December 29, 2011 | 5:55 am

This week in power: Ron Paul, Israeli policy, Beit Shemesh, TV station

Posted by Danny Groner

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

Ron Paul under fire
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is getting support from questionable sources that have some Jewish voters worrying even more about Paul’s recent surge in the polls. “If Ron Paul takes Iowa GOP Jews might be somewhat embarrassed, but the real loser would be the state of Iowa,” said Shmuel Rosner in the Jewish Journal. The bottom line is that “A great year for Paul might even give President Obama a chance to do better than he did in 2008 with Jewish voters.” But Paul could be good for Jews for the same reason he could be good for all Americans, said Gabriel Martindale at the Algemeiner: “To be blunt, it won’t do much good having America backing Israel to the hilt if America is in precipitate economic collapse.” Jewish Republicans have taken a stand against him nonetheless, and it’s “too bad the rest of the party doesn’t share that sense of decency,” said Douglas Bloomfield in The Jewish Week.

Controversial firing
The Truman National Security Project let go former AIPAC spokesman Josh Block after he attacked several progressives. “Block had sent out an email to a neoconservative listserv in which he said, referring to writers at the Center for American Progress and Media Matters, ‘These are the words of anti-Semites, not Democratic political players.’ That was further than Block had gone publicly and it was a particularly serious charge; he also urged journalists on the listerv to ‘amplify’ the attacks,” reported Salon’s Justin Elliott. Bloggers went back and forth about whether the attacks were justified.

Naama
The world was taken this week by the story of 8-year-old Naama Margolese who says that on her way to school in Beit Shemesh she has encountered ultra-Orthodox extremists who have spat on her. “When I walk to school in the morning I used to get a tummy ache because I was so scared ... that they were going to stand and start yelling and spitting,” she told the Associated Press. “They were scary. They don’t want us to go to the school.” “Underneath the clothes, they are no different from any other group of testosterone-poisoned bullies, weak and mean of spirit, wary of exposure, hiding unspeakable urges behind terrible acts,” said Bradley Burston at Haaretz. The message has spread worldwide, too. “But the larger lesson I take away from this is that society is rarely better off when fanatics –religious or political or of any other ideological persuasion – are allowed to dictate the way everyone else will live and to take away someone else’s rights. That holds as true for some of what has been happening lately in the United States as it does for what is going on in Israel,” said Andrea Johnson in the Minot Daily News.

TV station’s last legs?
Israel Channel 10 is “fighting for its life,” according to The New York Times, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hostility toward it may have a part in the downfall.  “The fight over Channel 10 is partly a matter of revenge — Netanyahu wants to make them pay for what they did to him,” said one member of Parliament about the channel’s harsh reports about Netanyahu’s spending. American Thinker’s Leo Rennert sees it differently, though: This is part of an “all-out New York Times campaign against conservative, right-of-center institutions - whether in the U.S. or in Israel.  For example, since Rupert Murdoch bought the Wall Street Journal and turned it into a successful competitor to the Times, the Sulzbergers have gone after him, milking every jot and tittle of a hacking scandal at a Murdoch-owned British tabloid.  There’s still plenty of pugnacity in the Old Lady.” He continued: “The left, including the Times, is determined to retain command of cultural and media agendas.  It’s ready to use every trick of the trade against right-leaning actors - whether it’s Murdoch in the New York press wars or Netanyahu allies when they push back against Israel’s dominant left.”

Hottest Jewish women
Complex.com unveiled this week its list of the 50 hottest Jewish women. What did the masses think? “Bad puns aside, there’s something very unsavory about the compilation, in that it’s the most recent instance of what seems to be a growing media fixation on Jewish women,” said Naomi Zeveloff at The Jewish Daily Forward. “By discarding old stereotypes and simultaneously setting Jewish women apart, Complex.com is telling men to pay attention to Jewish women just because they’re Jewish.” Yet some were pleased with the list anyway. “Although there are some converts, there’s a smorgasbord of hotness in that list,” said one commenter at SportsInferno.com.

December 22, 2011 | 5:31 am

This week in power: Obama, Prisoner release, Palestinian textbooks, Jews and Christmas

Posted by Danny Groner

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

Obama’s Jewish address
President Obama reassured some of his Jewish constituents on Friday by reaffirming his commitment to Israel in front of thousands of attendees at the Union for Reform Judaism’s biennial event. “America’s commitment and my commitment to Israel’s security is unshakable,” he said. “We have been there, and we will continue to be there. Those are the facts.” But not everyone was impressed. “It was an arrogant speech, seemingly oblivious to the criticisms that have swirled around him,” said The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin. “The only redeeming aspect of the speech was his more robust statements on Iran,” a major concern for Jews heading into the election season. Worries about Obama’s loss of the Jewish base might be overstated, according to a Jewish Daily Forward report. “The 2012 list of volunteer bundlers does indicate that Obama has not lost the Jewish Democratic elite who made up a significant proportion of his support in 2008.”

Prisoners go free
Israel followed through on its promise dating back to the Shalit deal that it would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of the swap. On Sunday night, that became a reality when 550 inmates from Israeli prisons. Yet one man who remains in jail is Marwan Barghouti, who some Palestinians believe could be their next leader and a man who can deliver peace, too. One of the man’s cousins, Fakhri Barghouti, is free now and speaking out about his mistreatment and the conflict. “I left prison but the occupation is still here. I have more freedom than in prison, but it’s still the same occupation,” he said. “It’s just that I have more freedom of movement.”

Allen West’s gaffe
Rep. Allen West again compared notorious Nazi Joseph Goebbels to the Democrat Party because of the “lies and deceit” he sees. West could face consequences next year as he vies for re-election in a Jewish area. He’s invoked Nazi comparisons in the past, too. “I don’t care for Goebbels analogies much myself.  Besides their vulnerability to criticism for being excessive and offensive, they’re so ancient and played out,” said John Hayward at Human Events. “The study of both fascism and Nazism, which are two separate but related horrors, is too serious to suffer distraction by quoting Goebbels’ famous but pedestrian observations about Big Lies and such. Others have said it better. Leave the old monster in his crypt.”

What’s inside Palestinian textbooks?
At a recent debate, Newt Gingrich claimed that Palestinians are being taught terrorism in schools, but reports indicate that no violence against Israel is mentioned anywhere in their textbooks. They did find that peace is not a central theme to the lessons, though. “While there’s plenty of hard feelings on both sides – and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, remains largely captive to its extremist rhetoric — the reality on the West Bank is far more nuanced and, generally, more positive than what passes for debate in the U.S. presidential contest,” said Karl Vick at TIME. And this furor just incited the same old debate between the two sides, said John Lake at BlogCritics. “In these days of nuclear proliferation, the war in Israel/Palestine must be seriously considered, and actions to end this hostility should be forthcoming and soon.”

Celebrating Christmas
What’s a Jew to do on December 25? “It’s a quick jump from appreciating a Christmas display to arguing with your child about sitting on Santa’s lap. But if we want our children to be firm in their own Jewish identity, we need to be firm with its boundaries,” warned Rabbi Micah Peltz at Haaretz. “But I’d argue that you can ooh and ahh at the Rockefeller Center tree without feeling jealous and without forsaking your own ideals,” argued Jordana Horn at MSN. “Part of what is so amazing about living in America is living alongside of traditions and cultures other than our own.” There’s a delicate balance, and one that many struggle to find.

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December 15, 2011 | 5:00 am

This week in power: Gingrich, Tebow, YU Beacon, Matisyahu’s beard

Posted by Danny Groner

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

Gingrich’s gaffe
During a debate last Saturday night, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich referred to the Palestinians as an “invented” people, an error that has upset some potential voters. “Rather than scoring cheap and easy points, stand up for the values that made America great, summed up in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence,” protested Dr. David Liepert at The Huffington Post. But it’s not that big of a deal, said David Remnick at The New Yorker: “You can be sure that Gingrich did not care a whit for what Palestinians, here or in the U.S., would think. The Palestinian vote will not decide swing states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, or, above all, Florida; a considerable shift in the Jewish vote could.” And Thomas Friedman of The New York Times worries about bigger issues at play with the election. “I’d never claim to speak for American Jews, but I’m certain there are many out there like me, who strongly believe in the right of the Jewish people to a state, who understand that Israel lives in a dangerous neighborhood yet remains a democracy, but who are deeply worried about where Israel is going today,” Friedman said.

Tim Tebow’s appeal
He has won the hearts of many NFL fans with his stellar late-game play, but Tim Tebow might have to fight a bit harder to warm up to Jews, even if there are some tangential connections. “Unlike some other blue-staters, I do not fear people of faith. I fear people of certainty.  The worldwide struggle going on right now is not between good and evil, but between certainty and doubt,” said Rabbi Joshua Hammerman in The Jewish Week. But others wonder if the criticism is really fair. “What is it about Tebow that brings out such nastiness in so many of us? Why does the Jesus in Tebow bring out the Devil in us? asked Susan Stamper Brown in the Columbus Telegram. And others argue that reactions like Hammerman’s are “plainspoken bigotry” and shameful.

YU Beacon under fire
After an anonymous student ran a provocative story in the YU Beacon, an online publication of Yeshiva University, the school asked the Beacon to remove the article, beginning an outcry over censorship on campus. The editors stood up against the university and lost their funding as a result. “Instead of responding to such trivial provocation with nonchalant disregard, they’ve raised hell and probably made this the most read story ever of the Beacon,” said Shmuel Rosner in the Jewish Journal. But not everyone agreed. “From my point of view, everyone involved acted reasonably, with YU protecting its brand and asserting that freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from standards and the students sticking to their guns and realizing that true editorial independence can only come with financial independence,” said Adam Dickter in The Jewish Week. “They deserve credit for not invoking a ludicrous Big Brother defense.” What the article has done is open up discussion - and debate - about health and sexuality at the school.

Matisyahu shaves (gasp!)
Reggae superstar Matisyahu ditched his beard this week, prompting many to speculate about what it means for the singer’s spirituality. “A beard does not make a man. I am sure some famous bard centuries ago wrote something along those lines. Matisyahu’s talent as a singer and performer have little to do with what clothes he wears and what kind of facial hair he prefers,” said Rabbi Yonah Bookstein at The Huffington Post. And let’s not lose faith in him, warned Kate Shellnut at the Houston Chronicle, because from Matisyahu’s brief statement “it seems he is aware of his relationship with God through Judaism and wants to adjust to a way that makes ancient traditions most meaningful to his own life.” See before and after photos here.

Is E.T. a Jewish movie?
Tablet magazine has named E.T., the Steven Spielberg classic, as the Number 1 Jewish movie of all-time, upsetting some protesters. “The Tablet writers admit at the beginning that they can’t define a Jewish film and don’t try. After all, who can even define, to everyone’s satisfaction, a Jew? asked Robert Fulford in the National Post. “But their comments on these (mostly American) films turn out to be an effective way to approach the whole subject. They provide a partial, often ironic, often exhilarating account of what the Jews have done to movies and what the movies have done to Jews.” What a great choice to lead this list, said Eric Kohn at IndieWire. “The list is a terrific read, and definitely includes some viable contenders, especially when you consider the entire idea of Jewishness as an expansive concept.”

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December 8, 2011 | 5:25 am

This week in power: RJC, Ron Paul, Panetta, Israeli ad

Posted by Danny Groner

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

GOP candidates on Israel
Republican presidential hopefuls gave speeches in front of the Republican Jewish Coalition during which time each of them tried to show themselves as the best candidate in support of Israel. They all stressed the importance of preventing Iran from getting ahold of a nuclear weapon, and some of them outlined how Obama isn’t doing enough for the Jewish people. Mitt Romney is the presumed frontrunner, and he’s doing well so far with the Jewish vote, said Timothy Stanley at The Atlantic. “It’s inevitable that Romney’s foreign policy views should win him some fans among Jewish Republicans, but he also draws a surprising level support among Jewish voters in general when compared to his Republican competitors.” But some warn not to count Obama out just yet.

Ron Paul left out
One candidate missing from Wednesday’s gathering was Rep. Ron Paul after he was left off the docket. “That may be outside the mainstream, but the whole idea of an organization of Jewish Republicans worrying about the mainstream strikes me as a bit contradictory,” said Seth Lipsky in The New York Sun. “Wouldn’t the debate, both within the Jewish community and without, be richer were these kinds of views at least brought up for discussion?” And this isn’t really about Paul’s views at all, warned Matt Welch at Reason. “this seems to me more of an attempt to draw boundaries around acceptable policy discourse than any active concern that President Dr. Ron Paul would be actively anti-Israel or anti-Semitic.”  Others agreed: “This is basically a case of not liking a candidate’s stand and then excluding him,” said Joe Gandelman at The Moderate Voice. But some wonder if we would be better served having invited Paul to participate. Jeffrey Lord at The American Spectator argued, “Ron Paul should be given the chance to fairly explain his views in the Republican Jewish forum—not deliberately excluded.”

An ambassador’s controversial comments
Howard Gutman, the U.S.ambassador to Belgium, came under fire last week after he said that a form of “new” anti-Semitism has come out of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. “The sense among those who have lambasted Mr Gutman is that to draw a distinction between different varieties of anti-Semitism or to suggest that one variety might be caused or exacerbated by real-world political events is in some way to excuse it,” explained an Economist blogger. “Let us say it loudly and clearly that Israel is not to blame for antisemitism,” said Dr. Michael Berenbeum in the Jewish Journal, “antisemites are to blame for antisemitism.” What should happen to Gutman? “The reason why Gutman isn’t losing his job is because his opinion is widely held in this administration and by a president who sees Israel as more of a burden than an ally,” said Jonathan S. Tobin at Commentary. “Though Republicans rightly condemned Gutman’s views today, they are broadly consonant with Obama’s three years of picking fights with Israel and seeking to pressure it,”

Panetta’s pressure
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta encouraged Israel last week to try to patch things up with Turkey, Egypt, and others in the Middle East, and to avoid isolation. “Israel can reach out and mend fences with those who share an interest in regional stability — countries like Turkey and Egypt, as well as Jordan,” he said. “This is not impossible. If the gestures are rebuked, the world will see those rebukes for what they are. And that is exactly why Israel should pursue them.” Is that the President’s stance? “It is true that the Obama administration has provided Israel with significant military resources, including bunker busting bombs. But at the same time it has undercut Israel at every turn short of complete capitulation to the worldwide anti-Israel crusade,” said William A. Jacobson at Legal Insurrection. It’s not too late to turn back from this position, said Abe Foxman at the Algemeiner. “These perceptions can add fuel to the fire of an already raging region. It is urgent that the White House make clear that the secretary’s remarks do not represent the views and position of the administration.”

Israel ads vs. America
A series of Israeli ads sanctioned by the Israeli government upset a lot of American Jews last week with implications that American culture was penetrating its way into Israeli society, and non-natives should be presumed as outsiders. “The one true existential threat to Israel is loss of U.S. support — which will never happen, but still,” said The New York Times’ Roger Cohen. They need them. And Israeli shouldn’t take America for granted, warned Bloomberg’s Jeffrey Goldberg: “American Jews hold Israel to a very high standard as well, and if Israel ceases to be a free and open country governed by the rule of law, American Jewish support for Israel will dissipate, with dramatic and unpleasant consequences.” It’s ads likes these that leave more people “increasingly alienated and increasingly defeated in our efforts to retain some measure of long-term identification with Israel,” said an Economist blogger. This episode should awaken us to growing differences and lead us back in the right direction, said Gary Rosenblatt in The Jewish Week.

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December 1, 2011 | 5:23 am

This week in power: 2012 election, Egypt, Stripsearch, Kobe Bryant

Posted by Danny Groner

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

Eying the election
With Rep. Barney Frank, a popular Jewish politician for the past 30 days, announcing he intends to step down, the focus again turns to next year’s elections. “Democrats on Capitol Hill constitute an effective barometer of Obama’s electoral fortunes. They are increasingly reluctant to support his initiatives, as they are apprehensive about a possible second round of their 2010 midterm devastation,” said Yoam Ettinger in a syndicated column. While Israel remains a critical issue for many American Jews, many believe that there’s an element of hype out there about how bad the current president has made things. “Fundamentalist cults, and particularly the most conservative Jewish rabbis, are very busy falsely trying to convince their followers that President Obama is an enemy of Israel. His greatest ‘transgression’ is that he advocates a Palestinian state and peace between Jews and Arabs,” said Elazar Hiller in the Florida’s Sun-Sentinel. Florida will remain a battleground state all the way through, and Vice President Joe Biden is making his campaign rounds there.

Egypt fears
Israel is trying to solidify its peace treaty with Egypt now that the Egyptian election this week could bring an Islamic regime to power that could pose a threat to the Jewish state, according to reports. “We are witnessing an Islamist wave washing over the Arab world after decades of stable military rule,” Binyamin Netanyahu said. “We are facing uncertain times. One cannot estimate how long it will take until things stabilise. We must act responsibly and carefully. This is not the time for rash actions.” And this unrest is sparking new disputes at the Temple Mount. “If there is to be any hope for peace between Israel and its neighbors it will have to wait until there is a sea change in the political culture of a Muslim world still stuck in their irrational hatred for the Jews,” said Jonathan S. Tobin in Commentary. How great a fear is there?

A controversial stripsearch
Israel apologized on Monday after officials had reportedly forced Lynsey Addario, a Pulitzer-winning New York Times war photographer, to take off her clothes at a checkpoint last month. Addario, who is pregnant, claimed she was treated with “blatant cruelty” after refusing to be exposed to the radiation from the X-ray machine. “The truth is there’s simply nothing to excuse, justify, or even really explain why these guards decided to force Addario back through the machine twice, and then three times,” said Allison Hoffman at Tablet. “This, from a country that treats women’s fertility and prenatal health as a paramount public policy issue.” Joe Klein at TIME agreed: “This is completely outrageous, of course. It is another indication that Israel has been brutalized by its occupation of Arab territories since 1967. For those of us who feel strongly about the need for Israel to exist–especially those of us who love the place, warts and all–this incident is yet another reason to fear for Israel’s future,” he said.

Thanksgiving message
“I am not thankful for cruelty. Not thankful for the small pettiness embroidered in our characters. I am not grateful, Dear God, for the hunger and hurt that plague us,” said Rabbi David Wolpe in The Washington Post. He’s not the only one reflecting on the meaning of the holiday season. “It’s true that Judaism provides ample opportunities outside of this non-Jewish holiday to recognize our spiritual and familial selves. It has often been noted that the Jewish festival of Sukkot has several elements in common with the multifaith holiday of Thanksgivin,” said a St. Louis Jewish Light editorial. “But this particular holiday, this one time of the year, allows us to rejoice in commonality with others, to find the best of ourselves as Jews, as Americans, and as part of the greater human condition in a way that melds faith with those we hold most precious.” But not everyone was so quick to embrace Turkey Day. “I am so grateful to live in a Jewish country. I don’t have to be concerned about accusations of dual loyalty because I have none. My loyalty is singular,” said Rivkah Lambert Adler in the Jerusalem Post. You can take your mind off wondering if Twilight is actually a Jewish story...

Kobe trains at the JCC?
It was a big week for Jewish basketball fans - first, rumors that Amar’e Stoudemire is considering opening a Hebrew school. Then, we got word that Kobe Bryant, trying to get into shape for the upcoming NBA season, was seen training at the Southern California JCC. “I suppose Bryant wanted to sharpen his skills and get a head start,” said Ashley Baylen at Shalom Life. What’s next: LeBron James in Tefillin?

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November 24, 2011 | 5:07 am

This week in power: Egypt, Kibbutz, Jewish vote, Billboard

Posted by Danny Groner

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

Egypt’s uprising
More fighting between police and protesters in Egypt has some people feeling uneasy. “Egypt’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel has always been hated by the masses. This is a country where loathing of Jews, and venomous resentment of the Jewish state, are common among all classes,” said Peter Hitchens in The Daily Mail. But there’s reason to remain hopeful, said a Jewish Week editorial. “Israel has good reason to worry in the short term while hoping that, down the road, Arab citizens will choose human rights over rigid ideologies.” Reuven Firestone in the Jewish Journal added: “Egyptians have tasted freedom, and they want it.” And some Israeli women are showing solidarity in unique ways...

Was Kibbutz Meirav seized?
According to an AP report citing an Israeli researcher this week, some West Bank land was seized by Kibbutz Meirav. But those reports turned out to be false, opponents said.  “Is it any wonder, with so many journalists more concerned about being the first to expose dirt than about doing their job, that the public is increasingly distrustful of what they read in the mainstream press?” asked a blogger at Camera. Who do you trust?

One year out
“These are very dangerous times, and I think the Jewish community will be looking to see how the Arab Spring is looking to be more like an Arab Winter,” said Matt Brooks in a Tablet interview. But how could this all play out for Republicans, who will need the Jewish vote to win? “Mitt Romney is an attractive candidate for Jewish Republicans for reasons that include his outspoken backing of Jerusalem, relatively moderate positions, past business success and his having served as governor of Massachusetts,” said Gary Rosenblatt in The Jewish Week. It’ll just take embracing Mormonism.

Identity theft of Holocaust survivors
A woman who worked for a Jewish community organization in Florida was arrested for selling a Holocaust survivors’ identity information for $1,000. Crystal Thorne had access her clients’ info, as they sought help from the Holocaust Survivors Assistance Program. Thorne was apprehended trying to sell the info as part of a tax refund scam. “The recorded conversation indicated the (confidential informant) informed Thorne he would use the identities for tax return fraud and let Thorne know if they worked,” according to the affidavit.

Anti-semitic billboard?
A vodka company posted a billboard alongside New York’s West Side Highway that promised “Christmas Quality, Hanukkah Pricing,” drawing criticism from Jewish groups and prompting the company to promise to remove the ad. The Wódka vodka ad featured the image of two dogs, one wearing a Santa hat, the other wearing a yarmulke. “Booze with a splash of anti-Semitism is what Wodka Vodka is serving up this holiday season,” joked Julia Rubin at Styleite. “Actually it got the company’s the cheap publicity it wanted,” said Don Surber in the Daily Mail. Other agreed that it was an expensive stunt.

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November 17, 2011 | 5:41 am

This week in power: Iran and Israel, Mic fallout, Nelson mystery, Baseball

Posted by Danny Groner

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

The Israel question
On Saturday night during the latest Republican presidential debate, Gov. Rick Perry proclaimed, “Every country would start at zero” when it comes to foreign policy. And Mitt Romney agreed. But some Israel supporters worried what that meant for the small country. “The question of foreign aid is one that needs and deserves serious discussion, not self-aggrandizing political pandering, but don’t look for any of that in this or any election year,” said Douglas Bloomfield in The Jewish Week. What’s this mean for the campaign? Chemi Shalev at Haaretz was disappointed overall: “The debate on foreign policy was one of the most disjointed and unfocussed of all the debates held so far, interspersed as it was by those surrealistic interludes in which the fringe candidates with the least chances of winning…were more restrained and rational than the recognized leaders of the pack.”

Netanyahu mic fallout
What’s changed since Sarkozy and Obama were caught talking about Netanyahu last week on an open mic? Well, everyone has apparently made up. “It’s true that Netanyahu is an often ornery and disagreeable man—witness the condescending public lecture he gave Obama in the Oval Office earlier this year. But it’s also true that he has on occasion bent to Obama’s will,” said Jeffrey Goldberg at Bloomberg. But Jennifer Rubin at The Washington Post wasn’t as forgiving. “It’s time for pro-Israel liberals to be honest: This president’s animus toward the Jewish state is so evident that only a foolish prime minister would trust him with the survival of the Jewish state. And Netanyahu is no fool. Surely Goldberg could concede both these points?”

Bill Nelson’s whodunit
An Islamic activist who has called Israel a “terrorist state” tried to make a $500 donation to Florida Sen. Bill Nelson at an Oct. 22 fundraiser, but it was rejected. Or so they say. There’s no ways to know who is telling the truth, but in a state with such a strong Jewish population, Nelson is treading carefully. “It’s a completely bogus political charge,” said a Nelson spokesman. “Bill Nelson through his entire life has been an unwavering supporter of Israel. This is a xenophobic political smear.” Florida remains an important state for the Democrats to keep happy heading into election season.

Cancer vaccine
sraeli researchers working on a cancer vaccine just started Phase III clinical trials at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem, according to reports. It is being tested against a type of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma. This is just the latest medical advance performed by Israelis, said Pamela Geller at Atlas Shrugs. “There are a 12 Million Jews in the world, and yet they have received 192 Nobel Prizes. The Muslims number 1.4 Billion ... or 117 times the number of Jews!” Is the next one on its way?

Pros join Israel baseball
Former MLB players Shawn Green, Brad Ausmus, and Gabe Kapler have joined the Israeli team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic which could help the sport grow overseas. “None of the three ruled out playing, but they say they would help in any way they could, which could include managing, coaching, recruiting, and fundraising. Kapler embarked on a managing career in the minors before resuming his playing career. The WBC tournament, which was won by Japan in 2006 and 2009, would allow American players, who are eligible for Israeli citizenship, to play even if they are not actual citizens,” said Les Levine in the Cleveland Jewish News. But there are even better players to be had, like Kevin Youkilis, said a blogger at Yahoo! Sports. “Just because they’re Jewish doesn’t mean they’ll automatically be up for playing on this theoretical WBC team.”

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November 10, 2011 | 5:35 am

This week in power: Obama, Hot mic, Larry Taylor, Occupy Judaism

Posted by Danny Groner

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

Obama’s Jewish problem
Despite being labeled as all-but-Jewish by at least one Jewish publication, President Obama should be worrying about the Jewish vote as he gears up for next year’s presidential election. He “faces the danger disillusioned progressives — including many Jews — may opt out of Election 2012,” warned The Jewish Week. Democrats are already doing whatever they can to convey a positive message inside the Jewish community, but Republicans are beginning to seize on opportunity available. “Call Herman Cain the crash-course pro-Israel candidate,” said JTA’s Ron Kampeas.

Sarkozy’s hot mic
During the G20, a hot mic caught world leaders Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy making fun of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, with Obama caught saying, “You’re sick of him—but I have to deal with him every day!” Big gaffe? “On one level, none of this is surprising. Obama’s irritation with the Jewish state and personal distaste for Netanyahu have been apparent nearly from the start of his presidency. This is just as we would imagine Obama would sound in private,” said Jennifer Rubin at The Washington Post. But some people are worrying a bit more. Michael Bell in The Globe and Mail said: “Constrained as Mr. Netanyahu is by ideology and political imperative, Mr. Sarkozy and Mr. Obama don’t accept the Israeli Prime Minister’s promises of flexibility at the negotiating table.” And that finally came out publicly.

Larry Taylor’s flub
Texas State Rep. Larry Taylor made a faux pas last week at a legislative oversight hearing when he casually used the slur “Jew them down.” He quickly apologized. “It’s difficult to overlook his unfortunate verb choice, particularly in the context, of Texas politics where anti-Jewish sentiments are not exactly new,” said Stephanie Butnick at Tablet. Lisa Falkenberg said in the Houston Chronicle that she feels for Taylor, since she used publicly the same slur accidentally at one point, too. However, “As a society, we should strive for the wisdom, and the tolerance, to tell the difference.” Katie Friel in The Austinist has bigger questions: “Why is this happening? How is this is in the lexicon of our leaders? Do Texas politicians realize how embarrassing it is to the Texans that don’t make comments about Jewish folks and don’t name our ranches after horribly racist, derogatory names? ‘Cause it is.”

“Occupy Judaism”
“Two months into the protests, despite a fledgling, bottom-up Occupy Judaism movement taking hold within Occupy Wall Street and its offshoots around the country,” mainstream organizations have remained silent, reported The Jewish Week. Some commentators don’t approve of the movement either. “Sometimes the politics are worthy, but should not come at the expense of the integrity of the Jewish tradition. More often though, the politics are nefarious, even contrary to the dictates of Jewish law, and, in their disingenuous distortion, offensive to the tradition, said Jonathan Neumann at Commentary.

Rise of anti-Semitism
Blame the economy for the recent rise in anti-Semitism? That’s what a new ADL study insinuates. More Americans believe that Jews control too much of Wall Street, and the money. And recent reports have indicated that at Occupy protests around the country this anti-Semitic sentiment has been cropping up. How should we take this sad news? Margaret Hartmann at Jezebel had an idea: “Good luck fixing the economy guys, but we’re out. If you need us we’ll be wandering through the woods in a distant land, looking for shiny things we can trade for food.”

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