Retired Israeli president Shimon Peres says he’s still alive and kicking. False reports flew around on social media Monday that he had died, so he took to Facebook to reassure the public. “I wish to thank the citizens of Israel for the support, concern and interest, and wish to clarify that the rumors are false….
On Facebook, there are “Rabbis for Human Rights,” “Rabbis for Bernie” and, until recently, “Rabbis for Hillary.” Now, these groups are joined by a rabbinical flag-bearer for Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump. The controversial GOP front-runner’s fiery rhetoric about Muslims may have drawn condemnation from American rabbis and other Jewish leaders across the denominational spectrum,…
Mohammed was the most popular name in Israel in 2014. Some 2,650 Mohammeds were born in Israel in 2014, the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics said in a report released Sunday. The second most popular name for a boy was Noam, with 1,600 baby boys, though according to the report some 400 girls also were…
An Israeli court ordered the release of a Jewish terror suspect to house arrest. The 18-year-old was one of six Jewish terror suspects who appeared Monday in Petach Tikvah Magistrates’ Court for a hearing on extending their remands. He has been exonerated of serious allegations, including the July firebombing of a home in the West…
A Jewish-Israeli teenager is in police custody for allegedly planning an attack on left-wing demonstrators at a Tel Aviv march. The 18-year-old man was arrested at the Dec. 19 rally after throwing a glass bottle at protesters, according to the Times of Israel. No one was injured, and the arrest was not reported in the…
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is returning to his troubled city from his Cuban vacation paradise to deal with the growing cop crisis. His spokeswoman announced he is returning from the sun and fun as pressure mounted on Chicago’s first Jewish mayor to resign after police shot and killed two black citizens over the weekend —…
JERUSALEM — Israel’s first lady will be questioned over suspected spending irregularities at the prime minister’s residence. Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly will be questioned Thursday, despite a request by her attorney to close the investigation. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein in February announced his recommendation of a preliminary investigation into…
Two Israeli windsurfers and their coach withdrew from the ISAF world youth sailing championships in Malaysia after the terms of their visa barred them from displaying Israel’s flag. Israel and Malaysia do not have diplomatic relations. The championships began Sunday and run through Jan. 3. Last year in Poland, the two Israelis — Yoav Omer…
(JTA) – Though it’s been more than a year since Rabbi Barry Freundel was hauled away in handcuffs for installing secret cameras at his synagogue’s mikvah, his crime still casts a shadow over his longtime Orthodox congregation, Kesher Israel. Three civil lawsuits are pending against Kesher by women who presumably used the ritual bath adjacent…
Turkey sees no normalization in ties with Israel unless its conditions for ending the Gaza blockade and compensation for the deaths of 10 Turkish activists in 2010 are met, a presidential spokesman said on Monday. Relations between Turkey and Israel soured when the activists were killed in a raid by Israeli commandos on a Turkish…
Israel’s Ministry of Housing is working on plans for more than 55,500 units in West Bank settlements, according to a new Peace Now report. More than half the units are for construction east of the security barrier and include more than 8,000 units in the controversial E1 area, two new settlements and the legalization of…
