Israel issued a stern warning to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Tuesday, hours after an IDF vehicle was fired upon in the Golan Heights. Israeli military denied Syrian forces destroyed outright the IDF jeep, as Syria claimed, though an IDF spokesperson did confirm an attempted attack took place. The incident saw an exchange of fire that is rare in the ceasefire zone, though tensions have been rising in the region in recent weeks as spillover from the Syrian civil war threatens to end the tenuous truce between …More

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] …More

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 …More

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 Syria’s …More

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper criticized nations unwilling to back Israel, calling the Jewish state “the one stable, democratic ally” in the Middle East. “There’s nothing more shortsighted in Western capitals in our time than the softening of support we’ve 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 …More

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 …More

CIA head John Brennan landed in Israel Thursday to discuss the Syrian conflict and Iran’s nuclear proliferation. During the visit, Brennan met with heads of security and defense in the Jewish state, including Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon 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 …More

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 …More

Judaism’s 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 …More

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 …More

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. …More

US President Barack Obama backed Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, as speculation over the Jewish state’s 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 …More