WASHINGTON (JTA) — Adam Milstein, a major pro-Israel funder, has withdrawn from speaking at the annual AIPAC policy conference following a series of tweets in which he accused two Muslim lawmakers of clashing with “American values.” The American Israel Public Affairs Committee distanced itself from Milstein. Milstein, the chairman… Read more »
Posts By PHYLLIS BRAUN - AJP Executive Editor
We found the (actual) first Jewish woman to finish the Iditarod sled dog race
(JTA) — Blair Braverman wasn’t the first Jewish woman to finish the Iditarod sled dog race, as we mistakenly reported. That title goes to Susan Cantor, who completed the race in 1992. Twenty-seven years before Braverman crossed the finish line on Sunday, Cantor completed the grueling 1,000-mile course in 14… Read more »
Blair Braverman becomes first Jewish woman to finish the Iditarod sled dog race
Editor’s note: Blair Braverman is actually the second Jewish woman to finish the Iditarod. Susan Cantor was the first. (JTA) — Writer and adventurer Blair Braverman appears to be the first Jewish woman to race in — and complete — the historic Iditarod sled dog race, finishing the grueling… Read more »
Brexit is pushing Jews to seek passports from countries that persecuted their ancestors
(JTA) — Portugal used to be little more than a sunny holiday destination to Adam Perry, a 46-year-old Londoner who works in procurement. But following the United Kingdom’s 2016 vote to leave the European Union, Perry, who is a Sephardic Jew, applied for citizenship in the Iberian nation. Since… Read more »
Tucson Board of Rabbis reacts to shooting of Muslim worshippers in New Zealand
The Tucson Board of Rabbis sent an email message to community members March 15 via the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona. It reads: A Message from The Tucson Board of Rabbis on the Horrific Shootings of Muslim Worshipers in New Zealand To our community members, The attacks at the Al Noor… Read more »
Pitzer College president says he’ll ignore faculty’s vote to end Haifa study program
(JTA) – Faculty at California’s Pitzer College voted in favor of suspending its study abroad program in Israel, but the institution’s president said he would ignore their motion. Thursday’s non-binding recommendation by faculty at the college governing body was spearheaded by proponents of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement… Read more »
Israel strikes dozens of Hamas targets in response to rockets fired on Tel Aviv
(JTA) — Israel struck dozens of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to the firing of several rockets into the Tel Aviv area. Sirens alerted residents that rockets were coming into the area just after 9 p.m. local time on Thursday. Hours later, Israeli aircraft carried out… Read more »
New Zealand Jews ‘sickened’ by mosque shootings that killed 49
(JTA) — Jewish groups from New Zealand and beyond expressed their horror at the slaying of at least 49 people at two mosques in Christchurch Friday. The New Zealand Jewish Council is ”sickened and devastated” by the attacks, in which at least one armed individual killed dozens of people… Read more »
Why these 2 nice Jewish girls are skipping school on Friday
(JTA) – We are Jewish middle-school students, and we are extremely worried about climate change. This is why we, along with other students around the country, are protesting the government’s refusal to act on this important issue by skipping or walking out of school on Friday, March 15. While… Read more »
Belgium Jewish museum killer sentenced to life in prison
(JTA) — The French Muslim extremist convicted of murdering four people in a terrorist attack at the Jewish Museum of Belgium in 2014 was sentenced to life in prison. Mehdi Nemmouche, 33, was convicted last week for the 2014 attack that left four dead, including two Israeli tourists. He… Read more »
Police close Temple Mount after firebomb thrown at officers
JERUSALEM (JTA) — All entrances and exits to the Temple Mount were closed by Israel Police after a firebomb was thrown at a police outpost at the site. The police said in a statement Tuesday afternoon following the attack that one of the suspects was identified and detained. Dozens… Read more »
Trump touts new Republican group, ‘Jexodus,’ urging Jews to bolt Democratic Party
WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Donald Trump promoted on his Twitter feed a group founded by Republicans that hopes to draw young Jews away from the Democratic Party. “‘Jewish people are leaving the Democratic Party,’” Trump said Tuesday morning on his feed, quoting Elizabeth Pipko, a spokeswoman for “Jexodus,” who appeared… Read more »
Israel’s haredi Jews get preferential treatment
Regarding Rabbi Shlomo Brody’s article, “This Eurovision contender showed how Israel has failed its religious Jews,” (AJP 2/22/19), what else do the haredi want? They (for the most part) don’t serve in the army. Most businesses are closed on Shabbat even if they would have opted not to. Marriages,… Read more »
Pope Francis praises role of women in meeting with Jewish delegation
(JTA) — Pope Francis used an audience with the American Jewish Committee to praise the role of women in the world and renew his longstanding condemnation of anti-Semitism. In the private audience Friday – International Women’s Day – he highlighted the “irreplaceable contribution of women in building a world… Read more »
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says AIPAC is coming after her. It’s not.
WASHINGTON (JTA) — “It’s official,” says the fundraising appeal from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., the freshman lawmaker who has become the flagbearer for the Democratic Party’s restive progressive wing. “AIPAC is coming after Alexandria, Ilhan, and Rashida.” Not only is it not official, it’s not true. The release starts… Read more »
House overwhelmingly approves resolution against anti-Semitism and other forms of hate
WASHINGTON (JTA) — A resolution on anti-Semitism sparked by a freshman Democrat’s jibes about “allegiance” to Israel and then expanded to address Islamophobia suffered by the same congresswoman, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, passed the House overwhelmingly. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 407-23 on Thursday to approve the resolution,… Read more »
Local teachers cement bond with counterparts on Partnership trip to Israel
A delegation of Tucson educators representing Jewish organizations experienced Israel in a meaningful, weeklong cultural exchange during rodeo school break in late February. Jeanette Butcher (Tucson Jewish Community Center), Nicole Chorny and Kim Spitzer (Congregation Anshei Israel), Allie Silber (Temple Emanu-El), Jill Sobieszyk (Congregation Or Chadash) and I were… Read more »
Local pet lovers have options for day, overnight animal care, socialization
About 28 percent of American households have dogs. That’s a whopping 90 million four-legged friends, or as many dog-owners prefer to say, family members. When dog-owners are unable to take their fur babies with them, or when they want to offer them some social interaction, daycare or overnight care… Read more »
PAWS treatment options help maintain pet wellness
There are scores of veterinary clinics in Southern Arizona, many that have specialties. PAWS Veterinary Center is an integrated health care center, combining the science of conventional medicine with the benefits of alternative therapies. These complementary alternate options include ancient Chinese therapies with herbs, acupuncture, pulse and tongue diagnosis,… Read more »
A parade of local pets, from the heroic to the simply adorable
AJP_15… Read more »