Dozens of local Islamic centers and mosques across the country have held press conferences in the past week endorsing a recent religious edict — or fatwa — condemning “religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives.” The Fiqh Council of North America, a national body of 18 Muslim clerics, issued the fatwa on…
FBI Eyes Diplomats The Federal Bureau of Investigation is demanding that Naor Gilon, head of the political department at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, be interrogated in connection to the Pentagon spy case, according to Ha’aretz. It is possible the FBI will want to interrogate other Israeli diplomats, as well, in connection with Pentagon analyst…
TEL AVIV — Although Israel’s disengagement from Gaza wasn’t scheduled to begin for another week and a half, the political circus known as the Day After Disengagement had its informal kickoff this week with the submission of the government’s 2006 budget proposal. It was a budget notably short on the draconian cuts for which Finance…
After years of dire warnings about Iran’s impending nuclear threat, Israeli and American officials abruptly backtracked this week, injecting a new level of uncertainty into delicate negotiations between European countries and Tehran. The Jerusalem Post reported Monday that Israel had reviewed its assessment of Iran’s nuclear progress and now believes that Iran will have a…
We would like to correct an error that appeared in the Forward’s July 22 article “‘Progressive’ Shmatte King, Sweatshop Foe, Faces Workers’ Protests Over Harassment,” regarding allegations against American Apparel founder Dov Charney. Our article stated that in July of last year, Jane magazine published a profile of Charney in which its writer described “a…
The Bush administration has “already given positive signs that it intends to help us,” he said. “The Jewish people ought to do the same.” Intense Jewish support could be vital for passing the aid package, which would supplement the annual $2.6 billion in American economic and military aid that Israel receives each year. Though the…
Despite the superpowers previously described in this space, medical students are normal people. They need places to lay their heads, white medical coats to keep out the rain, and three meals a day. Since their time for breakfast and dinner is sacrificed to sleep, three meals often means only one: lunch. What’s for lunch, and…
Israel is denying claims that it has adopted a policy of ethnic profiling aimed at Orthodox Jews. In a July 28 letter to leaders of the New York-based Orthodox Union, the deputy chief of mission of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Rafael Barak, said that he “can say with full confidence that the State of…
While much of America is busy these days reading about Harry — Harry Potter, that is — I’ve been spending much of my summer reacquainting myself with Sonya, Marjorie and Alexander — Sonya Vrunsky, Marjorie Morgenstern and Alexander Portnoy, that is — the fictional protagonists of “Salome of the Tenements” (1923), “Marjorie Morningstar” (1955) and…
Corey (Gedalye) Breier, president of the Yiddish Artists and Friends Actors Club and the Yiddish Theatrical Alliance, celebrated his 50th birthday at the organizations’ June 27 dinner dance, held at Park Avenue Synagogue. The place was jumping as the ballroom vibrated to the music of Mitch Kahn’s orchestra, and a multigenerational crowd filled the floor…
One day a week, on the Sabbath, Orthodox Jews render themselves virtually Amish by eschewing technology. But during the rest of the week, they often are quicker than most in embracing electronic gadgets, especially when in the service of religion. Case in point: the ShasPod, an Apple iPod equipped with daily Talmud lessons. The brainchild…
