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IDF women combat

Israel News for March 8, 2017

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Defense Meetup
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman met on Tuesday in Washington with U.S. Secretary of Defense Gen. James Mattis. The two discussed security issues shared by Israel and the US including Iran, Syria and Lebanon. They agreed on the need to act to strengthen the moderate forces in the region and create a coalition to fight terrorism.

Lieberman told Mattis, “We need an active America in the region.” He also said, “The strategic cooperation between Israel and the U.S. is vital and crucial not only for the security of Israel, but for security and stability throughout the Middle East and this also has implications on global security.”

Lieberman also met with US Vice President Mike Pence. According to a White House statement, the vice president underscored the “unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to upholding Israel’s qualitative military edge.” The two agreed on the need to “counter threats posed by Iran and its proxies as well as terrorist organizations,” and discussed ways in which the American and Israeli militaries could cooperate to address threats. Syria and other issues in the Middle East were also discussed.

Lieberman thanked Pence for his condemnation of recent antisemitic incidents in the United States.

According to a statement by the defense minister’s office, Lieberman told Pence that he expects to see the US embassy move to a new site in Jerusalem soon.

For further reading click here.

UN Discussions
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley met for the first time with Palestinian UN envoy Ambassador Riyad Mansour. After the meeting Haley tweeted that the Palestinians should “meet with Israel in direct negotiations rather than looking to the UN to deliver results that can only be achieved through the two parties.”

Mansour said that Haley “raised the desire to see the two parties engaging in negotiations” and indicated that the United States was considering a fresh bid to revive talks. He added, “I don’t know at what level they want to do that, but once we receive a request to that effect, we will respond to it accordingly.”

For further reading click here.

Women in IDF
IDF Chief Rabbi Yigal Levinstein condemned the idea of women serving in combat positions in the IDF, during a speech at the Bnei David pre-army preparatory yeshiva in Eli. He called the idea “insane” and questioned the femininity of women who serve in combat. He said that religious women must, under no circumstances, serve in combat roles.

Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman responded to Levinstein’s comments Tuesday, saying, “Since the founding of the state, women have served in the IDF and made a tremendous contribution to the security of Israel. Rabbi Levinstein’s tirade is not only an insult to Israeli women, but also to the IDF and its heritage and to the basic values of the State of Israel. When I return from the United States, I will reconsider the position of Rabbi Levinstein in preparing our young men for IDF service.”
 
Speaking at a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Wednesday, Netanyahu said Israel was “proud” of its history of integrating females into its fighting forces, going back to biblical times.

He said, “Female Jewish fighters, from the time of Yael the heroine to the present — with Hannah Senesh and the fighters in the Etzel, the Palmach and the Lehi and the IDF, heroic warriors in the police and Border Police that we see here on the streets — are an active, and sometimes very senior, part of our national defense. We are proud of it, and will will further it. It’s important to say this in the most clear fashion.”

For further reading click here.

Eilat Expansion
Under a new agreement signed between the government and Eilat, nine new neighborhoods with a total of 18,372 housing units, 6,930 new hotel rooms and additional industrial zones will be built in the city. The agreement also budgets funds for transportation and other infrastructure, development of the town’s coastal strip, an international sports center, municipal parks, and a waste facility.

Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi commented, “The agreement, which was reached after lengthy negotiations, will cause a dramatic turnaround in construction of major infrastructure. In a city like Eilat, bypass roads, parks, beaches, and so forth will put it on the road to economic independence, and turn it into a metropolis. This is big news for Eilat residents.”

For further reading click here.

PM Smoking
One of the allegations that the Israel Police is investigating the Prime Minister for is that Netanyahu allegedly received pink champagne for his wife and cigars worth hundreds of thousands of shekels from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan. But the PM has announced that the cigar accusation cannot be true because he could not possibly have smoked such large quantities of cigars “due to a problem in his nasal cavity.” Apparently, there are several months a year when he cannot smoke at all. Netanyahu has referred the investigators to his personal physician for confirmation.

[If there’s no smoke, there’s no fire, right?]

For further reading click here.

Israel News for October 14, 2016

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UNESCO Votes
As expected, UNESCO voted in favor of a resolution which denies any Jewish connection to the Temple Mount or the Western Wall. Twenty-four countries voted in favor of the resolution, six against, 26 abstained and two were absent.

The U.S., Britain, Germany, Holland, Lithuania and Estonia voted against the resolution. None of the European countries, including France, Spain and Sweden, voted for the resolution. Neither did India and Argentina.

Israeli and Jewish leaders across the political spectrum slammed the UNESCO vote. PM Netanyahu said, “To say that Israel has no connection to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall is like saying that China has no connection to the Great Wall of China and that Egypt has no connection to the Pyramids. With this absurd decision, UNESCO lost the little legitimization it had left. But I believe that the historical truth is stronger and the truth will win.”

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who also leads Israel’s National Commission for UNESCO, suspended all activities and participation with the organization.

For further reading click here.

Security Council
The UN Security Council will be holding an informal session today entitled, “Illegal Israeli Settlements: Obstacles to Peace and Two-State Solution.” The session, spearheaded by the Palestinians, will be co-chaired by Angola, Egypt, Malaysia, Senegal and Venezuela.

B’Tselem, the left wing Israeli human rights watchdog, will make a presentation at the session. B’Tselem’s executive director, Hagai El-Ad, said, “This will be one of the most important diplomatic opportunities in the history of B’Tselem, and that “the occupation is not an internal Israeli matter, and the Israeli public is not authorized to decide if it wants it to continue. It is a clear international matter.”

A press release from B’Tselem stated, “The responsibility for ending the occupation and the human rights violations that it entails lies first and foremost with Israel, yet this reality will not change as long as the international community stands idly by.”

Peace Now announced that it would not participate in the meeting, but Lara Friedman of Americans for Peace Now (which is affiliated with Peace Now) will speak.

Israel’s permanent representative to the UN, Amb. Danny Danon, criticized the meeting, saying, “The Palestinians continue to look for a way to bypass direct negotiations and are generating diplomatic terrorism against Israel. It’s sad and disappointing that precisely on days of self evaluation and prayers for the unity of the people of Israel, Israeli organizations are giving moral cover to the persecution of Israel at the UN.”

B’Teselem, in turn, attacked Danon for attacking them.

For further reading click here.

Spiritual Meeting
Jewish and Muslim religious leaders participated in a forum in Jerusalem to discuss ways of countering religious driven violence. The forum was hosted by Israeli President Reuven Revlon and included Israelis and Palestinians.

The Jewish delegation was led by Israel’s Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. The Muslim-Palestinian delegation was led by the Palestinian Authority’s Chief Sharia Justice and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Advisor to Muslim Affairs Sheikh Mahmoud al-Habbash.

Rabbi Yosef called on Muslims and Jews to overcome the minority of extremists on both sides and to live in peace, as he claimed Muslims and Jews had done in the past (although the Muslims were always in control back then).

He also spoke out against the “genocide” in Syria saying:

“As we sit here, people not far from us, women and children in nearby Syria are being murdered with chemical weapons, biological weapons and air bombs. Millions of refugees are without a roof over their heads, hundreds of thousands of others are starving under siege. They may not be our friends, but they’re people going through a small Holocaust.”

“The people of Israel went through a terrible Holocaust 70 years ago. Millions of Jews were murdered, millions of others remained refugees without a safe haven. The Nazi beast murdered all those millions, while the world saw this and stayed silent. We, as Jews who physically paid the price for that silence, let out a cry all those years, asking how the world knew and stayed silent.”

“I want to take advantage of this stage to say that as Jews, we cannot be silent. Let the call come out of here: we cannot move on from genocide, not in Syria nor anywhere or with any people, even if they are not our friends.” He added that “we are all human beings. I call on you, leaders from all religions—lift up your voices. Let each person use their influence. If this happens, perhaps we will be able to prevent such atrocities.”

For further reading click here.

Dore Gold Resigns
Dore Gold, the American born and educated Director General of the Foreign Ministry, has resigned from his position due to personal reasons. Gold previously served as Israel’s Ambassador to the UN and as a political advisor to PM Netanyahu.

Gold was apparently not allowed to participate in talks with Turkey, Egypt, the US or the Palestinians, but was instead relegated to dealing with African leaders as well as internal budgetary matters in the Foreign Ministry. But Gold gave spending more time with his grandchildren as his main reason for resigning.

PM Netanyahu currently serves as Foreign Minister and Tzipi Hotovely as Deputy Foreign Minister.

For further reading click here.

Israel News for September 8, 2016

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Chabad and IDF
The Chabad Lubavitch Hassidic movement recently negotiated an agreement with the IDF which stipulates that 85% of Chabad yeshiva students will be drafted, while 15% will receive exemptions to study and work as emissaries. Those students drafted will also receive a two year deferral to allow them to study at a yeshiva in Crown Heights, NY (Chabad headquarters).

Haredi draft opponents are furious about the agreement. Last night a group of about twenty anti draft extremists broke into the home of the Chabad Rabbi Moshe Havlin, who serves as Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Gat. They broke furniture and shouted and cursed at the rabbi and his wife. The rabbi’s wife fainting during the attack and was hospitalized. Police arrested three of the demonstrators and are investigating the incident.

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman responded to attack by saying that the anti draft elements have crossed a red line and must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law as a warning to those who incite violence against Haredim serving or seeking to serve in the IDF.

For further reading click here.

Secular Protest
A group of secular activists is calling on people to gather at a location in the heart of the Haredi city of Bnei Brak next Shabbat to protest the attempt to force stores in Tel Aviv to close on Shabbat.

The event organizer wrote on Facebook, “it is impossible to keep quiet any more to the status quo interruptions. It is impossible to reduce the movement of people on Shabbat and on weekdays due to Haredi political whims. I call to you to come to Bnei Barak (address omitted) next Shabbat, with music, megaphones and lots of spirit to prove to everyone that the secular community are not suckers and quiet. You have crossed the line and now the border protection (secular folks) will come to you.”

Another step towards brotherly love and harmonious existence.

For further reading click here.

Israel Attacks
Israeli warplanes attacked a Syrian government military position today after several mortar shells fell in Israeli territory yesterday. The mortar rounds were apparently stray rounds that mistakenly ended up in Israel as spillover from the fighting going on between rebel and government forces in Syria. But Israel is adamant in that it will not not accept any violation of Israeli sovereignty and that it will hold the Syrian government responsible for all military actions in Syria. There were no reports of casualties from the Israeli airstrike.

For further reading click here.

Music BDS
British composer and producer Brian Eno, who has produced albums for bands including U2, Cold Play and Talking Heads, has demanded that the Israeli Batsheva dance company stop using his musical compositions in its performances.

Eno has been a supporter of the BDS movement for several years and is one of over 1,170 British artists to sign the Artists Pledge for a cultural boycott of Israel that was launched in February 2015 by Artists for Palestine UK.

The dance company was scheduled to perform a routine using his music at a dance festival in Italy this week. Eno wrote, “To my understanding, the Israeli Embassy (and therefore the Israeli government) will be sponsoring the upcoming performances, and, given that I’ve been supporting the BDS campaign for several years now, this is an unacceptable prospect for me.”

For further reading click here.

Israeli Wages
According to figures released by Israel’s National Insurance Institute, the average monthly wage rose 2% in 2014 to NIS 9,939, with men earning an average of NIS 11,826 and women NIS 8,026. But half of Israel’s employees earned NIS 6,426 or less a month.

An average Tel Aviv family earned NIS 25,444 per month, ahead of Haifa (NIS 22,901), Rishon Lezion (NIS 22,453), Petah Tikva (NIS 21,663), Netanya (NIS 17,852) and Jerusalem (NIS 12,492).

The towns with the highest income in Israel were Kfar HaOranim and Savyon, with average monthly per capita incomes of NIS 19,332 and NIS 19,026, respectively. The poorest towns in Israel were Modi’in Ilit and Jisr az-Zarqa, with average per capita monthly wages of NIS 5,573 and NIS 5,690, respectively.

All salary figures are gross (pre-tax).

For further reading click here.

Israel News for April 6, 2016

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IDF Kosher
The IDF is taking unusual measures to make sure that those who avoid the draft because of religious exemptions are being totally “kosher”.

In one case the army saw a social media post in which a girl described having a sexual relationship with an Israeli Haredi man, saying that he broke her heart. She posted a photo of him. It turns out that he had an exemption from military service because he was listed as a full time yeshiva student.

In response, the army summoned the yeshiva student to an induction center to enlist, maintaining that the student was merely keeping up a guise of religious observance — the grounds for his deferment request — and therefore should not be exempt from service.

The IDF is even considering opening a special cyber unit to track ultra-Orthodox students on social media, monitoring those who were openly eschewing ultra-Orthodox practice and drafting them, according to a Channel 10 report. The unit would be tasked with verifying that the Haredi yeshiva students were living in accordance with Jewish religious observance.

So basically the IDF will be inline with the Yeshiva heads and rabbis. They’ll both be making sure that students are strictly following religious law. Who can argue with that?

For further reading click here.

Left Behind
In 1961 Eli Cohen, an Israel of Sephardic decent, was sent to spy on Syria by the Mossad. For the next four years Cohen succeeded in penetrated the highest levels of the Syrian government and sending Israel a steady stream of reliable intelligence, which ended up saving countless lives in the 1967 Six Day War. Cohen was captured in 1965 and executed. For the last 50 years Israel has tried to get Cohen’s remains back so that they can receive a proper burial in Israel. Cohen’s widow Nadia has spearheaded the effort.

In 2007, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert asked Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was very close to Assad, to help in the matter. In 2010 PM Netanyahu sent asocial Ronald Lauder to Assad to ask for the remains. Now President Rivlin has asked Russian President Putin to help. Given their large military presence in the country and their role in saving Assad from defeat, Rivlin hopes that the Russians can persuade Assad to finally return Cohen’s remains.

Putin has promised that he will look into the matter.

For further reading click here.

Blood Money
The family of Muhannad Halabi, the terrorist who murdered Rabbi Nehemia Lavi and Aharon Banita in Jerusalem’s Old City last October, has purchased a new villa after the IDF demolished their home in January. The purchase of the massive mansion was made with money donated by the Palestinian public.

Speaking in the Knesset today, Deputy Knesset Speaker MK Oren Hazan (Likud) responded to the news saying, “It appears that the Palestinian Authority has found a creative solution to the housing crisis – a family that sends a representative to murder a Jew will be awarded with a luxurious villa, in addition to the honor that the family receives.”

He added, “I have said in the past and say again, the demolition of the homes of terrorists is an effective punishment, but it requires followup and accompanying steps! We have to take off the kid gloves and start acting with a hard hand against these murderers who benefit at our expense, including the expulsion of families.We must negate the stipends, negate their residency and send them to Gaza, Syria or any other attractive destination.”

For further reading click here.

Kotel Compromise
Moshe Gafni, the senior Knesset Member of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) haredi party, implied yesterday that his party would accept the government’s compromise agreement allowing a non-Orthodox prayer area at the southern end of the Kotel, under one condition: that there will be a separate entrance for the new area.

A joint entrance is apparently one of the critical demands of the Reform and Conservative movements and the Women of the Wall organization, and it is unlikely they will agree to concede on this point.

Referring to the issue Gafni said, “They can go wherever they want, they can do whatever they want but not together with us. We will not allow them to be with us in any way. Not at the entrance to the Kotel, not at the exit, we won’t allow in any way recognition of the Reform, and not those similar to them.”

Gafni added that if this change is accepted then further deliberations would be needed to decide on who will manage the non-Orthodox site, but indicated that an agreement on this would be possible.

For further reading click here.

Good Reading
If you enjoy reading this newsletter you should check out my books:

Deep Waters: Insights Into the Torah and the Jewish Holidays contains deep and meaningful original insights and explanations that can be easily digested and communicated. 

Each lesson is usually no longer than a page or two, so you can absorb it minutes. You can read a section every week or at the Shabbat table, and before each major holiday. Deep Waters can be appreciated by readers with a Judaic studies background as well as by readers with hardly any Jewish knowledge. BTW, it’s got lots of good stuff about Pesach, so get it soon!

Click here to get it on amazon (prime).

The Outsider’s Guide To Orthodox Judaism is a handbook (that means it’s brief and to the point) that explains Orthodox Judaism’s basic beliefs, rituals (like Sabbath and Kosher), lifestyle, lifecycle events, holidays, and more. Also included is a list of holidays and time-line of Jewish history.
Whether you’re an “outsider” looking to learn more about Orthodox Jews or an “insider” looking to explain what you do to your employer or coworkers, this book is perfect for you. Give a copy to your boss and save the awkward questions and conversations!

Click here to get it on amazon (prime).

Goodbye, Mom: A Memoir of Prayer, Jewish Mourning, and Healing is a practical and spiritual guide embedded within the true story of a son’s struggle to deal with his mother’s passing. It is a moving story of hope and prayer, love and respect, mourning and grieving, and healing. 

The first part of the book describes how I dealt with my mother’s terminal illness, specifically her final days. Several chapters are dedicated to explain how prayer can be used as a healing tool (based on Jewish sources). I also describe the proper way to deal with a loved one who is dying. 

The second part of Goodbye Mom describes the entire Jewish mourning process including tahara, funeral, burial, shiva, shloshim, kaddish, and unveiling, through the author’s personal experience. While there are many wonderful guides to Jewish mourning, learning from someone’s personal experiences is the most powerful and effective way.

The appendix contains a practical guide to the entire Jewish mourning process.

Click here to get it on amazon (prime).

Israel News for February 18, 2016

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Syrian Strikes
According to a report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Syrian army outposts south of Damascus were hit by three Israeli rockets last night. It did not detail the amount of damage caused. A Pro-Assad military source denied the report, claiming that there were no Israeli strikes inside Syria on Wednesday. The Hezbollah TV station Al-Manar also denied the report.

Israel had no comment, which is what usually happens after reports of Israeli strikes into Syria are reported by Arab media or groups. You’ll just have to use your imagination.

For further reading click here.

Eisenkot Remarks
During a meeting with high school students in Bat Yam who are preparing to join the army, IDF Chief of Staff LT. General Gadi Eizenkot was asked whether he intends to change the strict rules of engagement to permit soldiers to open fire sooner than they are currently permitted to.

Eizenkot responded by citing (and dismissing) a famous Talmudic dictum saying, “The IDF cannot speak in slogans like ‘when someone comes to kill you – kill him first.’” The Talmudic dictum was recently quoted by Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef last October, when he praised soldiers who kill attacking terrorists and lauded them for performing a mitzvah. Other rabbis have also used the phrase to permit soldiers and civilians to kill terrorists rather than capturing them alive.

Eizenkot also said that the IDF cannot follow the slogan, “everyone holding scissors must be killed.” That statement infuriated senior Jerusalem police officers, who took it as referring to an incident in Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda market where two teenage girls who stabbed a 70 year old man were shot by two police officers. One of the officers was later accused of using excessive force.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon today supported Eisenkot’s remarks saying, “I give my full backing to Eisenkot’s remarks vis-à-vis the rules of engagement. We can’t allow our senses to get dull and our finger to be quick on the trigger.”

For further reading click here.

Popcorn Problem
Earlier this week the Knesset Economic Committee approved a bill that, if passed by the Knesset, will hopefully solve one of the biggest problems facing Israelis these days: popcorn at the movies.

You’re all familiar with that little scam, where movie owners charge five times as much for popcorn and other snacks and drinks at their theaters, and there’s not much you can do about it. Well, Kulanu MK Tali Ploskov has had enough. She’s proposing giving movie goers the right to bring their own popcorn and snacks to theaters in the hope of forcing theater owners to lower their prices to normal levels.

The Knesset already tried to solve this vexing issue back in 1981 when they passed a consumer protection law called the “popcorn law” that was meant to prevent theater owners from selling food and allow people to bring their own. But theater owners simple hired outside vendors to sell the food, which apparently was sufficient to circumvent the law and prohibit people from bringing in their snacks.

But enough is enough. No one should have to pay those insane prices for popcorn, soda and snacks! Can the Knesset finally destroy one of the most hated monopolies to ever exist, anywhere?

Let’s hope that Israel can lead the way in the fight for freedom of popcorn expression.

For further reading click here.

Kippah Tool
If you wear a kippah and use a clip to hold it in place, you might want to look at a new product developed in Israel that recently hit the market. It’s called Clippa and it’s a hair clip commonly used as a kippah clip, that has been modified to do all sorts of things like cut boxes, open bottles, file nails, serve as a screwdriver and all sorts of other useful tasks.

The clips look like ordinary clips but are reinforced with steel to prevent them from breaking. They come in black, pink and silver. The Tel Aviv inventor, Yaakov Goldberg, said that despite its cutting functions, the clips are totally safe. “The knife can cut ‘all sorts, from fruit to rope’, but it won’t cut your hair while wearing it.”

So whether you’re a woman looking to keep your hair in place or a man looking to keep your kippah in place, the Clippa might open up new possibilities for you. The clip is available for purchase online via Amazon or the website “Monkey Business” where it sells for between $6-7 dollars a piece.

For further reading click here.

Mazal Tov PM
Mazal Tov to PM Netanyahu on the birth of a new granddaughter. The baby girl was born to Netanyahu’s daughter Noa Roth, 36. Noa is the PM’s daughter from his first marriage, to Dr. Miriam Weitzman (Haran). The PM has two other children with Sara.

By the way, Noa has five other children, is married to Daniel Roth, a Chabad businesses man originally from America, and recently moved to Mea Shearim, the historic Ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem enclave.

Mazal Tov!

For further reading click here.

Israel News for February 1, 2016

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Terror Attacks
Today, an 18 year old Palestinian male got through the security barrier near the settlement of Jewish settlement of Sal’it, south of Tulkarm in Samaria. IDF troops were alerted and began a search. When they found him, the terrorist attempted to stab the soldiers and was shot and killed.

Yesterday, a Palestinian drove up to an IDF checkpoint near Beit El in Samaria (near Ramallah) in a car marked as VIP (which is used by Palestinian officials) and shot three soldiers before being shot and killed by soldiers at the scene. The terrorist was identified as Amjad A-Sukari, a 34-year-old Palestinian Authority police officer who was employed as the personal driver of the Ramallah district attorney Ahmad Hanun.

In response to the attack and to prevent more, Israel has restricted non-residents from entering Ramallah. Tens of thousands of Palestinians commute daily from the Jerusalem area and from around the West Bank to the city. Israeli forces are also preventing non-residents from leaving the city. Only journalists and people with permits to work in Israel will be allowed free passage into and out of Ramallah.

PM Netanyahu blasted PA President Abbas for incitement and for not condemning the attack by one of his employees.

For further reading click here.

Hamas vs. Iran
Iran has always been assumed to be a primary supporter of Hamas in Gaza. That assumption might have to be reevaluated. According to a secretly recorded conversation published in an Arab newspaper in London, Moussa Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said that Iran has not given any support to Hamas since 2009. He said, “They are crafty and play with words; they are very cautious in their diplomatic conduct. Since 2009 we’ve gotten nothing from them, and even what our members got was not from them, but from others. All their claims about assistance are lies.”

Iranian relations with Hamas have been tenuous ever since Hamas expressed support for the Syrian rebels fighting Bashar Assad’s Iranian backed government. Hamas has also been reluctant to accept Iranian help, fearing that doing so would strain their relations with the Persian Gulf Sunni states, who are enemies of Iran’s Shiite government.

So, things aren’t as clear as they seemed, which is probably a good thing for Israel.

For further reading click here.

New Kotel
The cabinet yesterday approved a compromise between the Orthodox and non-Orthodox movements permitting the establishment of a separate area of the Western Wall (Kotel) where men and women can pray together, without being segregated by gender. The compromise was passed by a vote of 15 to 5, with the nays being cast by Orthodox cabinet members.

Currently, the prayer area directly in front of the Kotel is divided into a large section for men only and a smaller area for women only. This prayer area, along with the large plaza beyond the prayer area, is administered by the Chief Rabbi of the Kotel Shmuel Rabinowitz according to Orthodox Jewish law and custom.

According to the compromise agreement, a new 900 meter section will be constructed along the southern part of the Kotel, which lies south of the ramp that leads up to the Temple mount and which is adjacent to the archeological excavations near Robinson’s Arch. The area has already, in recent years, become the place used by people who want mixed services for their bar mitzvahs or other special events.

The agreement also transfers control over the Kotel Plaza, the area beyond the prayer sections, from the rabbinate to the government, thereby permitting mixed events and ceremonies there, which are currently not permitted.

Leaders of the Reform and Conservative movements lauded the compromise as the first step to full government recognition of the movements.

Rabbi Gilad Kariv, executive director of the Reform movement in Israel, said, “Once and for all, the government has put an end to the ultra-Orthodox monopoly at the Kotel and has determined that at this most holy site for the Jewish people, there will be more than one way of praying and connecting to Jewish tradition.”

Leaders of the world Conservative movement said they were, “thrilled to witness our efforts resulting in recognition of the diversity and pluralistic nature of the Jewish people, as well as the legitimacy of the Conservative and Reform religious streams.”

Why hasn’t this compromise triggered war and “fight to the death” cries from the Orthodox establishment, considering that it infringes on Judaism holiest and most prominent place of worship?

Apparently, the southern area of the wall conceded in the agreement is not seen as containing the same level of holiness (if any at all) as the current area known as the “Kotel”. That’s probably why there have never been any religious restrictions imposed in that area. The part of the agreement removing rabbinate control over the Kotel Plaza is probably seen as more disturbing.

In any case, let’s home and pray that all Jews can now pray in peace along the entire length of the Western Wall.

In the words of Chief Rabbi Rabinowitz, “The Western Wall will continue to be open to every worshiper, both male and female, at every hour of every day with respect and devotion to Jewish tradition and Jewish heritage of which the Western Wall are clear symbols.”

For further reading click here.

Anti Reform
Tourism Minister Yariv Levin attacked the American Jewish Reform movement during Sunday’s cabinet session on the compromise regarding a non-Orthodox prayer space at the Western Wall.

He said, “The Reform Jews in the U.S. are a waning world. The assimilation there is of enormous extent. They don’t even properly track [the assimilation] inside their communities. The evidence is that a man who calls himself a reform rabbi is standing there with a priest and weds Hillary Clinton’s daughter, and no one condemns it, thereby legitimizing it.”  

Levin ended up supporting the compromise because he was concerned that if it didn’t pass, the High Court of Justice would grant the non-Orthodox groups even greater concessions. He also believes that the Reform movement won’t be around within two or three more generations because of assimilation, so any compromise will become moot.

For further reading click here.

Dead Sea Drop
A new study by the Geological Survey of Israel has revealed that the main reason for the rapid drop in the Dead Sea’s water level in recent decades is the increased pumping of water from the Jordan River’s tributaries in Jordan and Syria, and not the potash industries in Israel and Jordan, as previously thought.

The study attributed the accelerating drop in the sea level to the construction of dams along the Jordan River’s tributaries in Syria and Jordan. These dams can store up to 500 million cubic meters of water, and both countries use much of that water. Syria alone has built more than 40 dams that shut off the flow of water in the Rukad and Yarmouk rivers.

These dams account for much of the increased annual shortfall in the Dead Sea’s water intake, which stood at 400 million cubic meters 30 years ago but has risen to 700 million cubic meters over the last decade.

How can Israel stop Syria and Jordan from killing the Dead Sea?

For further reading click here. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/science/.premium-1.700659

Skating First
In a historic first, an Israeli won a silver medal at the European Figure Skating Championships, held in Bratislava, Slovakia. Yes, the skater, Alexei Bychenko, is clearly Russian … but who cares. He’s Israeli now!

For further reading click here.

terror Jaffa gate

Israel News for December 23, 2015

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Breaking News
Two people were seriously wounded and one lightly wounded in a terror stabbing attack at the Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem this afternoon. The two terrorists were shot by Border Police. One was killed and the other wounded.

The location of the attack is a major thoroughfare where people, including most tourists, enter the Old City on their way to the Kotel and the Jewish Quarter.

This story is still developing.

For further reading click here.

Defending Shin Bet
PM Netanyahu issued a statement of his support for the Shin Bet security agency amid accusations from right wing activists that the Shin Bet tortured Jewish suspects being interrogated for allegedly participating in the Duma arson attack.

The PM said that he found the attacks against the security agency to be unacceptable. He added that, “There is Arab terrorism that we deal with and combat day and night in every arena, but unfortunately from time to time there are also acts of terror committed by Jews. We will not accept terror from any side.”

Defense Minister Ya’alon also defended the Shin Bet saying, “The attempts to harm the Shin Bet and its people are based on lies, deception of the general public, and dangerous and irresponsible manipulations by lawyers and, unfortunately, also from ministers, MKs and other public officials.”

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the Bayit Yehudi party, also added his support for the Shin Bet, telling Army Radio that the, “Shin Bet protects us every day from the Palestinians, and we have to rely on the same Shin Bet now.”

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked joined in the defense of the Shin Bet claiming that, “The process is being conducted and scrutinized by the judicial authorities and in accordance with the legal guidelines.” She also rebuffed the reports that one of the suspects in custody, a minor, tried to commit suicide.

Shaked added that, “It is important for the public to know that the three suspects who were arrested have already seen a lawyer and that their medical state is in perfect condition. I have been informed that they are checked routinely by doctors.”

Meanwhile, protests against the Shin Bet continue.

For further reading click here.

No Strike
A massive general strike that was planned for today will not be happening. The strike was averted when the Histadrut, Israel’s primary labor union, and the Finance Ministry reached a last minute agreement granting the 700,000 civil servants a NIS 7.5 billion pay raise over 5 years. That was less than the NIS 11.5 billion that the Histadrut initially demanded.
So, Israel is open for business today, as usual.

For further reading click here.

Special Thanks
We’d like to give special thanks to all of our readers who have shared IsraelAM. We greatly appreciate it. But it’s never enough, right?! We want to make sure that everyone has the chance to stay connected to Israel — and you can help us do that. If you feel that this daily email adds value to your day, then please take a moment to forward it to your friends and relatives who you think might also appreciate it — and include a sentence or two telling them to subscribe. Of course, sharing it on social media is also helpful, but nothing beats a personal, one to one, recommendation. Thanks again for sharing and helping us connect more people to Israel every day!

Holiday Cheer
Around this time every year the Israeli embassy in Washington sends out holiday gifts. This year Ambassador Ron Dermer used the gifts to make a statement by including products made in Israeli West Bank settlements.

In a letter sent with the gift he wrote, “I decided to send a gift that would also help combat the latest efforts by Israel’s enemies to destroy the one and only Jewish state. That effort is called the BDS movement.”

“The main forces behind this movement are fanatics who actively seek to eliminate Israel. Unfortunately, they are occasionally joined by fools who naively believe that in promoting BDS, they are advancing peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”

“Regardless of why they support BDS, the fanatics and the fools are simply promoting a new anti-Semitism. Once Jews were singled out and held to a different standard than other peoples. Today, the Jewish state is singled out and held to a different standard than other countries.”

Dermer also blasted the EU for its discriminatory labeling regulations that single out Israeli products made in the West Bank and Golan.

He concluded his letter by saying, “In response to this effort to cast a beacon of freedom, tolerance and decency as a pariah state, I have decided this holiday season to send you products that were made in Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights. I hope you will enjoy them.”

Happy Holidays!

To see the full letter click here.

Turkey Expels
Last week we reported that Israel and Turkey had reached an “understanding” that appeared to pave the way to normalized relations between the two countries that were ruptured after Israel’s naval raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla that killed nine Turkish citizens in 2010.

Things seem to be progressing in the right direction…sort of. On Monday Turkey expelled Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’ senior representative in Istanbul, as agreed upon in the “understanding”. Al-Arouri, one of the founders of Hamas’ military wing, sat in Israeli jails for 15 years before being expelled to Syria. In 2012, when Hamas’ offices in Syria were closed down, he fled to Turkey. From Turkey he was involved in orchestrating the kidnapping and murder of the three Israeli teenagers in Gush Etzion in June 2014.

As positive as the expulsion may seem, the Turks are claiming that Al Arouri left the country voluntarily. Turkish President Erdogan made it clear that he will not close down Hamas offices in the country or cut off funding to the terrorist group. Erdogan also continues to insist that Israel remove its blockade from Gaza as a condition for normal relations.

So are Turkey and Israel moving towards resuming normal relations? Hard to tell.

For further reading click here.

Phone Chat
Three days after the alleged Israeli airstrike near Damascus that killed the Hezbollah affiliated terrorist Samir Kuntar, Russian President Putin called PM Netanyahu on the phone.

The leaders discussed the situation in Syria and agreed to continue dialogue at various levels, including coordination in the war against terror and in other regional matters. Israel and Russia currently have a system in place to coordinate military movements in Syria so as not to get in each other’s way.

During a meeting with Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the international committee of Russia’s Federation Council upper house of parliament on Tuesday, Zvi Heifetz, Israel’s ambassador to Moscow, said that Israel acknowledges Russia’s interests in the region and supports it in its fight against global terrorism.

Given that Russia is expanding its influence and footprint in the Middle East, it looks like Israel is doing its best to make friends and stay on good terms. Can you think of a reason why Israel shouldn’t?

For further reading click here.

Officer Fired
A Colonel in the IDF’s Northern Command was thrown out of the army after he left classified documents in his car, which was then stolen. According the IDF regulations, keeping classified documents in your car is a big no no. Makes sense.

For further reading click here.

Israel News for December 2, 2015

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IDF in Syria
Not that this should be news to anyone here, but now it’s out in the open.

Addressing a conference in Acre yesterday, PM Netanyahu said,”We operate in Syria from time to time to prevent it from becoming a front against us, a second terror front against us. We are also acting to prevent the transfer of deadly weapons from Syria to Lebanon in particular and we will continue to do so.”

So now it’s on the record.

Upshot
But why make the statement now? Because intelligence sources are reporting an increase in attempts by Iran to transfer sophisticated missiles to Hezbollah in Syria. Hezbollah could use those missiles to accurately target military bases and other strategic objectives in Israel in the event of a new war. That’s a scenario that Israel cannot accept, and will do everything needed to prevent. The PM is making that crystal clear.

For further reading click here.

HIV in IDF
The IDF announced yesterday that it will begin enlisting soldiers who are HIV positive. Although the move will only affect a handful of people, it will make Israel one of the most progressive countries in the world in the area of military inclusivity. The US Army does not allow HIV-positive individuals to enlist.

Col. Moshe Pinkert, the head of the military’s medical services department, said that the change came about as a result of new and better HIV treatments. He said that HIV-positive soldiers will be able to serve in many positions except for in combat, where they might be at risk for bleeding.

For further reading click here.

Chain Responds
Yesterday we told you that Channel 10 News reported that Galeria Kaufhof, one of Germany’s largest department store chains, removed Israeli products from its shelves because of EU labeling regulations. Well, the company has denied the report.

Galeria Kaufhof’s head of corporate communications Gerd Koslowski said, “Our company has not removed any of those products from the shelves. We import the goods via European importers who are responsible for correct declaration. We do not get involved in politics with our assortment. Our core customer’s demands set the standards for the products we sell.”

So it seems like the store’s suppliers stopped sending the merchandise to the stores. The most likely reason is that the importers of the products needed to relabel them before distributing. Maybe the shouts of “boycott” were a little premature?

For further reading click here.

High Court
Yesterday the High Court of Justice rejected an appeal by the state to demolish the home of the family of the terrorist who murdered IDF soldier Almog Shiloni in 2014. The reason was apparently because the family didn’t own the house, but were only short term renters. The court approved the demolition of the home of the family of one of the terrorists involved in the Henkin murder.

Earlier today around 1,200 Israeli Police, Border Police and IDF combat engineers entered the Shuafat refugee camp and demolished the home of a terrorist who killed two Israelis last November.

For further reading click here.

Child Support
The rabbinic establishment might be moving towards egalitarianism, at least in one case.
The Chief Rabbinate has ruled that women who get divorced can be ordered to pay child support if they have a source of income. Until now, rabbinical courts have automatically assigned responsibility for child support to fathers when ruling on divorce cases. But under the new rule, proposed by Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau, rabbinical courts will have to consider the financial means of both parents before deciding who should pay how much child support.

Rabbi Shimon Yaakobi, director of the Rabbinical Courts Administration said, “It was necessary to provide an up-to-date interpretation of the regulation, so that it would accord with our sense of justice and the value of equality.” He also explained that the new rule might help reduce the number of cases in which men refuse to grant their wives a get, since it doesn’t automatically place the financial burden on the husband.

For further reading click here.

Housing Discrimination
A real estate video ad for a new housing development in Kiryat Gat targeting national religious (dati leumi) public has created a huge outcry in Israel for being blatantly racist and offensive. The ad features a national religious family, whose Chanukah candle lighting ceremony is interrupted by two rowdy Sephardic looking neighbors who proceed to toast marshmallows on their menorah. The ad ends with the tagline, “join the National Religious community in Karmei Gat today”.

In response to the ad, the Deputy Attorney General Erez Kaminitz announced yesterday that there could be illegal discrimination in the marketing of the homes which could lead to punitive action including cancellation of the tender (right to build). The Attorney General will investigate the matter further before reaching a decision.
The director general of BeEmuna, the developer responsible for the ad, apologized saying “we just wanted to show that it’s natural that people would want to live close to people similar to them – in a religious sense only”, a weak apology for a horribly offensive marketing gimmick.

For further reading click here.

israel news terror

Israel News for December 1, 2015

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Arab Terror
At around 8:00am today, a Palestinian attempted to stab an Israeli man at the Gush Etzion junction but was shot and killed by soldiers at the scene. A bystander was hit in the hand and lightly wounded by a piece of shrapnel from the shooting. The junction has been the site of ten previous terrorist attacks.

Just moments later, a 25 year old man was stabbed in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood of Jerusalem. He said his attacker was an Arab man. Police are searching for the attacker.

Later this morning, a Palestinian woman was found near the settlement of Efrat with a knife in her bag. She was taken in for questioning.

Also today, a Palestinian woman tried to stab an IDF officer at a checkpoint near the West Bank settlement of Einav. She was shot and later died.

For further reading click here.

Jewish Terror
Israeli police and the Shin Bet have revealed that they have made significant progress in the investigation of one of the worst recent Jewish terror incidents, and that they are optimistic that they will solve the case and bring the perpetrators to justice. Since the case is under a strict gag order, the details of the investigation are barred from publication. According to Channel 2 News, the gag order is likely to be lifted in the next couple of days. Any guesses as to what terror incident they’re referring to?

For further reading click here.

The Handshake
In their first face to face encounter since 2010, PM Netanyahu and PA President Abbas shook hands at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris yesterday.

The two found themselves in the same row in a group photo of leaders. Only New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key stood between them. After the group photo, they shook hands and exchanged a few words. No one thinks the handshake represents any improvement in relations between the men.

The PM also had a 10-minute conversation with U.S. President Obama, which U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry joined toward the end.

For further reading click here.

Minister to Resign
Knesset Member Yinon Magal of the Bayit Yehudi party informed party leader Naftali Bennett yesterday that he would resign from the Knesset.

Police are investigating harassment complaints filed by four women against Magal relating to when he was editor-in-chief at Walla news.

Magal told Bennett that he was sure that there was no criminal aspect to anything he had done, but that he understood that there were those who had been hurt by his behavior in the past and he therefore wanted to resign from the Knesset.

In response Bennett said, “I have received the notice of Yinon’s resignation, and this is the right thing to do. I hope that the proceedings in which he finds himself will be concluded as swiftly as possible, and that he will be able to devote himself to his family and to his future career.”

Avi Wurtzman, the former deputy education minister, will take over Magal’s Knesset seat.

For further reading click here.

Arab MK to US
The chairman of the Joint List, Ayman Odeh, is set to visit the US on the first diplomatic visit ever for an Arab Knesset member. The Joint List is the unity party formed by the individual Arab political parties in order to gain more seats in the Knesset. The party is currently the third largest faction in the Knesset. That makes Odeh the defacto leader of the Arab Israeli population, and worthy of an invitation to Washington.

Odeh is expected to meet with senior White House and State Department officials. His staff is still attempting to arrange meetings with other highest-ranking Washington personalities. During his stay in Washington, Odeh is scheduled to attend a special event in his honor, hosted by billionaire Daniel Abrahams. Dozens of ambassadors from around the world are expected to attend. Odeh is also expected to visit UN headquarters in New York and meet with a number of UN ambassadors.

Odeh said, “The issues that matter to Israel’s Arab citizens are hardly represented in international dialogue. I’m going to the US to bring that voice with me to influential sources and opinion leaders, and to create contacts and connections with the progressive and civil rights movements.”

He added, “I go so that I may tell the hard truth about Netanyahu and the government in Israel, which rose to power through racist incitement against Arab citizens.”

For further reading click here.

ISIS and Israel
This could be embarrassing. According to reports in the Arab and Russian media, Israel is the major buyer of oil produced and sold by ISIS. The terrorist state produces between 20,000 and 40,000 barrels a day in Iraq and Syria, generating between $1m and $1.5 million in profits.

The oil is transported to the Kurdish city of Zakhu, near the borders of Turkey, Iraq and Syria. From there the oil is smuggled to the Turkish city of Silop, marked as originating from Kurdish regions of Iraq and sold for $15-$18 per barrel to an Israeli broker. The market price for crude oil is currently between $41 and $45 per barrel.

Back in August we quoted the “Financial Times” report that Israel obtained 75% of its oil supplies from Iraqi Kurdistan. Well, a nice chunk of that oil is made in the Islamic State.

If these reports are true, Israel is indirectly supporting ISIS to get oil for less than half the market price. And of course, ISIS is also bolstering the Jewish State.

Let’s hope the reports are false.

For further reading click here.

German Boycott
According to Israel’s Channel 10 news, Galeria Kaufhof, one of Germany’s largest department store chains, has removed Israeli products from its shelves in response to the new EU labeling regulations. The store has over 100 branches and 21,000 employees.

For further reading click here.

Google Denies
Yesterday we reported that the Foreign Ministry had announced that it had reached an agreement with Google for the company to cooperate in removing videos that incite terrorism. Well, after hearing the news, Google denied reaching any agreement with the Foreign Ministry, or with any government, to do anything beyond what it already does to police YouTube.

The Foreign Ministry corrected its original statement but reiterated that Israel was, “extremely grateful for the good relations with Google. Our common objective is to remove dangerous incitement to violence on social media. We have full confidence in the Google teams dealing with this removal.”

For further reading click here.

israel news stabbing

Israel News for November 30, 2015

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More Terror
Early Sunday morning, a Palestinian man in his late 30’s attacked two Border Police officers near the Damascus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. He shouted “Allahu Akbar” and stabbed one of the officers in the neck, wounding him. The officers shot and killed the terrorist.

A couple of hours later, a woman was walking on Shamgar Street in Jerusalem when a Palestinian terrorist came up behind her, stabbed her in the back and fled. The woman, who was a foreign worker from Nepal, was lightly wounded. The attacker, a 17 year old Palestinian from the West Bank, was apprehended by police.

Also on Sunday, a 16 year old Palestinian attempting to throw a molotov cocktail was shot by Border Police during violent clashes in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem. The police had come under a barrage of about 10 firebombs just before the shooting. According to police, the officers shot the firebomb thrower in the lower part of the body, but the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that the boy suffered a wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at a clinic he was transferred to.

In response, Palestinian organizations in Jerusalem, including the Fatah’s youth movement, have called for a “day of rage and mourning” on Monday.

For further reading click here.

Jews Convicted
A Jerusalem court convicted two Jewish minors in the brutal murder of 16 year old Palestinian Muhammad Abu Khdeir in July 2014. The conviction of the third, and primary, defendant, 31 year old Yosef Haim Ben-David, was suspended due to a last-minute psychiatric evaluation that claimed he was not responsible for his actions at the time of the murder. The court claims that there is enough evidence to convict him. The defendants admitted that the murder was in revenge for the murder of the three Jewish teens who were kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Gush Etzion in the summer of 2014.

For further reading click here.

Internet Wars
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely met with YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, and Google’s Director of Public Policy, Jennifer Oztzistzki, at Google’s Silicon Valley Offices last week to find ways of cooperating to censor terror inciting videos.

Hotovely said, “The attacks daily in Israel are the result of youths and children incited by the education system and the social networks, this is a daily war of incitement.”

Foreign journalists who report from the West Bank are required to register with the Israeli military, and any footage that they film is required to go through the Israeli Military Censor’s office before it can be released. But with today’s technology, people can now post uncensored video directly online.

Hotovely said that Google agreed to strengthen relations with Israel’s Foreign Ministry and build a mechanism of “collaborative work” that would make both parties partners in monitoring the published materials and censoring them.

For further reading click here.

PM Slams EU
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered Israel’s Foreign Ministry to suspend contact with European Union institutions over all issues related to the peace process with the Palestinians, in response to the EU’s decision to label products made in the West Bank and the Golan.

The senior Foreign Ministry official said that “it is inconceivable that Israel will hold dialogue with EU institutions on how to advance a peace process while the EU simultaneously initiates measures against Israel.” The official added, “Israel will examine each case individually with the guiding principle of making sure Israel’s interest vis-à-vis Europe and EU nations are not harmed.”

Although the suspension of contact sounds tough, it’s really the lightest response that the PM had to choose from, since it doesn’t preclude discussions with individual member states.

According to the senior official, “This decision is almost completely devoid of any real significance. It’s like the EU saying it is cutting communications with Israel but continuing to hold talks with each of its minister’s independently.”

In any case, the EU labeling is not expected to have any significant economic impact on Israel, so the PM’s reaction is probably very appropriate.

For further reading click here.

Russia Next Door
With the Russian military increasing their presence in Syria and conducting significant numbers of airstrikes in the area, Israel has been working closely with the Russians to coordinate their respective military operations to avoid a situation similar to the one where Turkey shot down a Russian plane that it claimed violated its airspace.

On Sunday, Defense Minister Ya’alon told Israel radio that despite Israeli and Russian efforts to coordinate military operations in Syria, on one occasion a Russian plane penetrated Israel’s airspace by one mile. He said that Israel immediately made contact and the plane immediately returned to Syrian airspace.

Mistakes are bound to happen, which is why the joint coordination is so important. Israel also wants to make sure that its planes can continue attacking targets in Syria when necessary, without inadvertently crossing paths with the Russians.

A senior IAF officer said that, “Russia is not the enemy, and our policy does not include attacking or firing at any Russian.” He added that despite the mutual coordination, no “demilitarized” zones were defined from which Israel’s air force would be excluded. “We don’t need anyone’s permission and we make sure we get our job done” he said.

For further reading click here.

Copt Out
The leader of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Tawadros II, made a rare visit to Israel to attend the funeral of a senior Coptic official in Jerusalem on Saturday.

Tawadros broke a ban against travel to Israel that was imposed by his predecessor, who opposed the normalization of ties between Egypt and Israel. In response to protests and accusations of betrayal from Egyptian Copts, Tawadros insisted that he was not making an official visit, but was just there for the funeral. He wouldn’t want anyone to think that he was actually interested in pursuing peace. What ever happened to “turn the other cheek”? Peace on earth?

For further reading click here.

Modesty Patrol
It looks like the issue of of modest dressing isn’t just one for the religious community. A secular public high school in Kiryat Ono asked their 12th grade female students to lower their skirts to cover their knees or to stand behind a bench to hide their legs, for their yearbook photos. The school explained that their mode of dress was “immodest” and “disrespectful” of the school. The girls were furious, and many felt humiliated by the administration.

Days before the yearbook photo shoot, the girls were warned not to wear sleeveless shirts, low-cut blouses or “too short” dresses and skirts. Dress-code has been an issue throughout the country over the past year, specifically regarding a rule banning girls from wearing super short shorts, which isn’t enforced against boys (can anyone else see the difference here?).

The Education Ministry said the Kiryat Ono school “has a mandate to set norms for dress, in a spirit appropriate to the school’s charter, which is set in cooperation with the students, teachers and parents. The claims were passed on to the [ministry] inspector for the school.”

Knesset Member Ilan Gilon of Meretz who is a member of the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women complained to Education Minister Naftali Bennett. He wrote,“The excessive attention given to the length of the students’ dresses is problematic. Since when has the [non-religious] state schools system started demanding a modesty regime from its students? What are the criteria for such dress and what is the educational message that the school’s staff is trying to pass on?”

Do you think secular schools should impose “modest dress” regulations on students? What should those regulations be based on?

For further reading click here.