The Gold Man – A Guest Blog

By Ilana Angel
Published on August 27, 2012

Student beaten outside Ozar Hatorah school in Paris

Published on March 27, 2012

A Jewish boy reportedly was beaten outside the Ozar Hatorah school in Paris by youths shouting anti-Semitic epithets.

The battle to get ‘Bully’ seen by those who need it most

By Danielle Berrin
Published on March 21, 2012

At Sioux City Middle School in Iowa, 12-year-old Alex Libby is the odd-man-out. Seen by his peers as different, he has golden hair, gentle eyes, a wide, flat nose and permanently puckered lips. Together, they might seem to express something both pouty and vulnerable, sweet and sad. Kids are not so kind. “People call me fish face,” he blankly tells the camera in the new documentary “Bully” by filmmaker Lee Hirsch. “I don’t mind.”

Q&A with an expert on bullying

By Danielle Berrin
Published on March 21, 2012

Ron Avi Astor, the Richard M. and Ann L. Thor Professor in Urban Social Development at USC, has been studying the epidemiology of school violence for nearly 30 years. In 1997, he moved his family to Jerusalem for one year to run the first-ever large-scale comprehensive school violence survey in Israel, with his partner, Hebrew University of Jerusalem professor Rami Benbenishty.

Report: Over 50 killed in bloody ‘day of rage’ clashes

Published on April 29, 2011

At least 50 protesters were killed in in pro-democracy demonstrations throughout Syria on Friday, including 15 in the south Syrian town of Daraa, according to opposition members.

Fight erupts between right-wing and left-wing activists in San Francisco

Published on November 17, 2010

A dispute between right-wing and left-wing Israel activists in Berkeley, Calif., resulted in a physical altercation involving pepper spray, police and paramedics.

U.S. denies giving Israel ‘green light’ to strike Iran

Published on July 7, 2009

Vice President Joe Biden's statement that Israel can decide on its own whether to strike Iran's nuclear sites should not be construed as an American "green light" for such an action, the State Department said on Monday.

Chabad, Getty and neighbors square off over Palisades school plan

By Jane Ulman
Published on June 5, 2008

Everything went smoothly until April 2, when Getty Trust attorney Lori Fox informed Cunin that Chabad does not have the right to approach the building via a private Getty service road -- which Chabad disputes

Fight or flight? A Jewish Cuban mom wonders

By Robert David Jaffee
Published on September 14, 2006

Melinda Lopez's "Sonia Flew," which opens at the Laguna Playhouse on Sept. 16, depicts the parallel struggles of a Cuban girl in 1961 and a half-Jewish, half-Cuban American boy just after Sept. 11.

JewsOnFirst.org Continues Fight Against Aggressive Christian Activities

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on September 7, 2006

Several months ago, activist Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak learned of a Jewish family allegedly forced to flee its Delaware town after protesting aggressive Christian activities in the public schools. Thus Beliak zeroed in on the Delaware family -- Mona and Marco Dobrich and their two children -- who had filed a lawsuit along with a family known only as the "Does" about a year ago.

Unhappy New Year!

By Mark Miller
Published on January 5, 2006

OK, I'll be absolutely honest -- I spent this past New Year's Eve alone. Sure, I could have salvaged the situation with a round of frantic last-minute calling, but I never got around to it because I had to go and get into a fight. Fortunately, I was the only one who got hurt. You see, I picked a fight with myself. And on New Year's Eve day, no less. Almost out of nowhere and with virtually no warning, I started in on myself.

The Disengagement Summer

By Barbara Opall-Rome
Published on August 4, 2005

The column of armored SUVs waited, engines humming, as a phalanx of bodyguards ushered Prime Minister Ariel Sharon into the third truck from the end. As the convoy cleared the main gate of the Israeli government head's residence, a set of decoy vehicles turned north, toward Jerusalem, while the remaining units proceeded south toward the Negev, where Sharon planned to tour absorption sites being built for hundreds of Israeli families soon to be evacuated from their Gaza Strip homes.

For Sharon, the site inspections this spring were a welcome excursion beyond his Jerusalem office compound or his Negev ranch. But for officers charged with protective security, the outing rivaled an elite combat operation.

Talmudic Tax Write-Off

By Idan Ivri
Published on November 25, 2004

Few people are eager to pick fights with the IRS. Michael Sklar, now well into his second voluntary tax lawsuit, is definitely an exception.

Sklar is an Orthodox father with several children in Jewish day school. His courtroom quest: to establish religious school costs as tax deductions.

Chaos Comes to Town

By Leora Alhadeff
Published on March 18, 2004

Merhav Mohar never lost a match until a Latvian at the Sheraton Plaza in Israel took away his winning streak.

Yoffie Emphasizes Need to Forge Links

By Joe Berkofsky
Published on November 13, 2003

Reform Jews cannot go it alone.

That was the message at the Reform movement's 67th biennial in Minneapolis last week.

Despite numerically dominating the North American Jewish landscape, Reform Jews must reach out to other Reform Jews in Israel and Eastern Europe and fight anti-Semitism by forging closer ties to Christians, said the movement's president, Rabbi Eric Yoffie.

The Great Jewish Hope

By Carin Davis
Published on September 18, 2003

Dmitriy Salita doesn't fight on the Sabbath, which gives his competition a much-needed day of rest from this powerful junior welterweight.

Clash Over Council, School Board Seats

By Wendy J. Madnick
Published on May 15, 2003

In the hotly contested battle, each has accused the other of, among other things, lying, playing dirty and being beholden to special interests. Smith says Korenstein is tied to the unions, while Korenstein says Smith is hand-in-hand with developers.

Persian Jews Divided on War

By Mojdeh Sionit
Published on March 20, 2003

Like many Jewish leaders in the community, Rabbi Reuven Malekan, who works with various Persian Jewish organizations, is torn about the prospect of war.

The Battle Over Mesivta

By Wendy J. Madnick
Published on October 24, 2002

The protracted court case, which is now awaiting an environmental impact report (EIR) from the school, shows how badly a school building project can go when met with fiery opposition by the surrounding community.

Americans Fight Terror With Aliyah

By Rachel Pomerance
Published on July 11, 2002

Nearly 400 North American Jews -- 150 under the age of 12 -- who made aliyah in what is believed to be the largest group of North Americans to immigrate at one time to Israel.