Suspected London terror attack signifies no special risk for Jews, security unit says

By Jay Firestone
Published on May 23, 2013

British Jews are no more at risk from terrorism than they were before the slaying of a British soldier by suspected terrorists, British Jewry’s security unit said.

U.S., Russia seek new Syria peace talks, rebels skeptical

Published on May 8, 2013

Russia and the United States agreed to seek new peace talks with both sides to end Syria's civil war, but opposition leaders were skeptical on Wednesday of an initiative they fear might let President Bashar Assad hang on to power.

Former British PM Margaret Thatcher, ‘staunch friend of Israel,’ dies

Published on April 8, 2013

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was considered a good friend of Israel despite a rocky relationship with Prime Minister Menachem Begin, has died.

David Miliband resigns from soccer team after hiring of fascist coach

Published on April 2, 2013

Britain's Jewish former foreign secretary resigned from the board of a soccer club after the team appointed a coach who gave a Nazi-style salute at a game in Rome.

March was bloodiest month in Syria war, rights group says

Published on April 1, 2013

March was the bloodiest month yet in Syria's two-year conflict, with more than 6,000 people killed, a third of them civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday.

Pakistani girl shot by Taliban starts at English school

Published on March 19, 2013

Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani girl who drew global attention after being shot in the head by the Taliban for advocating girls' education, returned to school on Tuesday in Britain where she has been treated for her injuries.

Oxford students reject boycott Israel motion

Published on February 27, 2013

A motion calling for blanket sanctions against Israel was rejected by the Oxford University Students’ Union.

Iran, world powers meet in Kazakhstan on Islamic Republic’s nuclear program

Published on February 26, 2013

Iran and six world powers are meeting for talks on Iran's nuclear program.

Iran claims new uranium deposits

Published on February 25, 2013

Iran claimed to have uncovered new deposits of uranium ahead of talks with world powers on its nuclear capacity.

Kerry will wait on Israel visit to accompany Obama

Published on February 20, 2013

John Kerry will tour the Middle East during his first foreign tour as U.S. secretary of state, but will visit Israel two weeks later with President Obama.

Anti-Semitic incidents rise by 5 percent in Britain

Published on February 7, 2013

Anti-Semitic incidents in Britain rose 5 percent over the previous year, making 2012 the third highest number of incidents on record.

Foreigners still caught in Sahara hostage crisis

Published on January 18, 2013

More than 20 foreigners were still either being held hostage or missing inside a gas plant on Friday after Algerian forces stormed the desert complex to free hundreds of captives taken by Islamist militants.

Iran talks to resume soon, reports say

Published on December 17, 2012

Iran and the six major world powers it deals with on nuclear issues are preparing for talks, according to multiple reports.

Hebrew to be nixed as foreign language in U.K. schools

Published on December 17, 2012

The British government reportedly is planning to exclude Hebrew from a list of recognized foreign languages in the national education system.

Israel faces European backlash over settlement plan

Published on December 3, 2012

Israel faced concerted criticism from Europe on Monday over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to expand settlement building after the United Nations' de facto recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Malala Yousafzai and Pakistan’s dilemmas

By Mahim Maher
Published on October 17, 2012

Malala Yousafzai, the girl at the center of a loud nationwide debate in Pakistan, is silent. At least for now she is recovering from gunshot injuries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham in Britain.

Romney casts Obama’s foreign policy as weak, dangerous

Published on October 8, 2012

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney delivered a sweeping critique on Monday of President Barack Obama's handling of threats in the Middle East, saying Obama's lack of leadership had made the volatile region more dangerous.

British politician slammed London ex-mayor for ‘rich Jews’ quote

Published on October 2, 2012

Douglas Alexander, a former British government minister, has criticized former London mayor Ken Livingstone for allegedly saying Jews won't vote for Britain's Labor Party because they are rich.

Jordan’s King to address British Jewry

Published on September 12, 2012

King Abdullah of Jordan will address the Board of Deputies of British Jews at its annual dinner, the Jewish Chronicle reported. The November event’s theme is multiculturalism, interfaith and world peace, the newspaper said.

UK urges EU to classify Hezbollah military wing as terrorist group

Published on September 11, 2012

Britain's Foreign Minister William Hague urged the European Union to place Hezbollah’s military wing on its list of terrorist organizations.

Britain’s Hague condemns Israeli gesture on West Bank university in Ariel

Published on September 10, 2012

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned a symbolic decision by the Israeli Cabinet to change the status of the Ariel University Center in the West Bank into a full-fledged university.

British Jewry rips Church of England’s vote to support ‘inflammatory’ pro-Palestinian program

Published on July 11, 2012

Britain's organized Jewish community slammed the Church of England's General Synod for endorsing an "inflammatory and partisan" pro-Palestinian program.

Oxford medieval cemetery marked

Published on July 6, 2012

A Jewish heritage committee in Oxford marked a medieval Jewish cemetery in the university town.

Time running out for Annan’s Syria peace plan, Britain’s U.N. envoy says

Published on June 14, 2012

Britain's U.N. envoy said on Thursday time was running out for international mediator Kofi Annan's plan to bring peace to Syria and that the U.N. Security Council needs to take "much tougher action" to enforce the six-point strategy.

Obama responds to Netanyahu’s Iran ‘freebie’ comment

Published on April 16, 2012

President Obama responded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that world powers gave Iran a "freebie" by agreeing to hold more talks.

Cameron says Britain opposes Israeli strike against Iran at this time

Published on March 16, 2012

British Prime Minister David Cameron said his country has informed Jerusalem that it opposes an Israeli military strike against Iran at this time.

Running off the rails

By Stuart Schoffman
Published on February 29, 2012

On the 4th day of Adar, on the front page of Haaretz, there appeared a most curious story. Its headline read: “Israel Railways planning to build 475-kilometer rail network in West Bank.”

British peer quits party post after anti-Israel comment

Published on February 29, 2012

British peer Jenny Tonge resigned as party whip of the Liberal Democrats after saying that Israel would not survive for long in its present form.

Britain’s Chief Rabbi visits L.A. … Cue the choir

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax
Published on February 8, 2012

With pomp and ceremony, the Los Angeles Modern Orthodox community in Pico-Robertson welcomed the British Commonwealth’s Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and Lady Elaine Sacks for a full weekend of appearances Feb. 3-5.

Joint Australian, British delegation meets Netanyahu, Fayyad

Published on January 17, 2012

A joint delegation of Australian and British parliamentarians met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Palestinian counterpart, Salam Fayyad. The delegation, organized by Australian businessman and philanthropist Albert Dadon, was in Israel for the first edition of the Australia-United Kingdom-Israel Leadership Forum.

Britain warns Iran over Hormuz

Published on January 6, 2012

Britain signaled it is prepared to use force to keep the Strait of Hormuz open despite Iranian threats.

U.N. Security Council states condemn Israel over housing

Published on December 21, 2011

Members of the U.N. Security Council criticized Israel's decision to construct additional housing in the settlements and the United States for blocking a vote to condemn the action.

Sacks tells pope Jewish-Christian relations in Britain good

Published on December 13, 2011

Following an audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, Britain’s chief rabbi described relations between Christians and Jews in his country “as good as you’ll find anywhere in the world.”

Livni visits Britain after prosecution law amended

Published on October 6, 2011

Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni has visited Britain for the first time since a law that allows for the prosecution of foreign officials for alleged war crimes was amended.

Fears of arrest gone, Tzipi Livni to visit Britain

Published on October 4, 2011

Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni will visit Britain this week now that a war crimes law that clouded Israeli-British relations and kept her away for fear of arrest has been changed.

Decline and Fall of British Spirituality

By Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
Published on August 18, 2011

Britain’s sick society

Published on August 17, 2011

Watching the ferocious criminality displayed during the riots in British cities during the past weeks, one might be forgiven for thinking that this explosion of mob violence was taking place in some dilapidated god-forsaken Third World country.

Israelis advised to ‘be alert’ in Britain

Published on August 11, 2011

Israel's Foreign Ministry issued a travel advisory for citizens visiting Britain.

Amid Murdoch scandal, Israel backers worry about muting of pro-Israel media voice

Published on July 19, 2011

Pro-Israel leaders in the United States, Britain and Australia are warily watching the unfolding of the phone-hacking scandal that is threatening to engulf the media empire of Rupert Murdoch, founder of News Corp.

The tabloidization of Britain

By Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
Published on July 8, 2011

Islamic Movement head Salah arrested in Britain

Published on June 29, 2011

The head of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheikh Raed Salah, was arrested in London while on a speaking tour and will be deported.

Britain academic union votes for Israel boycott

Published on May 31, 2011

For the third time since 2007, Britain's largest academic union has voted to adopt an academic and cultural boycott of Israel. The resolution was passed Sunday at UCU's annual conference in Harrogate, Yorkshire.

Britain giving $3.4 million to Auschwitz site preservation

Published on May 26, 2011

Britain will contribute about $3.4 million to help preserve the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp memorial.

Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron calls on Hamas to recognize Israel

Published on May 5, 2011

British Prime Minister David Cameron during a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu called on Hamas to recognize Israel's right to exist and join peace negotiations. Cameron and Netanyahu met Wednesday night; the Israeli leader traveled to France on Thursday. According to a statement released Wedneday night by Cameron, the two leaders discussed the Fatah-Hamas unity deal.

Guest not: Britain takes back Syria’s wedding invite

Published on April 28, 2011

Britain rescinded an invitation to the royal wedding to Syria's ambassador because of Syrian government attacks on anti-government protesters. The invitation was withdrawn Thursday, the day before the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, according to reports, citing Britain's Foreign Office.

More haredi children in Britain are living in poverty

Published on April 5, 2011

A new report warns of a sharp rise in child poverty in Britain's haredi Orthodox Jewish community. The report says the rise in child poverty is due to the haredi community's large families, lack of secular education and work skills, and cuts in both charitable giving and state social benefits.

Ketubah prepared for Britain’s newest royal couple

Published on March 10, 2011

A British artist has prepared a ketubah, or Jewish marriage contract, for Britain’s Prince William and his fiancee, Kate Middleton. Michael Horton, who has Israeli citizenship, designed the ketubah for the couple’s April 29 wedding, according to The Associated Press. The language, in Hebrew and English, has been altered to be egalitarian and nonreligious. Neither the prince nor Middleton are Jewish.

Britain upgrading status of Palestinian diplomats

Published on March 7, 2011

Britain will upgrade the status of the Palestinian delegation to the United Kingdom to a mission. British Foreign Secretary William Hague made the announcement upgrading the status of Palestinian diplomats in Britain on Monday, a day before Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to meet with Hague and Prime Minister David Cameron in London.

Britian to fund security at Jewish schools

Published on December 10, 2010

Britain's government will fund extra security for Jewish schools. The new funds, for security personnel, will be in addition to the security measures already supplied to government-funded parochial schools, the BBC reported on Thursday. Parents at the Jewish schools until now have been pooling funds to pay for the guards to enhance standard measures, including cameras, fences and gates.

Haredi numbers rise in Britain

Published on May 24, 2010

Synagogue membership has stopped declining in Britain, due to a rise in the number of fervently Orthodox Jews.

Protesters menace Israeli diplomat in Britain

Published on April 29, 2010

Pro-Palestinian protesters tried to attack the deputy ambassador of Israel to Britain.

As Britain votes, Liberal Democrats’ record on Israel draws scrutiny

Published on April 27, 2010

With Britain’s three-way race for prime minister entering the final lap, many Jews in Britain are wondering what Nick Clegg’s meteoric rise -- and the possibility of a “hung parliament” -- means for them.

Britain ready to take in Yemeni Jews

Published on April 14, 2010

Britain is nearing an agreement to take in persecuted Jews from Yemen who have relatives in the country.

Britain bans Israel travel ad

Published on April 14, 2010

An advertisement for travel to Israel was banned in Britain as misleading for showing sites that included the Western Wall.

Disraeli: The curious case of England’s Jewish prime minister

By Rabbi David Wolpe
Published on December 31, 2008

Disraeli: The curious case of England’s Jewish prime minister

By Rabbi David Wolpe
Published on December 25, 2008

Benjamin Disraeli was born Jewish, baptized as a boy but (mostly) considered himself to be Jewish. He famously proclaimed to Queen Victoria -- who began by hating him and ended adoring him -- that he was the "blank page" separating the Old and New Testaments.

A Jew argues for Sharia in England

By Brad A. Greenberg
Published on July 18, 2008

No stiff upper lip as U.K. Jews celebrate Israel @ 60

Published on July 1, 2008

The unprecedented show of pride and self-confidence by British Jews in the nation's first-ever Salute to Israel parades may be a sign of the transformation of a community long considered timid and low key.

Iran files complaint over Mofaz threat, Hamas claims 2002 bombings

Published on June 12, 2008

One-third of British Jews under age 18 are ultra-Orthodox, according to a new study. A study published Friday by the umbrella group of British Jewry, the Board of Deputies, found that the British haredi community has grown at an annual rate of about 4 percent over the last two decades

Drug abuse debate: Legalization, medication or therapy?

By Roberto Loiederman
Published on April 24, 2008

On a wall at Beit T'Shuvah's sanctuary there are plaques with the names of those connected with Beit T'Shuvah who have passed away. One of those names is that of Josh Lowenthal, a former resident who died on June 11, 1995