A teenager from Los Angeles proved his mensch status recently, donating his bar mitzvah money to purchase two ambulances for an Israeli city. Robert Leeds, 13, was inspired after the city of Sacramento became a “sister city” with Ashkelon in the Jewish state last year. In turn, Robert started a fundraising drive to coincide with his bar mitzvah, asking for donations instead of gifts. In total, Robert raised $200,000. The ambulances were donated during a ceremony earlier this month, with help from …More

Sacramento’s city council voted unanimously to make Ashkelon a sister city last night, despite heated opposition from pro-Palestinian and leftist Jewish groups. In the weeks leading up to the decision, advocates on both sides made headlines, as the California community waited to see the outcome. Opponents to the pairing claimed sistering with Ashkelon would be discriminatory, as Palestinians could not enter the city. In fact, Palestinians are able to enter Ashkelon--to visit, work or study--after acquiring …More

Rabbi Reuven Taff leads Sacramento’s Mosaic Law Congregation. The Rev. Victor Styrsky is a regional coordinator for Christians United for Israel. Both reside in Sacramento, California. Regardless of the outcome of the Sacramento City Council vote on extending sister-city status to Ashkelon, Israel, the unnecessary controversy leading up to it reveals much of the agenda of those in the anti-Israel community. Those lessons will remain long after this week's vote, which we hope is in favor of the …More

A debate on whether or not Sacramento should become “sister cities” with Ashkelon promises to draw major crowds during a vote on Tuesday. The California capital’s council members will decide the matter, which has caused a heated back and forth on the merits of the proposal. The process of becoming twinned with a foreign city is typically a show of support and friendship, and is a common occurrence both in the US and abroad. Three years ago, Sacramento became “sisters” with …More