One can only imagine the rage of pro-firearms and freedom-fueled bearded men at the NRA convention last weekend. While most of it was good, old-fashioned “I love guns” convention talk, a few incidents crossed the ever-diminishing ethical line. Keynote speaker Glenn Beck spoke to the crowd of 70,000 people and said that anyone who argues in favor of gun control is ignorant or “living an argument of control.” Specifically, the outspoken radio personality pointed his concern at New York Mayor …More

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] …More

The 165 Jewish billionaires around the world have $812 billion in joint wealth, Forbes Israel reported. The Hebrew magazine released its Jewish billionaires list on Thursday. The richest Jew in the world is Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, with a net worth of $43 billion, according to Forbes, up $7 billion from last year. Ellison was fifth on the Forbes 2013 world billionaires list. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is in second place with $27 billion, up $5 billion from 2012. He appeared 13th on the world list. …More

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 Israel’s Independence Day. Both spoke of the indelible bond between the United States and Israel as a crowd of 1,100 rung in Yom Ha’atzmaut 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. …More

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will address one thousand attendees Monday night, for Jspace.com and Dor Chadash’s celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s 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 …More

Ex-New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, who was forced out of office by a scandal, is considering a run for New York City mayor. Weiner, 48, and his wife, Huma Abedin, submitted to an extensive profile in this weekend's New York Times Magazine in part because Weiner is testing the waters for a possible run in this year's race. The veteran Democratic lawmaker resigned from Congress in June 2011 after lying about tweeting an illicit photo of himself to a 21-year-old supporter. According to the newspaper, Weiner has …More

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 …More

Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz is releasing a documentary. [AllHipHop] On his 68th birthday, a look at Bob Marley's Jewish roots. [Tablet] MSNBC's Chris Hayes concedes to Tablet over the motivations of the BDS movement. [Tablet] Meanwhile, Michael Bloomberg sides with Brooklyn College in the whole BDS debate. [Forward] Bar Refaeli's Super Bowl ad sparks record sales for Go Daddy. [Algemeiner] Netanyahu and Lapid are set to meet again in coalition deal. [Times of Israel] Bibi is sending his top peace negotiator …More

Past New York Mayor Ed Koch was laid to rest today during a Temple Emanu-El service attended by thousands. Preceding the funeral, President Barack Obama noted Koch’s “irrepressible character,” calling him a “quintessential New Yorker.” “He took office at a time when New York was in fiscal crisis, and helped his city achieve economic renewal, expand affordable housing, and extend opportunity to more of its people,” Obama said. “In public office and beyond, his …More

Ed Koch--Jewish on his own terms. [NYT] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to go to space. [Times of Israel] A Jewish lawmaker is named Australia's attorney general. [JWire] Fifty years of integration began with a Jewish student's editorial. [Forward] A group of US Jewish leaders are set to visit France and Israel. [JPost] World's first shipping container bridge installed over Tel Aviv's trash mountain. [Green Prophet] A brief history of Jews and the Super Bowl. [Tablet] Will Bloomberg: The Musical make it to …More

Ed Koch, a past New York mayor, one of Judaism's leading political figures, and a staunch advocate for Israel, died early this morning of congestive heart failure. He was 88. Koch spent decades on the political stage, most famously as New York City mayor from 1978 to 1989. He is noted as helping turn around the city he loved, bringing it through some of its most tumultuous years and paving the way for prosperous cultural years under the likes of successors like Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg. Though a …More

President Obama named as his new chief of staff a security official, Denis McDonough, who has strong ties to the Jewish organizational community. McDonough, until now the deputy to National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, handled much of the National Security Council's Israel-related traffic and has strong ties with Jewish groups. He addressed the Washington Institute for Near East Policy just weeks before the last presidential election. "Over the last four years, in speaking privately with me, and more publicly …More