July 26, 2012 | 4:24 am

This week in power: Bulgaria fallout, Jewish vote, Germany circumcision, Mindy Meyer

Posted by Danny Groner

A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

Post-blast Bulgaria
“We used to convene without a shred of fear in the Jewish community’s buildings,” said a Bulgarian in the aftermath of an attack on visiting Israelis last week. “I guess we had been unprepared. Things will have to change from now on. We thought something like this could not happen in Bulgaria.” And fears are spreading elsewhere, too, as Olympic officials in London are reportedly raising the terrorism assessment ahead of Friday’s opening ceremonies. Many are worried across the globe. “The aura of terrorism will grow. There will be new martyrs for the jihadist scrapbook. More streets to name in Jenin and Nablus. More posters for the walls of Gaza City and Tehran. Brave resistors. Liberating the land. Fighting the occupation. Striking a blow for Islam. One dead Jew at a time,” said Alex Ryvchin at YNetNews.

Jewish vote update
It’s hard to get a good read on where the Jewish pulse is when it comes to the election. “The polling shows that Jewish voters continue to approve of President Obama’s job performance and policies,” said a Hill report. “I am confident that President Obama shares our values and I shall confidently vote for him in November,” said Edgar Bronfman in an editorial. Yet the President is still campaigning hard to keep that support in place. “But Romney sees an opening in the administration’s failure to broker peace between the Israelis and Palestinians,” said Beth Reinhard at The Atlantic. Some believe it’s anyone’s game to win.

Circumcision flares up
Both Jews and Muslims are reportedly worried about “us vs. them” tensions emerging with secular Germans and religious minorities. This was in the wake of a German court in Cologne that ruled against non-medical circumcision. “It is hard to contest that as a fact – harm it is, wielded by a practitioner skilled in the arts of foreskin removal,” said one report. And bigger issues are at play here, too, said Manfred Gerstenfeld at YNetNews. “The important influx into Germany of Jews during the past decades gives many Germans a feeling that, despite the war past, democracy is functioning. A partial Jewish exodus because of a possible prohibition of circumcision is therefore far more problematic for Germany than for any other European country.”

Summer camp story
An article in The Daily Caller sparked both outrage and ridicule late last week after it exposed the reality of socialism at leftist Jewish summer camps. “I myself am a survivor of a Jewish summer camp, having attended Camp Tel Yehudah (TY) in upstate New York in the early 1980s. After reading the Caller’s chilling account of the red stain that continues to suffuse Camp Kinderland, I was overcome by painful memories of the horrible collectivism that pervaded my own camping experience,” said Jonathan Weiler at The Huffington Post. “Now that I think about it, there was a disproportionate amount of red in the tie-dye. And if the quality of athletics on display was any indication of our physical preparedness to serve our country in the future, then it’s possible we were a budding threat to national security,” added Ilya Gerner at Indecision Forever.

Vote Mindy Meyer?
Meyer hoped to be the first Orthodox Jewish woman to run for office in the New York State Senate, according to reports. She’s just 22, a law student, and taking on Democratic State Sen. Kevin Parker. Her lack of experience is made up for by her values and morals, according to her much-trafficked and scrutinized website. “I can tell you one thing, I have no experience in corruption,” said Meyer. Not everyone is laughing. “In all seriousness, it takes a lot of courage to run for office and I’m not entirely sure Meyer is any less qualified than the rest of the illustrious legislators in Albany based simply on her platform,” said Joe Patrice at Recess Appointment. Still she has her critics: “Meyer’s entire campaign philosophy seems to be based around pop culture,” said Mark Dommu at Heeb. Is that enough to run on?

July 19, 2012 | 4:06 am

This week in power: Bulgaria, Government disbanding, Adelson petition, Condi rumors

Posted by Danny Groner

A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

Bulgaria bombing
A bus full of Israelis exploded on Wednesday in a Bulgarian resort, killing at least eight people and wounded dozens more, according to reports. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “an Iranian terror attack” and said to expect a strong response. “It’s been a very hot summer, and absent some courageous and deliberate de-escalation, it may soon get much hotter,” said Trita Parsi at The Daily Beast. “The question is: Can the two sides continue to level charges of assassination plots against each other without this conflict morphing into an actual war?” asked John Hudson at The Atlantic Wire. Stay tuned for more developments as the intensity rises.

Coalition falls apart
The unity coalition in Israel’s government broke apart this week over “irreconcilable differences over how to integrate ultra-Orthodox men and Arab citizens into the military and civilian service, a fundamental question for the future of the Jewish democracy,” said The New York Times. Netanyahu will keep office for the immediate future in spite of centrist Kadima party’s decision to leave the government it joined this spring. “In the end, in the worst Israeli partisan political tradition, perceived self-interest prevailed over all the highfalutin rhetoric about the good of the state,” said David Horowitz at The Times of Israel. What’s next for Kadima? “It’s hard to see Kadima survive the next elections. But this latest twist in its fortunes may be part of a larger story, the stirring of a new civic spirit and maybe even civil society,” said Yehudah Mirsky at The Daily Beast. It’s bittersweet, said a Jewish Week editorial: “The pity is that Israel desperately needs a more equitable form of national service, whether military or social/educational, that would include haredim and Israeli Arabs. But compromise for the good of the society as a whole does not come easily to politicians in Jerusalem — or Washington, for that matter. And we all suffer for it.”

Petition removed
The National Jewish Democratic Council took down a petition calling on Republicans not to accept money from Sheldon Adelson, said the JTA. The petition stemmed from a claim by Sen. John McCain that Adelson was secretly sending Chinese money into the campaign. “This week Jewish Democrats took a clumsy swipe at Adelson’s credibility. Then Jewish Republicans responded with oblivious defenses that only make Adelson look more manipulative than before. And then the Democrats had to give the Republicans a win, not on the strength of their defense but on the total weakness of the Democratic offense. At this rate the Knesset will have to come and train our political spokespeople in effective PR,” said Amy Schiller at Heeb. Some are offering other ways to tackle Adelson…

LePage apology
After comparing the IRS to the Gestapo, Maine Gov. Paul LePage apologized after meeting with representatives of several Jewish groups. LePage said it was “never my intent to insult or to be hurtful to anyone, but rather express what can happen by overreaching government.” The response was split: Gordon L. Weil said in the Journal Tribune that there’s no room for these remarks. “Disagreement is essential to our system, but extreme and unwarranted vilification of one’s opponents makes it impossible for Americans to work together to deal with the challenges and opportunities we all share.” “LePage is a governor, so he gets more national scrutiny. But even the left within New Hampshire did not denounce the Hitler comparison. Some applauded it,” said a Union Leader editorial. “It ought to go without saying that unless someone is advocating genocide, Hitler comparisons are not just inappropriate, they are outrageous — no matter which side makes them. No one should get a pass.”

Condi for VP?
Late last weekend, rumors swirled that Condi Rice was being sought after for the VP nod. “Her nomination would also undercut the Republican Jewish establishment’s multi-million-dollar campaign to make Israel a wedge issue in this election by accusing Obama, who also pushed to revive the peace process, of being insufficiently supportive of the Netanyahu government,” said Douglas Bloomfield at The Jewish Week. Lee Smith at Tablet doesn’t think she’s the solution the GOP seeks. “The Obama Administration is rightly criticized for mishandling the U.S. relationship with Israel, but Rice’s management of that alliance was almost as awkward, especially after Israel’s 2006 war against Hezbollah,” he said.

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July 12, 2012 | 4:20 am

This week in power: Presbyterians, Olmert decision, Army duty, Arafat’s underwear

Posted by Danny Groner

A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

Presbyterians mull boycott
America’s largest Presbyterian group weighed whether to divest from three companies over the Israeli military use of their products in the Palestinian territories, according to reports. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a relationship with Caterpillar Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Motorola, and Jewish public policy groups pushed them to keep them intact. While the measure didn’t pass, there are lessons to be gleaned from the discussion, said Rami G. Khouri at Al Arabiya News. “It should offer some hope and consolation to Palestinians who fight for their rights and dignity, and concerns to Israelis and others who justify or merely ignore the criminality of the occupation.” Jay Michaelson at Religion Dispatches wondered if this was the right move: “Symbolic acts are fine, and exactly the business of a religious denomination. But this message is so strong, and so disproportionate, that it does, indeed, make many Jews feel like Israel is being unfairly targeted,” he said.

Olmert charges
Former prime minister Ehud Olmert was acquitted of two corruption charges on Tuesday but was convicted on another, breach of trust. He will be sentenced in September. This isn’t the end of Olmert’s legal troubles, though, as he faces other bribery charges. “Nonetheless, the prosecution must take stock of why the trial against Olmert ended as it did. Prosecutors should not be expected to achieve a 100 percent conviction rate, but there is truth to the argument that an indictment against a sitting prime minister that results in such a limited conviction cannot be spared some stocktaking,” said a Haaretz editorial.

Romney stumps
“Here is a truism we all already know: Jews are news. The fact is, no matter how tiny the American Jewish community might be — between 1.5 and 2 percent of the population — the battle for Jewish votes will be extensively reported and analyzed,” said Shmuel Rosner at the Jewish Journal. As Romney sets his eyes on the Jewish vote, the question of whether Obama already has it locked up is being raised. If you look at the current poll numbers, the GOP isn’t exactly making great strides. “In fact, since 1992 Jewish support for Democratic presidential candidates has increased compared to prior decades, with no evidence of significant gains for Republicans,” added Charlie Mahtesian at Politico. So how can Romney gain momentum in a way that recent evidence proves will be difficult?

Should we draft the Ultraorthodox?
Exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews to do their military service is an issue bubbling up in Israel as their numbers have increased to about 10 percent of the 7.8 million population. If the state were to change its policy and force Haredim to enlist, it would have to happen gradually, said the prime minister. “I believe that a decisive majority of Israeli citizens, including many ultra-Orthodox, understand that we need a change,” Benjamin Netanyahu said. “In order for this increased integration to succeed, we need to carry it out in stages and in a way that will not cause national rifts.” How can Israel proceed? “Thankfully, there’s an easy solution: Instead of giving the ultra-Orthodox guns, give them jobs,” said Liel Leibovitz at Tablet. “Train them, and the ultra-Orthodox will help grow the economy, bettering themselves at the same time.” It’s a bigger problem than you might believe, reported Melissa Chan at Al Jazeera. “Netanyahu’s coalition government may crumble over this matter.  And the crisis would have all started because ultra-Orthodox Jews wanted to be left alone to worship God.”

Arafat’s undies
Forensic experts found a unusually high levels of a radioactive compound in the personal effects, including his stained underwear, of Yasser Arafat, according to reports. While nobody blamed Israel outright, Arafat’s widow wants to study Arafat’s remains more to see if they can connect the dots.  “Until now, the mystery surrounding Arafat’s death has remained but there is now the opportunity presented by his widow and the Palestinian authorities to solve it,” said one report. But there might not be enough evidence to complete an investigation, said Vic Rosenthal at The Jewish Press. “The half-life of Polonium-210 is 138 days. This means that after 8 years, only about 4.3 x 10-7 — 0.00000043 — of the original amount of Polonium would be left. So even if Arafat’s iconic underwear had been loaded with the stuff after his death, it would be undetectable, or at least at much lower levels than the Swiss laboratory found.”

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July 5, 2012 | 4:17 am

This week in power: Shamir, Jobbik, Romney trip, Survivor pageant

Posted by Danny Groner

A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

Shamir’s death
Yitzhak Shamir, an underground fighter and former prime minister of Israel, died at age 96 last weekend. How is he remembered? “In retrospect, Shamir’s cool, patient leadership style seems to have been far wiser than either Peres’ dreamy belief in the Palestinians’ desire for peace or those on the right who thought their rhetoric could persuade the West to see things from Israel’s point of view,” said Jonathan S. Tobin at Commentary. “Yitzhak Shamir was truly made of the very fibers of which history is woven. We must all strive to fulfill the legacy of Prime Minster Shamir,” said Danny Danon at The Algemeiner. “His leadership harkens back to an era in Israeli history where leaders were passionate Zionists who stood their ground and didn’t cede precious land to annihilationists and Jew-haters. How we yearn for such men,” added Pamela Geller at Atlas Shrugs.

Jobbik revelation
“A leader of Hungary’s anti-Semitic Jobbik party confessed to having Jewish origins, but Jewish leaders reacted to his statement dismissively,” reported JTA. But that didn’t change things for how people viewed Csanad Szegedi. Some even made light of the situation. It’s too early to tell the impact that this announcement may have, said Palash R. Ghosh at International Business Times. “In the coming weeks and months, we may learn why he concealed his ancestry for so long – out of self-hatred or political expediency? It will also be interesting to see how his Jobbik comrades deal with this news.”

Romney to Israel
Former Gov. Mitt Romney is set to take a trip to Israel this summer to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in hopes of building up his Jewish vote, according to reports. No other details of the trip have been revealed. “One more sign of just how much Romney and the Republicans see Israel as a potential wedge issue—but is it about Jewish voters, Jewish donors and/or conservative Christians?” asked JTA’s Ami Eden. But the person Israel really wants to see is President Obama, said a Jerusalem Post editorial. “Some on the Right have conjectured that Obama is avoiding a visit to Israel now because he wants to play down the tensions that exist between himself and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Others have even claimed that Obama is concerned that if he comes to Israel, he will be booed by Israeli crowds. However, there is little evidence to support these claims.” We want him to visit.

Australian census
Australia’s Jewish population has risen 10 percent in the last five years to nearly 100,000, reported the 2011 census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Because the religion question in the poll is optional, it’s hard to give exact numbers. In fact, Judaism isn’t listed at all as an option, and they must select “other.” It opens up complicated issues in terms of identity and survival. And that rise may not be telling for the future, at the rate we’re going. “Property prices around the traditional Jewish suburbs in Sydney and Melbourne are spiralling out of control and are becoming unreachable for an increasing section of the ­community,” wrote The Australian Jewish News.

A Holocaust survivor pageant?
Fourteen elderly women hit the red carpet last week at an event in Haifa to be crowned Miss Holocaust Survivor. Seriously. Organizers called it a “celebration of life” and said that the participants were in good spirits about the whole thing. Others, however, disagreed on the merits of the event. “The woman with the worst tale of woe and most engagingly pathetic air usually carried the day, weeping copiously as she was crowned,” said Judith Thurman in The New Yorker. Israel has an “insatiable appetite of the public for titillating, demeaning, if not sadistic, spectacles.” “Validating this idea of ranked suffering undermines the great personal and collective trauma, reducing it to a pissing match,” added Miriam Krule at Slate.

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