Calif. Democratic Party chair rues any offense with Goebbels analogy

Published on September 4, 2012

John Burton, the chairman of the Democratic Party in California, apologized to those who took offense at his remarks comparing Republican statements to Nazi propaganda.

Roseanne for president.  Really.

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on February 4, 2012

TribeFest: Las Vegas 2011 - A VideoJew special report [VIDEO]

By Jay Firestone
Published on March 9, 2011

New Orleans’ Other Lesson

By Rob Eshman
Published on November 10, 2010

Except for one unfortunate metaphor, it was a brilliant idea to host the annual meetings of the Jewish Federations of North America in New Orleans.

Post-Palin Depression

By Marty Kaplan
Published on September 11, 2008

This is not just a Jewish phenomenon, though a few thousand years of expecting to be scapegoated, persecuted, exiled or killed certainly contributes to the melancholic gene Jews are known for carrying, the optimism of a Ben-Gurion or Sandy Koufax notwithstanding.

Attack dog? Fresh meat? Quest for Jewish vote flips Biden and Palin roles

By Ron Kampeas
Published on September 10, 2008

Republicans and Democrats campaigning for the Jewish vote have flipped the traditional role of the vice-presidential candidate from "attack dog" to fresh meat.

McCain accepts nomination, offers little new on Israel, Iran

Published on September 5, 2008

John McCain closed out the Republican convention Thursday night with a speech in which he defended traditional GOP policy points, while criticizing his party's recent performance and pledging to work with lawmakers across the aisle.

Convention Notes: Hadassah Lieberman— ‘I’m not a Republican’

Published on September 3, 2008

Like her husband, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), Hadassah Lieberman is backing John McCain for president. On Monday afternoon, she was the featured speaker at the Republican Jewish Coalition's (RJC) National Women's Committee fundraiser and fashion show in Minneapolis. But, Lieberman insisted that doesn't mean she's become a Republican.

Allies and foes scrape through Palin bio for Jewish material

By Ron Kampeas
Published on September 2, 2008

Palin is likeable enough that she got props from Ethan Berkowitz, the Jewish former minority leader in the Alaska House of Representatives who appears poised to become the first Democrat to represent Alaska in the U.S. House of Representatives since Nick Begich disappeared in a snowstorm in 1972.

Obama says GOP ‘tough talk’ doesn’t help Israel; Transcript of speech

Published on August 29, 2008

"You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances ... "

VIDEO: Blacks and Jews are back together and working side by side for an Obama victory

Published on August 29, 2008

Blacks and Jews are back together and working side by side for an Obama victory, JTA reports from Denver.

Dems use speeches to hit GOP on Israel

Published on August 28, 2008

Speaker after speaker at the Democratic convention on Wednesday night in Denver argued that GOP recklessness had emboldened Israel's enemies

VIDEO: JTA’s Wednesday Convention Summary

Published on August 28, 2008

Eric Fingerhut and Ron Kampeas summarize the jewish events of the day at the election, while attending a jstreet function in downtown Denver.

Yes, we Cain

By Steve Greenberg
Published on August 26, 2008

Editorial cartoonist Steve Greenberg looks at the push for unity at the Democratic National Convention in Denver

But he’s a Muslim!

By Marty Kaplan
Published on August 25, 2008

The Muslim issue is a way to talk about race without talking about race, and without having to squirm about saying that race is not an issue.

Let the games begin: GOP plays ‘Iran card’ against Democrats Obama and Biden

By Ron Kampeas
Published on August 25, 2008

Republicans are hoping to score points on Barack Obama and Joe Biden's opposition to specific Iran-related measures. But in a bit of political jujitsu, Democrats are painting their candidates as tougher -- and smarter -- on Iran.

VIDEO: Jewish Dems nosh and schmooze at Zaydees Deli in Denver

Published on August 25, 2008

Jewish Democratic event at Zaydees in downtown Denver

With seven rabbis and counting, Dem parley reaches out to the faithful

By Ron Kampeas
Published on August 20, 2008

Jewish voters and organizations are often among the first to object when Republicans and Christian conservatives attempt to inject religion into politics. But this year the Democrats are jumping into the religion game -- and looking to rabbis for help.

VideoJew does Hadassah

By Jay Firestone
Published on July 17, 2008

Hadassah convention to stimulate mind, body, soul

By Tom Tugend
Published on July 9, 2008

An overflowing plate of activities, from Shalom Yoga exercises at 6:15 a.m. to festivities lasting until midnight, will be served up to some 2,000 energetic delegates attending the 94th annual convention of Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, in Los Angeles.

Conservatives Focus on Intermarrieds

By Sue Fishkoff
Published on June 1, 2006

Stephen Lachter didn't know what to expect when a friend dragged him to a men's club meeting at his Conservative synagogue five years ago.

"My father was in a men's club, and to me, it was guys sitting around playing pinochle and volunteer ushering," he admitted.

Lachter was surprised to see "interesting people having serious discussions," and he "fell into a session on kiruv," or outreach, to intermarried families. "I said to myself, this is something shuls need to be talking about."

Israel Taps Into Interfaith Tourism

By David Finnigan
Published on December 16, 2004

As Israeli tourism officials focus on their main demographic with seven new tourism DVDs targeting Christian churches, 233 people will travel to Israel on Dec. 20 for the Los Angeles Jewish community's 10-day, post-Chanukah Mega-Mission. The number falls short of the 400 Jewish tourists who were expected to go, with the drop-off partly due to the Orthodox Union's (OU) convention last month in Israel.

JEWS DECIDE: 2004

By Ron Kampeas
Published on August 26, 2004

Republicans promise that a substantive, tough party platform this year will present Jewish voters with a sharp contrast from the relatively scrawny Democratic document -- but they may find that delving into details could prove devilish.

The Bush campaign is emphasizing its adherence to old-fashioned platform-writing techniques, going into particulars, yet leaving open an element of surprise by allowing a platform committee to hash through the proposed document on the eve of the convention next week.

Berman ‘Rocks’ Boston

By Janine Zacharia
Published on July 29, 2004

At French Connection on Boston's fashionable Newberry Street this past Tuesday evening, L.A. native Lindsey Berman is juggling. A song by the band Journey blares out of her satchel shaped like a guitar each time her cell phone rings. People are calling -- friends, friends of friends, friends of friends of friends. Everyone wants a ticket to the Black Eyed Peas concert that evening, the hot after-party sponsored by the organization Rock the Vote at the Democratic National Convention. Inside French Connection, vendors are hawking their black T-shirts that read, "FCUK you! I'm voting," referring to the brand French Connection United Kingdom. Art Alexakis, the lead singer of the pop band Everclear, is singing. Berman is making sure everything goes smoothly, firing up the volunteers on the street, and figuring out how she'll get credentials for young people so they can get on the floor for the convention's speeches that evening.

A Graphic Anniversary

By Michael Aushenker
Published on July 10, 2003

"What the graphic novel has done is make it clear we're dealing with an art form," said Maggie Thompson, editor of Comics Buyer's Guide.

Conservative Cantors Converge

By Ellen Jaffe-Gill
Published on May 8, 2003

Aside from the exposure to new music and techniques and the camaraderie of being with peers, one purpose of the convention is to explore the role of cantor as klei kodesh (literally, holy vessel), or clergy member, a position that transcends music-making, said Joseph Gole, senior cantor of Sinai Temple, a local co-chair of the convention.

Not a Day Over 39

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on February 13, 2003

Jack Benny will be honored this weekend at a convention, "39 Forever," sponsored by the International Jack Benny Fan Club and the National Comedy Hall of Fame.

Light and Thanks

By Rob Eshman
Published on November 28, 2002

I spent most of this past week at the United Jewish Communities (UJC) General Assembly (GA), the annual gathering which, this year, brought nearly 4,000 Jewish communal representatives (and journalists) from North America, Israel and elsewhere overseas.

The Way of the Samurai

By Michael Aushenker
Published on August 2, 2001

Genndy Tartakovsky will be among the hot names attending next week's Eighth Annual World Animation Celebration. Co-sponsored by Animation Magazine and Variety, the Hollywood festival will kick-start a week of symposiums addressing cartoon industry issues.

The Convention Comes to Town

By Tom Tugend
Published on August 3, 2000

The story goes that a young man gets an entry-level job with the Democratic National Committee in the nation's capital and for his first assignment is told by his boss to buy Christmas decorations for the upcoming office party."I'm not sure whether I'm the right person," protests the young man. "You see, I'm Jewish."

Reshaping its Image

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on July 13, 2000

Eighty-eight years after Henrietta Szold founded Hadassah in 1912, the 306,000-member Zionist and social service organization will gather in Los Angeles for its first national convention of the 21st century. From July 16-19, more than 2,500 leaders and guests will mingle at the Century Plaza Hotel, where speakers will range from actor Richard Dreyfuss to political commentators Mary Matalin and James Carville. Hadassah is the largest women's and Jewish group in the U.S., but president Bonnie Lipton admits membership is down from its high of more than 350,000 in the 1980s. More than half of current membership is over 61, so the group is working to reinvent itself and draw younger women. Besides its historic focus on health care in Israel, for example, the organization is now championing women's health in the U.S, among other issues.

Balancing Acts

By Debra Nussbaum Cohen
Published on December 30, 1999

When Rabbi Eric Yoffie and other Reform movement leaders walked through the doors of Walt Disney World's Dolphin Hotel about a week before Christmas last year, they were greeted by a garishly lit, outsized Christmas Tree and the sound of caroling.

A Psalm for a Singer

Published on April 15, 1999

It's tenor time in the Borscht Belt next week. The cantors are coming to the Catskills, close to 400 of them, from Conservative synagogues across the country. With spouses and sundry fans in tow, they'll be descending on Kutsher's Country Club, one of the last of the region's great Jewish watering holes, for three days of music and prayer. It's the annual convention of the Cantors' Assembly.