Home Blog Page 527

Judge gives Jewish sailor temporary pass from US Navy order to shave beard

jewish
-
0
Judge gives Jewish sailor temporary pass from US Navy order to shave beard

Edmund Di Liscia said that doing so would be “extremely humiliating and deeply jarring to my psyche and soul.”

(April 20, 2021 / JNS) A federal judge temporarily postponed on Thursday an order by the U.S. Navy to have a Jewish sailor shave his beard, reported Military.com.

Electrician’s Mate (Nuclear) 3rd Class Edmund Di Liscia, a Torah-observant Jew aboard the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, was ordered to shave his beard by Friday. He previously received a religious accommodation that allowed him to wear a beard in uniform, though was told by his ship’s command that the rule had been overridden.

Judge Timothy Kelly filed a temporary restraining order in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., that would prevent the U.S. Defense Department from being able to force the sailor to shave. Di Liscia wrote in his complaint that being ordered to do so violates his religious practices and would be “extremely humiliating and deeply jarring to my psyche and soul.”

In ordering the temporary stay, Kelly said with Di Liscia’s ship being halfway around the world, he wanted the Defense Department’s team to have more time to learn about the sailor’s situation.

Police Arrest Arab Seen Slapping Jew in Tik-Tok Terrorism Clip

jewish
-
0
Police Arrest Arab Seen Slapping Jew in Tik-Tok Terrorism Clip

 By Aryeh Savir/TPS • 20 April, 2021

Jerusalem, 20 April, 2021 (TPS) — Jerusalem’s police were successful in tracking down and arresting an Arab suspected of committing an anti-Semitic attack against an ultra-Orthodox Jew on the light rail in Jerusalem on Thursday, on Israel’s Independence Day.

The suspect, 17, from the neighborhood of Shuafat in Jerusalem, walked over to an ultra-Orthodox 14-year-old boy sitting on the train and violently slapped him in the face for no apparent reason, and then fled. The attack was documented and uploaded to social media. The clip, which was presented as a source of amusement, is accompanied by music

The police stated Tuesday that they succeeded in arresting the suspect in the attack.

Following the uploading of the video to social networks a few days ago, the police launched an investigation and an intelligence operation to locate the main suspect.

The findings revealed that the suspect fled to the Palestinian Authority and recently, thanks to a significant intelligence and technological effort, Border Police troops and Jerusalem District police officers arrested him at the Qalandiya crossing just north of Jerusalem.

The Arab who filmed the attack was arrested earlier this week.

“The police and the Border Police will continue to act decisively and resolutely to eradicate the incidents of violence, using all the means and capabilities available to the police,” it stated.

Other similar anti-Semitic attacks that were recorded and uploaded to social media occurred over the past few days in Jerusalem. In one such clip, an ultra-Orthodox Jew is seen being attacked by dozens of stone-throwing Arabs at the Damascus Gate area at the entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City.

In another clip, an Arab is seen splashing hot coffee on a Jew as he passes through the Damascus Gate. The attacker was arrested shortly after.

This new trend, dubbed Tik-Tok terrorism, is developing in tandem with the Muslim month of Ramadan.

Israel’s Newest Secret Weapon: Ultra-Orthodox Cyber Pros Join Spy Agencies

jewish
-
0
Israel’s Newest Secret Weapon: Ultra-Orthodox Cyber Pros Join Spy Agencies

Haredim are signing up to work for the Mossad, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the police cyber units.

The times they are a changin’ – and more of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community are not only joining the high tech world, but their best and brightest are also making the pro-active decision to serve and protect their country – although not necessarily by wearing a green IDF uniform.

The Jerusalem Post has revealed that more and more members of haredi society are being recruited by Israel’s top security agencies, including the legendary Mossad spy agency, the Shin Bet national security agency (known also as the Shabak or Israel Security Agency), and the top cyber crime units of Israel’s national police force.

In the past few years, some of the brightest and most talented ultra-Orthodox men, ranging in age from 24 to 34, are joining the ranks of the security establishment, serving as analysts and cyber sleuths.

The Post got security clearance to interview several of them, who can only be identified as “G” from the Mossad, “Y” from the Shin Bet, and police special agents Yisrael and Yoni. Only their wives are allowed to know who they work for, and the rest of their families have no clue what their real day jobs are.

The common factor in their recruitment is Rabbi Moshe Kahan, founder of the Pardes Project and head of its Beit Hamidrash (‘House of Study’ program, referring to Torah and Talmud learning).

Kahan, a graduate of the leading ultra-Orthodox Tifrah and Mir yeshivas in Jerusalem, is also a lecturer on Arabic and the Koran and among the staff of Ben-Gurion University’s department of Semitic languages.

The Pardes Project gives haredi youth an education track to pursue secular studies in a haredi framework, while maintaining an ultra-Orthodox environment. [Note: It is not connected in any way to the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.]

The screening process is described as “obscenely competitive,” with each prospective candidate taking pre-academic preparatory courses in the fields of computer science, geopolitics and international relations before applying for jobs in the security establishment.

Mossad director Yossi Cohen said the spy agency started recruiting ultra-orthodox candidates in 2017 in partnership with Pardes. “The intention is to integrate haredim in all aspects of the the organization’s operations,” Cohen said.

“Two years ago, I felt something missing, I felt I needed something more,” Shin Bet agent Y told the Post. “I happened to see an advertisement on the Internet. I had tried something else in the working world, but I wanted to do something good for the world, not just make money.”

The studying he had to do through Pardes to prepare for the Shin Bet was “very intensive. I didn’t know any English or math. I learned from 9 a.m. until midnight.” However, he said, his Talmudic analytic studies have helped him arrive at some unique perspectives.

“I see a strong will and commitment for all people to keep their religious lifestyle standards. There are no problems. A few years ago they had already brought a rabbi into the organization for asking Jewish law questions,” said Mossad agent G.

Both Y and G said they have not yet had to work on the sabbath, but if the need arose, they would do so. “I have not yet had to work on Shabbat, but if state security is at stake, we can figure out how to act,” G said.

Furthermore, they feel respected at work.

“It happens every day… I sat in a room with a woman from Tel Aviv…who did not know the haredi world,” explained G.

“We debated questions about the future of the country: conversion, public transportation on Shabbat and other issues. I gave a different perspective. I explained the importance of the state remaining Jewish. I did not understand as much where she was coming from. At the end of the discussion, both sides knew more. I understood more of her ideas,” and vice versa, said the religious Mossad analyst.

Y and G prefer to remain modest and don’t see themselves as “representatives” of their communities, but “their comments made it clear they indeed feel the need to act as ambassadors to help their secular coworkers bridge into understanding their world,” the Post noted.

(United with Israel).

Arab MK expresses pride in rioters as Jaffa erupts in violence following beating of Rabbi

jewish
-
0
Arab MK expresses pride in rioters as Jaffa erupts in violence following beating of Rabbi

“We are the victim,” claimed MK Abu Shehadeh. “The settlers want to show the Arabs who’s boss, and who’s the lord of this ‘racist and shocking’ country.”

As unrest rocks eastern Jerusalem and Jaffa, an MK from the Arab Joint List refused to condemn violent anti-Semitic attacks on Jews and subsequent riots.

During an interview with Ynet on Monday, Sami Abu Shehadeh of the Balad party justified the violence, which saw a rabbi in his sixties beaten, several Arab Israelis arrested, police physically attacked by protesters, and property vandalized and burned.

The violent street protests in Jaffa were sparked by an unprovoked attack on Rabbi Eliyahu Mali on Sunday morning. Mali, the head of the Shirat Moshe Hesder Yeshiva, together with the yeshiva’s director, were beaten by two Arab Israelis after visiting an apartment they were considering purchasing for use by the school.

Several hours later, a crowd of mostly haredi Jewish protesters gathered at the scene of the attack, decrying violence against Jews in Jaffa.

In response, Arab-Israeli counter-demonstrators taunted the Jewish protesters, chanting, “Settlers, go home!”

After police were called to enforce a safe distance between the two groups, the Arab-Israeli side of the demonstration devolved into a riot.

Police were pelted with stones, fireworks, and other projectiles, and several Arab-Israeli protesters were arrested.

During the riots, a Jewish man who was driving through Jaffa was attacked by a mob who kicked his vehicle and threw a barrage of stones.

During the attack, all the windows were shattered and he was forced to abandon his vehicle and fight his way through an angry mob, as the road was blocked by burning debris.

“I saw death with my own eyes,” the driver told Ynet. “I thought this was my end. I couldn’t sleep all night [after the attack.] I felt that they wanted to slaughter me. I saw murder in their eyes.”

At the same time, riots over Ramadan coronavirus restrictions in eastern Jerusalem saw the seventh consecutive night of clashes between Arab residents of the capital city and Israeli police.

Abu Shehadeh placed the blame squarely on the Jews who had considered buying an apartment in Jaffa.

“We are the victim,” he said. “The settlers want to show the Arabs who’s boss, and who’s the lord of this racist and shocking country.

“What happened was very difficult and unfortunately also predictable…The settlers came to cause a provocation,” he said.

He did not elaborate on how a Jew inquiring about buying an apartment in the Jewish State would constitute a “provocation.”

Abu Shehadeh then appeared to blame the tensions on the Muslim holy month, adding, “We are in the month of Ramadan, people are praying in the evening.”

“I’m proud of the youth of Jaffa who are always trying to defend [the city],” he said. He concluded the interview by calling on the police to release all the detained rioters.

“The State of Israel is not a shtetl in which Jews can be harmed,” Naftali Bennett, chair of the Yemina party, tweeted.

“The severe and overt violence against Rabbi Eliyahu Mali is a national disgrace.”

(World Israel News).

After defeat in key vote, Likud whip concedes Netanyahu won’t form government

jewish
-
0
After defeat in key vote, Likud whip concedes Netanyahu won’t form government

In inaugural session of Arrangements Committee, Miki Zohar says Likud leader will lead right-wing parties into opposition, adjourns panel after losing first vote.

Hours after his Likud party suffered a stinging surprise defeat in a Knesset vote on forming a key committee, the party’s faction chief, MK Miki Zohar, said that the party now realizes that it will be heading into the opposition, rather than forming a government.

As he chaired a first meeting of the Arrangements Committee, Zohar said, “We understand and internalize that we are on the way to the opposition.”

Directing his remarks at opposition lawmakers, Zohar added, “Believe me, you won’t have an easy time with us.”

Then-environment protection minister Zeev Elkin attends the Likud Party’s election campaign opening event in Jerusalem, on January 21, 2020. (Gili Yaari/Flash90).

MK Ze’ev Elkin, a former confidant of Netanyahu who nonetheless left the party ahead of the March elections to join the rival New Hope, which is committed to replacing the prime minister, responded by questioning whether Netanyahu was of the same opinion as Zohar.

“It is interesting to know what they will say at Balfour,” he tweeted, referring to the Jerusalem street where the prime minister’s official residence is located. “It seems to me that this will not be Miki Zohar’s day.”

Some Likud figures have suggested to Netanyahu that he already tell President Reuven Rivlin he is giving up efforts to form a coalition, despite having another 15 days to complete the task, Channel 12 reported.

It was during a Knesset vote earlier in the evening on forming the Arrangements Committee that the ruling Likud suffered defeat, after its proposal for the makeup of the committee was rejected in favor of a counter-proposal from the anti-Netanyahu bloc of parties.

As a result, though Zohar chairs the committee, the bloc of parties seeking to replace Netanyahu has more seats than those allied with the prime minister.

The Arrangements Committee, the first Knesset committee to be formed after an election, controls the legislative agenda in the new parliament until a new government is formed. This includes determining what other parliamentary committees will be formed and who will serve on them. With an ongoing political deadlock complicating the formation of a coalition, the influence of the Arrangements Committee could be amplified.

The Knesset Arrangements Committee meets to approve the breakaway of the Yesh Atid and Telem factions from the centrist Blue and White party, March 29, 2020. (Knesset)

Immediately after the vote to approve its formation, the committee set to work, though Zohar quickly suffered a setback when his suggestion that there be two deputy Knesset speakers was voted down.

The Likud MK then refused to bring proposals from the anti-Netanyahu bloc to a vote, instead adjourning the panel and leaving a host of committees without a chair and the Knesset speaker without any deputies.

The Knesset spokesperson’s office said that Zohar chose to dismiss the Arrangements Committee without the authority to do so, and several opposition lawmakers lashed out at the Likud lawmaker.

“The Likud has decided to silence the Knesset, chairman Zohar is in the minority, and for him if the Likud does not have a majority, to hell with Knesset and the state,” said Meretz MK Tamar Zandberg in a statement.

Zohar defended the decision at the end of the meeting, saying Likud had reached agreements with Yesh Atid’s Meir Cohen and that the latter had walked back on his word.

Screen capture from video of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset, April 19, 2021. (Kan)

Likud’s defeat on building the Arrangements Committee came after Ra’am, an Arab
Islamist party, voted against its proposal and backed the alternative, suggested by
MK Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party.

Ra’am’s cooperation with Lapid came after the party had been courting both Knesset blocs during negotiations to form a government.

Netanyahu is hoping to build a government based on outside support from Ra’am, but
the idea has been rejected outright by the far-right Religious Zionism party, which has repeatedly said it will not stay in a coalition that relies on cooperation with Arab Israeli parties.

To form a majority in the Knesset, Netanyahu would need to have Religious Zionism and the right-wing Yamina party on board, as well as outside support from Ra’am.

In the wake of Ra’am voting to stop the Likud proposal, Religious Zionism lawmakers remarked that it further strengthened their view that a government cannot in any way be dependent on Ra’am, even for outside support.

Yamina chief Naftali Bennett, who wants to be prime minister himself, has not yet committed to either the pro- or anti-Netanyahu blocs, but has vowed to do everything he can to prevent a fifth round of elections, following four inconclusive votes in the past two years.

With Ra’am openly cooperating with the opposition on such a significant development and said to have received assurances from Lapid that it will be given key legislative positions if he is given the chance to form a government, Netanyahu’s hopes of cobbling together a coalition appeared to be fading.

If Netanyahu fails to form a government or returns his mandate to do so, Rivlin can offer the mandate to Lapid, who is next in line in terms of the number of MKs who recommended him for the task, or ask the Knesset to choose another lawmaker.

(Times of Israel).

1,500 Orthodox rabbis slam ADL for accusing Fox’s Tucker Carlson of anti-Semitism, white supremacy

jewish
-
0
1,500 Orthodox rabbis slam ADL for accusing Fox’s Tucker Carlson of anti-Semitism, white supremacy

CJV’s letter further pointed to multiple occasions when the ADL condemned political conservatives on specious grounds, while neglecting to address – tantamount to hiding – anti-Semitism on the Left.

By World Israel News Staff

After the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called for Fox News host Tucker Carlson to be fired, the Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV) stepped in to rebuke the ADL for “grossly misplaced charges of antisemitism.”

Coverage of the rabbis’ letter quickly superseded that of the ADL’s allegations, changing the trajectory of a national story on anti-Semitism.

Appearing on Fox News Primetime on April 8, Carlson opined that progressive policies are enabling undocumented immigrants to illegally participate in elections and, in turn, “replace” the votes of U.S. citizens.

In doing so, he was narrowly lamenting the distortion of American democratic processes due to voting by non-citizens, which is a serious and legitimate concern.

He also noted that “the left, and the little gatekeepers on Twitter become literally hysterical if you use the term ‘replacement.’”

ADL National Director and CEO Jonathan Greenblatt took the bait, the CJV says. He went on CNN to accuse Carson of an “open-ended endorsement of white supremacist ideology,” and penned an accusatory letter to Fox News. He insisted that “Tucker has got to go,” and that the host’s words have “deadly significance.”

CJV, which represents over 1,500 traditional, Orthodox rabbis in American public policy, responded to Greenblatt with its own letter last week. It stated that this was merely the latest evidence that the ADL “has become markedly partisan under [his] leadership.”

The letter added that the ADL must “undertake an urgently needed course correction” away from partisan politics, in order to restore its reputation as “the Jewish community’s leading bulwark against… persisting hatred.”

CJV’s letter further pointed to multiple occasions when Greenblatt and the ADL condemned political conservatives on specious grounds, while neglecting to address – tantamount to hiding – anti-Semitism on the Left. It said that the ADL has “tirelessly endeavored” to obscure what is “readily known” to most Jews, and anyone following the pattern of increasing anti-Semitic violence in America: that “the overwhelming majority” of incidents occur in “Democrat-controlled cities and on college campuses dominated by progressive currents.”

The letter, which was first exclusively shared with the Jerusalem Post, was picked up by numerous national media outlets, including both conservative sites, such as Townhall and Breitbart, as well as mainstream ones, such as The Hill and Mediaite. The onslaught of coverage even forced the ADL to provide comment to Newsweek — through an unnamed spokesperson.

At the end of last week, the reporting overwhelmingly focused on CJV’s letter – in addition to Fox News’ own rebuttal – rather than the ADL’s “erroneous and nakedly prejudiced attack,” CJV said.

“The misuse of antisemitism for partisan purposes only serves to make the Jewish community less safe,” affirmed CJV President Rabbi Pesach Lerner. “We will continue to speak out, because hatred must be confronted in a bipartisan, objective fashion if it is to be successfully reduced.”

Heatwave Scorches Across Israel, Topping 106 Degrees In Negev Desert

jewish
-
0
Heatwave Scorches Across Israel, Topping 106 Degrees In Negev Desert

Meanwhile, temperatures in the Israeli capital of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv hit 96.8 and 98.6, respectively

A strong heatwave was felt throughout Monday in most parts of Israel, with temperatures reaching nearly 106 degrees Fahrenheit in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba, well above the usual temperatures for the month of April.

Meanwhile, temperatures in the Israeli capital of Jerusalem and the main metropolitan city of Tel Aviv hit 96.8 and 98.6, respectively.

In the north, where weather patterns usually skew a bit cooler, the port city of Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city, recorded temperatures of 93.2 degrees Fahrenheit.

Earlier in the day, firefighting and rescue services issued a warning about the scorching heat and called on the population to be vigilant and stay away from areas known for wildfires.

They also asked members of the public to avoid long hikes due to weather conditions and emphasized that it is strictly forbidden to light fires in nature reserves.

On Tuesday, meteorologists expect a significant drop in temperatures, which will, however, remain above the spring average, especially in the mountains and in the center of the country.

This cooldown will continue throughout the week, but the weather will remain particularly hot for the season.

Temperatures for Tuesday are expected to hover around 81 degrees and drop to the mid-70s during the rest of the week.

Source: i24News

Dutch soccer fans shout ‘Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas’ prior to match

jewish
-
0
Dutch soccer fans shout ‘Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas’ prior to match

The chants were condemned by director of Vitesse Pascal van Wijk.

(April 19, 2021 / JNS) Police in the Netherlands are investigating footage from a fan rally prior to a soccer game last week between two Dutch teams where fans chanted “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas.”

The incident, first reported by the Dutch news outlet De Gelderlander occurred on April 14 at a rally prior to a match between the Arnhem-based Vitesse and Amsterdam-based Ajax football clubs Sunday.

The chant came from fans of Vitesse towards Ajax, whose players and supporters have long been affectionately known as “the Jews” due to the team’s large Jewish support and rich history of Jews in Amsterdam. Numerous videos of the incident have been posted on social media.

Ajax beat Vitesse 2-1 in the game.

The chants were condemned by Pascal van Wijk, director of the Vitesse team.

“It is just deeply saddening that a small group of supporters misbehaved in such a way,” he told De Gelderlander.

Boeing has found electrical issue in new areas of the 737MAX cockpit

jewish
-
0
Boeing has found electrical issue in new areas of the 737MAX cockpit

Boeing has found potential electrical flaws in two additional areas of the 737 Max’s cockpit, a week after a similar manufacturing defect prompted a temporary flying halt for recently delivered jetliners, said people familiar with the matter.

The planemaker has inspected the Max’s flight deck for other electrical faults near the flaw revealed last week with the plane’s standby power-control unit, and is crafting plans for repairs. The maintenance isn’t expected to be time-consuming or complicated, requiring only basic hardware such as nuts and bolts, according to a Max customer briefed by Boeing.

Still, the discovery of new problems adds to the embarrassment for Boeing, which is trying to engineer a smooth return for the Max after a 20-month grounding forced by two deadly crashes. The electrical issue potentially affects about 450 Max jets manufactured since early 2019, including about 90 aircraft operated by airlines with the rest still awaiting delivery.

The work should take a few days for each airplane once Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration have an action plan, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified as the matter is confidential.

Boeing said it “is working with customers on service bulletins that will be submitted to the FAA for approval. The bulletins focus on ensuring a sufficient ground path in the flight deck of affected airplanes.”

The FAA hasn’t mandated any repairs yet while Boeing continues to assess the situation. “The FAA will thoroughly review any proposed fix that Boeing presents to us,” the agency said in an emailed statement.

Aviation Week reported earlier that the flaws were traced to a manufacturing change made in early 2019 that involves fasteners and a coating.

In some instances, coating such as paint may affect the electrical grounding path, causing a unit that controls backup power for the aircraft to malfunction, the people said.

The manufacturing change that led to the original problem was considered so minor that it didn’t require an FAA approval or a review by Boeing employees deputized as agency representatives, the regulator said.

 

Source: AirLive

Lawmakers eyeing special election for PM as way out of gridlock

jewish
-
0
Lawmakers eyeing special election for PM as way out of gridlock

The hope is that a special vote would give Israelis a clear choice for prime minister and give him or her a mandate to form a government.

Shas is trying to convince other parties to band together and vote to change Israel’s electoral system so that a special election for prime minister would take place, Channel 12 News reported Sunday.

The plan was apparently a result of a meeting between Shas leader Aryeh Deri and Yamina leader Naftali Bennett.

The hope is that this special vote would present Israelis with a clear choice for prime minister and give him or her a mandate to form a government, thus paving a way out of the political stalemate that has emerged following the March 23 election.

Under Israel’s current electoral laws, the Knesset has to vote to swear in a government in
a confidence vote, but like the past 3 elections, the most recent election ended with neither political bloc securing such support to present a government for approval.

According to the Channel 12 News report, Netanyahu has lent his support for the special election bill, especially because he is struggling to convince his right-wing allies to enter a coalition with Arab party Ra’am or even form a government with indirect support from its lawmakers.

Netanyahu called on New Hope leader and former Likud lawmaker Gideon Sa’ar to come back to the governing party on Sunday, but so far Sa’ar has only increased his attacks and criticized the prime minister for using the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet to “destroy Israel’s state institutions.”

Meanwhile, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, who is considered to be the alternative to Netanyahu in the Knesset, called on all parties opposing the prime minister to “form an Israeli unity government.”

Lapid hopes he would get the presidential nod to form a government if Netanyahu fails to swear in a government by the deadline in two weeks, but it appears that he has yet to convince right-wing lawmakers to back him.

(Israel Hayom).

1...526527528...1,570Page 527 of 1,570
© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv
WP Twitter Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com