A new smart phone application, developed by the Coordination Forum for Countering Anti-Semitism, allows users to report incidents and post photos of anti-Semitism in real time. [Israel Hayom]  Former anchorman Yair Lapid warned that Israel was being run by lobbyist, tycoons and special interest groups. If Israel doesn’t change its system of government, it may “bring on its own demise.” [Ynet] Unless NIS two million is raised by Monday, the museum and memorial at Ammunition Hill in …More

Silvan Shalom reflects on the history and meaning of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. [Israel Hayom]  By viewing dance as a way of life, Yardena Cohen influenced countless aspiring Israeli dancers throughout her 100 years. [Haaretz]  A new study finds that Israeli Jews are becoming more religious. The results of the survey were published Thursday by the Israel Democracy Institute. [The Jerusalem Post] JUF News interviews Israeli Grammy award-winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari about her music, her …More

Israeli violinist Itamar Zorman and Russian violinist Sergey Dogadin shared a second place finish at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia - in a category that had no winner. Judges of the the quadrennial contest declined to award a gold medal for first prize, instead choosing the two silver medalists. The violin competition began with 24 contestants and, over a two week period, was narrowed down to five finalists. South Korean's Jehye Lee, the lone female violin finalist, came in third, and …More

Feted by First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House, violinist Ben-Ari is in great demand by some of today's biggest pop stars. But she's also a philanthropist. "People love the fact that I am from Israel," says Grammy-winning Israeli hip-hop violinist Miri Ben-Ari. "Being from Israel represents soulfulness and a long history of struggle, which I always try to capture with my music." Now living in New York, Ben-Ari performs across the globe, most recently putting in an appearance at the White House at the …More