The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is purchasing a $15.75 million building for its new headquarters. The federation’s board last week approved the purchase of the building, which is near its current headquarters in Rockville, Md., the Washington Jewish Week reported. The building is to house the federation, rental tenants – Jewish nonprofits and foundations,…
Uri Blau, the Israeli Haaretz journalist who accepted classified documents from an Israeli soldier, was convicted under a plea bargain. As part of the plea bargain deal, Blau agreed to admit to holding secret intelligence, without intent to harm national security, according to Haaretz. Under the plea bargain, the Tel Aviv District Court will be…
Iranian athletes will compete against Israelis at the London Olympics, according to the country’s chef de mission. Iran has been criticized in the past because some of its athletes withdrew from events against Israelis at the 2004 Athens Games and 2008 Beijing Games. “We will be truthful to sport,” said Bahram Afsharzadeh, who is also…
President Obama’s chief of staff, Jack Lew, met with leaders of the Reform and Reconstructionist movements. Lew’s meeting last week follows on similar meetings he has had in recent months with leaders of the Conservative and Orthodox movements. “Particular emphasis was placed on efforts to enhance Israel’s security, and expand sanctions and other forms of…
Members of President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign on Monday strongly criticized Mitt Romney’s upcoming overseas trip, charging that Republican presidential candidate’s planned visit to Britain, Israel and Poland centers more on “photo-ops and fundraising” than issues of substance. The Obama campaign won’t let Romney boost his foreign policy credentials so easily, with a top adviser…
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, about to visit the London Olympics and Israel, said for the first time on Monday that he supports an official minute of silence at Friday’s opening ceremony for the Games to honor Israeli athletes killed at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Romney’s move broke years of his own silence on the…
Two hospitals in Switzerland decided to temporarily suspend circumcisions of infants unless it is medically required, following a German court ruling. According to Swiss media, a Zurich children’s hospital announced last week that it will abstain from performing the procedure, and this weekend St. Gall teaching hospital did the same. “We are in the process…
President Obama would visit Israel in a second term, a top campaign surrogate said. “We can expect him to visit Israel in a second term, should he be reelected,” Colin Kahl, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, who is now a campaign spokesman on the region, said Monday in a…
Israeli Minister of Tourism Stas Misezhnikov traveled to Bulgaria to shore up the relationship between the two countries in the wake of the deadly attack on a bus full of Israeli tourists. Accompanying Misezhnikov on Monday’s trip were senior representatives of the Israeli tourism industry. “After what happened in Burgas, we will continue to travel…
The Israel Museum vehemently denies a report that it plans to introduce gender-segregated viewing hours. The venerable Jerusalem institution says it will remain open to all during regular hours, but may consider requests from single-sex private groups to visit after closing time or on Tuesdays, when it is normally shut. “The Israel Museum does not…
International Olympic Committee head Jacques Rogge held a moment of silence in the Olympic Village to remember the 11 Israeli athletes and coaches murdered at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The moment of silence held Monday, before brief remarks by Rogge, is the first time that the slain athletes have been memorialized inside in an Olympic…
