released Monday by Israels state archive, some 53 years after the capture of the most wanted Nazi criminal of the time. Eichmanns arrest and subsequent trial became a pivotal moment in Holocaust history, as both the Jewish and non-Jewish

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/grindr-app-supports-surrogacy-for-gay-couples-in-israel-video/13593 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Grindr is reaching out to rally support and financial aid for an Israeli gay couple struggling to start a family. While it is no surprise that the company is a gay-ally, its humanitarianism is certainly a wide step away from the original business plan. The app is marketed as a dating tool to match gay men with partners in their geographical area. To the masses, it is better understood as a quick search for sexual encounters without the added drag and delay of having to romance a person before seeing them naked. A

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-film-center-festival-review-of-the-world-is-funny-video/13589 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 HaGashash HaHiver, affectionately shortened Gashash, is arguably the most influential comedy act in the history of Israel. The trio, who won an Israeli Prize for lifetime achievement in 2000, worked with elaborate wordplay, enacting classic skitsThe Judge and the Referee, Kreker vs. Krekerwhich are still quoted today. In Israel, they inspired the same fierce loyalty and homages that the Marx Brothers and The Three Stooges continue to enjoy. Never heard of Gashash? Not a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/from-sunset-to-sunrise-with-the-nahal-brigade/13588 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The Granite Battalion of the Nahal Brigade gazed into the mirrors of the platoon bathrooms as they painted their faces with the colors of night and dirt. The 31 mile beret march was just ahead of them. Nahal soldiers get their faces painted ahead of the 31 mile march. On the outskirts of a Bedouin village, 200 soldiers gathered at the starting point just after sunset. The sky had just cleared after a day of light desert rain and the faces of the soldiers showed signs of relief. Prior to the march, each

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/sharansky-forms-mixed-gender-kotel-plan/13587 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Natan Sharanksy has put together a proposal to end tensions over female prayer at the Western Wall, a divisive issue that has seen schisms at Judaisms holiest site. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently tasked the Jewish Agency head with solving the issue, which has grown in attention in recent months. The problem centers on a push for open prayer at the Kotel, including a womans choice to read from Torah or don a prayer shall, currently forbidden at the Wall. The crusade has been led thus

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/the-girl-who-was-saved-from-the-nazis-by-the-idf-chief-of-staff-s-mother-video/13586 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Esther Friedman was 12 years old when she was deported from Hungary to Auschwitz. When Dr. Josef Mengele took her out of the selection line of prisoners arriving at the camp, her grandmother tried to stop him. Get out of here, you stupid cow, Mengele shouted, pushing her grandmother away. After overcoming a series of cruel and morbid medical experiments, Esther managed to escape and began working in a metal factory. She was named by Yad Vashem, Israels Holocaust Memorial Museum, as one

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/rare-2-000-year-old-mikveh-uncovered-in-jerusalem/13585 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A 2,000-year-old mikveh has been uncovered in Jerusalem, a rare find that researchers say points to a sophisticated understanding of water preservation. Numerous ritual baths have been excavated in Jerusalem in recent years, but the water supply system that we exposed in this excavation is unique and unusual, said Benjamin Storchan, director of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The mikveh includes an underground bath that is entered via steps, and receives rainwater form

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/streisand-adds-concert-to-israel-tour/13584 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 If there is one thing that screams Barbra Streisand, both literally and figuratively, its a room full of Jewish people. So its no surprise that the Jewish state cant get enough of her. Having already sold out her June 20th concert in Tel Aviv after one day of ticket sales, Streisand has just added an additional performance for June 22nd to the citys Bloomfield Stadium. While Streisand is the epitome of a stereotypical Jewish woman on-screen and in real life, this will be her first

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/one-of-munich-11-inducted-into-national-jewish-sports-hall-of-fame/13581 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 David Berger, an Israeli weightlifter who died during the hostage standoff at the 1972 Munich Olympics, will be inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. The American-born athlete won bronze and gold medals in both the 1965 and 1969 Maccabiah Games, before making aliyah to Israel in 1970 and moving to Tel Aviv. Berger believed that sports were about more than competition and winninghe saw athletics as a tool to promote camaraderie and break through social barriers. As an Israeli citizen,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-natural-gas-exportation-the-potential-economic-and-geopolitical-impacts/13580 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Alex Traiman, JNS.org Israel recently crossed a major energy milestone when the daily supply of natural gas began flowing from the Tamar offshore reservegas that is expected to power Israels electricity production for the coming decades. But while the domestic use of Israel's natural gas makes the country less dependent on foreign energy than ever before, it is the export of natural gas that has the potential to boost Israels economy and change Israels strategic position in the global

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-9-13-round-up-pm-edition/13579 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Two hundred Israelis are set to be tested for tuberculosis. [Times of Israel] Women of the Wall back Sharansky's Kotel plans. [Times of Israel] An ex-owner of an LA market is sued in the ongoing kosher scandal. [Forward] Fatah is glorifying suicide bombers on its Facebook page. [Algemeiner] Turkey is delaying its Mavi Marmara compensation talks. [Arutz Sheva] The Times rounds up the Arab-Jewish NYC train ad feud. [NYT] Jason Segel is working on a series of young adult novels. Seriously. [Heeb]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/protest-marks-10-000-days-for-pollard-in-prison/13578 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A demonstration for Jonathan Pollard was held on Monday evening (Apr. 9) in front of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, where U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is staying during his visit to Israel. The event marked 10,000 of Pollard's incarceration in an American prison. The protesters called on Kerry to act for Pollard's release. Pollard's wife, Esther, stated: "We can't comprehend the meaning of 10,000 days in prison. I request that he be showed compassion and mercy. It is impossible to fathom the remorse and

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/iran-tv-warns-of-israeli-nuclear-plant-dangers-hours-before-quake/13577 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Just hours before a powerful earthquake hit near Irans nuclear city Busheshr, Press TV reported Israels Dimona power plant posed a great risk to the environment of the region. The state owned English language media corporation, headquartered in Tehran, has in the past called Dimona the Middle Easts time bomb and warned that Israels reactor spreads cancer and sterility in the Middle East. In an April 9 report, Press TV quoted Professor Uzi Even, formerly of

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-team-s-gene-discovery-leads-to-potential-drug-therapy-for-liver-disease/13572 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Drinking alcohol, even in moderation, can have harmful effects on the liver. According to Dr. Rifaat Safadi, head of the Liver Unit at Hadassah Hospital, drinking is one of the primary causes of liver diseases in Israel and worldwide. We call it liver disease when we dont find the cause and most cases of this cryptogenic liver disease are found in alcoholics, he said, adding that patients often underreport alcohol consumption for various reasons. For many

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/kerry-in-israel-discusses-2-state-solution-iran-video/13567 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 John Kerry met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, discussing a possible restart to peace talks with Palestine and reinforcing the USs pledge to stop a nuclearized Iran. "President Obama could not be more clear: Iran cannot have and will not have a nuclear weapon," Kerry said following a three-hour sit down with Netanyahu. "And the United States of America has made clear that we stand not just with Israel but with the entire international community in making it clear that we are

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/syria-moves-troops-from-golan-heights-security-concerns-for-israel/13564 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Syria has reportedly moved thousands of troops from the Golan Heights, the largest transfer in 40 years and a change that could mean security concerns for Israel. Syrian forces have held ground in the region for decades, following an unofficial ceasefire with the Jewish state that has proved relative calm between the two nations. Now, Israel is worried the absence of Syrian forces could pave the way for rebel groups to push for a land grab, which would certainly lead to the Jewish state becoming militarily

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-9-13-round-up-am-edition/13562 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 US-born "Jewish terrorist" receives two life sentences. [Times of Israel] Natan Sharansky is set to propose new egalitarian laws for the Kotel. [Times of Israel] Yeshiva University alumni plan to block an award for Jimmy Carter. [Forward] A Jewish women's group is calling for civil marriages in Israel, and easier divorce laws. [Forward] A wave of anti-Semitic graffiti hits Massachusetts. [Arutz Sheva] Italy recovers a Marc Chagall stolen from a US yacht. [Arutz Sheva] A look at Hitler's Jewish soccer league.

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-8-13-round-up-pm-edition/13560 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Relatives of Mavi Marmara victims go to court. [Forward] Anne Frank's step-sister has released a memoir. [Forward] A look at Israel's starving Shoah survivors problem. [Tablet] Hamas has outlawed "stylish haircuts" and low cut jeans for men. [Times of Israel] Newly released documents reveal the moment Israel caught Eichmann. [Times of Israel] The UK's Jewish community pays tribute to Margaret Thatcher. [JC] Germany is starting a new search for living SS guards. [Ynet]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/kerry-joins-peres-in-yom-hashoah-ceremony-obama-pays-tribute/13559 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Secretary of State John Kerry took part in Israeli Yom HaShoah commemorations today, while in the Jewish state to push for peace developments with Palestine. Kerry joined Shimon Peres at Yad Vashem, Israels Holocaust trust, laying a memorial wreath. Its really such an honor to be here today to share in Yom HaShoah and to be there at Yad Vashem to lay a wreath on behalf of the American people, but most importantly to simply share in the uniqueness of that expression of sorrow and honor for

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/anti-semitism-up-30-worldwide/13556 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Anti-Semitism is up 30 percent worldwide, following two years of declining numbers. The news was reported yesterday by the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University, showing 686 violent acts and vandalism against Jews last year, up from 526 in 2011. The attacks ranged from acts against individuals to those targeted against synagogues and Jewish centers. France had the most, with 200, with the UK, UK, Canada and Australia falling after. The Jewish day school shooting in

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/irish-teachers-union-calls-for-israel-boycott/13555 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The Teachers' Union of Ireland adopted a resolution backing an academic and cultural boycott of Israel. Israel was characterized as an apartheid state in the motion passed unanimously on April 4 during the unions annual congress. The union represents more than 14,000 teachers and lecturers. The measure called for members "to cease all cultural and academic collaboration with Israel, including the exchange of scientists, students and academic personalities, as well as all cooperation in

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/netanyahu-lapid-seek-more-funding-for-holocaust-survivors-elderly/13553 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the allocation of some $14 million to benefit Holocaust survivors and other elderly Israelis. Just before the start of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Netanyahu also asked the Knesset to approve an additional $7 million to pay for medicine to help the elderly population. "We have a deep obligation to the elderly in general and to Holocaust survivors in particular, first of all to their welfare and also to their security," he said Sunday at the beginning of the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/3-rockets-launched-from-gaza-as-israel-honors-yom-hashoah-video/13546 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Gaza launched three rockets on Israel last evening, just as the Jewish state began its Holocaust remembrance ceremonies. One missile landed in the southern Shaar Hanegev region, while the remaining two fell within Gaza borders. No injuries were reported. The attacks came after a week of similar launches, a heightened record after months of tentative calm in the region. Last November, Gaza and Israel agreed to a ceasefire following Operation Pillar of Defense. Israel responded to last weeks attacks with a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/six-survivors-light-yad-vashem-torches-to-remember-the-six-million-video/13544 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Each year on Yom HaShoah, Yad Vashem lights six torches to represent the six million Jewish lives lost in the Holocaust. Yad Vashem, Israels national Holocaust trust, invited six survivors to light the torches this year, including Peretz Hochman, a hero of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising who passed away just last week. His widow lit the torch in his stead. Sima Hochman was joined in the lighting by survivors Otto Dov Pressburger, Dina Ostrover, Eliezer Eizenschmidt, Miriam Liptcher and Baruch Kopold. Each of

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-8-13-round-up-am-edition/13543 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 FDR and the Jews. [NYT] Remember Jew in a Box? It's spreading. [Tablet] The president of Poland remembers the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. [Haaretz] Meanwhile, a survivor of the Ghetto remembers life behind the walls, 70 years later. [Washington Post] After a two-year decline, Israeli researchers see a 30 percent rise in worldwide anti-Semitism. [Washington Post] A teacher in Italy told a Jewish student she would have been more attentive had she "been in Auschwitz." [Ynet] A lack of kosher meat forces Polish Jews

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/wacky-winter-weather-impacts-israeli-farmers/13540 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 Plentiful rainfall was not enough to save crops from drought this winter. Israeli farmers are reporting that despite abundant rain, this winter turned out to be hard for both farmers and their fields. It started very well, in November, December and January there was a ton of rain, almost twice what fell the year before, farmer Moshe Kahane explained. But unfortunately, in February and March there was nearly no rain. The downpours followed by drought conditions made it difficult for

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-divestment-resolution-overturned-by-university-of-california-riverside-students/13538 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Sean Savage, JNS.org The University of California, Riverside (UCR) student government overturned a recently passed student senate resolution that urged the University of California (UC) system to implement Israel divestment. When the resolutiontitled Divestment of Companies that Profit from Apartheidhad passed in early March, opponents of the Israel divestment measure argued that they were not given enough time to prepare for the vote. There was not enough time or opportunity

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/interview-with-israeli-dancer-idan-sharabi/13536 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Every Friday, Jspace News partners with the America Israel Cultural Foundation to bring you an interview with one of the many Israeli artists they support throughout the world. Dancer Idan Sharabi studied at the Thelma Yellin Arts High School in Tel Aviv and then at the Juilliard School. At Juilliard, Sharabi was given the Zeraspe Award for 2006, Best Juilliard Choreographer for choreographing numerous pieces throughout the four years of his studies. He was chosen for ChoreoComp (a project of collaboration with a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/cricket-bridges-gap-between-israeli-and-palestinian-youths/13535 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Shehadeh Salamin, 16, from the West Bank, wrote a winning essay about his time in the Cricket for Peace program, an initiative of the Peres Center for Peace that brings together Arab and Israeli children to play cricket together. Shehadeh won a prize from Israels Cricket Association (ICA), writing about how being in contact with Jewish youths has given him a new lease of life. Although it all appears to have a happy and peaceful ending, it wasnt so easy in the beginning.

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/in-telling-story-of-fledgling-israeli-air-force-three-filmmakers-going-their-own-ways/13534 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Some 65 years after a band of foreign volunteers took to the skies to ensure Israel's birth and survival, filmmakers are racing to bring their exploits to the screen before the last of the breed passes away. Among the competing producers and their financial backers are such famous names as Spielberg and Lansky. And though their budgets fall well short of Hollywood blockbuster standards, their competitive spirits are just as intense. Nancy Spielberg, the youngest of Steven Spielberg's three sisters, is the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-start-up-is-securing-the-high-seas-video/13533 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A nice Jewish boy from Israel is revolutionizing the way global waters are monitored for security. Ami Daniel is CEO and co-founder of Windward Maritime Solutions, an Israeli start up that combines satellite imagery with intelligence data to predict where potentially dangerous ships might strike. Most governmental intelligence agencies, as well as business intelligence organizations, act on information they have, wrote Daniel in a recent issue of Common Defense Quarterly. They research,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/un-peacekeepers-not-reporting-hezbollah-arms-official-says/13525 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon are not sufficiently reporting on Hezbollah arms movements, an Israeli official told a crowd at Tel Aviv University yesterday. National Security Adviser Yaakon Amidror said the UN units (UNFIL), which patrol the border area to monitor Hezbollahs armaments efforts, have not met security requirements as laid out in its mission goals. "Under pressure, a multinational force is like an umbrella that gets folded up on a rainy day," Amidror said. "Has Hezbollah avoided

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-5-13-round-up-am-edition/13524 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Jewish groups are requesting the Great Neck Synagogue cancel its scheduled speaking engagement with an anti-Muslim blogger. [JPost] New York State government has interceded in the sales of Jewish cemetery plots on the black market. [Forward] American Jewish leaders have written letters to Netanyahu, encouraging him to make political sacrifices in the name of peace. [Jewish Press] As Yom Hashoah approaches, different theaters and exhibits in Israel pay tribute to Holocaust survivors and victims. [Times of

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-4-13-round-up-pm-edition/13520 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Hitler's last surviving food taster reveals details about the Fuhrer's meal preferences. [Telegraph] Natan Sharansky is fighting against the Mourner's Kaddish ban for women at the Kotel. [Forward] The White House Jewish heritage event has been canceled due to sequester cuts. [Times of Israel] John Kerry met with Mahmoud Abbas, convincing the PA leader to cease unilateral actions in a step toward negotiations. [Ynet] Jewish leaders reject Lord Ahmed's apology. [JC] The Dead Sea products industry is alive

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/commander-of-german-air-force-visits-israel/13518 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Dressed in his blue uniform, General Mllner stepped down the official parade held in his honor to the sounds of the German anthem, a colorful range of tunes--as would be expected of an anthem which was composed two centuries ago by one of the great classical composors, Joseph Haydn. Just as the anthem exudes force, so does the German Air Force. General Mllner leads one of the world's greatest, most powerful air forces, inarguably one of the few who have changed the face of modern aviation. "The

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/shell-to-sell-share-in-woodside-petroleum-over-israel-link/13516 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Woodside Petroleums purchase of a controlling stake in Israels largest natural gas field is causing trouble for Woodsides Arab-allied partial ownerthe Shell gas company. Royal Dutch Shell, Shell Gas Powers masthead, owns a 23 percent interest in Woodside, which declared its intentions late last year to purchase a 30 percent stake in Leviathan, the innovative Israeli gas field the Jewish state hopes to use on the path toward energy self-sufficiency. Shell, on the other

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/holocaust-survivors-say-israel-must-do-more-for-them/13514 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Holocaust survivors living in Israel say the country isn't doing enough to help them, and some are resorting to skipping meals and medicine. In a poll released Wednesday ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom HaShoah, 92 percent of the 500 survivors surveyed said that Israel was not allocating enough money to assist them. The survey commissioned by the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel also found that 20 percent of survivors had skipped at least one meal due to the inability to pay

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-herbs-found-useful-in-treating-infection/13511 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 NoCamels Team, NoCamels - Israel Innovation News Recent research has discovered that some Israeli herbs are as effective as modern medicine in battling bacterial, fungal infections and infectious diseases. The Israeli climate, which is characterized by hot and sometimes windy weather, has resulted in plants developing special chemical compounds to deal with the extreme conditions they grow in. The therapeutic value of these chemicals was discovered by a team of researchers from Israel, funded by the EU. Initial

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jerusalem-ice-festival-brings-frozen-village-to-the-desert-video/13510 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Jerusalem Ice City Festival is still bringing in scores of pleased patrons, as adults and children take in the marvels of a frozen city in the middle of the desert. The festival opened in late February and will run through April 30, hosted as part of a partnering between Israel and China. China hosted the worlds first ice sculpture event in 1963, and brought the Ice City Festival to Jerusalem last year to much success. 2013s festival includes several nods to Chinese culture including a replica

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-4-13-round-up-am-edition/13508 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Today marks the third day in a row of fire from Gaza into Israel. [Times of Israel] Two are killed as riots continue in the West Bank. [Forward] Police tell Women of the Wall they will enforce a law banning women from reciting the Mourner's Kaddish at the Kotel. [Times of Israel] The Times looks at media portrayal of WWII, and how the newspaper industry could have done more to shed light on the plight of the Jews. [NYT] On the 45th anniversary of his assassination, a look at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/chief-of-staff-no-terror-attack-will-shake-our-iron-resolve/13507 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The IDF's General Staff Forum, led by Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, met Wednesday for a day-seminar at the Yad Vashem museum in Jerusalem. There they marked 70 years since the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The Chief of Staff addressed the forum, saying: "Yom HaShoah is a good opportunity to remind all those who want to test our forces' strength, that behind the tears that will never dry, stands a powerful and righteous defense force; a defense force for which even the most heinous terror attacks

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/04-03-13-round-up-pm-edition/13505 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 The president of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee will lead a conference with Christian, Islam, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, and Jewish religious leaders around the world. [JPost] President Shimon Peres plans to travel to Rome and meet with Pope Francis I on April 30th. [Times of Israel] The IDFs Chief of Staff recently met a woman who was saved at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp by the chiefs mother. [Times of Israel] An Israeli man saved two Beoudin brothers, after they were pulled out to sea on

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/stephen-hawking-famed-theoretical-physicist-to-visit-israel/13504 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Stephen Hawking, the internationally renowned British theoretical physicist and popular science author, is scheduled to visit Israel this summer, the Jerusalem Post reported. Hawking will travel to Israel to take part in the 5th annual Israeli Presidential Conference, titled Facing Tomorrow. The conference, which was inaugurated in 2008 by Nobel Prize Laureate and Israeli President Shimon Peres, gathers the worlds top leaders and intellectuals in Israel for discussions on everything from

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/iconic-photo-walking-through-jerusalem-s-lion-s-gate/13500 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Six Days War was one of Israels most important military missions, resulting n the liberation of the holy city of Jerusalem. The operation led to many iconic images, not least of all the depiction of three Israeli leaders walking through the capital for the first time. On the second day of the war in June 1967, Jordan moved from neutral status to join the Palestinians and attack Israel in west Jerusalem. Israel ultimately overcame Jordan, which controlled the Old City, reunifying Jerusalem for the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/bibi-to-gaza-we-will-respond-vigorously/13499 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Benjamin Netanyahu warned further military action would be taken if Hamas does not put a halt to increased rocket fire over the last 24 hours. If the lull is violated, we will respond vigorously, the Israeli prime minster said today. The security of Israels citizens is my top concern and we know how to defend the security of our citizens. The comments came after two more missiles were fired on southern Israel from Gaza this morning. The attack followed an Israeli airstrike

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-accused-of-polluting-mediterranean-damaging-egyptian-coast/13498 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The head of the National Commission for the Protection of the Environment in North Sinai has accused Israel of dumping sewage and toxic waste in the Mediterranean. Abdallah al-Hijawy, commission chair, plans on recruiting environmental NGOs to help file claims in an international court to stop the pollution. In front of the international community, Israel is responsible for the service sector in the occupied lands, he said. According to al-Hijawy, Israel currently discharges over 180,000 cubic

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/at-touro-women-seek-to-spread-pro-israel-voices/13497 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 What would you do if your campus had no anti-Israel activity? What if it had little or no pro-Israel activity either? Would that be enough of a reason to do nothing regarding Israel during your college years? That is the question facing students at Touro College for Women in New York City. The Orthodox women who comprise the student body have strong religious ties to Israel but are generally apathetic; they support Israel but do little to educate themselves about it. Because we operate in a religious

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/warsaw-ghetto-hero-dies-at-85/13496 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Peretz Hochman, a Warsaw Ghetto hero involved in the infamous uprising and a major figure in the underground smuggling scheme, died Sunday of cancer at the age of 85. Hochman was just a boy when he entered the Ghetto with his parents and one brother, but ultimately found his own way to contribute. Known affectionately as the cigarette seller, Hochmans older brothers remained outside the Ghetto, masquerading as Christians, a ruse Hochman himself was ultimately able to pull off. He moved

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-experiences-worst-sandstorm-in-4-years/13493 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel experienced its worst sandstorm in four years Monday, an occurrence environmentalists are chalking up to pollution. Airports and roads closed as visibility was limited by a more than half a mile. Air pollution was reported to be 40 times higher than on an average day. Israels Meteo-Tech Meteorlogic Services said the storm was a result of heavy desert dust from Egypt and Libya. The government advised residents to stay indoors during the storm, particularly near Haifa where conditions were

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-responds-to-gaza-rockets-with-1st-strike-since-pillar-of-defense/13491 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Rockets continued to fire from Gaza into Israel Wednesday morning, after an evening of crossfire that marked the first back and forth since a ceasefire last fall. Tuesday, two Gazan rockets fell in southern Israel, setting off sirens and sending residents in Sderot fleeing for safe houses, though no serious injuries were reported. It was the estimated third time Gaza has sent rockets since last Novembers ceasefire, at the conclusion of Operation Pillar of Defense. Israel hit back last night in an air

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/meet-the-israeli-navy-s-red-sea-command/13490 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Over three thousand years ago the Israelites overcame a seemingly impossible obstacle en route to their promised land. What had separated them from achieving their dream then was the ability to navigate through the Red Sea safely. A miracle had to be called upon to ensure their safe passage within the stormy waters. Today, that task is not left up to miracles but handled professionally by the Israeli Navy's Red Sea Command. Situated in Israel's most southern city of Eilat, the Red Sea Command Naval Base was

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/04-03-13-round-up-am-edition/13489 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Secretary of State John Kerry will make an official visit to Israel, Turkey, Jordan and Qatar next week, to address the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. [Times of Israel] The French Ministry of Justice has recently revised its law, allowing French Jews to change their surnames back to those of their Jewish ancestors. [Times of Israel] A small Holocaust archive in Germany, named Bad Arolsen, holds 30 million documents on survivors and plans to reach out to victims' families. [Forward] An elementary school in

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-2-13-round-up-pm-edition/13488 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli planes strike Gaza for the first time since Pillar of Defense. [Times of Israel] Jews are once again accused of using blood to make matzah. [WND] A hero of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising passes away. [Ynet] A Palestinian non-profit apologizes for blood libel slur. [Times of Israel] A Florida man symbolically runs the length of Israel. [Sun-Sentinel]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/criticism-of-flotilla-apology-to-turkey-mounts-amid-erdogan-s-demands-of-israel/13487 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Jacob Kamaras, JNS.org Some Israeli leaders are criticizing Israels recent apology to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the 2010 Gaza flotilla incident in light of the demands Erdoğan has made of Israel since the apology was publicized. Erdoğan, clarifying initial reports that Turkey-Israel ties had been normalized following his conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that those ties would not be fully restored until Israel both provides financial compensation for the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/endangered-wild-asses-return-to-the-negev/13485 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Wild asses are making a comeback in the Negev, nearly 100 years after being driven out of the desert region after World War I. Although the native Negev variety of the species no longer exists, a recent study shows the new, hybrid stock imported from Iran is making the Negev home. "When people hear 'wild ass,' they think 'donkey,'" said researcher Alan Templeton. "But this species is not the progenitor of the donkey. The ass family has two major branches: the African lineage and the Eurasian

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/kkl-jnf-to-establish-presence-in-montenegro/13483 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Jewish worlds largest environmental organization has announced plans to cooperate with the government of Montenegro. A delegation from Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL-JNF) will establish a presence in the southeastern European nation and work with the country in the areas of agriculture, water, and forest management. During the past week, Efi Stenzler, world chair of KKL-JNF, and Eli Aflalo, co-chair, met with mayors of Podgorica and Kotor, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/rocket-fired-during-obama-s-trip-discovered-in-israeli-pre-school/13479 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Pre-school teachers in Sderot discovered today that one of the Kassam rockets fired at southern Israel during President Obama's visit to Israel landed in a local preschool facility. Staff returning to the preschool building after the two-week long Passover vacation discovered that the partially exploded rocket fired March 21 had crashed through the roof and remained in the building, which usually houses three-year olds, Ynet reported. There were no children in the building when the rocket fell due to the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/springtime-is-here-along-with-the-birds/13477 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 If you lift up your head from the blossoming fields throughout Israel, you will notice thousands of birds roaming the skies to welcome the beginning of migration season. The IAF began preparations: How will the pilots cope with their new neighbors? Spring is a great season to venture outdoors with the family and enjoy the flocks of birds that fill the Israeli skies on their way back to cooler climates. Although the various flocks constitute a spectacular view, they are a problem in the eyes of the IAF. "Our main

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-2-13-round-up-am-edition/13476 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Palestinian prisoners riot over an inmate's death. [Times of Israel] Amsterdam apparently fined Holocaust survivors for unpaid taxes while in hiding from the Nazis. [Jewish Press] A rocket fired at Israel during Barack Obama's visit has been found at a Sderot kindergarten. [Times of Israel] Belarus plans a $1 million synagogue restoration. [Forward] Jewish organizations in Minnesota condemn anti-gay marriage remarks over Nazism. [MinnPost] Is the circus kosher for Pesach? [Tablet] Gourmet kosher, at a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/an-easy-game-for-maccabi-in-turkey-as-local-strike-continues/13475 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 After a rocky Euroleague season thus far, Maccabi Tel Aviv smashed Besiktas in the Top 16, last week in Turkey. The game was pretty much over from the first five minutes of the first quarter, and ended in a crazy score of 101:58 for Maccabi. Coach Blatt said that Assistant Coach Goodes joked about having to now pay compensation to the Turks, referring to the recent change in the relations between Israel and Turkey due to PM Netanyahus apology to Erdogan. He also sent an arrow towards the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/honor-your-father-a-son-s-dream-to-serve-in-the-idf/13474 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A grenade explodes by his side, its force growing as it nears, and he almost dies. Today, at 30 years old, he continues to fulfill the lifelong dream that he inherited from his father. Meet Sergeant First Class Yehuda Hasid. Yehudas childhood memories often involve his father telling him stories and anecdotes from his military service. On Shabbat afternoons, he listened on as his father repeatedly told the story of how he met his mother during the First Lebanon War. The closer I got to my enlistment

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-1-13-round-up-pm-edition/13473 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A Venezuelan leader slams an opponent over a "Hitler" jibe. [Forward] Some artefacts from the Syrian shul burning have been saved. [Forward] Israelis start eating carbs again. [Times of Israel] Is air pollution causing Israelis shortness of breath? [Times of Israel] The US is seeing a rise in Jewish single mothers. [Ynet] The Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum is running some sort of Hitler moustache ad. And it doesn't seem to be an April Fool's joke. [Heeb]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/military-investigation-reveals-inside-look-at-gilad-shalit-s-capture/13472 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Details about Gilad Shalits capture have come to light, following the ex-IDF soldiers sit down with military investigators. Shalit, who was famously held captive by Hamas for five years, spoke about the moment he was kidnapped, as well as his fear to fight back. I was completely confused. I did not think about anything. I was in shock, Shalit said, according to the Jerusalem Post. The Post ran an extensive overview of the investigation, which reveals some of the failings that might

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-american-winner-of-world-food-prize-inspires-next-generation/13471 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 World Food Prize Laureate and Israeli-American scientist Dr. Daniel Hillel is helping to inspire the next generation of sustainably minded scientists and scholars. During a three-day residency at the University of Delaware this week, Hillel plans on discussing his time spent researching and living on a Negev kibbutz as well as his innovative micro-irrigation system that helped transform and modernize agriculture in arid lands worldwide. Dr. Hillel, who now conducts research at Columbia University-Earth

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/canada-s-largest-student-association-endorses-israel-boycott/13470 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The largest student association in Canada passed a resolution endorsing the global boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign against Israel. With the passage late last week of the resolution, York University's student association joins two others in Canada -- the University of Toronto and Montreal's Concordia University graduate student associations -- in endorsing the BDS campaign, according to the York University Excalibur newspaper. The campaign calls for universities to divest from holdings in companies

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-autism-researcher-wins-unesco-fellowship/13469 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli scientist Dr. Osnat Penna postdoctoral researcher in computational biology at Tel Aviv University whose work examines the genetic origins of autismhas been awarded a 2013 UNESCO-LOral International Fellowship for promising young female scientists, Israel Hayom reported. Penn, 32, and 14 other researchers worldwide were awarded the prestigious fellowships out of hundreds of candidates. The fellowships are given to female scientists whose promising research projects have

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/iaf-participates-in-foreign-naval-exercise/13466 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli, Greek and American military forces arrived at the Crete Islands to begin a joint exercise by the name of "Nobel Dina". The exercise included naval forces of the three countries, alongside pilots of the IAF from the "Defenders of the South" squadron: A "Panther" naval patrol helicopter drifted above the missile ships, expanding the image seen by the crews on the ships and serving as an extra pair of eyes. The way to Crete was not particularly simple: Air crew members seized the opportunity to familiarize

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-1-13-round-up-am-edition/13463 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The man on track to be Great Britain's first technically-Jewish prime minister has resigned from a sports role, after a soccer club chooses a Nazi-saluting Italian as its coach. [Times of Israel] Egypt has changed its mind once again on allowing a screening of a Jewish film. [NYT] New details emerge on Gilad Shalit's Hamas kidnapping. [JPost] A Canadian exhibit recalls Jewish refugees imprisoned with Nazis. [Times of Israel] An Israeli confectioner has created a line of candy to help consumers lose weight.

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/newly-flowing-gas-rig-may-mean-energy-independence-for-israel/13460 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A newly flowing gas rig off the coast of Israel means a possible end to a gas crisis for the Jewish state. Saturday, natural gas began flowing from the Tamar field at an offshore rig in the Mediterranean for the first time. The site is believed to contain 9 trillion cubic feet of gas, which could fill the Jewish states gas needs for the next two decades. Israel has experienced a gas shortage since 2011 terrorist attacks in the Sinai interrupted gas exchange from Egypt. In 2012, Egypt likewise ended its

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/interview-with-musician-arnan-raz/13454 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Every Friday, Jspace News partners with the America Israel Cultural Foundation to bring you an interview with one of the many Israeli artists they support throughout the world. Energetic, emotional, and at the same time intelligent and melodic, Arnan Raz's music combines jazz with his Israeli and Jewish roots. His music is influenced by jazz idols such as Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane. Born 1985 and raised in Kibutz Merhavia in Israel, Arnan was exposed to a wide

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/poll-drop-in-israelis-who-see-obama-as-pro-palestinian/13453 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The number of Israelis who view President Obama as pro-Palestinian dropped by 20 percent following his first presidential visit to Israel, according to a new poll. In the poll, conducted Sunday by Smith Research for the Jerusalem Post, 27 percent of 500 Israeli respondents said they considered the Obama administration more pro-Israel than pro-Palestinian, 16 percent said he was more pro-Palestinian, 39 percent were neutral and 18 percent did not an express an opinion. In a pre-visit poll conducted March 17, 36

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/archaeologist-finds-evidence-of-ancient-agriculture-in-negev/13452 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Agriculture may have been present in the Negev region as early as 5000 B.C., according to recent research by Ben-Gurion University archaeologist Hendrik Bruins. The findings, if confirmed, could have significant impact on how historians and archaeologists view the inhabitants of the region 3,000 years prior to the Jewish exodus from Egypt. Current scholarship suggests that agriculture did not exist in the Negev until approximately the first century. Prior to that, inhabitants survived by being herders and raising

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/middle-eastern-politics-and-sports-video/13444 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An Israeli Thai boxer won the bronze medal in the World Cup held in Bangkok, Thailand on Wednesday. Ilya Skabronski beat the Vietnamese Champ on his way to a historic match against Umid Hussein, from Iran. While other Iranian athletes have refused to compete against Israeli opponents in the past (most recently in Judo), Hussein took the ring with the Israeli, and was knocked out in the second round. I was determined to beat him, Skavronski told Ynet. The Iranian worked very hard, he even

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-guide-dogs-to-take-part-in-march-of-the-living/13442 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Visually impaired Israelis will take part in the March of the Living next month, thanks to the help of some very special canines. The Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind is helping send a delegation of blind Israeli tourists to participate in the historic program, which takes attendees on a symbolic march from Auschwitz to Birkenau on Yom Hashoah, the Jewish day of remembrance for the Holocaust. The specially trained dogs will be able to guide their owners along the walk, due to intensive training and efforts

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/police-stop-passover-sacrifice-at-temple-mount/13441 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Several activists were detained in Jerusalem on Monday after they tried to enter the Temple Mount to perform animal sacrifices on the eve of Passover. Noam Federman, a well-known right-wing activist, and others were held for questioning by the police after they assembled near the Jaffa Gate with lambs and goats intending to perform the Temple-era mitzvot. Last week, Israels Veterinary Services refused to authorize a ritual sacrifice, held outside the walls of the Old City, that the activists had planned

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-28-13-round-up-am-edition/13438 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The last Jews of Egypt. [Daily Beast] Lord Ahmed apologizes for "Jewish conspiracy" comments. [HuffPo] Israel's Jewish population passes 6 million mark. [Ynet] Reaching out to the "hidden Jews" of southern Italy. [Arutz Sheva] Belarus Jewish leader admits to tax evasion. [Times of Israel] A Haredi weekly paper censors female Holocaust victims. [Ynet] Reviving the spirit and schmaltz of the Jewish deli. [NPR] Stanley Kubrick's lost Holocaust film. [Tablet]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/elie-wiesel-yuli-edelstein-to-help-select-genesis-prize-winner/13435 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Elie Wiesel, the speaker of Israel's Knesset and two former Israel Supreme Court justices are among those who will select the winner of a new $1 million prize for serving as a role model for Jewish values. The Genesis Philanthropy Group, a consortium of mega-wealthy philanthropist-businessmen from the former Soviet Union, announced the formation of the two committees that will determine the inaugural winner of the Genesis Prize, which will be given out annually. Dubbed the Jewish Nobel Prize by Time Magazine,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/palestinian-group-launches-israel-apartheid-ads-on-pesach/13433 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A pro-Palestinian group launched an anti-Israel ad campaign in New York yesterday, the first day of Passover. American Muslims for Palestine initiated a four-week advertising scheme, in which a poster demanding an end to apartheid in Israel will run along the Metro North train line in New York. The campaign was celebrated by AMP organizers yesterday at the Harlem-125th Metro North station. The posters will be on display at 25 locations. Many news outlets and pro-Israel advocates pointed out the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/team-israel-defeats-ireland/13427 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The quest for a spot in the World Cup continues for Team Israel. Cristiano Ronaldo mania in Israel ended over the weekend as the superstar and the rest of Team Portugal left Israel disappointed with a 3:3 end result. After the match against Portugal, Yossi Benayoun posted this photo of him and Ronaldo on his Instagram: Although Israel is experiencing yet another heat wave this holiday, Team Israel is freezing in the Ireland cold, where they met the local National Team yesterday. Two goals in the final 13

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/the-ink-flag-marking-the-anniversary-of-israel-s-conquering-eilat/13426 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A group of IDF soldiers recently recreated an iconic photo to mark the anniversary of the Jewish states conquering Eilat. On March 10, 1948, the Israeli army took control of the port town, during the Arab-Israeli War. To honor the moment, soldiers fashioned an impromptu Israeli flag, known now as the Ink Flag, and raised it over Eilat. The black and white photo became a piece of historic imagery, and a new generation of IDF troops set out to honor it in their own way. Earlier this month,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/president-obama-wishes-chag-sameach-in-passover-greeting-video/13423 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 After returning from his trip to Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan, President Barack Obama celebrated his fifth Passover seder in the White House and continued to reiterate the United States bond with Israel. Prior to his return to America, he spoke heavily about how the Passover story symbolizes and encourages peace in the Middle East region. Ive come to Israel on the eve of a sacred holiday, the celebration of Passover Im proud that Ive now brought this tradition into

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/a-21st-century-exodus-dina-s-journey-from-alexandria-to-jerusalem/13422 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 This isnt Cpl. Dina Ovadias first Passover in Israel. Slowly, slowly she seems to be moving away from her Egyptian past and becoming further ingrained in her Israeli present. Instead of thinking about her bittersweet childhood in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, Cpl. Ovadia fills her time with her army service and in preparing her home in Rimonim for the Passover holiday. Today it is possible to say that she is far more Dina Ovadia than she is Rolin Abdallah the name her family gave her as a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-s-largest-root-vegetable-growers-report-high-yields/13416 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 Israels largest producers of root vegetables put out more than 200,000 tons of product in 2012, a recent activity report stated. Yaham cultivates massive amounts of root vegetables for the Jewish state, like onions and potatoes. While Israelis enjoy a large portion of that effort, the produce is also exported around the world, adding necessary commerce to Israels economy. "We produce and market root vegetables from 14 communities at western Negev, said Dror Tanuri, CEO of Yaham. Our

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/adventurous-israelis-put-locusts-on-menu/13414 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Swarms of locusts have invaded Israel in the past few weeks, destroying crops and causing the Israeli government to launch all-out aerial assault to destroy the pests. While most Israelis consider the locust storm a menace, some with adventurous palates have decided to turn the invading bugs into tasty, and arguably kosher, snacks. Chef Moshe Basson points out the bugs, which are mentioned in the Torah as being kosher, are not subject to rules of ritual slaughter, thus making them easy to prepare. Basson suggests

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/riots-break-up-israeli-arab-youth-soccer-match/13406 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Unfortunately racism and violence have become somewhat of a regular factor in sports, in Israel and all over the world. This time its ugly face showed itself in a match between 10-year-old boys in the northern part of Israel. Seven suspects were arrested over the weekend in Magdal Shams over a childrens soccer game. They were arrested after stating that the village is Syrian territory and that the Israeli Association has no right to play or interfere with their decisions. An Arab village

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/idf-closes-west-bank-for-passover/13398 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The Israel Defense Forces have imposed a general closure of the West Bank through the end of Passover. The closure went into effect at midnight on Sunday and will remain into effect until Tuesday night, according to a statement from the IDF. The closure was ordered by the minister of defense in accordance with situation assessments in the IDF, the statement said. Those in need of medical attention or humanitarian aid, or exceptional cases, will be allowed to leave the West Bank with the authorization of the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/interview-with-pianist-orli-shaham/13392 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Every Friday, Jspace News partners with the America Israel Cultural Foundation to bring you an interview with one of the many Israeli artists they support throughout the world. A consummate musician recognized for her grace, subtlety, and vitality, Orli Shaham has established an impressive international reputation as one of today's most gifted pianists. Hailed by critics on four continents, Orli is in demand for her prodigious skills and admired for her interpretations of both standard and modern repertoire. The

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-basketball-on-strike/13389 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 An extreme crisis has occurred in Israeli basketball resulting in the next series of games to be postponed. The Players Union has gone on strike, as many Israeli players demand a change in the status of the player within the league. Teams across the league threatened a strike, and the one of the only teams that appears to not be effected by the crisis is Maccabi Tel Aviv as all players on David Blatts roster practiced as usual in preparation for the teams game today in Greece. Maccabi faces

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-22-13-round-up-pm-edition/13386 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 President Obama will continue his yearly tradition and host a Passover seder for 20 people this year. The tradition began when three young staffers held a small seder on the campaign trail in 2008 and Obama happened to stop in. [Forward] A Bob Marley Haggadah is free to download and offers a less traditional take on this years seder. [Tablet Mag] Jews on the Portuguese island of Madeira, who were forcibly converted to Catholicism decades ago, will celebrate their first Passover seder. [Forward] A South

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/from-sands-to-skyscrapers-tel-aviv-launches-the-future/13385 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Maxine Dovere, JNS.org Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai recently came to New York City to talk about his city of sun, sand, skyscrapers, and startups. With just two minutes on a winter afternoon to introduce the city and its entrepreneurs, he began his presentation with a weather report. Noting the damp, cold conditions, Huldai teased, Ive left behind the wonderful weather of Tel Aviv to talk about the startup culture that began on the day the city was born. During this event

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/new-environmental-protection-minister-promises-to-build-environmental-iron-dome/13383 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 In an exchange of ministers ceremony held on March 19, Gilad Erdan stepped down as Environmental Protection Minister. Erdan, who has served as the ministrys head for four years, is set to become the new home front and communication minister. Amir Peretz, who has previously served as Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister, will assume the duties of Israels top green post. During the ceremony, outgoing minister Erdan praised accomplishments of the Environmental Protection Ministry during his

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/researchers-find-clear-genetic-link-between-fat-and-bone-conditions/13382 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 NoCamels Team, NoCamels - Israel Innovation News The euphemism Youre not fat, youre just big boned may have more to it than harmless banter, as researchers at Tel Aviv University have uncovered a clear genetic link between fat and bone mass. Professor Gregory Livshits of Tel Aviv Universitys Department of Anatomy and Anthropology at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine says fat and bone mass contribute to bone metabolism and also affect Body Mass Index (BMI), which often serves as

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/honoring-passover-no-matter-the-circumstances/13380 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Elimelekh Landau wasnt a trained transcriber, but that didnt stop the young many from penning two of the most important haggadahs of his life. In 1943, Elimelekh was just a teenager, fighting for survival with his family. The Landaus were a middle class family living in Borislav, Poland, and parents Shmaryahu and Sarah realized the time had come to go into hiding from the Nazis. A local woman, Anna Kushiotko, agreed to hide the family in a shuttered room at the back of her home. For a year and a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/chief-of-staff-s-outstanding-officers-israel-s-secret-weapon/13379 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 "A thick fog looms over the horizon of the Middle East, and the path ahead is paved with more mines than ever," said Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz speaking at the ceremony for IDF outstanding officers, which took place on Tuesday at the Rabin (Kirya) Base. Chief of Staff Outstanding Officer citations are granted annually to officers throughout the IDF who displayed remarkable service beyond the call of duty. For the first time this year, 50 officers received the citations in the form of special

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/bibi-apologizes-to-turkey-for-mavi-marmara-nations-to-resume-cooperation/13378 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 In a surprising turn of events Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an apology to his Turkish counterpart, ending three years of frozen relations and marking a move toward battling the potential for unrest overflow from Syria. The move came via a phone call at Ben-Gurion Airport just as US President Barack Obama readied to board a plane for Jordan. Obama reportedly spoke first to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then handed the phone to Netanyahu to continue. The Prime

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-s-trip-to-israel-a-precursor-for-peace-push/13377 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Barack Obamas three-day visit to Israel marked only the fifth time a sitting US president has traveled to the Jewish state. The gravity of the situation was showcased in the pomp and circumstance rolled out for the occasion, as Obama was treated to state dinners, a Medal of Distinction, special gifts and organized fanfare the likes of which Israel hadnt seen in years. Behind the flourish, however, were real diplomatic talks. Obama spent hours in closed-door talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/david-trimble-nobel-laureate-and-uk-lords-member-admonishes-un-israel-report-video/13375 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Nobel Peace Laureate and British House of Lords member David Trimble spoke on behalf of Swiss human rights group UN Watch at a UN Human Rights Council debate Monday in response to the most recent Human Rights Council report on Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria. I am a firm believer in a two-state solution, which will require difficult compromises, he said. But he added, by urging the removal of all settlers living beyond the green line, the report is inconsistent with Security Council

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-visits-mt-herzl-yad-vashem-may-god-bless-the-memory-of-the-millions/13374 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 President Barack Obama concluded his 51-hour trip to Israel today with a jam-packed morning that spoke to some of the more emotional sites in the Jewish state. The president first traveled to Mount Herzl with Benjamin Netanyahu and Shimon Peres, to visit the graves of Theodor Herzl and assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Obama laid wreaths and met with members of Rabin's family, writing in the Mount Herzl guestbook, It is humbling and inspiring to visit and remember the visionary who began

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/soccer-star-christiano-ronaldo-lands-in-israel/13370 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 President Obama may have landed yesterday in Israel, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and members of the new Knesset, but someone else is stealing his thunder: Christiano Ronaldo. The soccer star landed last night in Israel with the Portuguese National team in preparation for a match against Team Israel on Friday as part of the early stages of the World Cup. At the moment, both teams share the same amount of points in their group. Team Portugal was led out the back of Ben

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-21-13-round-up-pm-edition-video/13369 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A London Jewish paper has the first interview with the new Archbishop of Canterbury. [Jewish News] Egypt lifts its ban on a film about Jews. [JPost] The story of kosher for Pesach Coca-Cola in California. [Jewish Journal] A rabbi plans to work with descendants of Italian Jews forced to convert in the 16th century. [Forward] The lead singer of Pink Floyd was behind Stevie Wonder's pull out from an IDF benefit. [Forward] A Jewish teen wants Kate Upton to be his prom date. [Times of Israel] Miss Israel

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-soldiers-aid-wounded-syrians-on-border/13367 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli soldiers provided medical care to four wounded Syrians on the Golan Heights border. The Syrians approached the border Wednesday and were treated near the fence, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. Two of the Syrians were taken to Israeli hospitals because of to the severity of their injuries. They will be returned to Syria after their treatment. The less severely injured Syrians will be returned to Syria "later on," the IDF statement said. Seven Syrian rebels entered Israel through the Golan

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-receives-israel-s-medal-of-distinction-at-state-dinner/13366 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Barack Obama was awarded the Israeli Presidential Medal of Distinction this evening, in a state dinner hosted by Shimon Peres. The Israeli leader bestowed the honor on Obama, who is the first sitting president to receive the award. The medal goes to individuals who have made strides for the Jewish state, and is comparable to Frances Legion of Honor. The dinner capped Obamas second day in Israel and last evening in the nation. He travels to Jordon tomorrow to continue a diplomatic tour. In

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-to-israeli-students-friendship-binds-us-together/13364 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 President Barack Obama alluded to peace and prosperity for the Jewish state, in a highly anticipated keynote address to thousands in Jerusalem. This afternoons speech was attended by hundreds of young students, who the president noted as the definers of Israels future. It is an honor to be here with you in Jerusalem, and I am so grateful for the welcome that I have received from the people of Israel. I bring with me the support of the American people, and the friendship that binds us

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-s-gift-tree-won-t-be-uprooted/13363 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The magnolia tree gifted from President Obama to Israeli President Shimon Peres will not have to be uprooted for approval by Israel's Agriculture Ministry. The ministry said Thursday that it would conduct the necessary tests in the garden of the president's residence in Jerusalem rather than removing the tree from where it was planted a day earlier by Obama and Peres, according to a statement from Peres' office. Following the planting, reports surfaced that the ministry would require the tree to be dug up and

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-to-abbas-no-point-in-negotiations-if-preconditions-are-demanded/13362 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 President Barack Obama landed in the West Bank at 11 am Israeli time, for a brief visit to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas before heading back to Jerusalem. Crowds gathered in the street to greet Obama, though the reception was noticeably less warm than the one he received a day earlier in Tel Aviv. One commentator noticed there was not an American flag in sight, while protesters numbered in the hundreds chanted slogans like Go home you devil and We

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-gifts-bibi-with-historic-piece-of-american-judaism/13360 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 At last nights dinner, President Barack Obama gifted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a special token from the United States. The president had framed a wooden plank from the Touro Synagogue in Rhode Island, the USs oldest Jewish temple. On the gift is inscribed a quote from George Washington, which the first American president wrote in honor of the synagogues founding. "Every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/past-to-future-obama-tours-dead-sea-scrolls-hi-tech-advancements-video/13358 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 President Barack Obamas first call of duty this morning was a visit to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, for a tour of some of the Jewish states most prized exhibits. The president was given a private look inside the Shrine of the Book, where the historic Dead Sea Scrolls are stored. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on hand to read sections of the scrolls to Obama, who listened attentively and asked questions. A docent also showed the president the Aleppo Codex, Judaisms most important

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/4-rockets-fired-into-israel-from-gaza/13355 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 As US President Barack Obama landed in the West Bank to speak with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, rockets reigned down on southern Israel from Gaza. Four Kassam missiles were launched in total this morning, ending months of relative calm in the region since a tentative ceasefire was called following Operation Pillar of Defense last November. No injuries were reported though several homes saw damage; two of the missiles fell within Gazan borders near the security wall. Insiders said the attack

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-20-13-round-up-pm-edition/13354 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 The man convicted of killing Rabbi Chaskel Werzberger in 1990 may actually be found innocent, after having already served 21 years in prison. [Forward] Jewish artwork stolen by the Nazis during the Holocaust was recently returned to relatives of the victims. [Forward] Turkish Prime Minister defends his negative comments regarding Zionism, stating he was misinterpreted. [Daily Star] President Obama enjoys luxurious hotel accommodations in Israel. [Algemeiner] Palestinian activists pitch tents to protest the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-to-israel-we-ve-got-your-back/13351 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu emerged from four hours behind closed doors this afternoon to update reporters on the world leaders talks. The press conference was brief, including a statement from both the US and Israeli side as well as four questions from journalists. At the briefing, the topics of Palestine, Iran and Syria were covered, as was the strong relationship between the two governments. I hope that the goodwill and warmth of the people of Israel has already made you feel at

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/passover-haggadah-used-by-jews-serving-in-iran-in-wwii-makes-its-way-to-israel/13348 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli Aviram Paz recently came across two rare versions of the Passover Haggadah, including one used by Jews serving in Iran during World War II. Paz, 60, has been amassing a collection of 8,000 Passover Haggadot for years and storing them in a secure climate-controlled room at his home in Kibbutz Mishmar Haemek. One Passover Haggadah found by Paz was made by Jewish soldiers who served in the British military during World War II and were stationed in Iran from 1942 to 1945. Were talking about

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-tours-peres-home-in-jerusalem/13345 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 President Barack Obama landed in Jerusalem at 4 pm Israel time, hours after his initial arrival in Tel Aviv. Obama was greeted in the capital by Israeli President Shimon Peres, who gave the US leader a tour of the official Jerusalem residence. The home of the Israeli president is an auspicious spot, used often for diplomatic purposes. The two presidents were greeted by a chorus of children waving American and Israeli flags. The group sang a rendition of Tomorrow in Arabic, Hebrew and English while

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/military-figures-and-religious-students-slam-bar-refaeli-s-new-role-in-israel-ad-campaign-video/13343 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli military figures and religious students are objecting to the selection of supermodel Bar Refaeli to front an ad campaign aimed at raising Israel's public image. Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, criticized the choice of Refaeli because she did not serve in the Israeli military in a letter Sunday to the Foreign Ministry. "The choice of a representative who did not serve in the military as an official presenter on behalf of Israel conveys the message that we ignore and

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-it-s-good-to-be-back-in-israel/13342 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 As Air Force One touched down in Tel Aviv at noon Israeli time, the red carpet had literally been rolled out. It was a celebratory scene at Ben-Gurion Airport as Israels top leaders and a vast collection of military and religious officials gathered to welcome President Barack Obama to the Jewish state. Obama is just the fifth sitting US president to visit Israel, and the fanfare marked the uniqueness of the occasion. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres were the first to

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-20-13-round-up-am-edition/13340 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Obama has landed...in Israel, that is. [Times of Israel] Hate graffiti sprayed on Jewish homes in mixed neighborhood in Tel Aviv. [Washington Post] Tracing the history of the Jewish American deli. [Sun Sentinel] Is L.A. a model for the Jewish future? [Jewish Week] The kippah man wins his lawsuit over Spider-Man licensing. [Yeshiva World] New alliance complicates Jewish energy policy position. [Jewish Week] The Ravens dismiss a season opener set for Rosh Hashanah. [Haaretz] Is a Jesuit good for the Jews?

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obamas-to-receive-unique-israel-gifts/13339 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 President Obama is set to receive some unique gifts during his visit to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday at the start of the leaders' working meeting will present Obama with a gold-coated nano-chip with the Israeli and U.S. declarations of independence etched side by side. The gift, developed at the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, was etched on a chip affixed to a Jerusalem stone dating to the late Second Temple period. The stone was

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-19-13-round-up-pm-edition-video/13338 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Gilad Shalit penned another letter calling for the release of Jonathan Pollard. [Times of Israel] John Kerry plans to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu Saturday to discuss peace negotiations. [Algemeiner] Check out this bromance video the embassy released on Bibi and Obama. [Jewcy] An Israeli man was arrested for issuing a death threat against Obama. [Times of Israel] The Brooklyn hit and run killer was going twice the speed limit when he killed a young Orthodox couple. [Forward] Two rabbis, two styles--new

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/us-rips-un-human-rights-council-for-disproportionate-israel-focus/13337 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Obama administration refused to participate in a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting on Israeli settlements and slammed the body for its "disproportionate" focus on Israel. The Geneva-based council on Monday debated a January special report on the settlements that called for Israel to immediately withdraw from the West Bank and suggested Israel may be liable for war crimes if it does not leave. U.S. delegates would not speak during the debate, according to DPA, the German news agency, and in separate comments

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/nyt-magazine-draws-heat-for-cover-story-on-palestinian-village-known-for-protests/13334 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 JNS.org A New York Times Magazine cover story is under fire from critics in the pro-Israel community who say it too sympathetically depicts a Palestinian village known for holding weekly demonstrations against Israel. The story titled Is this where the third Intifada will start? about the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh was written by Ben Ehrenreich, who in 2009 penned an opinion piece for the Los Angeles Times headlined Zionism is the problem. In December 2009 they held their

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-startup-discovers-security-problem-with-ios-devices/13333 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An Israeli security startup has discovered a dangerous app loophole that could make iPhone users vulnerable to hackers. Skycure published a memo on its blog last week, demonstrating how users could take advantage of mobileconfig files used by carriers to configure clients phones. Hackers can manipulate these XML files to adapt accounts for their own devices. This breach could result in stolen passwords, data and private information, and could be used to attack iPhones, iPods and iPads. This

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/new-defense-minister-moshe-ya-alon-takes-office/13331 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Moshe (Bugi) Ya'alon assumed his new role as Defense Minister in a ceremony held today to mark the handover from outgoing Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz attended the event, as well as the Defense Ministry's Department Heads and the General Staff of the IDF. Outgoing Defense Minister Barak, who has held the position for the past six years, congratulated Minister Ya'alon on his appointment and told him that he is receiving a defense system which is in good hands, and

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-19-13-round-up-am-edition/13328 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The terrorist behind the murder of Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl has finally been caught. [NYT] The remains of 17 Jews believed to have been killed in a 12th century religious persecution will be given a Jewish burial. [BBC] A Jewish man has been shot in the West Bank. [JC] Argentine Jews praise Pope Francis for interfaith dialogue. [Fox] Why do island nations so often vote with Israel at the UN? [Tablet] A popular Jerusalem cafe closes over a Shabbat feud. [Forward] Rekindling the Jewish flame in young

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/technology-on-the-high-seas/13325 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Israeli Navy may be less publicised than other elements of the Israeli security forces, but it is nevertheless one of the IDF's most crucial service arms. It is tasked with protecting Israel's coasts and maritime waters against infiltration, sabotage and attack. The Navy also provides the IDF with extraordinary firepower capabilities from the sea that can strike at targets from great distances with remarkable precision and intercept missiles targeted at the home front. Guided by the Head of the Israeli Navy's

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-18-13-round-up-pm-edition/13324 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A new books seeks to guide Orthodox newlyweds to sexual intimacy. [Public Radio International] The New York Times is under fire from pro-Israel groups after running a piece that seemed to glorify the intifada movement. [Free Beacon] The British parliament recently saw a debate on the nation's Palestinian Authority funding, and whether such aid constitues financing hate incitement. [Algemeiner] Palestinians vandalized an Obama banner with swastikas. [Times of Israel] The lone Jew in the NYC mayoral race drops

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-to-view-7-israeli-tech-advancements-on-visit-video/13322 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Its no secret that Israel prides itself on its tech culture, and President Obama will get to see just how far that pride goes during his trip to the Jewish state this week. An exhibit of seven Israeli innovations will be on display for Obama March 21, at the Israel Museum. The tech advances were commissioned by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who issued a call for national scientists to put forward their work for consideration. A special committee was tasked with choosing the final seven projects to

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/33rd-government-sworn-in-a-ministerial-round-up/13320 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israels 33rd government was sworn in today, heralding in a more central governing bloc and introducing new titles to politicians both freshman and veteran. Election golden boys Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett are two newcomers set to hold heavy influence. As heads of the two largest parties after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus, there was plenty of speculation over what ministerial positions the pair would receive. After days of negotiations, it was agreed Lapid will serve as finance minister

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-hacker-saves-facebook-twice/13318 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An Israeli hacker has helped Facebook uphold its security standardsfor the second time this year. Nir Goldshlager is an employee at the Israeli cyber security company Avnet. In his work, Goldshlager attempts to breach security holes on a Web sites operating platform, to help the site close up outstanding loopholes. In 2011, he made it onto Facebooks hall of fame, named the second best hacker of the year. He made the first place spot in 2012, and is taking the title again for

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/streisand-to-perform-2-additional-concerts-in-tel-aviv/13317 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Barbra Streisand will perform two Tel Aviv concerts in Israel in addition to her appearance at the 90th birthday celebration for President Shimon Peres. The concerts will take place June 15 and 16 at Tel Aviv's Bloomfield Stadium, Israel media reported. On June 18, Streisand will perform at the opening ceremony of the Israeli Presidential Conference, which will mark Peres' milestone birthday. Streisand has visited Israel many times, and is a strong supporter of the Jewish State, but has never performed

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/american-support-for-israel-reaches-highest-point-in-decades/13313 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 American support for Israel is at the highest its been in more than two decades, according to a recent poll by Gallup. The tracking agency found that 64 percent of US citizens back the Jewish state, a figure that has not been seen since 1991, at the peak of the first intifada. Likewise, only 12 percent support the creation of a Palestinian state. Among party lines, Republicans back Israel by 78 percent, while Democrats fall at 55 percent. Independents sit at 63 percent. A divide can also be seen among

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-18-13-round-up-am-edition/13312 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 France commemorates last year's Toulouse attack. [JPost] Michael Oren says Obama's agenda aims to combat Jewish history deniers. [JPost] A Jewish sociologist shares a Hungarian award with two accused of anti-Semitism. [Forward] A Selma pilgrimage focuses on Jewish heritage. [WSFA] Greece's prime minister vows to make Holocaust denial a crime. [Haaretz] Erin go bragh, shalom--St. Patrick's Day the Jewish way. [NPR] Gwyneth Paltrow says she is the original Jewish mother. [Algemeiner] Gefilte fish: an

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/accessible-eco-farm-and-trail-bring-people-with-disabilities-closer-to-nature/13311 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 In Yokneam in northern Galilee, a one-of-a-kind eco-farm allows people with disabilities to press grapes, bake pita and explore the outdoors. The project is at the heart of LOTEM, a unique organization dedicated to making natural and environmental learning accessible to people with disabilities who live in or visit Israel. Thirty years ago, when LOTEM founder Amos Zvi noticed a group of visually disabled hikers on a trail, no accessible trails for persons with disabilities existed. Today, thanks to the advocacy

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/half-of-nba-uses-israeli-innovation-to-track-stats/13310 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 Technology used to follow and analyze missiles, developed in Israel by Micki Tamir, has been adjusted to the provide sports statistics. Sold to an American company, the STATS technology is currently being employed by around half the NBA to improve coaches understanding of players strengths and weaknesses. STATS provides answers to coaches questions from Where does a certain player score with the best percentages? to Does he dribble before scoring? and Who

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/supermodel-bar-refaeli-joins-petition-for-pollard-s-release/13309 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 As President Obamas trip to Israel approaches, supermodel Bar Refaeli has added her name to the 155,000 signatures on a petition supporting the release of Jonathan Pollard. Pollard is currently serving his 28th year in a United States prison for selling top-secret information to Israel when serving as a US Naval intelligence analyst. While Pollard is up for parole in 2015, many Israelis and Americans have called for his early release, believing that he has served enough time for passing secrets to an

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/interview-with-artist-noa-shay/13307 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Every Friday, Jspace News partners with the America Israel Cultural Foundation to bring you an interview with one of the many Israeli artists they support throughout the world. Born in Kibbutz Ramot Menashe in Israel, Noa Shay studied painting at the Jerusalem Studio School before moving to New York City to pursue a Master's degree in Fine Arts at Brooklyn College. Her work, which ranges from sculpture and bar relief to painting, has been exhibited in Israel and in the US and is presented in both public and

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-15-13-round-up-pm-edition/13306 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A Jewish woman jumped from an eight story building while holding her baby. The baby is in critical but stable condition. [Forward] The National Jewish Book Awards took place last night, though results won't be announced until next month. [Tablet] A synagogue bomb plotter gets 10 years in prison. [Forward] Israeli tourists are rescued from bus stranded in the snow in central Europe. [Times of Israel] One of Israel's most acclaimed chefs is set to cook for Obama. [Algemeiner] An Israeli video combining

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/locusts-swarms-blacken-skies-in-southern-israel/13304 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Swarms of locusts descended on southern Israel this week, prompting a major crop dusting campaign aimed at eradicating the pests. The Agricultural Ministry blamed warm weather and high winds for creating a perfect storm for the insect invasion, which is expected to reach millions of locusts in the coming days. In the past few weeks, small swarms of locusts have been entering from Sinai and a few have been spotted in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and as far north as Tsfat. The Agricultural Ministry stressed

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-s-un-envoy-hosts-art-contest-for-yom-ha-atzmaut/13302 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israels United Nations envoy is hosting an art contest in preparation for Yom Haatzmaut, and the group wants the public to get involved. Seven Days of Creativity is a weeklong artistic competition to find imagery for an upcoming Yom Haatzmaut event at the UN. Applicants have until March 21 to submit an idea, centering on the theme "Innovation and Water." Our mission is currently in the second day of our Seven Days of Creativity Contest, said Joseph Katz, with the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/34-hospitalized-1-dead-in-tel-aviv-half-marathon/13298 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 With the full Tel Aviv marathon postponed thanks to a Mediterranean heat wave that had local temperatures reaching 95 degrees Fahrenheit by 8 a.m., only half-marathon runners took to the streets this morning to participate in the annual event. But the heat was so intense that at least 34 runners have been hospitalized and one man has died. The man, identified by Ynet as 29-year-old IDF sergeant major Michael Michaelvich, is survived by his wife and one-month-old son. Many Israelis are blaming the Tel Aviv

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/morflora-discovers-universal-key-to-unlock-plants-and-protect-against-diseases-video/13293 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Tara Lifland, NoCamels - Israel Innovation News Modifying plants genes to yield larger fruits and vegetables or tweaking certain genes to make them more resistant is a controversial issue. While some say it tampers with nature and is potentially harmful, others say its the only way to feed the worlds growing population. The Israeli company Morflora claims its solution is a hybrid one, as its novel method vaccinates plants and seeds against a wide variety of diseases and

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-15-13-round-up-am-edition/13292 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 A New Jersey rabbi faces thousands in fines for illegally burying a Jewish object. [USA Today] The Brooklyn Jewish community responds negatively to the Amazing Spider-Man movie beginning its local filming during Passover. [CBS] A famous Holocaust photograph, "Jews of Warsaw," is transformed into a modern-day cartoon. [Heeb] Jewish marrow donors will increase medical compatibility for Jewish recipients. [Prague Daily] Greece will hold a remembrance for the 70-year anniversary of the first

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/coalition-formed-bibi-finally-seals-the-deal/13291 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Six weeks after Israeli national elections and with just a day to spare before the deadline, Benjamin Netanyahu has finally secured himself a coalition. Bibis Likud-Beiteinu party will join with Yesh Atid, Jewish Home and Hatnua to make a 68-seat coalition, ensuring Netanyahu a majority rule in the Knesset and allowing him to retain his premiership. Hatnua joined the prime ministers coalition early on, bringing just six seats to the table, making it ever more pressing that Netanyahu ink a deal with

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-14-13-round-up-pm-edition/13287 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Pope Francis reached out to Rome's Jewish community today, vowing strong ties. [Forward] A Jewish-American student is spending spring break in Syria. [Times of Israel] A historian links up seminal Jewish thinkers on a digital map. [JWeekly] Watch Aly Raisman's first "Dancing With the Stars" rehearsal. [Jewcy] Pesach recipes from India. [NYT] Is Billy Eichner the funniest man on the Internet? Probably. [Forward] Jewish education goes high tech. [Tablet]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/shin-bet-hamas-looking-to-step-up-terror-attacks/13286 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Hamas is looking to increase suicide bomb efforts, rocket attacks and the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, particularly in the West Bank, according to a report by Israels domestic security agency, the Shin Bet. On the surface, the four-month truce between Israel and Hamas appears to be holding well since the cessation of last years eight day conflict, but behind the scenes, senior Hamas officials in Gaza are increasing their efforts to carry out deadly attacks on Israelis, the Shin Bet

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-toddler-in-critical-condition-from-palestinian-stone-thrower/13285 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A Jewish toddler is in critical condition after an Israeli family was attacked by stone-throwing Palestinians in the West Bank. The attack occurred late Thursday in Ariel, sending a mother and her three young daughters to the hospital for injuries sustained. The youngest, aged 3, is described as in critical condition. Witnesses said the injuries occurred after a driver lost control of a vehicle that was targeted by stone-wielding Palestinians who have yet to be named. This is a terror attack like any

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-in-interview-israel-a-fundamental-right-for-the-jewish-people/13281 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 President Barack Obama was interviewed by Israels Channel 2 news network in the days leading up to his trek to the Jewish state next week. Channel 2 aired the interview today, for a sit down covering topics like the two state solution and how the US plans to disengage a potentially nuclear Iran. We think that it would take over a year or so for Iran to actually develop a nuclear weapon, but obviously we dont want to cut it too close, the president said. So when I am consulting

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/marching-with-you-forever-marching-in-the-jordan-valley-in-memory-of-hila-bezaleli/13280 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Last Friday, marchers marked the third annual Jordan Valley March. The event attracted more than 5,000 participants from all over the Israel. Stretching along the countrys eastern border, the Jordan Valley offers tastes of Israel's variety of landscapes, wildlife and flora. Last years march was postponed twice due to bad weather, and eventually only 1,500 locals participated. This year, the events organizers from Jordan Valleys Regional Council anticipated 4,000 participants, and were

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/bibi-bids-goodbye-to-ehud-barak-at-farewell-event/13279 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Ehud Barak officially concluded his tenure as Israels defense minister, with a farewell ceremony last night at Bar-Ilan University. Barak saw Israel through some critical times during his 2,000-plus days at the post, including Gaza operations Cast Lead and Pillar of Defense. But Baraks political career stretches far back. He served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001, an achievement among a handful of government positions including minister of foreign affairs and IDF chief of staff. I

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/realizing-our-dreams-soldiers-with-special-needs-in-the-idf/13275 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The IDF is the army of all of the people of Israel including young people with special needs. We sat down with Lt. Col. Ariel Almog, founder of the Magshimim Halom project for special needs soldiers, to hear his story. Ariel Almog served for 28 years in the IDF Artillery Corps. In 2001, he was severely wounded. While he was in hospital, he met soldiers and patients who had suffered from severe psychological trauma. Thats when he knew that he wanted to do something to help people who

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/peres-to-pope-you-are-a-welcome-guest-in-israel/13272 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli President Shimon Peres was among the first world leaders to welcome the election of Pope Francis I, extending an invitation to the new pontiff to visit the Jewish state. Hell be a welcome guest in the Holy Land, as a man of inspiration who can add to the attempt to bring peace in a stormy area, Peres said at a meeting with Catholic leaders in Poland today. All people here, without exception, without difference of religion or nationality, will welcome the newly elected

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-14-13-round-up-am-edition/13270 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 How will the new pope influence Catholic-Jewish relations? [Newsday] Shimon Peres has already invited Pope Francis I over for a visit. [Times of Israel] Britain's Labour party suspends Lord Ahmed over alleged Jewish conspiracy comments. [Guardian] Jewish groups want a Greek ministry adviser to quit over pro Nazi texts. [Kathimerini] A new Torah scroll was written by more than 200,000 Jews. [Arutz Sheva] A new exhibit of Judaica goes on display this week in New York. [NYT] The Lebanese film that was "too

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/petition-fights-bds-attempts-to-keep-alicia-keys-from-israel/13262 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 An online group is proactively fighting attempts by anti-Israel protesters to keep Alicia Keys from singing in the Jewish state. Creative Community for Peace (CCP) has built a web presence to promote artists who choose to perform in Israel, despite calls to boycott. The boycott movement, often heralded by the international BDS group, typically cites accusations of apartheid or oppression as reasons the entertainers should shy away. When Keys announced her intention to perform in

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-13-13-round-up-pm-edition-video/13261 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 The last surviving member of plot to kill Hitler died in Munich at the age of 90. [NY Times] American Freedom Defense Institute faces backlash after using a terrorists quotes to show the reality of jihad. [CBS] The Israeli government has reportedly formed a coalition with 68 members and four parties. [Times of Israel] President Obama will dine with the recently crowned Miss Israel during his three-day visit to the Jewish State. [Jewish Press] Austria threatens to withdraw peacekeeping troops from the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/19th-maccabiah-games-announced-aly-raisman-special-guest/13260 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Nine thousand athletes from 72 different countries will compete this summer in 42 categories during the 19th Maccabiah Games in Israel. The Jewish Olympics will take place in July. Many exciting names are set to take part in the Games this year. CEO Amir Peled, stated that there are a few new countries taking part this year, such as Cuba, but unfortunately, Iran will not be taking part in the Games. Yesterday was the official press conference in Israel announcing the Games, and participants David

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jewish-leaders-call-for-further-measures-to-protect-mount-of-olives-cemetery/13258 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Jewish leaders this week asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take further steps to secure Jerusalems ancient Mount of Olives (Har Hazeitim in Hebrew) cemetery, whose grounds and visitors have been the target of vandalism and attacks by Arabs. The Jerusalem Development Authority has already installed security cameras and established a permanent police presence at the cemetery, home to 150,000 graves and a number of landmarks for Jews, Christians and Muslims. The cemetery has

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/dog-friendly-tv-channel-launches-in-israel/13253 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Dogs in Israel now have their own television channel. Dog TV, which is available by subscription and online throughout Israel, offers dog specific programming for pups left home alone. "I work during the day because I have to pay for his food," says Jeff from Jerusalem, who has a golden retriever, Palsie. "Generally when I leave the house I put on the radio, play him some music. When Dog TV started I thought it was the perfect thing for him. He actually sits and watches it." Ron Levi, who first developed Dog TV

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/warning-from-israel-jews-to-stay-on-alert-ahead-of-passover/13247 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israelis and Jews around the world may be targeted by Hezbollah and Iranian cells ahead of Passover, Israels counter-terrorism unit said last week. A source at the National Security Councils counter-terrorism bureau warned Israelis and Jews to stay on alert in the lead up to the holiday. The bureau also issued a list of 27 countries that pose a particular threat, including Azerbaijan, Kenya, Nigeria and Turkey. "Shiite terrorism is a threat to Israeli citizens and Diaspora Jews. The threat is

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/dov-moran-shares-his-thoughts-on-success-startups-and-working-until-the-very-end/13244 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Paul Sanchez Keighley, NoCamels - Israel Innovation News You know those child geniuses who, instead of brandishing toy-soldiers and erecting Lego fortresses spend their childhood carefully taking electric devices apart, reassembling them and even further befuddling their parents by improving them? Well, Dov Moran wasnt one of them. Dov Moran is the founder of M-Systems, the company that created the USB Flash Drive (DiskOnKey) and went on to sell it for $1.6 billion to SanDisk; he created modu, which made

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-12-13-round-up-pm-edition-video/13243 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Ahead of Obama's visit to Israel, Palestinians lay out a series of demands. [Times of Israel] American Jews are backing the "Women of the Wall" movement. [Forward] The Tel Aviv marathon has been postponed due to extreme heat. [Haaretz] Steven Spielberg has plans to produce a film in India. [Salon] Egypt has halted a screening of a documentary on the history of Jews in Egypt. [NPR] A Jewish museum in Poland shows off a new synagogue roof. [ABC] Remember the lawyer who wanted to ban Jews from his jury?

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-creating-virtual-embassies-in-middle-east/13239 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Utilizing new media technology, Israel is developing innovative ways to extend hands of friendship to countries in a volatile Middle East. We are exploring government, people and societies trying to skip over the borders and using the new media to create virtual embassies," which speak directly to those in the Arab world, said Foreign Ministry director-general, Rafael Barak, at the inaugural ceremony of the 13th annual Herzliya Conference on Monday, March 11. Addressing the regional trends

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-and-american-universities-team-up-for-renewable-energy/13234 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli and US scientists will team up on renewable technology, thanks to a partnering between two leading universities in the field. Ben-Gurion University and the University of Michigan have each pledged $1 million for a three-year joining for research to develop renewable technologies. We live in a global economy. Universities need to globalize their activities because we need to solve problems that are larger than one country can manage alone, said Stephen Forrest, vice president for research at

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/streisand-s-1st-performance-in-israel-marks-peres-90th-video/13231 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Barbra Streisand is scheduled to sing at a celebration for Israeli President Shimon Peres 90th birthday, marking the legendary musicians first performance in the Jewish state. Streisand will appear before an expected crowd of 4,500 for Peres annual Israeli Presidential Conference on June 18, which will also serve as a tribute for the leaders milestone birthday. Streisand, a vocal supporter of Israel, has traveled to the Jewish state several times, but has never performed, despite

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/peres-to-eu-iran-greatest-threat-name-hezbollah-terror-group/13228 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli President Shimon Peres urged the EU to limit Irans nuclear capability and finally recognize Hezbollah as a terrorist group, during a historic address in Strasbourg today. The speech marked the first in the city by an Israeli leader in nearly three decades. Peres is currently in Europe on a diplomatic tour. "People age. Dreams are ageless. We changed. Europe changed. I came to express our admiration for the changed Europe, Peres told a gathering at the European parliament in

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/2-israeli-pilots-killed-in-helicopter-crash/13226 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Two Israeli soldiers were killed today in a helicopter crash during a routine training flight in south-central Israel. Lt. Col. Noam Ron, 49, and Maj. Erez Flekser, 31, were both reservists with a long history of service to the IDF. Both men were fathers of young children, and commander of the Israeli Air Force Amir Eshel has ordered a full investigation into the accident. He protected us from our enemies; he did a lot for the security of the state, Rons brother told Army Radio

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/newly-revealed-letter-from-david-ben-gurion-women-must-play-equal-part-in-the-idf/13224 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The army is the supreme symbol of duty and as long as women are not equal to men in performing this duty, they have not yet obtained true equality. If the daughters of Israel are absent from the army, then the character of the Yishuv will be distorted. David Ben-Gurion, first Israeli Prime Minister Women have served as IDF soldiers since the very beginning. On 26 May, 1948, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion established the IDF as Israels armed forces. Less than three months later, the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-11-13-round-up-pm-edition/13222 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 How Shabbat is honored at South by Southwest. [Tablet] Mel Brooks is coming to PBS. [Heeb] Michael Bloomberg's "Big Gulp ban" has been overturned, just a day before it was set to take place. [CNN] Jewish modesty at the ER on Friday night. [Huffington Post] Israelis take home top honors at the "Oscars of the cookbook world." [Algemeiner] The first openly gay man to lead a national rabbinical association has been elected. [Forward] James Franco's neighbors are unhappy with the 'Oz" star's late night

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/soldier-stories-sharon-protects-her-hometown/13220 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 This is the final interview in a series of stories told by former IDF soldiers about their time in service and life in Israel, brought to you by StandWithUs and Jspace.com. Sharon was one of the 12 soldiers on StandWithUs 5th annual "Israeli Soldiers Stories" tour, which reached 150 venues from February 17-March 2, 2013. Read more Soldier Stories on Jspace. Countless missiles are falling on Israel. Its the Second Lebanon War, and IDF soldiers like Sharon, an instructor in a missile defense unit, are

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/un-baby-killed-in-pillar-of-defense-the-work-of-hamas-not-israel/13219 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A UN report shows a baby killed in Gaza last November was the work of Hamas, not Israel as previously believed. The photo of Gaza-based BBC reporter Jihad al-Masharawi cradling his murdered infant made international headlines when it ran in newspapers last fall. The baby was killed during Operation Pillar of Defense, Israels military operation against Hamas, and the Jewish state was quickly censured for the photo. Now, a study from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says the 11-month-old was

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/headlines-from-the-holy-land-wins-losses-and-playboy/13216 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Shahar Peer Struggles to Regain Winning Streak Shahar Peer was eliminated from Indian Wells Tournament in the second round. The Israeli achieved her second win this year when she beat Marina Erakovic in the first round of the tournament, which is currently taking place in California. But on Friday, she lost 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 to Klara Zakopalova in the second round. Peer hasnt progressed past the second round of a WTA tournament since reaching the third round in Doha in February 2012, and has now failed to

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/seats-to-obama-s-israel-speech-up-for-grabs/13214 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The US embassy in Tel Aviv has launched a campaign to give 20 lucky winners a seat at one of President Obamas addresses later this month. The US leader is set to land in the Jewish state March 20 for a three-day visit, with plans to give a highlighted public speech on March 21. Yesterday, the US embassy created a Facebook campaign, asking users to like the embassys page for a chance to win a coveted seat to the address. Want to attend President Obama's speech? LIKE our page,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-leaders-begin-commemoration-for-toulouse-1-year-anniversary/13212 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The one-year anniversary of the Toulouse Jewish day school killings is still a week away, but Israeli officials have already begun the process of commemoration. Yesterday, Israeli President Shimon Peres met with Muslim and Jewish leaders in France to mark the tragic shooting, in which a rabbi and three young children were killed at the Ohr Torah School in Toulouse. Whoever was responsible for the murder of French citizens and Jewish children in Toulouse showed the ugly face of terror, and your words show

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-pioneers-recycle-tires-for-roadways/13210 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Roads in Israel will soon be paved with recycled tires. RuBind, the rubber-infused asphalt compound, was developed by Israeli firm Silica Industries and offers an environmental friendly way to maintain Israels roadways and reuse discarded tires. Currently, over 50,000 tires are discarded in Israel each year. Due to strict regulations aimed at preventing toxins such as lead and mercury from entering the environment, the safe disposal of these tires is often costly and resource consuming. RuBind helps solve

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/pmo-launches-app-to-track-obama-s-trip-to-israel/13207 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Israeli Prime Ministers Office has launched a new app aimed at making it easier to follow Barack Obamas movements as he travels the Jewish state later this month. The app was announced over the weekend, and includes news updates, photo albums and video feeds. The launch is just the latest in a slew of promotions the PMO has organized in the lead up to Obamas visit March 20, his first since becoming US president. Last month, a competition was launched allowing Israelis to pick the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-11-13-round-up-am-edition/13206 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Jewish groups announce new Sandy relief. [JPost] Shimon Peres meets with Jewish and Muslim leaders in France. [Arutz Sheva] Barbra Streisand will perform at Peres' 90th birthday, her first performance in Israel. [Times of Israel] Venezuelan with Jewish roots announces his presidency bid. [Times of Israel] The interviewer who tried to educate anti-Semitic, pro-Hitler Dutch youths has gone into hiding after receiving death threats. [Arutz Sheva] An Irish cabinet minister will arrive this week in Israel,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-scientists-unravel-mystery-of-natural-antifreeze/13204 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 A group of scientists from Israel, Canada and the United States have helped to unravel the mystery of how some plants and animals can survive in freezing temperatures and icy conditions. Their research, which focused on the yellow mealworm, helped pinpoint how natural antifreeze proteins work to prevent ice production. According to Viva Sarah Press of Israel 21c, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem team, led by Dr. Ido Braslavsky, biochemically created a fluorescent marker version of the AFP that allowed

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/peer-nabs-2nd-win-of-2013-at-indian-wells/13202 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer achieved her second win of 2013 this week. Peer is in California participating in the Indian Wells tournament, and beat Marina Erakovic (6-3, 6-4) in the first round. The win comes after a painful losing streak for the Israeli, who has been knocked out of tournaments five times in the first round, mainly to opponents ranked below the Top 100. Shahar Peer has had a rough couple of years, even falling out of the Top 100 Female Tennis players in the world. The Israeli tennis champ

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/students-stress-bipartisan-message-at-policy-conference/13200 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Over 13,000 pro-Israel advocates from across the nation, including 2,000 students, gathered in Washington, DC, from March 3-5 for the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference. They heard messages about the importance of building broad networks of support for Israel that cross party lines and extend beyond the Jewish community. Student activists watched as the presidents of the College Republicans and College Democrats opened the conference in a show of bipartisan support.We

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-08-13-round-up-pm-edition/13199 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Hugo Chavez's body will be embalmed and put on display "for eternity." [Yeshiva World] World Jewish leaders will show support for Greek Jews at an upcoming event. [WJC] An exploration of the Israeli obsession behind Jonathan Pollard. [Daily Beast] Israel's mission to the moon--can a small nation win a big prize? [TIME] Bibi may have his coalition, as rumors emerge Yair Lapid is dropping his foreign ministry demands. [Israel Hayom] The Satmar hit and run killer is officially charged. [Forward] Leviticus,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-and-france-talk-iran-peace-with-palestine/13198 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 A nuclear-armed Iran is a threat not only to Israel, but to the western world, French President Francois Hollande stated at a press conference in Paris today. Alongside Hollande was Israeli President Shimon Peres, who encouraged Hollandes demand for the sanctions on Irans nuclear program to be beefed up. As Iran continues to deny inquiries by Western countries regarding their suspected building of atomic weapons, Peres said there may not be another way to resolve the situation

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/idf-celebrates-israeli-good-deeds-day/13195 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 While Israelis celebrate national Good Deeds Day on Tuesday, March 5 a popular Israeli holiday encouraging generosity and charitable acts IDF soldiers carry out a number of charitable projects year-round. Here is a brief look at a few such good activities. Soldiers at the IDF's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) training school volunteer regularly with physically and mentally disabled senior citizens at the Beit Noam nursing home in northern Israel. "Every soldier works regularly with a particular

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/soldier-stories-shai-hopes-for-peace/13194 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 This is the fifth in a series of stories told by former IDF soldiers about their time in service and life in Israel, brought to you by StandWithUs and Jspace.com. Shai was one of the 12 soldiers on StandWithUs 5th annual "Israeli Soldiers Stories" tour, which reached 150 venues from February 17-March 2, 2013. Read more Soldier Stories on Jspace. Confronted by terrorists using children as human shields to avoid IDF fire, Shai still chose to hold human life above all else. Now 29 and living in Tel Aviv, Shai

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/animal-rights-group-claims-responsibility-for-severed-animal-heads-found-in-tel-aviv/13192 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Severed animal heads appeared in Tel Aviv on Monday, disturbing onlookers and prompting police to launch an investigation. The macabre display was part of a protest staged by a radical animal rights group against the cruelty of slaughterhouses in Israel and worldwide. In crowded Dizengoff Square, a goat head accompanied by a sign reading, End animal slaughter, was found in the early morning. Soon after police responded to first call by distressed passersby, a second head, this time a cow, was

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/remembering-the-life-and-legacy-of-menachem-begin/13190 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Menachem Begins political accomplishments read like a tribute: the sixth prime minister of Israel, creator of the Likud party, leader of the Zionist group Igrun, signer of the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, Nobel Peace Prize winner. Begin was born August 16, 1913, in the then Russian Empire. As a child he studied the Zionist movement, joining the Zionist Socialist youth movement at the age of 12. He earned a law degree from the University of Warsaw, which would serve him well in his later career as a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/caracal-the-mixed-gender-battalion-video/13186 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 With faces painted in combat camouflage, clad in vests, and with Tavor rifles in hand, the fighters of the mixed-gender Caracal Battalion strode into the desert last month for their final march towards the coveted bright green beret. The traditional Beret March is a moving event for every combat soldier--the march itself signifying their official transition from recruits into fully-fledged members of the unit. The young men and women marched in full combat gear for 23 kilometers, for four of which they were

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jspace-featured-org-institute-for-zionist-strategies/13185 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Its not a secret that the Jewish state faces plenty of hurdles. Committed lawmakers dedicate their lives to shaping the policies and security of the nation and, thankfully, those lawmakers receive support, as well. The Institute for Zionist Strategies (IZS) is an Israeli think tank devoted to pinpointing key issues in the Jewish state. Its main mission is to promote researchers and plans for politicians in Israel, said Adi Arbel, project manager at IZS. We have some programs that are

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/medals-for-israel-in-shooting-and-wind-surfing/13184 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Its been a good week for Israeli athletes, with a gold and silver medal for Team Israel. Sergey Richter was crowned European Champion in the 10-meter air rifle event at the European Championships in Odense, Denmark. I dedicate the medal to my mom, he told the Israeli media. Although Richter was in the lead when the final started, he was still surprised by his own achievement: I didnt expect to win the European Championships, Richter admitted. I entered the event

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jewish-harvard-students-receive-mock-eviction-notices-in-anti-israel-campaign/13183 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Jewish students at Harvard University received mock eviction notices on their dormitory doors as part of an anti-Israel campaign organized by the Harvard College Palestine Solidarity Committee. The flyers, which informed the students that their rooms were scheduled for demolition in the next three days, were meant to invoke the unlawful displacement of Palestinians from their homeland at the hands of the Israeli government, the Harvard Crimson reported. The notices were orchestrated

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/obama-meets-with-jewish-leaders-ahead-of-israel-trip/13178 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 President Obama met with Jewish leaders in Washington today, in preparation for his trip to Israel later this month. An administration official told Reuters the meeting was meant to display the USs unshakable support for Israel, as well as preview a number of topics the president plans to discuss in the Jewish statenamely, Palestine, Iran and Syria. "President Obama invited leaders from across the American Jewish community to discuss and get input about his upcoming trip to Israel,"

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/the-latest-technology-protecting-israel-s-skies/13174 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 On February 25, members of the Homa Administration in the Defense Ministry's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, together with the US Missile Defense Agency, conducted the first test of the new Arrow 3 missile interception system. The IDF Website sat down for an exclusive interview with the commander of the Israel Air Force's Active Air Defense Wing, Col. Tzvika Haimovich, to discuss the development of the new system and the upcoming challenges for Israel's air

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-syria-un-peacekeepers-still-held-hostage-video/13173 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A group of UN workers kidnapped by Syrian rebels in the Golan Heights yesterday may be on the verge of release. The aid workers consist of 21 Filipinos that were in the region as official peacekeepers between Israel and Syria. Their presence has become a monitoring tradition, by which the UN helps maintain the relative ceasefire between the two countries. The convoy was on a mission to deliver supplies to Syrian refugees when the peacekeepers were overtaken. Upon seizing the group, the kidnappers insisted

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/sinkholes-pose-risk-in-dead-sea-area/13172 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Residents living near the Dead Sea worry that a sinkhole tragedy, much like a recent incident that took one Florida mans life, may soon strike the southern Israeli region. The sparsely populated area, which is riddled with sinkholes, currently has no disaster contingency plan in place, if the sinkholes suddenly turn deadly. Geologist Eli Raz believes the shrinking of the Dead Sea is one of the main causes of sinkholes and warns that their unpredictable nature make them a risk for residents and tourists

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/state-of-ohio-invests-42-million-in-israel-bonds/13171 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Ohio purchased $42 million in Israel Bonds in the largest single government purchase of Israel Bonds in US history. The Mach 1 purchase increases the total amount of Israel Bonds in the Ohio's treasury portfolio to more than $80 million. The Cleveland Jewish News reported it as the largest such buy in US history. We believe this is a sound investment for the taxpayers of Ohio and consistent with our strategy of investing in safe and strong securities, Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/yesh-atid-jewish-home-kadima-join-knesset-bloc/13167 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Yesh Atid and Jewish Home have joined a bloc alliance with Kadima, weeks after Israels January 22 elections. Yesh Atid and Jewish Home are two highly sought parties by Benjamin Netanyahu, who has just one week left to create a coalition and retain his premiership following the grant of an extension last week. Yesh Atid, which has 19 seats, and Jewish Home, which has 12, proved an unlikely alliance in the days following the election. Yesh Atid promotes itself as a moderate, left of center party, a jump

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/exclusive-photos-the-druze-battalion-in-action/13166 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The Herev Battalion is composed exclusively of Druze soldiers and at the moment guards the northern region of the country. The battalion just completed its combat training course. Here, we bring you exclusive photos from their final beret march. The Herev Battalion is an infantry battalion, unique because it is composed exclusively of soldiers from the Druze community. Today, 83 percent of this community chooses to enlist in the IDF, and the majority choose to serve in combat units. 87 percent are

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-07-13-round-up-am-edition-video/13163 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Gabby Giffords returns to the scene of her shooting to plead for tighter gun laws. [Forward] A pro-Hitler, anti-American Egyptian woman will reportedly receive the Secretary of State's Women of Courage Award. [Times of Israel] The mother of the Toulouse shooter says her son was a "good and kind kid." [Forward] Iran charges Israel with genocide at an IAEA meeting. [Jewish Press] Jewish groups are closely monitoring the transition of power in Venezuela. [JPost] Scotland's education secretary has pledged to

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-06-13-round-up-pm-edition/13162 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Happy Apartheid Week! Harvard kicks off the annual anti-Israel event with faux eviction notices on dorm room doors. [Forward] Nora Ephron's son shares an intimate look at his late mother's last days. [NYT] Is shikse an offensive term? [Salon] Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In" message is causing a media ruckus today. [CNET] A German museum returns a painting to a Jewish estate. [NYT] A husband in Israel jumps out of a window to avoid giving his wife a "get." [Jewish Press] A Louisville man steals a computer from

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-new-women-s-world-champion-in-wind-surfing/13160 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Lee Korzits is the new Womens World Champion in Wind Surfing. The Israeli athlete was declared the winner yesterday before the sets of races were even over. With the last few races of the World Championships in Brazil left, there was no chance that anyone would reach her score, and she was given the title. This is the Israeli wind surfers fourth World Champion title, as she continues to make a name for herself as one of Israels best athletes. As the races continue, another Israeli, Maayan

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-looks-to-transform-battlefield-with-drone-exports/13158 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 An Israeli soldier sits in an office chair in an air-conditioned metal chamber staring at two screens side by side. One shows a map with a moving dot. The other displays a video feed. Next to the soldier are three more identical stations. The soldier isn't an air traffic controller but a pilot, and his aircraft is called an unmanned aerial system, more commonly known as a drone. Welcome to the next generation of the Israeli Air Force. Israel long has relied on superior air capability to maintain a military edge

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/soldier-stories-lital-defies-gender-stereotypes/13157 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 This is the fourth in a series of stories told by former IDF soldiers about their time in service and life in Israel, brought to you by StandWithUs and Jspace.com. Lital was one of the 12 soldiers on StandWithUs 5th annual "Israeli Soldiers Stories" tour, which reached 150 venues from February 17-March 2, 2013. Read more Soldier Stories on Jspace. Lital, now a 29-year-old Tel Aviv resident, was faced with the same choice as many Israeli teens. Enlisting in the IDF was a given, but where to serve provided a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/secret-of-world-s-oldest-serving-head-of-state-mediterranean-diet/13156 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 What is the secret to becoming the oldest serving head of state at 89 years old? The details of Israeli President Shimon Peres diet were released as part of a new nutritional sciences degree program at the Peres Academic Center. Peres meal regimen includes fat-free cottage cheese in the morning, low-fat cheese with a tomato salad at dinner, and a lot of green tea. It also includes a large quantity of vitamin C from his salads, fiber from his whole wheat breads and is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids from

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/hebrew-language-playboy-magazine-hits-stands-video/13149 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The first ever Hebrew-language edition of Playboy magazine was launched in Tel Aviv. Playboy founder Hugh Hefner offered a recorded message at Tuesday's launching, according to the Jerusalem Post. "I'm proud to see Playboy Israel embark on its mission to play an important role in strengthening freedom of speech, freedom of choice and freedom of the press," Hefner said. The magazine will be available Wednesday in stores and on newsstands. This is the first time a Hebrew version of the magazine has been

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/peres-honors-11-belgium-families-that-saved-jewish-lives-in-wwii/13147 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli President Shimon Peres joined the crown prince of Belgium yesterday in honoring 11 families who helped save Jewish lives during World War II. The Israeli leader paired with Prince Phillipe in recognizing 22 honorees in total as Righteous Among the Nations, Yad Vashems honorary title for gentiles who saved Jews in the Holocaust. "On behalf of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, I thank you from the depths of my heart," Peres said. "The Righteous Among the Nations brought light into the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/chief-of-staff-idf-depends-on-women-soldiers/13146 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 "We live in a very challenging environment, with incidents in multiple realms," Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz said Monday night, addressing an IDF event held in honor of International Women's Day. "This phenomenon of challenges in different places and in different ways requires the IDF and the State of Israel to try to extract the resources at their disposal as much as possible. Naturally this includes the service of women in the IDF--in various formations and in different ranks," he stated,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-iranian-rita-sings-rare-concert-for-un-video/13145 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israeli-Iranian musical sensation Rita took to the United Nations General Assembly hall yesterday, performing an incredibly rare concert billed as Tunes for Peace. The concert was the product of months of effort on the part of Israels ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor. He lobbied for the gathering before receiving the go ahead to put together the musical event, which is a rarity in the General AssemblyRitas appearance marked only the third full concert ever to take

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/brains-behind-israel-s-iron-dome-not-putting-all-the-eggs-in-one-system/13142 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Jacob Kamaras, JNS.org Israels Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted nearly 400 Gaza rockets last November alone, with an 85 percent success rate, amid the Israel Defense Forces Operation Pillar of Defense. But the brains behind the system isnt resting on his laurels. Im realistic, so Im not putting all the eggs in one system, [even though] it had much success, IDF Brig. Gen. Dr. Danny Gold, who had the initial idea for the Iron Dome, said in an interview

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-05-13-round-up-pm-edition/13141 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Three with Jewish ties vie for LA mayoral spot. [Forward] Survivor's Schindler manuscript set to be published. [Times of Israel] Brooklyn Jews mourn the death of the "miracle" hit and run baby. [Times of Israel] Hebrew University ranked among world's best on education list. [Algemeiner] Israeli windsurfer secures fourth world championship. [Haaretz] Virgin Mary painting returned to heirs of Jewish art dealer. [Bloomberg] Iranian-born Israeli pop star Rita will perform at a UN event. [Haaretz] Are

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/the-idf-s-champions-in-combat-fitness/13140 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The IDF combat fitness championships returned last week after a long three-year hiatus. A surprise announcement gave the 64 competing units only a week and a half to prepare for the hotly contested competition. The range of challenges included a navigation race, company examinations, shooting after physical exertion, marching with stretchers and a unique Krav Maga competition for elite units. The Israeli Navy's Shayetet 13 commando unit took first place in the category for special units, leaving Sayeret Matkal in

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/hapoel-tel-aviv-stuns-maccabi/13137 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 After an important win over Caja Laboral, keeping Israel in the race for the Euroleague Final Four, Maccabi Tel Aviv lost to its biggest and longest rival, Hapoel Tel Aviv for the first time in nine years. Maccabi faced Caja at the end of last week in Spain, and David Blatts team pulled itself together to beat the Spanish challengers. The team perhaps too focused on the next Euroleague match, to the point that they lost their game in the Israeli league against Coach Erez Edelstein and Hapoel Tel Aviv

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/french-woman-made-righteous-for-saving-jewish-family-from-nazis/13136 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A French woman who safeguarded an entire Jewish family from the Nazis was posthumously named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem today. Jeanne Albouys husband was away fighting in World War II when she met the Wulwek family in 1942. The Wulweks, made up of parents Wilhelm and Melanie and children Victor and Claire, were in constant danger of arrest for their Jewish heritage. Fearing for her new friends, Albouy devised a plan of concealment for the Wulweks. The family went to live in the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/palestinian-bus-route-debate-heats-up-as-2-buses-torched/13134 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 A series of new bus lines intended for Palestinians working in Israel has sparked controversy, leading to the torching of two buses in the dark of night. The bus lines, which launched Sunday, drew almost instant criticism from protesters, who called the routes apartheid and segregated. Advocates, however, pointed out that Palestinians holding employment documents for the Jewish state are still allowed by law to use other lines within Israel. This is a goodwill gesture,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/congress-introduces-bill-to-make-israel-major-strategic-ally/13131 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A Republican and a Democrat in the US House of Representatives introduced legislation that would grant Israel the unique designation of "major strategic ally." The bill, introduced Monday by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Ted Deutch, was timed for the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference. The conference is closing with a lobby day today, which is expected to be attended by 13,000 activists. The "major strategic ally" bill codifies a number of existing facets of the US-Israel

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/locusts-destroy-egyptian-crops-threaten-israeli-agriculture/13130 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Swarms of locusts have descended on Egypt in the past month, destroying crops and filling the skies with menacing black clouds of insects. Now, experts fear the swarm of 30 million bugs could soon invade Israel, causing millions in agricultural damage along the way. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The locusts originated from breeding that has been in progress since November in southeast Egypt between Berenice and the Sudanese border. As vegetation

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/at-aipac-netanyahu-and-biden-offer-their-takes-on-strategic-timetable-for-iran-video/13128 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Jacob Kamaras, JNS.org US Vice President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday offered their takes on the strategic timetable for the Iranian nuclear threat, with Biden saying there remains time and space for diplomacy to work and Netanyahu dismissing diplomacy because Iran is running out the clock. Netanyahu told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) via a live satellite message that diplomacy has not worked for Iran,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/tel-aviv-ranks-2nd-in-wsj-most-innovative-city-contest/13127 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Tel Aviv has ranked second place in a competition ranking the worlds most innovative cities. The Israeli hotspot came in behind Medellin, Colombia, but still ranking ahead of metropolises like New York City, London and Hong Kong. The rankings were conducted by an Internet poll through the marketing department at the Wall Street Journal, in partnership with the Urban Land Institute. Though not the outright winner, the honor has already been well received by Israeli officials. "Alongside the city being

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/ethiopian-runner-wins-jerusalem-marathon-video/13126 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The 2013 Jerusalem Marathon took place on Friday in Israel. Twenty thousand participants from 54 different countries ran in the international marathon. Of these, 1,730 were foreign athletes. The race took place despite protests by Palestinians who had called for an international boycott of the marathon over human rights issues, and the fact that the race went through East Jerusalem, which they claim will be their future capital. Abraham Kabeto Ketla of Ethiopia won the race with a time of 2:16:29.25, setting a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-05-13-round-up-am-edition/13124 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 "Hava Nagila," a film review. [Heeb] Playboy's first Hebrew issue hits newsstands in Israel. [Forward] A Jewish center employee is charged with stealing artifacts. [7Online] Check out the kosher food trucks at AIPAC. [Tablet] Critics are calling new bus lines to bring Palestinians from the West Bank to their workplaces in Israel "segregation." [NBC] The UN cancels a planned marathon in Gaza, after Hamas bans female participation. [Times of Israel] "The Girl in the Red Coat," one of the haunting

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-04-13-round-up-pm-edition/13123 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Sheldon Adelson admits his Sands casino "probably" violated anti-bribery laws. [Businessweek] GOP Jews are backing same-sex marriage efforts. [Tablet] Among "list" fears, Hungary's Jewish community creates its own ADL equivalent. [Forward] Seventeen Israelis makes Forbes' billionaires list. [Times of Israel] How to find the Holy Grail of Israeli pastries--the Zalatimo. [Times of Israel] The Holocaust pageant that was "too political" for FDR. [Algemeiner] An interview with NFL Jewish prospect, Sam

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/idf-security-studies-expand-horizons-to-us-uk-india/13119 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Academic-military education in the field of national security is now available for IDF officers at a significantly wider range of academic institutions around the world, according to new directives from the IDF's Operations Branch, which provides for a small number of officers to complete such studies abroad every year. At the request of the office of the Chief of the General Staff, the Doctrine and Training Division within the Operations Branch examined the suitability of courses in national security studies at

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/knesset-opts-for-healthier-sustainable-fare/13114 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Israeli Knesset has committed to serving up more sustainable fare in its three cafeterias. In an effort spearheaded by Knesset Member Tamar Zandberg, vegan and vegetarian choices will feature prominently in menu options, and a focus will be placed on sourcing ethically raised foods for all meals. The Knesset ought to lead trends that are ethical, progressive and considerate of the helpless, Zandberg wrote in her request to Knesset director general Dan Landau. She added the behavior of the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-to-renew-apple-exports-to-syria/13112 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Israel is set to renew its apple export program to Syria later this week, following a hiatus due to the current civil war in the region. Eighteen thousand tons of apples will be delivered to Syria from Druze farmers in the Golan Heights, an export program that began in 2005 but was halted last year. The export is coordinated with help from the United Nations and the Red Cross, and this years delivery is reported to be one of the biggest yet. The first shipment will head out tomorrow. The news was

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/03-04-13-round-up-am-edition/13110 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Justin Bieber gets locked out of student Purim party. [JC] John Garfield--the Jewish Marlon Brando. [Tablet] Do we need a pro-Israel lobby? [Tablet] Just in time for Pesach, locusts hit Egypt. [Arutz Sheva] Prominent ultra religious rabbis say fighting assimilation is more important than Shabbat. [Ynet] Australia's LGBT community marks a bar mitzvah milestone. [Haaretz] Shimon Peres grants Bibi an extension to form government. [WJC]

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/barak-to-be-first-foreign-defense-chief-to-meet-with-hagel/13108 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israel's Ehud Barak will be the first foreign defense minister to meet with new US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Barak and Hagel will meet Tuesday at the Pentagon, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed US official. The meeting will take place following Barak's speech on the last day of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual policy conference in Washington. The defense chiefs, who have known each other for more than a decade, will discuss the Iranian threat, according to Reuters. They are also

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/kerry-condemns-anti-zionist-comments-by-turkish-pm-video/13107 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 World leaders are biting back at comments by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan comparing Zionism to crimes against humanity. US Secretary of State John Kerry, in just his first few weeks at the post, met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu recently, calling Erdogans comments an obstacle to peace. "We not only disagree with it, but we found it objectionable," Kerry said at a news conference. "I believe there is a way forward but it obviously gets more complicated in the aftermath such

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jspace-featured-org-afmda/13090 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 In Israel, being prepared for an emergency can mean the difference between life and death. Thanks to Magen David Adom, however, Israelis have a place to turn. MDA is the Jewish states emergency response service, and the American Friends of MDA logs countless hours ensuring that service has all the support it needs. [AFMDA has] been around in one capacity or another for 70 years. Our exclusive purpose is to raise funds in support of MDA in Israel, said Erik Levis, assistant director of press

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/lawmakers-remember-senator-inouye-at-iron-dome-tribute-luncheon/13089 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A bipartisan array of US lawmakers remembered the late Sen. Daniel Inouye at an Iron Dome Tribute Luncheon, where they pledged continued support of Israel's anti-missile defense system. On Wednesday, 10 senators and at least seven members of the US House of Representatives gave tribute speeches for Inouye, a Hawaii Democrat who championed funding for Israel through his decades in the Senate. Inouye died in December. Among those addressing the event in the Russell Senate Building were Sen. Jim Inhofe, the ranking

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/soldier-stories-jossi-puts-a-face-to-the-idf-army/13083 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 This is the third in a series of stories told by former IDF soldiers about their time in service and life in Israel, brought to you by StandWithUs and Jspace.com. Jossi is one of the 12 soldiers on StandWithUs 5th annual "Israeli Soldiers Stories" tour, currently coming to locations around the United States. Email jennifer@standwithus.com to find an engagement near you. Read more Soldier Stories on Jspace. As an openly gay serviceman, Jossi could have faced discrimination in the army. But because he served

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/new-institute-seeks-to-consolidate-the-growing-field-of-israel-studies/13079 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Sean Savage, JNS.org In response to the Jewish communitys concern with the growth of anti-Israel bias and pro-Palestinian sympathies on college campuses, the field of Israel Studies has grown dramatically over the past decade. The newest player in that sphere of Israel Studies is the Washington, DC-based Israel Institutea new non-partisan organization that was founded in 2012 but did not officially roll out its programs until this Tuesday. The institute is now seeking to consolidate the emerging

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/ethiopian-immigrant-wins-miss-israel-title/13076 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Yityish Titi Aynaw, a 21-year-old immigrant, was crowned Miss Israel 2013 Wednesday night. She is the first Ethiopian-born contestant to ever win the national beauty pageant. "It's important that a member of the Ethiopian community wins the competition for the first time," she was quoted by Israeli media as telling the judges. "There are many different communities of many different colors in Israel, and it's important to show that to the world." Aynaw, who now lives in Netanya, was entered into the contest by a

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-hospital-partners-with-church-to-treat-palestinian-children/13069 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli and Palestinian authorities have approved coordination of the project and the moving of the patients from Gaza and the West Bank into Israel for treatment. It is such a move of God to reach out in love and compassion to children, who are in a state of hopelessness. Isnt it like God to team up a Church and a Jewish hospital to show love to the enemies of Israel during this time? said Karen Dunham, director of Living Bread International Church, according to the Christian News Wire.

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/02-27-13-round-up-pm-edition/13065 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Israeli and Palestinian soccer players will join the same team for a peace-fueled soccer game with FC Barcelona. [Jerusalem Post] Collegiate Hillel leader discusses how to redefine Jewish life for college population. [Huffington Post] Netanyahu works to maintain alliance between Yesh Atid and Jewish Home. [Times of Israel] A Jewish day schools basketball team returns to tournament, after forfeiting last years due to a Shabbat scheduling conflict. [Times of Israel] A hard-left NGO leaked an EU report

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/the-first-stand-creating-the-golani-brigade/13064 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The Golani Brigade is the oldest, and one of the most respected, brigades in the Israeli Defense Forces. Created on February 28, 1948, during the Arab-Israeli War, the unit was a necessary defense system in securing the Jewish states ultimate freedom and independence. The Golani Brigade is under the subordination of the 36th Division and is typically found in the north. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background and Golani troops are recognizable by their iconic brown berets. The Golani Brigade is

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/cufi-brings-christian-voice-to-campus-israel-support/13062 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 At a Midwestern school such as Drake University in Iowa, where less than 3 percent of the students are Jewish, you might expect a dearth of pro-Israel programming. You would be wrong. Christians United for Israel (CUFI) provides an outlet for Christian students to express their passion and advocate for Israel on college campuses, and the group has been a lively presence on Drakes Des Moines campus. David Walker, CUFI on Campus East Coast regional coordinator, said that CUFI is a resource that

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/american-dressage-champion-joins-israeli-national-team/13060 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Another world class Jewish-American Athlete is joining the Israeli National Team, this time in dressage. Danielle Goldstein became an Israeli citizen in 2009, and is now trying to put together the first ever Israeli Olympic dressage team in order to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Goldstein, now 27, started riding at 8-years-old and has not stopped since. She trained all through middle school, traveling for 90 minutes every day from Manhattan to Long Island and New Jersey to riding facilities. She went on

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-navigation-app-best-overall-of-global-mobile-awards/13058 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Waze won top honors at the 2013 Global Mobile Awards in Barcelona Tuesday. Judges at the Mobile World Congress named the Israeli navigation app Best Overall Mobile App. Waze beat out such established contenders as Dropbox, Flipboard, Sky Sports' F1 Companion, and Square to achieve the honor. Judges praised the travel app: This dynamic navigation app ticks all the boxesgreat user interface, community/crowd-sourcing base, saves time, saves money, saves fuela masterclass in how to

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/miss-israel-2013-soldiers-and-beauty-queens/13053 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Theyre paratrooper instructors, Air Force operators, squad instructors and logistic specialists. Thats right this year, six of 20 nominees for the Miss Israel pageant are IDF soldiers. Sgt. Gaya Shukun, one of the nominees, sees her participation in the competition as a mission. I have a feeling that a lot of the models join the competition because they want to represent their country. Now that Im in the army, I have a better insight into the real Israel. I see how badly

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/02-27-13-round-up-am-edition/13050 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 An ultra-conservative Catholic television channel acuses the Polish officials that canceled it of being a part of the Jewish mafia. [Times of Israel] A syrian tank shell landed in Golan Heights yesterday. [Times of Israel] Jewish lobbies react to Chuck Hagels official appointment as secretary of defense. [WJC] A congressional staffer sparked protests when he refused to grant his wife a get. [Jerusalem Post] The Jewish women who attacked an Arab lady in Jerusalem are being investigated for nationalistic

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/purim-parades-and-bottle-drive-spread-awareness-about-recycling/13047 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Recycling took center stage this weekend at a number of events throughout Israel. Green Purim parades and a national bottle-recycling contest sponsored by the ELA Recycling Corporation are all part of a new push to encourage Israelis to recycle more. In the State of Israel, were used to just dumping our garbage, Yakutiel Tzipori, a spokesperson for the Environment Ministry, said. Were a developing country and everything else was more important, like security and defense; the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/knesset-archives-go-digital/13046 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 What did first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion say in the Knesset in 1952 on the issue of reparations from Germany? How surprised was the Knesset when it was announced that Adolf Eichmann was captured? What exact words did late Prime Minister Levi Eshkol use when he requested confirmation for the appointment of Moshe Dayan as defense minister on the eve of the Six-Day War? In recent years, the Knesset has invested in scanning and storing those historic speeches and many more in its databases. Dr. Rebecca Marcus,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/netanyahu-vetoes-barak-s-offer-to-apologize-to-turkey/13044 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly rejected Defense Minister Ehud Baraks offer to write an apology to his Turkish counterpart for possible operational errors during the IDF raid of Mavi Marmara in May 2010. Relations between Turkey and Israel have been strained since the incident, which resulted in the death of nine activists. Israeli daily Haaretz, citing unnamed Foreign Ministry sources, reported Sunday that Netanyahu vetoed Barak, who has repeatedly advocated an

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/soldier-stories-ben-upholds-the-humanitarian-corridor/13042 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 This is the second in a series of stories told by former IDF soldiers about their time in service and life in Israel, brought to you by StandWithUs and Jspace.com. Ben is one of the 12 soldiers on StandWithUs 5th annual "Israeli Soldiers Stories" tour, currently coming to locations around the United States. Email jennifer@standwithus.com to find an engagement near you. Read more Soldier Stories on Jspace. Intel comes in that a terrorist cell is shooting rockets from beside a mosque in Gaza. Its

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/as-syrian-regime-teeters-israel-prepares-for-security-threats-after-assad/13041 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 For nearly 40 years, Israels border with Syria has been, perhaps improbably, its quietest. The two countries technically have been in a state of war since the ceasefire that ended the 1973 Yom Kippur War. But over the past four decades, while Israels other borders occasionally have exploded with missile salvos, intifadas, shooting incidents and cross-border terrorist attacks, the Syrian frontier on the Golan Heights has stayed largely peaceful. With Syria now entering a critical phase in its

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/scientists-aim-to-make-israel-third-nation-on-the-moon/13039 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A crew of Israeli scientists is aiming to make the Jewish state the third nation to land a craft on the moon. Team SpaceIL is currently competing in a global quest set forth by Google, which guarantees a $30 million Lunar X Prize to the next team that successfully lands a robot on the moon and sends imagery back by 2015. Twenty-five teams around the world are currently working on the project, and the Israeli squad said it hopes to donate the winnings to educational pursuits should it take top

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/levi-eshkol-forgotten-architect-of-the-israeli-nation/13038 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 In late August 1948, general director of the Minister of Defense Levi Eshkol, code name Layish, sent the following message to his fellow operatives: We are prepared to send two ships of ours to meet the Ishmaelite. The ships will go out in order to receive the cargo and will be careful not to enter the sea battle. The Ishmaelite was, in actuality, the Italian freighter Argero, which was loaded with rifles, ammunition and spare parts headed to Alexandria intended to aid the Arabs in the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/the-queen-esthers-guarding-israel-s-western-border/13037 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Queen Esther is undoubtedly the hero of the Purim story and it is no wonder that the source of the holiday the Book of Esther is named after her. Today, three women carry on the legacy of Jewish heroines by that name by serving in the mixed-gender Caracal infantry battalion currently guarding Israel's western border. These Esthers however, have traded royal crowns, jewels and gowns for army uniforms, combat vests and weapons which they carry on them at all times during operational activity. Cpl.

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-farmers-use-counter-terrorism-technology-to-wage-war-on-pesticides/13036 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Technology used by the CIA and FBI to prevent terrorist attacks is being employed by Israeli farmers to detect pesticides. The sensitive chemical detection technology has the ability to identify minute levels hundreds of different pesticides in a single test. Farmers of the Yofi Shel Yerakot farmers collective in Ein Yahav are using the state-of-the-art chemical testing technology to ensure that the crops grown and stamped with the Yofi Shel Yerakot, which means Beauty of Vegetables, label

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/canadian-israeli-navies-team-for-joint-exercise/13031 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The Canadian and Israeli navies participated in joint training exercises in the Gulf of Aqaba. The Canadian HMCS Toronto and Israel's INS Kidon exchanged some crew members before participating in a search-and-rescue exercise earlier this month, the Canadian Forces said in a report issued Feb. 22. The ships practiced rescuing a patrol vessel and maneuvering in close quarters. By placing five Canadians on the Kidon and seven Israelis on the Toronto, the two navies learned what to expect if they have to conduct

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/gaza-breaks-ceasefire-as-rocket-hits-southern-israel/13030 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The ceasefire that ended Israels November operation in Gaza has been broken, with Palestinian terrorists firing a long-range Grad rocket into southern Israel. The rocket struck the industrial zone of Ashkelon Tuesday morning, causing some damage but no injuries. The al-Aksa Martyrs' Brigades, the military wing of the Fatah Party, has claimed responsibility for the attack, which it allegedly launched in response to the death of Palestinian prisoner Arafat Jaradat on February 23. The belief that Jaradat was

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/palestinian-prisoner-s-funeral-sparks-riots-international-concern/13029 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The funeral of Arafat Jaradat, a 30-year-old Palestinian who died in Megiddo jail, sparked riots across the West Bank Monday. Israeli authorities allege the prisoner died of a heart attack, but Palestinians believe he was tortured to death while in custody. A 13-year-old boy from a refugee camp near Bethlehem was injured by gunfire from Israeli troops attempting to control the rioters, Palestinian sources told Israeli media. A 16-year-old also sustained a head injury. An Israeli soldier and Israeli teen were

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/3-books-of-esther-hidden-during-holocaust-unveiled-in-israel/13018 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Found in the attic of a Warsaw Ghetto house, three Megillah scrolls have been returned to the Jewish people. The scrolls, also known as Books of Esther, are typically read during the Purim festival. The house was one of the only structures to survive the war. Though the building was updated over the years, the attic remained untouched. But when the attic collapsed several years ago, Jewish holy texts were discovered hidden in a secret compartment, presumably to save them from the Nazis. A small hidden synagogue

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israel-successfully-tests-arrow-3-anti-missile-system-video/13015 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The IDF completed its first successful test of the Arrow 3 interceptor missile this morning in cooperation with the United States. Set to become operational around 2016, the Arrow 3 missile defense system will join Arrow 2, the Iron Dome and Davids Sling as another layer of defense against incoming fire at the Jewish State. The system operates in space, leaving the atmosphere at twice the speed of a tank shell to track and destroy long-range projectiles like Irans Shihab 3 missiles. Defense

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/on-the-golan-heights-israel-braces-for-consequences-from-syria-civil-war/13014 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 A fence made of chain links and rusted barbed wire once was enough to separate the Golan Heights from Syria. That's no longer the case. A few feet away from what one area resident called a "cattle fence"--one easy to jump if not for the electric current running through it--a newer barrier of crisscrossing shiny steel bars towers high above the heads of nearby soldiers. As Syrias civil war escalates next door, Israelis have grown concerned that spillover could undermine the sense of security that Golan

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/global-supporters-kick-off-buy-israel-week/13013 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Starting today, Jews around the world are uniting in an international initiative to support the state of Israel. Buy Israel Week is a chance for consumers to back the Jewish state by purchasing items they already know and love. From Israeli-made hummus and couscous to dates and figs, individuals can stand with Israel and pick up some delicious wares for their home. The initiative began as a response to the BDS, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. The BDS started in 2005 by pro-Palestinian activists

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/greenpeace-warns-that-israel-needs-to-diversify-energy-sources/13008 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=2 Greenpeace officials warn that Israels power grid remains vulnerable. Prompted by the recent threat made by Hezbollah Chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the green group insists that unless Israel diversifies its power mainframe, the power infrastructure remains at risk. In his videotaped Martyrs Day address on Saturday, Nasrallah boasted a few missiles would plunge Israel into darkness. Warning that Israel could expect retribution for any violation that occurs on Lebanese

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/02-22-13-round-up-pm-edition/13006 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 A rabbis summary of what Purim is really about. [Jewish Journal] The Whipping Man portrays the reality of Southern Jewish slave owners during Civil War. [AJC] Many items in Jewish Museum of Vienna were stolen by Nazis from Jewish families during Holocaust. [Algemeiner] Chuck Hagels probable tenure for defense secretary continues to cause disagreement in Washington. [Times of Israel] Benjamin Netanyahu presses his team to bring The Jewish Home into the coalition. [Israel Hayom] An

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/jspace-featured-org-israeli-leadership-council/13003 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Jewish individuals making aliyah to Israel is an occurrence one hears about often. But what about Israelis who immigrate to the United States? Thanks to the Israeli Leadership Council, those individuals have a place to turn. The organization was founded in 2007, as a way to bring together new US residents originally hailing form the Jewish state. In the US there are about 800,000 Israelis, its a very big community, said Sagi Balasha, CEO of the ILC. The biggest is in Los Angeles,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/israeli-high-tech-solution-improves-herd-health-productivity/13000 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 For over 25 years, Kibbutz Afikim has pioneered new, modern diary techniques on its Israeli farm and installed over 5,500 AfiMilk dairy systems worldwide. Now the kibbutz-based enterprise is bringing its new, high-tech sheep and goat herding solutions to North America. The program, designed by engineers, monitors each animals health, production and fertility, leading to a healthier flock and the ability to select the strongest, most productive animals for breeding and detect sick animals before they are

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/celebrating-the-heroism-of-esther-arditi/12999 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 The night of the 29th of November, 1954 was dark and rainy. The lights of the takeoff runway at Hatzor Airbase had shut off as a result of the turbulent weather, and the combat pilot Yaakov Salomon and navigator Shlomo Hertzman realized that there was no other choice--they would have to land the plane without seeing the runway underneath them. Within a short while, young paramedic Esther Arditi--who had become certified only a week prior--was called to tend to the fallen plane that had burst into flames. The

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/remembering-ofra-haza-beloved-israeli-singer-video/12996 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 On February 23, 2000, Israel lost one of its most beloved singers. Ofra Haza, an artist of Yemeni-Jewish background, died at the age of 42, of AIDS-related pneumonia. She left behind a musical legacy that endures today, in her many albums and hit singles. Haza was born in the Hatikva Quarter outside Tel Aviv, the youngest of nine children. She joined a theater group as a child, earning a love for entertaining, and was spotted at age 12 by a recording agent. At 19 she was already a veritable pop star in the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/02-22-13-round-up-am-edition/12993 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 Jewish Home holds coalition talks in the hope of revoking Netanyahus agreement with Tzipi Livni. [Times of Israel] Madeline Albright discusses discovering her own familys Jewish heritage and Holocaust experience, in new book Prague Winter. [Marin Independent Journal] Taglit-Birthright founders Michael and Judy Steinhardt will auction off 400 pieces of rare Judaica collection. [JPost] Standing Together helps IDF soldiers have special Purim celebrations. [Jewish Press] Recently

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/yahrzeit-for-a-d-gordon-father-of-labor-zionism/12991 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Aaron David Gordon, better known as A.D. Gordon, was born into a wealthy Orthodox family in 1856 in the Russian Empire. Over the course of his life, he would become a leading force behind practical Zionism and Labor Zionism, a branch of left wing Zionism. When Gordon was young, he self educated himself in religious and academic studies, learning several languages as a child. He made aliyah to then Palestine in 1904, settling in the Galilee in 1919. He worked in agriculture, firming up his belief system that the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/meet-one-of-the-most-decorated-pilots/12988 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 It is easy to imagine that anyone who receives the medal of distinguished service or honorable citations, will keep them in a shiny crystal box, in a place of honor where it is safe from any harm, a place to which anyone who walks in the room could see it and be impressed. Well, that's not how things work at the house of Colonel (Res.) Amitay Hasson, a combat helicopter pilot who received three of the IDF Chief of General Staff Citations. One of them was modified into honors citations, making him one of the three

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/02-21-13-round-up-pm-edition/12987 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Putin's idea to house Jewish collections rejected. [WSJ] Jewish community clusters in the UK revealed through census. [JC] A gay principal in Australia settles with Jewish day school over dismissal. [Haaretz] Australian Jews are being accused of dual loyalty. [Arutz Sheva] Are French Jews making an exodus to the UK over growing anti-Semitism? [JC] The US is pressing Mahmoud Abbas to steer clear of Hamas. [Jewish Press] A closer look at Mrs. Michael Oren. [Atlantic] Judaism's ultimate food fight: latke

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/peres-inspires-israel-s-largest-crop-illustration/12986 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 The Jewish states largest crop illustration has been created in the image of Shimon Peres, to honor the Israeli presidents 90th birthday later this year. The field formation was sculpted in Kibbutz Tel Yosef, where residents decided to surprise the president with the celebratory homage. Each year, Peres makes a helicopter trek from Jerusalem to the northern Galilee to take part in a memorial service for Zionist activist Joseph Trumpeldor. While en route, Peres pilot told the president:

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/brothers-in-arms/12981 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 It is natural for two officers in the same combat unit to work from time to time together in the field, but in the case of brothers Cpt. Eitan Gilad and Lt. Benzion Gilad both officers in the Nahal Brigade's reconnaissance battalion they also happen to meet from time to time at their family home for a Friday night Shabbat meal. Cpt. Eitan, 27, serves as commander of the Raven Company in the Nahal Brigade's reconnaissance battalion while his 23-year-old brother Benzion currently serves as the

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/yahrzeit-for-gershom-scholem-father-of-modern-kabbalah-study/12977 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Gershom Scholem was more than just a leading Jewish author and philosopherhe was also considered the founder of modern academic Kabbalah study. Scholem was born in Berlin in 1897, studying Hebrew and the Talmud at a young age. As a young man he studied mathematics, philosophy and Hebrew at university, going on to study mathematical logic. In 1919, Scholem earned a degree in Semitic languages, writing a doctoral thesis on Sefer ha-Bahir, the oldest known Kabbalistic text. That work, along with a growing

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/hercules-j-lands-at-nevatim/12976 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 This month, Nevatim Airbase received some special guests: American Hercules C-130J planes, which arrived for a special exercise with the C-130s, the older version of the plane in the IAF. The Hercules J planes in the Israeli version, "Shimshon," will only be received at the IAF in the year 2014, but the Israeli air crew members had the chance to familiarize themselves with the new planes. "This visit is a part of international cooperation that the IAF prioritizes out of understanding that we should learn from

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/rubio-to-peres-of-course-jerusalem-is-your-capital-video/12975 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Senator Marco Rubio is currently in Israel, drawing headlines after referring to Jerusalem as the Jewish states capital. In a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Rubio was quoted as saying that Jerusalem is of course the capital of your country. US politicians typically shy away from calling Jerusalem the nations capital, as Palestinians also claim sovereignty over the city. President Obama drew similar attention in 2008 after similarly referring to Jerusalem as the Israeli

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/soldier-stories-orit-wrestles-with-treating-a-terrorist/12973 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 This is the first in a series of stories told by former IDF soldiers about their time in service and life in Israel, brought to you by StandWithUs and Jspace.com. Orit is one of the 12 soldiers on StandWithUs 5th annual "Israeli Soldiers Stories" tour, currently coming to locations around the United States. Email jennifer@standwithus.com to find an engagement near you. Former medic Orit, now 28, joined the Israeli army at the age of 18. Though, as a religious Jew, she didnt have to serve in the IDF,

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/02-21-13-round-up-am-edition/12972 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=80143 Google makes a Purim error. [Jewish Press] Aid to Sandy-hit synagogues splits Jewish lawmakers. [Forward] When "Gentleman's Agreement" made Jewish Oscars history. [Forward] Hezbollah is reportedly trolling Europe for Jewish and Israeli targets. [NYT] Greek extremists are pushing for an end to Holocaust commemoration. [WJC] Have ultra Orthodox women hit the glass ceiling in education? [Haaretz] Some say Orthodox Jewish divorce is spurred by technology. [Metro] Jewish Home is already prepping for

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/02-20-13-round-up-pm-edition/12970 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=89924 York County Prison has begun to question inmates who pretend to have Jewish affiliation to obtain better tasting food. [York Daily Record] An anti-Semitic cardinal is currently being considered to succeed Pope Benedict XVI. [Jewish Press] A Jewish organization in Hungary has initiated a ban on naming public streets after allies of Hitler. [Israel National News] Senator Chuck Schumer supports Chuck Hagels plans for pro-Israel lobby in Washington. [Capital NY] The IDF investigates ways to boost the number

2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 2013-05-21T23:54:45-04:00 http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/bravdo-a-tale-of-two-scientists-turned-star-winemakers/12969 Jspace.com info@jspace.com http://www.jspace.com/profile/view/?q=139 Daniel Arom, NoCamels - Israel Innovation News Making wine is an art form, some might say, or maybe an exact science? According to the scientist founders of the Karmei Yosef Winery, Professors Ben Ami Bravdo and Oded Shoseyov, its both. Located at the foothills of Jerusalem, on terrain that might have once hosted King Solomons vineyards, Karmei Yosefs produces signature BRAVDO wines. What makes BRAVDO wine unique is the way the colleagues implemented chemistry techniques (and a good bit of