All of the Jewish women representing the Democratic party in the US Senate and Congress have chosen to become Honorary Co-Chairs of the National Jewish Democratic Council’s (NJDC) new Women’s Leadership Network (WLN). Former US Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), who was shot in Tucson, Ariz., in 2011 and later left her post to recover from her injury, has also signed on for the role. The initiative is “an opportunity for us to stand up as women, as Jews, and as Democrats for the priorities we …More

More than 100 members of the US Congress sent a letter to the European Union's foreign policy chief urging her to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The bipartisan letter was sent Monday to Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy for the European Union. It follows a recent report by Bulgarian investigators concluding that Hezbollah had planned, financed and executed the 2012 Burgas bombing, which killed five Israelis and a Bulgarian. "The …More

US Congressman Joe Courtney asked director Steven Spielberg to correct what he perceives to be an error about the state of Connecticut in his new film "Lincoln." The Democrat watched the Oscar-nominated biopic about President Abraham Lincoln at the beginning of the month and was shocked to see a scene in which two Connecticut representatives reject the 13th Amendment. Courtney has urged Spielberg to correct the mistake, insisting that records from the House of Representatives will show how all four of his …More

Like their peers on other campuses, pro-Israel students at the University of Minnesota are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to expose their campuses to Israel. Sometimes, a party that highlights Israeli culture or a speaker who stresses Israel’s right to exist can prove effective, but the leaders of Students Supporting Israel at the University of Minnesota (SSI), CAMERA and Minnesotans Against Terrorism are hoping to strike a nerve when they bring an expert on suicide bombing to campus. Dr. …More

In his Senate confirmation hearings, defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel expanded on his apology for using the term "Jewish lobby" and said it also was wrong to suggest pro-Israel groups "intimidate" Congress into doing "dumb things." Hagel, the former Republican senator from Nebraska nominated by President Obama to become defense secretary, faced an array of tough questions on Thursday from members of both parties on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Two members, Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Lindsey …More

Anti-Defamation League (ADL) National Director Abraham Foxman believes that the US should do more to protect Middle Eastern Christians from Islamic fundamentalism. “We have not paid enough attention to the discrimination, persecution of Christians in the Middle East, especially by Islamic fundamentalists,” Foxman said in an interview with Newsmax TV. “We’re watching a world where on Sunday they burn churches and on Friday they burn mosques. So there’s a lack of respect for …More

Former Arizona Representative Gabby Giffords was a surprise speaker at today’s first Congressional committee hearing on gun control. Speaking in halted sentences, the result of injuries from 2011’s assassination attempt that left six others dead, Giffords appealed to lawmakers for tighter gun regulations. "Thank you for inviting me here today. This is an important conversation for our children, for our communities, for Democrats and Republicans," Giffords, who is Jewish, said. "Speaking is …More

Two pro-Israel perennials were reintroduced in the new Congress: a bill seeking to force the president to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem and one that would waive visa requirements for visiting Israelis. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) introduced the Jerusalem bill on Jan. 3, the first day of the 113th Congress. It differs from the 1995 bill that overwhelmingly passed Congress in that it removes a presidential waiver invoked every six months to prevent moving the embassy as a matter of national security. It also …More

Senator Joe Lieberman gave his farewell address yesterday, ending a career that saw the Connecticut politician become the first Jewish nominee on a major party presidential ballot. Known for his bipartisan appeal—Lieberman ran for vice president as a Democrat in 2000, but was a serious contender for the running mate slot on Republican John McCain’s ticket in 2008—he ultimately ended his 24-year tenure as an Independent. “It requires reaching across the aisle and finding partners from the …More

Congress wants to at least double the Obama administration's funding request for anti-missile cooperation with Israel. Obama asked Congress for $99.9 million in 2013 for "Israel co-operative programs," which include programs like the long-range Arrow anti-missile system and the short-range David's Sling. The US House of Representatives version of the National Defense Authorization Act, passed earlier this year, recommended adding $168 million to that request, and the Senate recommended adding $100 million in its …More

The sages of the Talmud had a debate about how we are to light the Chanukah menorah: Should we begin with eight candles and remove one each night, or begin with one and add through the holiday? After hearing different views, it was resolved that we must add a light each night to grow in holiness. So, too, must we increase in holiness in all aspects of our lives. Just as it was found to be unacceptable to take away Chanukah candles, it is incumbent on us to advance in life rather than take a step back or even …More

The US has approved the sale of nearly 7,000 precision bomb kits to Israel, an agreement valued at $647 million. The Pentagon announced the move yesterday, after the Jewish state requested the sale of 6,900 Joint Direct Attack Munitions tail kits, as well as thousands of other bombs. “The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability,” the Defense Security Cooperation …More