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Old Joke

Publisher — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:26:47 GMT

There is an old Jewish joke that runs like this.

The Synagogue President greets the Rabbi with a hearty handshake. "You will be pleased to know, Rabbi, that last night the board of directors voted 8-5 in favor of wishing you a happy birthday."

In that spirit, we have two articles related to Isaeli President Shimon Peres' 90th Birthday Bash: one for and one against.

Enjoy.

Happy 90th Birthday President Peres!

Publisher — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:12:15 GMT

— by Jason Berger

Yesterday, Israeli President Shimon Peres started his 90th birthday celebration in the only way he knows: in style. The list of celebrities and politicians joining President Peres is long, and it includes President Bill Clinton, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Barbara Streisand and Robert De Niro.

Haaretz wrote about what President Clinton had to say to President Peres:

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton delivered his much awaited speech, telling Peres, "You are the world's social Einstein."
"You have tried to put together a unified theory of meaning to unite politics and philosophy and psychology and history and science and technology," he said. " Every one of us who has been blessed enough to know you... has been made a little bigger, a little stronger, and a little more optimistic that one day your theory will be real."
"On your 90th birthday, what we really celebrate, is your great gift to all of us. God bless you."

Following the jump are a excerpts from the interviews the press has been conducting with President Peres.
Washington Post:

Q: How do you see Secretary of State John Kerry's efforts to get the peace process going again?
A: I'm impressed by his seriousness, his devotion, but I don't underrate the difficulties that he's facing. I think we have to stand by his side and help him to fulfill his mission, which is our hope...
Q: You've been outspoken in saying Israel should not bomb the Iranian nuclear program unilaterally. Do you still feel that way?
A: I won't talk about it. I want to say that I think President Obama proposed a policy which is reasonable and, in my eyes, acceptable. He committed himself that he will not permit a nuclear Iran, and he says the way to achieve it is to start by nonmilitary means without excluding such a [military] possibility. Now, what America can do, we cannot do. But if America and we can act together, it is for us the right thing to do. I don't think we have to monopolize the danger of Iran, because I think Iran is a danger to all of us.

AP:

A: For me, what is important is tomorrow, the next day. What happened until now is over, unchangeable. I'm not going to spend time on it. So I am really living in the future. I really think that one should devote his energies to make the world better and not to make the past remembered better...
I am not running for anything and I am not running away from anything. I am trying where I can to be a unifier, to unite. When I have to voice my view I do, and I shall continue to do it.

Foreign Policy:

Q: How important is the United States to the survival of Israel?
A: Very. I believe vision precedes strategy; not only for Israel, but for the entirety of humanity. Many nations became great or attempted to achieve greatness by taking from the other. The United States became great by giving, not by taking. The one that contributes generates friendship, which is always wiser and cheaper than creating animosity...
Q: What impact did President Obama's visit have?
A: A tremendous impact. He was wise, sincere, and friendly. He brought a fresh breeze to the Middle East, which reinvigorated public opinion in the region and encouraged everyone to believe that we can achieve a better tomorrow. The people of Israel want peace and are willing to pay the price for peace. President Obama's visit encouraged them to believe that it can happen and made clear to the people of Israel, once again, that the United States is a true, dedicated, and loyal friend of the state of Israel. It was a historic visit and a hopeful moment for us all.

Hold Peres Accountable: Questions to Ask the President of Israel

Publisher — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:15:19 GMT

— by David Bedein

The President of Israel, Shimon Peres, pushing 90, celebrates his longevity with a birthday bash this week that include thousands of invited guests and hundreds of reporters.

It behooves the journalists who cover the Peres birthday event to hold Peres accountable for policies that Peres stands for. In the media, longevity allows for long memories.

14 questions follow the jump.

In 1981, Peres opposed and tried to interfere with Menachem Begin's 1981 decision to bomb Saddam Hussein's Iraqi nuclear reactor. Does Peres have any regrets for his opposition to the destruction of that nuclear reactor?
Peres is proud of the Oslo peace accord which he helped facilitate between Israel and the PLO on the White House lawn on September 13, 1993. However, on October 7, 1993, the left wing newspaper Al HaMishmar revealed that the PLO would not ratify that accord, and, indeed, the PLO has never ratified that accord. Instead of heeding the Al HaMishmar report, Peres, then Israel's foreign minister, dispatched his Deputy Minister, Yossi Beilin, to fly to Tunis to thank Arafat for ratifying the Oslo accord, which Arafat and the PLO never did. Why does Peres promote an unratified accord?
In 1994, Rabin, Peres, and Arafat made an agreement that Arafat's armed forces would comprise no more than 9,000 inductees, and that any Palestinian under arms would first have to be vetted by Israeli intelligence to ensure that he did not have a background in terror activity. Yet as early as December 1993, it was discovered that the PA had drafted two Arab residents from the Arab village of Tequa who had murdered the curator of the Herodian, David Rosenfeld, in 1982. In December, 1995, Arafat announced that his commanders for Ramallah and Nablus were men who planted bombs in Jerusalem's Zion Square on July 5, 1975, killing thirteen people. As of 1995, the PA armed forces counted as many as 19,000 under arms by 1995 and now comprise a least 30,000. Since 1995, the IDF acknowledges that it no longer knows who has been recruited into the PA security force. Can Peres answer the question as to whether the PA armed forces now include volatile terrorists within its ranks?
Throughout 1994 and 1995, when private agencies produced videos of Arafat's speeches where Arafat expressed support for Jihad to liberate Palestine, Peres implored Israel TV not to air Arafat's speeches in the Arabic language. Peres also asked the US Congress not to view the videos of what Arafat was saying in Arabic? Does Peres express regret for trying to obfuscate Arafat's message in the Arabic language?
In December 1994, when Peres and Rabin conducted a briefing for the media in Oslo before they both received the Nobel Peace Prize together with Arafat in, I asked them if Arafat had fulfilled his commitment to crush the Hamas. Both Rabin and Peres indicated that he would do so. A few hours later, when I asked Arafat the same question, as to whether the PLO leader would crush the Hamas, Arafat's response was clear: "Hamas are my brothers. I will handle them in my way." And Arafat did handle the Hamas - by bringing them into his new regime, as full coalition partners. In May, 1995, Arafat' security forces announced that they would provide Hamas with arms. In December, 1995, Arafat invited Hamas to join his provisional regime. In 1996, Arafat appointed Hamas officials to run the religious departments and schools under his authority. By fall 2001, the IDF confirmed that Islamic terror groups train and operate in the full view of the Palestinian Authority security services, and that the Islamic terrorists get a clear message that their activity operates with the full blessing of Arafat's regime. The promise of the Oslo process was that Arafat would crush the Hamas, not co-opt Hamas. Does Peres feel today that Arafat betrayed him?
Norwegian statesmen Kare Kristiansen resigned from the Nobel Prize committee because of the Nobel Prize bestowed upon Arafat. The same Kare Kristiansen told the Norwegian media that Peres had promised financial remuneration to fellow Nobel Prize Committee member Terje Larsen in order to ensure that he would share the Nobel Peace Prize with the late Prime Minister Rabin. In 2002, I interviewed Mr. Kristiansen and he explicitly affirmed that he had witnessed the deal made between Peres and Larsen which assured Larsen that he would be "well rewarded for his efforts." How does Peres respond to the allegation that he paid good money for the Nobel Peace Prize?
The Palestine National Council, meeting in April 1996, did not vote to nullify the PLO charter to destroy Israel. However, Peres proclaimed that Arafat did fulfill his promise to nullify amend the PLO charter. It turned out that the resolution that Arafat had told Peres that they would pass was not even brought up for a vote. What is Peres's current perspective of the PLO charter, which was never changed?
In March 2007, when a new "Palestinian unity government" was formed to include Hamas and the Fatah in a coalition government, Peres declared that "only with economics can we make peace." Peres went on to say that if members of terrorist groups perceive economic incentives, they will cease to be terrorists. Does Peres truly believe that a terrorist organization which acts upon a deep rooted ideology can be enticed by a good business opportunity to abandon the path of terror?
Peres repeats over and over that the "gap between Israel and the PA is very small," while consistently describing Abbes as "Israel's hope for peace." However, Peres refuses to comment on the war curriculum that Abbas and the PA ministry of education have introduced in the PA. Peres consistently refuses to say if he has even reviewed the new PA school books, which have introduced a curriculum of war for the next generation of Palestinian Arab school children. On March 1, 2000, Peres addressed an international colloquium for the Jewish media, where Peres announced that the PA had adopted a PA school curriculum for peace. When I pointed out to Peres that the curriculum that he had quoted from had been vetoed by the PA, Peres moved away from the microphone and said "I know." The Israeli intelligence report on PA school books now being used in PA schools, prepared by Dr. Noah Meritor, is accessible at http://www.terrorism-info.org.... Why will Peres not comment on the current PA curriculum of war?
Before the Gaza retreat, Peres, then deputy Prime Minister, Peres announced on July 7th, 2005 that the American government had allocated $2 billion to cover the costs of disengagement. That assurance was quoted by the mainstream Israeli media for months to come. However, on July 12th, 2005, the spokesman for the US treasury department told Israel's leading business newspaper, GLOBES, that the US was not giving one penny for the Disengagement Policy. Where did Peres get the idea that the US would fund the Israel retreat from Gaza?
Before Israel's 2005 retreat from Gaza, Shimon Peres accused southern Israelis of "stoking hysteria" about the rockets and asked "What's the big deal?", while calling the kassam missile as a harmless. "Kassam Shmassam", said Peres. Since the southern region of Israel has suffered 29,000 aerial attacks from Gaza and 49 people killed over the past ten years, what is Peres's perspective on the assurances that he gave the people of Southern Israel before Israel withdrew its civilians, soldiers, and bases from Gaza?
In 2011, Shimon Peres dispatched a letter of praise to J Street, one day after J-Street called on the US to support the PLO resolution at the UN Security Council calling for the halt of settlement construction, including east Jerusalem, which the Obama administration vetoed after all other permanent members voted were in favor. Does Peres have any second thoughts about sending such a letter of support to J Street?
On January 4, 2013, Machmud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority, delivered a new year's message in which he lauded Adolf Hitler's Arab ally, Haj Amin Al Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, as someone whose legacy should be emulated" by the Palestinian people, Since Israel's President Shimon Peres never stops in his adulation of Abbas, Peres was asked if he would condemn Abbas's praise of the Mufti, yet Peres refused comment on Abbas's praise of the Mufti. Why would Peres not condemn Abbas's praise of the Mufti?
Peres continually endorses an independent Palestinian state under the leadership of Abbas, as a Palestinian state that would coexist as a peaceful neighbor with Israel. Yet UNRWA remains in tact, maintaining 5 million Arab refugees and their descendants in "temporary" refugee camps, under the premise and promise of the right of return to Arab villages that no longer exist within Israel. Why does Peres not support a change in the UNRWA mandate, which contradicts his vision of a "two state solution"?

Alienating Chosen People With Extremely Anti-Choice Bill

Publisher — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:34:48 GMT

— by David Streeter

The National Jewish Democratic Council expressed concern over today's vote by House Republicans in support of its latest extreme anti-choice bill.

"With all the talk of broadening the GOP base, Republicans seem unable to resist taking extreme action on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives," said NJDC Executive Director Aaron Keyak. "By forcing a vote on a doomed and radically anti-choice bill, Republicans are once again alienating the vast majority of American Jews — including Jewish Republicans who have specifically urged the GOP to ease up on social issues."

More after the jump.
Polls show that the Jewish community is one of the most pro-choice demographics in America. The Public Religion Research Institute found in 2012 that 93% of the Jewish community as a whole supports a woman's right to choose, including 77% of Jewish Republicans.

In addition, the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) specifically urged the Republican Party to focus less on social issues. The RJC said in its "Blueprint for Victory" video that there are "real concerns over the Republican Party's views on social issues, such as abortion and gay marriage," and that the GOP "must earn the trust and votes of non-traditional Republicans" — which includes Jews and women.

Time: Israel and U.S. Coordinating How to Target Assad's Arsenal

Publisher — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:28:12 GMT

— by Jason Berger

On Friday, Time reported that the United States and Israel are coordinating closely on how best to target President Bashar al Assad's chemical weapons arsenals. Earlier this month, the U.S. placed F-16s and Patriot missile batteries in Jordan. In regards to the weapons placement, an Israeli official noted, "It's a clear, purposeful presence of a strike force near the border of Syria. I think it's a message, a clear message." The U.S. also installed Patriot batteries in Turkey last year.

Most importantly, though, Israeli officials told Time that the U.S. and Israel were planning for assorted scenarios where they could conceivably search and destroy all of Assad's 18 chemical weapons arsenals.

More after the jump.
According to Time:

One scenario would be the sudden removal of Assad from the scene, be it by flight, death or if he simply disappears. That would prompt the allies to launch operations on the estimated 18 depots and other sites where WMDs are stored, the officials said. Search and destroy operations would also be launched if the weapons appeared to be about to fall into the hands of the rebels, which include Islamist extremists aligned with al-Qaeda.

Israeli officials also emphasized that it had not been decided who would do what or if the U.S. would deploy troops on the ground. They said it is vital that all chemical and biological weapons are neutralized. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu mentioned his resolve to BBC in April:

The main arms of concern to us are the arms that are already in Syria — these are anti-aircraft weapons, these are chemical weapons and other very, very dangerous weapons that could be game changers. They will change the conditions, the balance of power in the Middle East. They could present a terrorist threat on a worldwide scale. It is definitely our interest to defend ourselves, but we also think it is in the interest of other countries.

Cartoons reprinted courtesy of Yaakov (Dry Bones) Kirschen http://drybonesblog.blogspot.com/

Boycott Divestment Summer Camp

Contributing Writer — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:55:37 GMT

— by Alana Goodman

Reprinted with permission from The Washington Free Beacon

Anti-Israel college students will trek to a scenic campsite in upstate New York this summer to learn how to launch campus boycotts against the Jewish state at a program subsidized and run by one of America's largest Quaker faith groups.

The American Friends Service Committee "We Divest Campaign Student Leadership Team Summer Training Institute" describes itself as a "five (5) day intensive program for campus [Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions] organizers-those with campaigns already running and those hoping to get one launched in the 2013-2014 school year."

More after the jump.
The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign was officially launched by a network of pro-Palestinian groups in 2005 and seeks to use economic and cultural boycotts to isolate Israel, force the government's hand on Palestinian negotiations, and evoke comparisons between the Jewish state and South Africa's Apartheid regime.

Students attending the AFSC's Summer Training Institute, which is also sponsored by the anti-Israel Jewish Voice for Peace, will participate in "anti-oppression analysis workshops," "non-violent direct action planning," and "strategy sessions with BDS movement leaders," according to the AFSC website.

The program runs from July 28 to Aug. 1 and promises "fun in a summer camp-like environment!" The cost of room and board is subsidized by the AFSC and the JVP, according to the website.

An AFSC official said the number of attendees for this year is not yet finalized and said the 2013 program will focus on "call[ing] attention to what is happening in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories while supporting a just and lasting peace that benefits both Palestinians and Israelis."

Pro-Israel groups have vehemently opposed the BDS movement, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center released a report that said the campaign was driven by anti-Jewish sentiment in March.

"It doesn't help a single Palestinian. It doesn't improve the quality of life for Palestinians. It is simply anti-Israel," the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Abraham Cooper told the Washington Free Beacon. "Unfortunately, the community of the people associated with this particular church have embraced [the BDS campaign] completely, so much so that they are using up whatever moral capital they have to do training for an immoral, hypocritical, and anti-Semitic undertaking."

The Simon Wiesenthal Center report said the BDS program meets Natan Sharansky's "three D's" test for anti-Semitism: It follows "double-standards" by criticizing Israel while overlooking human rights abuses across the Arab world; "demonizes" Israel by comparing its actions to those of Apartheid regimes; and attempts to "delegitimize" the Jewish state by targeting its existence.

Cooper said students attend these events "thinking their actions are doing the equivalent of the folks that [participated in] the Montgomery Bus Boycott, or following the route of Martin Luther King Jr.-complete and utter nonsense."

"What a shame, for young people, who are highly motivated that want to do something good in the world," he added.

The AFSC's Michael Merryman-Lotze, who helped organize the summer program, objected to the argument that the BDS campaign is anti-Semitic.

"We see nothing inherently anti-Semitic in the use of these proven nonviolent tactics nor in the BDS movement as a whole," said Merryman-Lotze. "Are BDS opponents next going to argue that these same tactics were anti-White in the Jim Crow south and apartheid era South Africa?"

Merryman-Lotze also disputed claims from critics that the campaign has been ineffective.

"Why, if BDS is ineffective and largely a failure, have the Israeli government and groups like the ADL, the Wiesenthal Center, and AIPAC invested millions of dollars in developing campaigns to counter minimally funded grassroots BDS activism?" said Merryman-Lotze. "If our efforts are ineffective, why write a story about our planned training program? The answer is that BDS is effective and successful."

While the BDS campaign has gained traction on college campuses and won support from some high-profile names such as Elvis Costello and Stephen Hawking, it has failed to have an impact on the Israeli economy or influence policy.

Israel's tech industry in particular continues to boom, with Google purchasing Israeli company Waze for $1 billion on Tuesday.

"Culturally-just this week-two enormous, international sporting events were held in Israel," one D.C. Jewish organization official told the Free Beacon. "Economically, the world's largest tech companies are rushing to invest there. Politically, Israel stands out more than ever as the only stable Western ally left in the entire Middle East."

The BDS movement's failure to meet its objectives suggests that efforts to fund and support the campaign are aimed at opposing the Jewish state rather than achieving any legitimate policy goal, according to pro-Israel advocates.

According to the D.C. Jewish organization official.

"You've really got to ask yourself where boycott advocates keep getting the energy, given that efforts to economically and culturally isolate Israel have been an utter failure. Let's pretend that boycotters succeed in getting everyone to stop buying Israeli hummus, which is something they actually think is important. If they keep that up for a few thousand years, it will almost offset this week's billion-dollar acquisition of Waze by Google. No company in its right mind is ever going to boycott a country that's been nicknamed 'Start-Up Nation.'"

For Samantha Power, Support for Israel Is Deeply Personal & Proven

Publisher — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:48:35 GMT

— by Jason Berger

On Saturday, The Jewish Daily Forward's Nathan Guttman published an article on Samantha Power, President Obama's nominee for U.N. Ambassador, and her commitment to Israel. Guttman's piece opened with a story from 2009 in which Power is meeting with Israeli officials. In the middle of their discussion, she pulled out a picture of her son and described how her husband Cass Sustein is a descendent of the, "Vilna Gaon, Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman Kremer, the 18th-century Jewish sage who is considered the greatest talmudic scholar of his time."

Guttman concluded that while this might partially explain Power's commitment to Israel, it is not the only reason. Former Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C. Dan Arbel explains that for as long as he has known Power, her strong sentiment towards Israel has always been second nature. He states, "Her starting point has always been, 'How do we work together to overcome obstacles and to ensure that both the United States and Israel get out of these U.N. situations with the least damage?"

Guttman also discussed how Power dealt with almost every Israel-related issue at the U.N. during Ambassador Susan Rice's tenure. According to an Administration official, "She was involved in any brush fire at the United Nations. After [U.N. Ambassador] Susan Rice, she was the most influential person on U.N. issues."

More after the jump.
Most impressively, though, are the Israelis who are praising the Power selection. Guttman noted:

Israeli officials noted Power's leadership role in getting the administration to pull out of the 2009 Durban II anti-racism conference because of its anti-Israel bias. They also applauded her work in defeating the P.A.'s 2011 drive to achieve recognition for Palestine as an independent state through the United Nations Security Council. Power's strong profile on these two issues, said Jarrod Bernstein, who served until recently as liaison to the Jewish community at the White House, shows "two instances in which she distinguished herself as being on the right side of the community."
Power also participated in discussions that sought to dissipate the difficulties that Israel faced as a result of the 2009 Goldstone Report, which alleged that Israel had committed war crimes during its military campaign in Gaza the previous year.
Power was instrumental, too, in protecting Israel following the widespread condemnation it faced in 2010 for its attack on the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship that sought to deliver a shipment of humanitarian goods to Gaza in violation of the blockade that Israel had imposed on the territory. Before leaving her NSC post, Power, according to an official involved in those talks, worked on strategies for preventing Israel's adversaries in this episode from pursuing their case at the International Criminal Court in Hague.

Main Line's Thirst for Books Quenched at Last

leebarzel — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 02:39:53 GMT

Cathy Fiebach outside the store

— by Hannah Lee

I and other residents of the Main Line have been in lack of books since the bankruptcy of the Borders bookstore chain in July 2011, and the renovations of the Ludington and Bala Cynwyd branch libraries, the latter closing in December 2011. For a few months, we were bereft of all three resources, until Ludington reopened last September, and Bala Cynwyd reopened last month. Another pleasure awaits us at the newly opened Main Point Books, an independent bookstore in Bryn Mawr, run by local resident Cathy Fiebach.

Main Point Books stocks a broad range of books, with a particular emphasis on literary fiction. Fiebach is eager to hear from customers about the kinds of books they like, and especially about books they do not, because it helps her develop her inventory. (When was the last time you had fun chatting books with the staff at a chain store?)

One of the charming books available in the store is My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop, a collection of essays by writers on their favorite bookstores. Some of those stores are in the writers' communities, and others are their stops along a book tour. I have my own copy, and I told Fiebach that it is "armchair traveling" for me to read about lovely bookstores across the country. Her store could easily join their ranks.

More after the jump.
Main Point Books has comfortable armchairs, round tables and 17,000 square feet of space. The bookcases in the middle are on wheels, and are able to be moved out for an audience. Events with authors will begin in the fall. Interested customers may get alerts on Facebook or Twitter, or by email. (Visitors could satisfy any hunger pangs with the dairy selection from the *ndulge Cupcake Boutique located next door, in the former Medley Music building, with kosher supervision from Rabbi Dov Lerner of Traditional Kosher Supervision.)

Main Point Books, located at 1041 W. Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr, is open seven days a week, with hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday 10 am to 6 pm; Thursday and Friday 10 am to 8 pm; and Sunday noon to 4 pm. Phone: 610-525-1480; email: cathy.mainpointbooks@gmail.com.

The Congressional SNAP Challenge: What Rep. Barbara Lee Forgot

DocJess — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 22:35:20 GMT

Rep. Barbara Lee

Once in a while, a politician or two tries living on the budget of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for a day, or maybe a week. This week, 26 members of the Congress will do it, in reaction to the Senate's Farm Bill, that would once again cut the SNAP recipient budgets. The current amount that the average recipient can eat on is $4.50 a day.

I was struck by Congresswoman Barbara Lee's (D-CA) blog post on her shopping trip:

Getting your budget down to $4.50 a day is complicated. You need to try to make sure you have enough protein, limit your sodium, and find good vegetables. If you have special dietary needs, like diabetes or an allergy, there's even more to think about.

Congresswoman Lee's heart (and those of the other 25 members of Congress who took on the challenge) is in the right place, but she forgot something: She made a tuna noodle casserole part of her week's meal plan. She noted that she found a box that only required water, since milk and butter were not on her budget. Some SNAP recipients also don't have electricity or gas. Therefore, they can not cook.

More after the jump.

In addition, food tends to cost more in poorer neighborhoods. I am not saying that only "the poor" are on SNAP — there are many people living in middle-class neighborhoods who have lost their job, and are eking out from unemployment compensation and SNAP. But if your only food source is a bodega, it is likely that a can of tuna will cost more than if you can compare prices at multiple markets from the flyers that get delivered weekly, and choose the best location.

Having said all that, I applaud the members of Congress taking on this challenge. I wish that at least one of the members of Congress voting for the cut to SNAP would take it on also, and see how expensive it is to buy food.

Every time I write an article about SNAP, I look at my log and see what I ate the day before, and how much it cost. Yesterday, I had three cups of coffee (58¢/cup), about a half pound of grapes ($1.50), a yogurt (79¢) and a salad from a fast food restaurant, plus dressing. I hit $4 before even figuring out the cost of the salad. I am a tiny eater, and I know that "regular" people wouldn't be able live on what I eat. Some people have no choice.

If you want to help, you could try eating on $4.50 a day, or just add up what you spent on food yesterday. And then call your Congress member. If they are participating, thank them. If not, ask why.

We have money for weapons, money for corporate welfare, tax cuts for the rich, but no money for kids who will be very hungry this summer, when they will not get school lunches. I called my Representative's office. They wrote down my questions, but I doubt that I will get an answer. Maybe you will do better.

Written in Philadelphia, Bound for Broadway

RonitTreatman — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 01:48:52 GMT

— by Ronit Treatman

Last year, local talent Michael Bihovsky knocked our hypoallergenic socks off with his music parody video One Grain More. Now, he is launching a "fresh" new project.

Bihovsky is putting his collegiate experiences to music into "Fresh!" This musical follows Michael from the suburbs of Philadelphia to his new life as a freshman in New York City. Michael sings about his challenges and struggles, and shares the transformation he experiences.

This is a show everyone can relate to, as it empathizes with the daily struggles many of us endure. In the end, both Michael and we emerge stronger.

Book Review: Adirondack Mendel's Aufruf

rebgoldie — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 04:00:00 GMT

— by Rabbi Goldie Milgram

Adirondack Mendel's Aufruf: Welcome to Chelm's Pond is a delightful and successful new interpretation of the genre of Chelm stories, with an original tale by author Sandor Schuman.

Theological inquiry and Jewish learning are traditionally embedded like subtle gems in the Chelm genre, and Schuman has not missed a beat on this score either. The illustrations, by Kevin Kuhne, are so clever and lively that one can also get drawn into the story through them. The pacing and parsing of the narrative has the tone of a great storyteller. Good fun and solid musing, all in one.

More after the jump.
Some of you may be thinking, "Chelm?" While today a town of almost 70,000 residents in Eastern Poland, for Jews Chelm is the name of a legendary village of inept, inside-out, hilarious illiterate Jews, whose behaviors and Yiddishisms have kept our people in stitches through many hard times. Beyond Mendel, "the renowned adventurer, woodsman, mountain man, and Adirondack guide who always tells the truth, even if he has to lie to do it," the main characters in the book include Aufruf, the Yiddish-speaking dog, the Jewish quote maven Rabbi Chayyim Shammayim, "the oldest and wisest khokhem in all of Chelm's Pond," and especially, Bloomie, the dim-some shayne meydl.

Is this book for you? In this sample passage Bloomie is speaking:

"What's your name, doggy?
Wagging his tail wildly, Aufruf replied, "Aufruf."
"That's a lovely name for a dog. How appropriate. Who gave you that name?"
"Colin Powell."
"Hmmm. I don't know him. Is he your owner?"
"Nisht ahin, nisht aher. I am without an owner."...
[Aufruf]... How can you just talk with me like it was an ordinary thing?"
"Well, it is an ordinary thing for you, isn't it?" Bloomie replied. "And as for me, I talk to animals all of the time."
"Yeah, but they don't talk back."
"Sometimes they do," Bloomie replied, and then added, slowly for emphasis, "but you really have to listen."
Aufruf was taken aback. Here was someone who could teach him his own lesson. Perhaps he should be more open-minded to hear other animals..."

Love, difference, gender issues, conversion to Judaism, belief in God, honesty and over 130 Hebrew and Yiddish terms are brilliantly introduced within the 103 pages of a book that can fit in a coat pocket. There are many interpretive levels to this book, making it appropriate for reading and discussion with children as well as adults. Adirondack Mendel's Aufruf, while keeping faith with the Chelm traditions, is also moving us forward with honest inquiry on difficult topics. It is a great way to develop a useful Jewish cultural vocabulary, and as a new piece of Jewish folklore, a sheer delight. A Guide to Chelm's Pond for Teachers and Discussion Leaders is available as a free download at http://www.chelmspond.com.

B'nai B'rith Addresses Anti-Israel U.N. Human Rights Council Session‏

Contributing Writer — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:38:33 GMT

Canadian politicians criticize Falk

Yesterday, B'nai B'rith International spoke before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva during the anti-Israel "agenda item 7" session. B'nai B'rith addressed UNHRC special rapporteur Richard Falk's appalling recent comments blaming the Boston Marathon bombings on the United States' foreign policy, and urged his removal.

Klaus Netter, B'nai B'rith representative to the U.N. in Geneva, said:

Just a few weeks ago, the entire world was shocked to hear and see the bombing that occurred at the end of the Boston Marathon, resulting in the death of three and the injury of hundreds of innocent bystanders. Yet, there were a few contrary reactions, such as the one expressed by the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories... In the Foreign Policy Journal dated 21 April 2013, he wrote: 'The American global domination project is bound to generate all kinds of resistance... the United States has been fortunate not to experience worse blowbacks.'

Continued after the jump.

A few days later, a U.N. spokesman said that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the Boston Marathon bombing and that he 'strongly believed that nothing can justify such an attack.' He rejected Falk's comments and indicated that... such public comments by special rapporteurs 'could undermine the U.N.'s credibility and the work of the United Nations.'

Separately, B'nai B'rith joined European representatives at the council and U.S. Ambassador to the UNHRC Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe in taking Falk to task on a biased report he delivered at the council, blasting Israeli policies toward Gaza.

Netter noted that only the council can remove Falk from his position, and added, "We strongly urge such action at this session of the council."

Chilled, Grilled Beet Borscht

RonitTreatman — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:15:07 GMT

— by Ronit Treatman

"It's almost too hot to eat anything at all!" I exclaimed to my friend, Anna Gombai. It was a humid day in Philadelphia, with temperatures in the nineties. "You need something light and healthy," she told me. "Cold Russian borscht, like we used to make in Moscow." I had never tasted borscht, but I was ready to try. Borscht is a Russian peasant beet soup that is traditionally served chilled. It is garnished with chopped eggs, radishes and herbs. To me, the most important requirement was to cook it outside, on the grill, so the house would remain cool.

Full recipe after the jump.
Grilled Beet Borscht adapted from Anna Gombai

2 pounds multicolored beets
Extra virgin olive oil
1 pound cucumbers
1 bottle plain, non-fat Kefir
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 cup radishes, diced
4 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1/4 cup minced dill
Salt
Black pepper

Preheat the grill to medium.
Wash the beets, and brush them with olive oil.
Place on the grill for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through.
Remove the beets from the grill and allow to cool.
Once the beets are cool, chop them up.
Mix the beets in a large bowl with Kefir, salt, and pepper.
Cover the bowl, and chill for about 4 hours.
To serve, garnish with chopped eggs, cucumbers, radishes, scallions, dill, cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream.

The soup was a vivid pink, with green accents from the herbs. The Kefir, which is a type of yogurt, gave it a silky texture, while the chopped cucumbers and radishes added a welcome crunch. Kefir is high in protein and calcium, and very low in lactose. It is also full of bacteria that boost the immune system and help digestion.

I asked Anna if I should serve it with bread. She recommended a traditional Russian side dish: a boiled potato. I cooked my potato on the grill, covered with aluminum foil.

U.S. Calls for Richard Falk's Resignation From the UN

Contributing Writer — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:32:57 GMT

Eileen Donahoe

— by Sara Fried

The United States called for the resignation of Richard Falk, U.N. special rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, following his statements against the pro-Israel group UN Watch. Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, U.S. Representative to the Human Rights Council, said:

The United States completely rejects and condemns the irresponsible call by Mr. Richard Falk, U.N. Special Rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories, to investigate a legitimate and U.N.-accredited NGO, UN Watch. His statement and recommendation, if given credibility, would threaten the independent voice of civil society at the United Nations.

Continued after the jump.

Mr. Falk's most recent statement, which he dramatically and recklessly included in an official U.N. document, is characteristic of previous reprehensible comments and actions he has made during his tenure as a special rapporteur. It once again starkly demonstrates that he is unfit to serve in his role as a U.N. special rapporteur.
His views and behavior, both official and unofficial, are offensive and provocative and do nothing to advance peace in the Middle East or to further the protection and promotion of human rights. We again call for his resignation.

According to JTA, Falk accused UN Watch of "'demeaning' and 'defaming' his character, damaging the 'credibility,' 'effectiveness' and 'substantive intention' of his mandate." His criticisms of UN Watch followed the organization's resolution to remove him from his position, after he blamed the Boston Marathon bombings on "the American global domination project" and "Tel Aviv."

Abraham Foxman

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) praised Ambassador Donahoe for her statement against Falk. ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said:

We fully agree with Ambassador Donahoe's conclusion that Mr. Falk is 'unfit to serve in his role as a U.N. special rapporteur.' His continued affiliation with the U.N. makes a mockery out of the Human Rights Council's founding purpose, and undermines the important work of the U.N. If he does not leave voluntarily, the Human Rights Council should remove him.

Traces of Sephardic Heritage in the Catalan Cuisine

Contributing Writer — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 16:40:14 GMT

— by Espe Teruel

The current cuisine of any people is the result of many causes: tradition, culture, customs, native products, and the influences of different cultures that have been present at some point in history nearby that nation. In the current Catalan cuisine we can find conspicuous traces of inheritance from the Sephardic cuisine. They have undergone the typical evolution of time, and adapted to local products.

Sephardic Jews from Spain brought to the cities of the Ottoman Empire and North Africa a taste for olive oil, almonds, citrus, saffron, and sweets made with eggs and egg yolks. They brought with them the expertise of using spices, and flower essences, such as rose water or orange blossom water.

More after the jump.
There is an old Sephardic proverb that says, "What you ate or did not eat does not matter. What matters is that you sat at the table." This shows that just as in the Catalan culture, the important thing is not so much the menu, but if you shared your meal with others, making it a social event.

Here are some examples:

L'aperitiu

In Catalunya, especially on holidays and other celebrations, meals usually start with what we call "L'aperitiu" (which could be equated to "meze"). Small quantities of more or less elaborate appetizers are served. Many of these dishes recall the Sephardic custom quoted.

L'escalivada

A dish of grilled vegetables, especially eggplant and peppers, but you can add others such as onion, garlic, tomatoes and all dressed with olive oil, salt, garlic and parsley. According to some experts, this dish could be considered a local evolution of the medieval Sephardic almadrote (cheese and garlic sauce)".

Escudella i carn d'olla

This dish, labeled as Catalan today, could have originated, as Claudia Roden explains in her book "The Food of Spain," in the adafina, the large pot with plenty of food inside that Jews cooked over low heat in Friday night to have it ready on Sabbath, in which you can not light the fire (similarly to cholent).

Espinacs a la catalana

In this dish we can see the evidence of its Sephardic origin in its ingredients: It's a delicious combination of spinach, raisins and pine nuts, seasoned with garlic.

Cigrons amb espinacs

In the Sephardic cookbooks, another recipe usually found is "stewed chickpeas with spinach." This is another dish that we cook today in Catalan cuisine. There are as many variations as cooks, but they are essentially based on the aforementioned Sephardic dish.

Postre de Músic

The "dessert of Music" is a typical Catalan dessert, made with various dried fruits and nuts, accompanied by sweet wine, like in Tu B'Shvat. Drying the fruits was the way to use them out of their season.

Fideuà amb aioli

The recipe for this dish is based on a typical Sephardic way to cook the noodles: it starts with sauteing the noodles in oil until golden-brown, unlike other styles, in which the pasta is placed directly into the broth.

Pa de Pessic

The "Country of Pessic" biscuit is popular in Central Catalonia, especially in the city of Vic. It reminds us of Pan d'Espanya, or "fluffy Sephardic bread." In Catalonia, this is the standard basis of Easter cakes. Not so for the Sephardim, who do not consider it ksoher for Passover, as it is made with self-rising flour.

Bunyols de vent

Historically, those donuts are a Jewish pastry that has been prepared since the tenth century to celebrate Chanukah. Due to the proximity of the holiday with All Saints, they also became part of the Christian repertoire. In Catalonia, they are traditionally eaten on Wednesdays and Fridays of Lent.

Bunyols Empordà

The "Bunyols de l'Empordà" are typical to the region of Empordà. We can find the Sephardic version of this recipe under the name "Biscochos de anise," or anise donuts.

Ensïmada de Mallorca

Typical to the island of Mallorca, this pastry is crafted with all kinds of fillings such as pumpkin, cream, and chocolate. The spectacular sweet has its ancestry in the "Kalabasa Rodanchas," a Jewish specialty.

Panellets

Marzipan began as a sweet for Passover, one of the many that are made without flour. It is made with almonds, hence its name in Ladino, "almendradas." Many varieties of marzipan are made in Catalonia. Pine nuts, coconut, almonds, cherries, coffee, quince, and lemon are some of the ingredients included.

Espe Teruel was born in Premia de Dalt, a village in the province of Barcelona, in 1962. She grew up in a bicultural environment, in which the customs of her parents, who came from Andalusia, were combined with those of Catalonia. She is fond of cooking, and wants to know the different cuisines around her, especially those of the Mediterranean.

A Reasonable Request: PLO Ratification of the Oslo Accords

Contributing Writer — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 14:53:23 GMT

Arafat (right) signed the accord without the PLO's sanction

— by David Bedein

Recently, US Secretary of State John Kerry passionately called for the renewal of talks with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Former President Bill Clinton, who hosted the PLO-Israel ceremonies on the White House lawn twenty years ago, is on his way to Jerusalem for high profile lectures, where he will also call for renewal of negotiations. And Shimon Peres, Israel's president, who served as Israel's foreign minister at the outset of negotiations with the PLO two decades ago, is about to convene thousands of dignitaries at a conference at the President's mansion, that will call to expedite negotiations with the PLO.

Veteran observers of middle east politics may ask: what is there to negotiate about?

More after the jump.
Indeed, there is an item on the table that is hardly a minor detail: The Palestinian Liberation Organization did not ratify the Oslo Accords after Yasser Arafat and Mahmuod Abbas signed them on the White House lawn.

On September 13, 1993, at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin and Israeli Foreign Minister Simon Peres signed the "Declaration of Principles" (DOP) between Israel and the PLO together with Arafat and Abbas. The agreement, which had been hammered out in Oslo, stipulated mutual recognition between Israel and the PLO. It required the PLO to cease and desist from terrorism, and for the PLO to nullify its covenant, which calls for Israel's destruction.

The Israeli Knesset ratified the accord one week later, by a vote of 61 to 50, with 9 abstentions. However, what received hardly any attention was the fact that on October 6, 1993, the PLO executive did not ratify the Oslo accord, for lack of a quorum.

Very few people know or remember that Pinchas Inbari, the only Israeli correspondent covering the PLO in Tunis at the time, writing for the Israeli left-wing Hebrew newspaper Al HaMishmar, broke the story that Arafat announced in Tunis that he could not get a quorum of the executive council of the PLO to ratify the Declaration of Principles of the Oslo Accords. Al HaMishmar then ran a headline, which reported that the PLO did not ratify the accord.

Yossi Beilin was sent to Tunis to thank Arafat for the ratification of Oslo, which never happened

Carrying Al HaMishmar in my hand, I walked into the office of the Israel Government Press Office director at the time, Mr. Ori Dromi, and showed him the headline. Dromi, an appointee of Rabin, made it clear that from the Israeli government's point of view, this meant that Arafat signed the accord without the sanction of the PLO.

The rest of the Israeli media, however, did not report that the PLO never ratified the accord, and the Israeli government acted as if it had done so.

Inbari was scheduled to appear on Kol Yisrael's popular morning radio show when he got back from Tunis. However, the Prime Minister's office asked Kol Yisrael to cancel that appearance. Instead, the Israeli government dispatched then-Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yossi Beilin, to fly to Tunis to thank Arafat for facilitating the ratification of the Oslo accord, which the PLO never did.

Why is this important? According to the Israeli law, since the PLO did not ratify the Oslo accord, which renounce terrorism, the PLO and Fatah were never stricken from Israeli law books as "a terrorist entity," a status that the PLO received on March 1, 1980.

The same goes for American law. In March 2002, US government designated the Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades of the Fatah as a terror organization. That designation was never changed. Under US law, any government that aids and abets an organization defined as a terror organization will forfeit US foreign aid assistance.

On two occasions, the Palestinian National. Council gathered to discuss the PLO Covenant, which calls for Israel's destruction: on April 24, 1996 and on December 14, 1998. On neither occasion did the PNC cancel it.

In other words, there is a real reason to renew negotiations with the PLO: The first items on the agenda would be to ask that the PLO finally ratify the Declaration of Principles of non violence and mutual recognition, which constituted the essence of the Oslo Accord. The other request would be to cancel the PLO Covenant.

Aren't those requests reasonable?

RJC Mischaracterizes UN Ambassador Nominee Samantha Power

Publisher — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:57:50 GMT

Author and former Congressional Candidate Rabbi Shmulay Beteach (R-NJ) has debunked the Republican Jewish Coalition's over the top claim that UN Ambassador nominee Samantha Power "suggested that the U.S. should invade Israel militarily."

In our conversation, she rejected utterly the notion that she had any animus toward Israel. She acknowledged that she had erred significantly in offering hypothetical comments that did not reflect how she felt. She said that opponents of President Obama had unfairly taken her disorganized comments further and characterized them as 'invade Israel' talk. She said that if she really believed that Israel could even be remotely accused of practicing genocide against the Palestinians, then the correct forum for her to express that view would have been somewhere in the 664 pages of her book, A Problem From Hell, wherein she details all the genocides of the twentieth century. She never even hints that Israel is guilty of such atrocity. She explained that the only time she has written about Israel was in a later book, Chasing the Flame, on slain UN Diplomat Sérgio Vieira de Mello. There she described his time in UNIFIL, and included a discussion of the Government of Israel's own findings on Sabra and Shatila.
To bolster her argument, she mentioned that her former Professor at Harvard, Alan Dershowitz, whom I consider to be Israel's most eloquent global champion, called her after A Problem from Hell was published, to applaud her for not remotely associating Israel with genocide, the way so many academic enemies had. I checked with my old friend, Professor Dershowitz, and he confirmed that he has warm feelings toward his former student, and considers her a moderate on Israel.
Listening to Power face-to-face and hearing her clarification set, amidst the visible hurt of being grouped together with Israel's detractors, I found her argument convincing. Power, the world's leading chronicler of genocide, is being dismissed as an enemy of the Jewish state based almost entirely on a fragment of a single interview lasting about two-and-a-half minutes. Most significantly, however we understand the meaning of her words in the unfortunate interview, they are utterly belied by her actions. She would later indeed become a senior adviser to the president of the United States, and not only would she never even remotely identify Israel as a genocidal power that needed to be stopped, but to the contrary, she would utilize her influence to advocate for military action against a genocidal Arab dictator, who is not only killing innocent Arab protestors, but is, along with Iran, one of Israel's most outspoken enemies.

More after the jump.

In addition, some leading members of the American Jewish establishment shared with me that Power was instrumental in having America decline attendance in Durban II in April 2009, otherwise known as the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, which promised to be, like Durban I in 2001, a UN-sponsored Israel hate-fest.
There have been other, more minor comments by Power that have been interpreted as hostile to Israel, but those interpretations rely on the assumption, generated in 2002, that she is an Israel-hater. Based on Ms. Power's clarification, and much more importantly, her actions, I believe this perception to be without merit and justice. We should now move on from her comments and judge her instead by her actions.
I would be remiss if I did not mention my personal stake in the rehabilitation of Samantha Power's reputation in the Jewish community. Firstly, it seems incongruous that a woman that has done more in modern times to highlight the atrocity of genocide than anyone else should be ostracized from a community that has most experienced its tragic effects. Indeed, in our meeting, Power told me that the Jewish community is by far the most vocal against genocide, and that at the Save Darfur rally of May 1, 2006 there was "an endless sea of yarmulkes." Likewise, in A Problem from Hell she writes of the Jewish community's role in mobilizing military intervention in Bosnia.
Second, Muammar Gaddafi owned the home right next door to me in Englewood, New Jersey. I have been sickened over the past two years to awaken every morning to the site of the Libyan flag flying fifty feet from my home. I have done everything in my power to fight and oppose this brutal dictator ever since he announced plans to personally occupy the home and pitch a tent next-door to me. I have lobbied mayors, Governors, Congressmen, and Senators. Amid my deep respect for President Bush and his efforts to spread democracy in the Middle East, I was disappointed that his administration chose to normalize relations with Gaddafi. But one of the few American officials with the president's ear who advocated punishing Gaddafi for his wickedness was Samantha Power.
Third — and to me most importantly — I have spent a large portion of my life fighting Israel's enemies in public forums. Whether it was my eleven years at the University of Oxford, where I brought five Israeli Prime Ministers and endless cabinet ministers to respond to false accusations against the Jewish state; or the past eleven years, where I have been a defender of Israel on the American airwaves, championing the truth about Israel as a benevolent and liberal democracy; it has been one of my life's highest callings. But as important as it is to expose our enemies, it is equally important to exonerate those who are not. A person's reputation is all they have, and I know what it is like to feel unjustly maligned. Samantha Power has done the Jewish people service by highlighting the crime of genocide, and we welcome her repudiation of earlier comments on Israel. They were said over a decade ago, and she has expressed her regret for comments that lent themselves to misinterpretation. Judaism teaches that a person is judged primarily by their actions.
Power has lectured all over the world about the holocaust. She has used her influence to prevent a dictator from killing more of G-d's children. She has highlighted the central role of world Jewry in preventing genocide. These are heroic actions, that should be applauded rather than criticized.

Rice and Power Picked for Top Foreign Policy Jobs

Amir — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 07:47:49 GMT

Yesterday, President Obama announced that after more than four years overseeing the work of the National Security Council, Tom Donilon will depart in July as National Security Advisor and will be succeeded by Susan Rice. Ambassador Rice will be succeeded by Samantha Power as the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, pending Senate confirmation.

Reactions from BBI, NJDC and JCPA follow the the jump.

Susan Rice and Samantha Power

B'nai B'rith International has issued the following statement, welcoming Rice's appointment:

Rice was previously the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and served as a positive force within the world body. She often defended Israel against malicious one-sided resolutions intended to demonize and delegitimize the Jewish state. Rice spoke at the United Nations about the importance of direct negotiation between the parties to the Middle East conflict and urged the world body to resist unilateral measures aimed at circumventing the peace process.
Rice also expressed U.S. support for strong international sanctions against Iran and made clear America's determination to prevent the regime in Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
B'nai B'rith looks forward to working with Rice in her new position. We hope that in her new role she will be a force for advancing the same principles she fought for at the U.N.

National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) Chair Marc R. Stanley said:

On behalf of the NJDC Board, I want to thank Tom Donilon for his service to the Obama Administration. Donilon has been a part of President Obama's most significant defense policy decisions, including the Administration's work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.
Without question, Susan Rice has served the Obama Administration well in the United Nations and has made combatting anti-Israel bias a top priority for the U.S. delegation. NJDC commends her for her work at the U.N. and we know that she will serve the President effectively as his new National Security Advisor. We also congratulate Samantha Power on her selection and have full confidence that she will continue Rice's work on behalf of the United States and Israel in U.N. bodies.

JCPA President Rabbi Steve Gutow said:

Both Susan Rice and Samantha Power have been dedicated public servants and important partners in our work. As Ambassador to the U.N., Rice has played a crucial role in strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship and has been a steadfast ally for the Jewish state through many pressing challenges. Just a few weeks ago, leaders from the JCPA, The Jewish Federations of North America, UJA-Federation of New York, and the JCRC of New York visited Amb. Rice and gave her a mezuzah for her New York office in honor of her staunch support for Israel and as a symbol of her friendship with the American Jewish community. We look forward to continuing our work together when she returns to Washington and assumes her new role.
We have also worked closely with Samantha Power over the years in her roles as journalist, activist, and government official. Power has been a critical voice on human rights issues and we are very proud of our joint work to confront atrocities, including that in Darfur and the ongoing crisis in Sudan.

Biden: "It's Beyond My Capacity to Do Justice to Lautenberg"

Amir — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 06:48:33 GMT

Sen. Frank Lautenberg's funeral was held yesterday at the Park Avenue Synagogue. Among the speakers were Vice President Joe Biden, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ). 41 Senators, Gov. Chris Christie and six members of the House of Representatives attended the event.

Menendez said:

Frank Lautenberg was a man for his time. One of the greatest generation. The last of the Senate to have served in World War II. His story was an American story, but from his heart and for his lifetime, he was a kid from Paterson, New Jersey.

More after the jump.

Anyone who knew Frank knew he was destined to make something of himself. And he did.

Clinton said:

Frank always had something to say. It was usually a running commentary of what we were doing and what we weren't doing. You just couldn't help but have a smile on your face at least one time during the conversation.

Biden, who gave the longest speech, said:

I realize it's beyond my capacity to find the words to do justice to Frank Lautenberg.

The Vice President also told that Lautenberg met with him around Christmas and asked his advice about whether he should run for another term in the senate. Biden told him he should. "it was clear that he desperately wanted to run again," he said. "He never quit anything. He never gave up. He never gave in."

Biden joked that he often rushed to Union Station to catch the train back to Delaware. One time, he said, he got to the station late and found the conductor waiting on the platform. "I got up to the conductor and he said 'Hey Joe, don't worry. You're Okay. We're holding it up for Lautenberg.' They never once held it for me."

Lautenberg's wife, Bonnie Englebardt Lautenberg gave the final speech. She said the only thing that would have made her husband more happy than seeing all his friends there was to see them at a campaign fundraiser for him. "He taught us how to think at a much deeper level," she said.

Payday Loans May Return to Pa.

aajane — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 03:27:52 GMT

A note from our friends at the Keystone Research Center:

In a closely divided 8 to 6 vote today, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved Senate Bill 975, legalizing payday loans with annual percentage rates of more than 300%. The bill moves to the Senate floor, despite the opposition of veterans, seniors, faith groups, and a majority of Pennsylvanians.
The Keystone Research Center issued the following statement on behalf of the Coalition to Stop Predatory Payday Loans in Pennsylvania:
Senate Bill 975 rolls back the state's longstanding protections against predatory payday loans. Pennsylvania has been recognized by both the Pew Charitable Trusts and the U.S. Department of Defense for having among the strongest laws in the nation to keep out predatory payday lenders. A 2010 Pennsylvania Supreme Court case held that loans made in violation of existing law are illegal, even when made online.
Senate Bill 975 would undo those protections, harming working families across the state. With this bill comes a higher likelihood of bankruptcies in Pennsylvania, and payday lenders gaining direct access to borrowers' bank accounts. These are just some of the reasons that the bill faces opposition from a majority of Pennsylvanians.

The Coalition thanks those senators who stood with Pennsylvanians to oppose this bill: Senators Michael Stack, Lisa Boscola, Larry Farnese, Anthony Williams, Patricia Vance and John Rafferty. Democratic Chairman Stack made a passionate plea for the committee to do what veterans and others have asked: to reject this bill and keep our existing, strong consumer protections in place.
We are disappointed in those senators who stood with payday lenders by voting yes on this bill: Senators Pat Browne, Don White, Mike Brubaker, Kim Ward, Jake Corman, John Eichelberger, Joseph Scarnati and Jim Brewster.
Click here for more information about SB 975.

Payday loans are bad news.

Senator Frank Lautenberg Dies at 89

Contributing Writer — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 19:27:53 GMT

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), the last World War II veteran in the Senate, died today at the age of 89. (John Dingell (D-MI) and Ralph M. Hall (R-TX) are the two surviving World War II veterans in the House of Representatives.) He served in the Senate continuously in the years 1982-2001, and again since 2003.

Lautenberg wrote the legislation that set the national drinking age at 21. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this law saved 4,441 lives between 2003 and 2008.
His legislation has also lowered the blood alcohol level threshold for drunk driving to 0.08%.
During the Bush administration, Lautenberger repeatedly introduced legislation to close the terrorist loophole which allowed American companies to set up offices in the Cayman Islands and continue to do business with the National Iranian Oil Company.
A former two-pack-a-day smoker, Lautenberg wrote legislation that banned smoking on airplanes, federal buildings, and federally funded buildings that serviced children. This was one of the first restrictions on smoking in America.
The Senator also sponsored the legislation which bans access to firearms by people convicted of crimes of domestic violence.

After the jump: President Obama and Jewish organizations mourn the loss.

Lautenberg was the last World War II veteran in the United States Senate.

The White House issued the following statement by President Barack Obama:

Michelle and I were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg, a proud New Jerseyan who lived America's promise as a citizen, and fought to keep that promise alive as a senator.
The son of working-class immigrants, Frank joined the Army during World War II, went to college on the GI Bill, and co-founded one of America's most successful companies. First elected to the Senate in 1982, he improved the lives of countless Americans with his commitment to our nation's health and safety, from improving our public transportation to protecting citizens from gun violence to ensuring that members of our military and their families get the care they deserve. Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to Bonnie, the Lautenberg family, and the people of New Jersey, whom Frank served so well.

National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) Chair Marc R. Stanley issued the following statement:

The entire National Jewish Democratic Council family extends its deepest condolences to Senator Frank Lautenberg's family, friends, and the people of New Jersey. The late Senator leaves behind a distinguished record of public and Jewish communal service that distinguishes him as a giant among American Jewish political leaders. He was a staunch defender of progressive ideals and a stalwart advocate for the State of Israel and the American Jewish community. Lautenberg was a true friend to NJDC and we will forever miss his wisdom and insight.

B'nai B'rith International has issued the following statement:

B'nai B'rith International mourns the passing of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). Lautenberg was a World War II veteran and a dear friend of the Jewish community. As a senator from New Jersey for more than 28 years, he was a staunch supporter of Israel, a champion of free emigration for Soviet and Iranian Jews, and a booster of the rights of Jewish refugees from the Middle East.
Lautenberg died the morning of June 3 at the age of 89 due to complications from viral pneumonia. He was the oldest member and the last World War II veteran to serve in Congress.
Lautenberg was a respected voice on many human rights issues, and he was key in enacting a number of health and safety laws.
The five-term senator was well respected amongst his colleagues and constituents. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Left to right: Joy Malkus, Marcia Balonick,
Sen. Lautenberg, and Betsy Sheerr

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs President Rabbi Steve Gutow and Chair Larry Gold said:

Senator Lautenberg's passing is a loss for all of us and we will be forever grateful for his leadership, thoughtfulness and friendship. He exemplified the Jewish values of social justice and compassion which is why we were honored to award him the Al Chernin Award in 2007, in recognition of his leadership and service. With his death, we have lost the last veteran of World War II in the Senate and a Jewish and American leader who was clearly committed to a better world for all.

The Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matt Brooks said:

Frank Lautenberg was a staunch supporter of Israel and a leader in Jewish communal life. He served his country during World War II and in decades of dedicated public service. His work in the Senate helped thousands of Soviet Jews and other victims of religious persecution to reach freedom. He was a proud Jew and a proud American. May his family and friends be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Roasted Butternut Squash With Sweet Spices, Lime, and Green Chilli

Contributing Writer — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 20:22:30 GMT

— by Michelle Kemp-Nordell

When it is hot and steamy outside, we don't want to have a big heavy meal. On Saturdays we usually have brunch consisting of bread, cheese, a frittata or omelette, and a salad. This Saturday, I finally served two dishes I made from the Plenty cookbook, written by Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi.

Full recipe after the jump.
One of the dishes I made was butternut squash, that I roasted with freshly ground cardamom and allspice, and served with wedges of fresh lemon (I couldn't find any limes in the market). I prepared a dressing of yogurt and tahini that was light and refreshing, and had a completely unexpected mixture of tastes. You can serve this as a meze (appetizer) with other salads, a first course, or a side dish.

Roasted Butternut Squash With Sweet Spices, Lime, and Green Chilli

2 whole limes
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium butternut squash
2 tablespoons cardamom pods
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt
2 tablespoons raw, unflavored tahini
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 green chilli, thinly sliced
4 ounces coriander leaves or chopped chives
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Trim off the limes' tops and tails with a small paring knife. Dice the limes. Place them in a small bowl, sprinkle with a little salt, drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil, stir, and set aside.
Cut the butternut squash in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds and discard them. Cut each half, top to bottom, into 1/2 inch thick slices, and lay them out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Place the cardamom pods in a mortar, and use a pestle to get the seeds out of the pods. Discard the pods and pound the seeds into a rough powder. Transfer to a small bowl, add the allspice and the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, mix, and brush over the butternut slices.
Sprinkle with sea salt and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Peel off the skin, or leave it on if you prefer.
Whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lime juice, 2 tablespoons of water, and a pinch of salt. The dressing should be thick, but runny enough to pour. Add more water if necessary.
To serve, arrange the cooled butternut slices on a serving platter and drizzle with the yogurt dressing. Spoon over the lime pieces and their juices, and scatter the chilli slices on top. Garnish with the coriander or chives, and serve.

Michelle Kemp-Nordell is the creator of Baroness Tapuzina. She is a foodie who grew up in a "house of weird vegetables." Follow her adventures as she experiments with exotic vegetables from her garden and spices from around the world.

URJ's Camp Harlam to Launch First Reform Day Camp

Contributing Writer — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 07:50:03 GMT

Harlam's overnight camp, 2012

The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), representing North America's largest Jewish congregational Movement, and Camp Harlam, the URJ's Philadelphia-based regional overnight camp, announced that they will open the first URJ-affiliated day camp in the summer of 2014.

The URJ's foray into Jewish day camping is a strategic initiative meant to complement the Reform Movement's focus on Youth Engagement and the URJ's North American Camp Committee's strategic plan. The expectation for the day camp is to be the first of its kind and a model, and other day camp initiatives will be considered for various target communities throughout North America in the coming years.

More after the jump.
"The URJ has been a leader in Jewish camping for over 60 years, keeping it as a high strategic priority for decades and making the case for camp as a true cornerstone in the development of Jewish identity," said URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs.

Camp Harlam, like all of our URJ camps, has developed its own joyful and engaging brand of Reform Jewish living and learning in a truly beautiful, fully immersive, well-supervised, fun setting. The day camp initiative is a way to expand what Camp Harlam already does so well and offer more entry points for Jewish families to engage with the Reform Movement.

The URJ's Director of Camp and Israel Programs, Paul Reichenbach, said:

URJ camp and Israel experiences give kids Jewish cultural roots and inspire them to seek more and more connections. A day camp model will enhance our ability to reach more kids and encourage them to embark on their own Jewish journeys.

Alicia Keys to Perform in Israel Despite BDS Pressure

Contributing Writer — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 21:27:46 GMT

— by Steve Sheffey

Alicia Keys confirmed that she will perform in Tel Aviv on July 4 as scheduled, despite public pressure to boycott Israel from Alice Walker (who refused to authorize a translation of "The Color Purple" into Hebrew) and Roger Waters. "I look forward to my first visit to Israel. Music is a universal language that is meant to unify audiences in peace and love, and that is the spirit of our show," she said.

Walker called Israel an "apartheid country," said that the Israeli system is "cruel, unjust, and unbelievably evil," and called Israel the cause of "much of the affliction in our suffering world." Walker refused to authorize a new Hebrew translation of "The Color Purple." Waters, formerly of Pink Floyd, also urged Keys to cancel. Waters previously convinced Stevie Wonder to cancel an appearance at a Friends of the IDF event in Los Angeles.

More on the anti-Israel BDS movement after the jump.
For an excellent refutation of the canard that Israel practices apartheid, read this op-ed from Richard Goldstone, a former justice of the South African Constitutional Court.

The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel is condemned across the pro-Israel political spectrum, even by those who strongly believe that Israel should find a way to extricate itself from the West Bank.

According to J Street:

For some, the BDS movement has become a convenient mantle for thinly disguised anti-Semitism" and "the BDS movement fails to explicitly to recognize Israel's right to exist and it ignores or rejects Israel's role as a national home for the Jewish people. In addition, the promotion by some in the BDS movement of the return to Israel of Palestinian refugees from 1948 and their families indicates support for an outcome incompatible with our vision of Israel and incompatible with a two-state solution to the conflict.

A statement signed by the National Jewish Democratic Council and 60 other Jewish organizations opposing the BDS movement explained that "Criticism [of Israel] becomes anti-Semitism, however, when it demonizes Israel or its leaders, denies Israel the right to defend its citizens or seeks to denigrate Israel's right to exist."

So what do we do about it?

My view is that if an artist or scientist attempts to economically harm or delegitimize Israel, we should not economically support that person.

As much as I used to enjoy Elvis Costello's music, I can't listen to him anymore. I have a long list of books to read. Why read Alice Walker when there is so much other good literature? We certainly should not reject the scientific ideas of Stephen Hawking, but why buy his books? (If you must read him or Walker, use the library).

I'm not suggesting that we deny ourselves art based on the anti-Semitism of its creators. If we did, we would deprive ourselves of a large portion of Western culture. I also suspect that if we knew what was in the minds of some of our favorite artists, we might not be too happy. Rather, I am suggesting that we single out the subset of artists who have chosen to single out Israel for boycott. If they won't play for Israelis, we shouldn't pay money for them to play to us. So you won't find Elvis Costello, Santana, or Stevie Wonder on my playlist, and you certainly won't see me at their concerts.

Perhaps most important, we should visit Israel or buy Israeli goods — no matter where we are on the political spectrum.

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Obama Fixes Absence of Plan to Attack Iran

Contributing Writer — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 21:29:23 GMT

After 9/11, Bush made clear that Iran was on his sights

— by Jacob Miller

President Barack Obama's speech last week at the National Defense University has brought the United States' foreign policy and continuing war on terror to the forefront. Bloomberg's Jeffery Goldberg released an opinion piece entitled "Can Obama Clean Up Bush's National Security Mess?" Goldberg highlighted several mistakes and oversights President George W. Bush had on national security:

In the days after the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration made clear to the world that it had the Islamic Republic of Iran in its sights....
So it was with shock (and with something like the opposite of awe) that, seven years later, the newly elected Barack Obama learned that the Bush administration had never even drawn up plans for attacking Iran's nuclear facilities. Obama discovered this when he asked his generals for their plan, and they had none. Bush had never asked for one. The bellicose rhetoric on Iran, in other words, was empty of substance.

More after the jump.
This revelation is surprising given that President Bush made a point of highlighting Iran as a member of the "axis of evil." President Obama has rectified this mess. Instead of blaming President Bush, he has taken action:

A senior administration official told me that Obama soon ordered Robert Gates, the holdover secretary of defense, to draw up preparations. Not because Obama wanted to attack, but because it seemed absurd and irresponsible that his predecessor had labeled Iran a member of the "axis of evil" without even having a plan to confront such evil, and because Obama, despite allegations to the contrary, takes the threat of a nuclear Iran seriously.
Inside the White House, the no-Iran-plan fiasco is used to illustrate a larger point: Obama, on taking office, inherited 10 kinds of mess from Bush on national security. The administration is cautious about publicly blaming Bush for these messes, because it suspects — correctly — that the public isn't interested in excuses about problems created or exacerbated by a president who left office more than four years ago.