Ahmadinejad seeks strategic axis with Egypt

Published on February 6, 2013

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on the first visit to Cairo by an Iranian leader in more than three decades, called for a strategic alliance with Egypt and said he had offered the cash-strapped Arab state a loan, but drew a cool response.

VP hopeful Paul Ryan meets with Sheldon Adelson

Published on August 15, 2012

Paul Ryan met with Sheldon Adelson, a major giver to Republicans in the effort to defeat President Obama, just days after being tapped by presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney as his running mate.

Private schools chalk it up to federal dollars

By Ryan E. Smith
Published on August 8, 2012

It’s not unusual for elementary school students at Sinai Akiba Academy to walk into class and be greeted with the following message: “Dear scientists, today we’re going to look at our mealworms under the microscopes.”

Sarah Silverman's 'Indecent Proposal' and what that means for modern politics

By Rob Eshman
Published on July 17, 2012

By the time you read this, you probably will have watched Sarah Silverman in her underwear, demonstrating a lesbian sex act with her dog. Because that’s the way politics works these days.

Jewish Dems’ call on GOP to cut off Adelson’s giving revives civility talk

Published on July 10, 2012

Sheldon Adelson, whose cash and rhetoric has hit candidates hard this election cycle, just got swiped himself.

Israeli nature reserve designated as UNESCO site

Published on July 2, 2012

UNESCO voted to designate a nature reserve in northern Israel as a World Heritage Site.

Senate passes farm bill, rejects full SNAP funding

Published on June 22, 2012

The U.S. Senate passed the Farm Bill, whose final version some Jewish organizations had expressed dismay over because it did not include full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food stamps.

Panetta announces $70 million for Iron Dome near term

Published on May 17, 2012

The Obama administration said it would rush $70 million to Israel in order to enhance its Iron Dome missile defense system, with more money in the pipeline.

House subcommittee OKs $680 million for Iron Dome

Published on April 26, 2012

A U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services subcommittee authorized $680 million for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.

Napolitano talks security funding cuts with Jewish leaders

Published on April 18, 2012

Janet Napolitano, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, met with leaders of the New York Jewish federation to discuss security for nonprofits in the wake of substantial funding cuts.

Komen reverses course on Planned Parenthood, but supporters still hurting

Published on February 3, 2012

It took just hours for the protests against Susan G. Komen for the Cure to begin, and they quickly took on the fury and form of a full-blown movement. Online petitions were started. Calls poured forth like an avalanche to withhold donations from the organization for its de-funding of Planned Parenthood, and money was pledged to Parenthood to make up for it. And on Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube, the shock and anger was palpable.

Komen foundation cuts funding to Planned Parenthood

Published on February 1, 2012

The Susan B. Komen for the Cure foundation cut funding for Planned Parenthood breast cancer testing.

Miriam Adelson gives $5 million to Gingrich Super PAC

Published on January 24, 2012

Miriam Adelson, the wife of casino and hotel magnate Sheldon Adelson, has donated $5 million to a group supporting Newt Gingrich for the Republican presidential nomination.

Ex-Mich. Rep. gets year for role in terrorism funding

Published on January 13, 2012

A former Michigan congressman was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison on for assisting a charity accused of funding Hamas and other terrorist groups.

UNESCO cut finding for a Palestinian magazine in which a teenage girl appears to express admiration

Published on December 23, 2011

The magazine, Zayzafouna, published an article earlier this year from a high-school-age contributor in which she describes four role models.

Report: Hadassah Medical Center can’t meet payments

Published on December 22, 2011

The Hadassah Medical Center has not been able to pay its suppliers, an Israeli business daily has reported.

Baltimore-area philanthropies changing the way they fund day schools

Published on December 21, 2011

Two Baltimore-based philanthropies are paring down a coordinated tuition grant program for area Jewish day schools but will still be giving to the schools.

ADL, AJC reportedly suffering major drops in donations

Published on December 12, 2011

The Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee reportedly have suffered steep declines in contributions over the past five years.

UCLA Orthodox program raises funds, but need continues

Published on December 7, 2011

More than 100 students, alumni and parents raised $23,000 for UCLA’s JLIC (Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus) during a Nov. 18 fundraiser, contributing roughly a quarter of the $100,000 that the program now needs to raise annually to ensure its continuing presence on the Westwood campus.

Germany doubling its funding to Jewish community

Published on November 28, 2011

Germany will double its funding to the Central Council of Jews in Germany to about $13 millon.

Republicans’ ‘Starting from zero’ aid proposal startles pro-Israel community

Published on November 15, 2011

"Starting from zero," the foreign assistance plan touted by leading Republican candidates at a debate, is getting low marks, and not just from Democrats and the foreign policy community. Pro-Israel activists and fellow Republicans also have concerns.

Israel cuts tax payments to Palestinian Authority

Published on November 4, 2011

Israel has suspended $100 million in tax payments to the Palestinian Authority.

Israel to halt UNESCO funding over Palestinian vote

Published on November 3, 2011

Israel said on Thursday it would freeze its funding to the United Nations cultural agency UNESCO following the group's decision to grant the Palestinians full membership.

Canada will not make up UNESCO shortfall, minister says

Published on November 2, 2011

Canada's foreign affairs minister said his country would continue paying dues to UNESCO but would not offer the agency any additional money.

Granger warns UNESCO: Admit Palestinians, lose funding

Published on October 6, 2011

A top congressional appropriator, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, warned UNESCO that granting the Palestinians full membership could mean a cutoff in U.S. funding for the cultural body.

Congress looks to punish Palestinians, but cuts to security aid pose dilemma

Published on October 4, 2011

If the Palestinians don’t pull back from their statehood push, congressional cuts in aid are inevitable, U.S. lawmakers say. Just how comprehensive such cuts will be, however, could end up depending on Israel’s stance on the issue.

GOP, Democratic appropriators agree on funding for Israel

Published on July 26, 2011

House Republican and Democratic appropriators said assistance to Israel would continue at existing levels, although they agreed on little else.

Obama administration argues for PA aid

Published on July 14, 2011

The Obama administration argued in Congress for continued funding for the Palestinian Authority.

Could U.S. still fund PA that includes Hamas?

Published on May 2, 2011

The Hamas-Fatah reconciliation may portend yet another Congress vs. White House showdown in the battle in Washington over Middle East policy. The Obama administration has expressed its unhappiness with the compromise reportedly negotiated this week in Cairo, but it is not counting out the prospect of supporting a reconstituted Palestinian Authority in which Hamas plays some role.

Ford Foundation to end Israel funding

Published on April 7, 2011

The Ford Foundation is denying that it is ending its Israel funding over criticism leveled at the foundation and some of the groups it helps to fund. The Forward reported Thursday that the philanthropic foundation, which has contributed $40 million to civil society groups since 2003, will wind down its giving in two years.

Bill to pull some U.N. funding fails

Published on February 10, 2011

A bill that would have pulled some United States funding from the United Nations failed to pass the U.S. House of Representatives. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, would have pulled $179 million from the approximately $3 billion that the United States pays in U.N. dues.

S. Carolina set to cut Holocaust education funding

Published on February 9, 2011

South Carolina's superintendent of education has recommended cutting Holocaust education funding to help make up a significant budget deficit. The $31,000 to the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust for Holocaust education programming is part of $71 million in cuts proposed by Superintendent Mick Zais.

POINT: How best to support an imperfect Israel

Published on January 5, 2011

The entire Jewish community should applaud the recently announced plan by The Jewish Federations of North America, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and several major Jewish federations to invest millions of dollars over the next few years to fight the delegitimization and demonization of Israel. These groups understand that if academic and cultural boycotts are legitimate when aimed at Jews in the West Bank today, they will soon become legitimate when aimed at Jews in Tel Aviv tomorrow; and, you can be sure that after that, the boycotters will set their sites on Jews in New York, Los Angeles, Peoria … and everywhere else that Jews live.

Congress passes funding until March

Published on December 22, 2010

Congress passed a procedural resolution that sustains government funding until March. The "continuing resolution" passed Tuesday includes the $2.75 billion in annual defense assistance for Israel. It passed 79-16 in the Senate and 193-165 in the U.S. House of Representatives. It maintains government funding at 2010 levels. Failure to pass it would have meant that the government would run out of money by midnight.

Insiders: Why was J Street so scared of Soros?

Published on September 28, 2010

George Soros has been a top funder in recent years of liberal political advocacy groups, and Jews have still been voting for Democrats at a 75 to 80 percent clip. J Street, meanwhile, has built relations with lawmakers, lined up support from liberal rabbis and communal leaders, and found itself on the White House invite list, even while issuing controversial criticisms of Israel and establishment Jewish groups on several occasions.

J Street owns up to Soros funding

Published on September 27, 2010

J Street has acknowledged substantial donations from billionaire George Soros, reversing years of claims by the group that it had nothing to do with the liberal financier, and apologized for making misleading statements about his role.

Donors push Bar-Ilan to head of the class

By Tom Tugend
Published on July 17, 2008

"I wish I had 10 percent of the success with the Israeli government as I have with private donors," sighed Moshe Kaveh, the president of Bar-Ilan University.

Milken JCC board rejects Federation offer

By Jane Ulman
Published on June 14, 2007

Up to now, the New JCC at Milken has avoided closure and selling off its property, the fate of many former Los Angeles JCCs, because of its unique history.

Funding shortage and ignorance hurt pancreatic cancer fight

By Julie G Fax
Published on March 1, 2007

About 95 percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will die within five years, the highest mortality rate of any cancer.

Social justice moves to front of some congregational agendas

By Sue Fishkoff
Published on February 15, 2007

Beyond the tangible victories, those involved in this work say it has transformed their synagogues into communities where the people know and care about each other. In making the world a little better, they are making their congregations more warm, friendly and caring.

A match made in D.C.?

Published on February 8, 2007

One of the primary reasons many groups give for the limited availability of premarital counseling programming is the lack of available funding.

Putting a question mark on Jewish earmarks

By Matthew E. Berger
Published on January 25, 2007

The new Democratic majority in Congress, backed by some conservative Republicans, is considering reforms that would curtail lawmakers' ability to anonymously insert funding for local projects into spending bills.

Pluralistic rabbinical court seeks new funding; InterfaithFamily.com marks 200th issue

By Amy Klein
Published on January 11, 2007

Updates. Pluralistic Rabbinical Court Seeks New Funding. InterfaithFamily.com Celebrates 200th Issue. OU Offers $20,000 Award for Best Unaffiliated Outreach.

Helping the Congo, person by person

By David Brinn
Published on November 30, 2006

Gila Garaway says that the vision for her organization, Moriah Africa, came to her as she was lying in a hospital bed in Nigeria in 2001.

Competing Moments of Truth on Schools

By Howard Blume
Published on April 9, 2006

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's first state-of-the-city speech is likely to put bone and muscle on his school takeover pitch which, up till now, nearly a year into his term, has been theoretical and short on specifics. If Villaraigosa delivers what people all over town have been waiting for, a slew of interest groups will know where they stand and will begin to respond accordingly.

Letters

Published on February 23, 2006

Letters to the Editor

Community Briefs

By David Finnigan
Published on February 23, 2006

Even with Republican sponsors and a largely Republican audience, the panelists at a recent discussion on Steven Spielberg's "Munich" covered most of the spectrum from left to right.

Pupils Vote Yes on Democratic School

By Dina Kraft
Published on February 23, 2006

The Hadera Democratic School, which receives funding from both public and private sources, was the first of its kind in Israel. Since its founding in 1987 in this city about 60 kilometers north of Tel Aviv, 23 other schools have opened around the country based on its model of democratic education, in which student participation and choice is emphasized.

Super Sunday Aims at Aiding Programs

By Marc Ballon
Published on February 16, 2006

"The Federation improved our lives," said Khananashvili, now a 48-year-old social worker and Beverly Hills resident. "They gave us our start here and protected us under their shield. We're very grateful."

Post-Katrina, Jews Raised Funds Fast

By Larry Luxner
Published on January 26, 2006

Major Jewish organizations have raised more than $30 million to house, feed, educate and relocate thousands of victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Negev + Galilee = Israel’s Future

By Batsheva Pomerantz
Published on January 19, 2006

"Real Zionism is to encourage all to move to the Negev and the Galilee," said Transportation Minister Meir Sheetrit, adding that the key to developing the peripheries lies in improving transportation to the center of the country. Efficient transportation, he said, will change the periphery into suburbia.

Russian City Gets New JCC

By Yasha Levine
Published on January 19, 2006

Anatoly Obermeister, president of the construction and development firm ASTRA, plans to offer the ground floor -- about 6,000 square feet -- of a new housing project in the center of town for use as a Jewish community center that could include a restaurant, clinic, school and other social services.

Preschool Project Strives to Educate All

By Rabbi Eli Hecht
Published on December 8, 2005

King Solomon was known to have coined the expression, "Educate the child accordingly so that when he grows old, he will not leave." In other words, take advantage of the child's education as soon as possible.

In modern times, this admonition certainly applies to preschool, and it's something that my day care school, the Bilowit Learning Center, based in the Lomita-Torrance area, has always taken as a mission.

Title VI Debate Focus on Resource Centers

By JTA Staff
Published on October 27, 2005

U.S. lawmakers and academics are engaged in fierce debate over the renewal of Title VI of the Higher Education Act. Under Title VI, select universities get federal funding and prestigious designation as national resource centers for the study of places and languages the government deems vital for meeting global challenges.

What your kids are learning about Israel, America and Islam

By JTA Staff
Published on October 27, 2005

With the school year back in full swing, do you know what your children are learning? In thousands of public school districts across the United States, without ever knowing it, taxpayers pay to disseminate pro-Islamic materials that are anti-American, anti-Israel and anti-Jewish.

Is an Israel Brain Drain Nigh?

By Dr. Aaron Ciechanover
Published on June 2, 2005

A quiet crisis is unfolding here. It's grabbing few headlines and it's rarely the stuff of public debate.

Camp Adjusts to Life Away From Parent

By David Finnigan
Published on May 26, 2005

This will be Camp JCA Shalom's first summer away from home. For the first time in its 54-year history, the Malibu camp is independent, having broken away from the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Los Angeles (JCCGLA) in January.

Life after the centers crisis hasn't been easy for The Shalom Institute: Camp and Conference Center, and now officials are learning how to raise the bulk of the camp's $2.3 million budget.

"Everything is great but we need support," said Bill Kaplan, executive director of the Shalom Institute, which runs Camp JCA Shalom.

B’nai B’rith Radio Launches on Web

By Matthew E. Berger
Published on February 17, 2005

Headphones on, face pressed against the microphone in a cramped cubicle, the leader of one of the best-known Jewish organizations in the country is reliving his youth.

Well, sort of.

"This is B'nai B'rith Radio, and I'm your host, Dan Mariaschin."

Mariaschin is far from the 50,000-watt radio station where he used to be a disc jockey in Keene, N.H., from the time he was in high school. But he also is far from his current day job as executive vice president of B'nai B'rith International.

Throughout the workweek, Mariaschin leaves his spacious Washington office for the makeshift radio studio down the hall, and spends several hours recording promotions and other messages for the first Internet radio station devoted to world Jewish music.

Heeb Teens Get Zine of Their Own

By Joe Berkofsky
Published on October 7, 2004

For years, young Jews have voted with their feet after their bar or bat mitzvahs, with about half of those in non-Orthodox synagogues' religious schools leaving before the 12th-grade confirmation.

Opportunities Open

By Dina Kraft
Published on September 30, 2004

A recent day brought welcome news for a small group of young Bedouin women who weekly gathered in a tin shed in a corner of their windswept desert village of Kasr Alssr, Israel, to study.