NEW YORK, October 17, 2018 – Ahead of the Jewish Federation of North America General Assembly opening next week, Am Echad has expressed concern over the GA’s anti-Orthodox program and imbalanced speaker list. Am Echad represents the interests and concerns of the Orthodox community in the US, Israel, and around the world. While billed as an opportunity for dialogue between American and Israeli Jewish communities, in reality the GA program represents only one voice, that of liberal Jewish leadership in both countries. The leadership of the American Orthodox community has been completely left out of the program, despite the fast growth of this demographic. The Orthodox community is the only segment of American Jewry to be growing and has has the majority of its youth engaged in ...
Yad Vashem to Participate in the General Assembly 2018 A unique Holocaust-era artifact will be on display for the first time at the Yad Vashem booth: the newly restored diary written by Holocaust survivor Alfred Ziloni while incarcerated in the Warsaw ghetto. The youngest son of the Ziloni family, Alfred Ziloni was born in 1897 in Warsaw. His father and one of his brothers died before World War II, and another brother immigrated to Mandatory Palestine. During the war, the Germans imprisoned Alfred and the remainder of his family in the Warsaw ghetto. While in the ghetto, one of Alfred's sisters died from illness, while his mother, wife and son were deported to Treblinka, where they were all murdered. Alfred decided to write a diary and record his daily life. The diary, written in Po...
President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin today, 18 October / 9 Cheshvan 5779, took part in the launch of an initiative to strengthen the human capital in the Haredi and Arab sectors, led by a new coaltion of NGOs, technology companies, government ministries and philanthropists, under the leadership of Start-Up Nation Central. The event was held at the offices of Mobileye in Jerusalem. The program aims to bridge the serious lack of skilled technology workers in Israel, particularly in Jerusalem, first with female haredi computer science graduates and men and women from the Arab sector, who are almost totally unrepresented in the Israeli hi-tech sector. Professor Eugene Kandel, CEO of Start-Up Nation Central, Professor Amnon Shashua, CEO of Mobileye and SVP of Intel, representatives from Ex Libris, ...
SINGAPORE (AP) — The Pentagon and South Korea are canceling another major military exercise this year, citing a push for diplomatic progress with North Korea. The top Pentagon spokeswoman, Dana W. White, says Washington and Seoul are suspending an air exercise known as Vigilant Ace "to give the diplomatic process every opportunity to continue." That word comes while Pentagon chief Jim Mattis is in Singapore for a meeting of Asian defense ministers. Vigilant Ace is an annual exercise. It was held last year in December with U.S. and South Korean air forces. In June the Pentagon canceled this year's Freedom Guardian exercise after President Donald Trump abruptly announced that he disapproved of the maneuvers, calling them provocative and expensive. Trump made the announcement ...
WASHINGTON (AP) — Just 1 in 4 people thinks Brett Kavanaugh was completely honest when as a Supreme Court nominee he gave sworn testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee last month, with Republicans and Democrats holding starkly distinct opinions of his credibility, according to a poll released Friday. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey also found that the public holds tepid views of how major players handled the extraordinary battle, which culminated Oct. 6 in an exhausted Senate’s near party line confirmation of Kavanaugh. President Donald Trump, Senate Republicans and Democrats and the FBI each earned approval from 32 percent or less of the poll’s respondents. Overall, 39 percent said they believe Kavanaugh was mostly honest but was...
Jerusalem - A U.S. student’s court victory against the Israeli government’s attempt to bar her from the country may prove only a short reprieve in the “battle” over a law targeting some pro-Palestinian activists, one of her lawyers said on Friday. Lara Alqasem, 22, was allowed out of Tel Aviv airport on Thursday after Israel’s Supreme Court overturned her Oct. 2 detention there on suspicion of being active in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement - charges she denied. The case has touched off a debate in Israel over whether democratic values were compromised by the 2017 law that bars the entry of foreigners who publicly support boycotts of Israel over its policies toward the Palestinians. Israel’s government slammed the Supreme Court rul...
The security force of the future is already patrolling several neighborhoods in the Tri-State Area. The robotic protectors can see what you’re doing and even talk back to you, but the machines created by a New Yorker have prompted serious privacy concerns, CBS2’s Clark Fouraker reported. One of the models, named “Rosie,” uses the same technology as a self-driving car to patrol the sidewalks at the Lefrak City Apartments in Queens. “This is a crazy combination of artificial intelligence, self-driving autonomous technology, robotics, and analytics in something that’s actually useful for society,” said Knightscope CEO William Santana Li. Li’s company has built three robot models in the United States, and is introducing them to customers insid...
The U.S. Embassy in Israel and U.S. Consulate General, both in Yerushalayim, will merge to “achieve significant efficiencies and increase our effectiveness,” the State Department announced on Thursday. The embassy moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017. In announcing the change, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the move does not change U.S. policy on Jerusalem, the West Bank or Gaza. “As the president proclaimed in December of last year, the United States continues to take no position on final status issues, including boundaries or borders,” said Pompeo. “The specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem are subject to final-status negotiatio...
An Israeli single mother of three sons is asking for the public’s help following Wednesday’s rocket attack in which her Beersheba home was destroyed. “I don’t have a home,” Miri Tamano told Channel 10. “The memories are gone. Inside the house were closets full of everything — and now nothing remains. I don’t even have a bed.” Tamano saved her children’s lives by rushing them to a shelter as the rocket warning sirens sounded shortly before 4 a.m. on Wednesday. Tamano’s sister, Ora, called her sibling a “true heroine, a lioness.” An acquaintance of the family has set up a GoFundMe page to help the Tamano and her children. The rocket that struck Tamano’s home — launched by terrorists in the Hamas-ru...
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon blasted Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, saying that he has “led his people down a path of self-destruction and misery.” “Mahmoud Abbas is to blame,” the ambassador said at the monthly U.N. Security Council meeting on the Middle East. “In his 13 years of rule, Abbas has done nothing but inspire this rampant culture of hate. … He preaches tolerance in English and terror in Arabic. … He has led his people down a path of self-destruction and misery, stealing their chance at a good life. He is the obstacle to peace. If you hope to see a better future between Israelis and Palestinians, you will join us in indicting Abbas.” During the session, Danon displayed an officia...
Saudi Arabia’s leaders are considering blaming a top Saudi intelligence officer for the apparent murder of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, sources with knowledge told The New York Times on Thursday. The man who could be blamed for the killing, Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri, is a top adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Blaming al-Assiri could deflect attention from Salman, who many U.S. intelligence officials suspect could be behind the alleged slaying, the Times reported. Read more at The Hill.
Parshas Lech Licha / Baltimore Zmanim / Eruv is UP!   Baltimore, MD – Oct. 19, 2018 Parshas: Lech Licha Today:    10 MarCheshvan    Chatzos: 12:51 PM Hadlakas Nairos: 6:04 PM Shkiah:                   6:22:08 PM Tzais HaKochavim:  7:13 PM Kiddush Levanah: Oct. 12, 2:40 PM through Oct. 24, 9:02 AM Kiddush Levanah may only be said at night BAHAB: Monday, Oct. 15, Thursday, Oct. 18, Monday, Oct. 22
New York - Nikki Haley was introduced as the next president of the United States by comedian Jim Gaffigan at a white-tie gala in New York Thursday evening where the outgoing U.N. Ambassador poked fun at her own Indian heritage, her boss and the current political climate. “Everyone in Washington called me with advice about this speech. They all said the same thing. Do not under any circumstances make any jokes about the president. So good night everybody!” quipped Haley. “Actually the president called me this morning and gave me some really good advice. He said if I get stuck for laughs, just brag about his accomplishments,” she added. The former Republican South Carolina governor made the jabs at the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, named after ...
Gaza - The United Nations’ Mideast peace envoy urged Israel and the Palestinians to exercise restraint Friday ahead of protests organized by Hamas on the Gaza Strip’s border fence. Thousands of Palestinian protesters were expected to mass along Israel’s border with Gaza for another weekly protest, testing Egypt’s efforts to mediate a lasting cease-fire between Israel and the militant Hamas group. Mosque loudspeakers in the Palestinian enclave urged Gazans to attend Friday’s demonstrations, despite statements by Gaza’s leaders that Hamas seeks to rein in the protests. “In light of today’s planned Gaza march, I urge all to exercise restraint, to proceed in a peaceful manner, and to avoid escalation,” Nickolay Mladenov said in a stateme...
Tokyo - An U.S. Navy helicopter crashed on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan on Friday, causing non-fatal injuries to sailors, the Navy said. The Navy’s 7th Fleet said in a statement that the MH-60 Seahawk crashed shortly after takeoff Friday morning while the carrier was off the Philippine coast. All affected sailors were in stable condition and their injuries were non-life threatening, the Navy said. It didn’t say how many sailors were hurt. It said some of them would be examined and treated after they reach the shore, though officials did not specify the destination. The Navy did not give details on any damage to the helicopter or the aircraft carrier. But it said the ship was fully capable to conduct its mission for security and stability in the I...
Missoula, MN - President Donald Trump praised a Republican congressman for body-slamming a reporter last year, calling him a “tough cookie” and saying he thinks it might have helped him win election in Montana. At a campaign rally in Missoula Thursday, Trump lauded Rep. Greg Gianforte, who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault for an attack on Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs. The attack came a day before Gianforte won a 2017 special election to serve the remaining 18 months in the House term vacated by now-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. “Any guy that can do a body slam — he’s my kind of guy,” Trump said to cheers and laughter from the crowd. “He’s a great guy, tough cookie.” His remarks praising Gianforte come amid an international furo...
Toronto - Canada’s move to legalize recreational marijuana this week is unlikely to immediately trigger a flood of pot-fueled tourism, as tour operators and consumers are unsure about rules governing the brand new industry. There are precedents for Canada to follow in California, Colorado and elsewhere. But observers noted that these U.S. states offering legal recreational marijuana could put a damper on Canada’s own pot travel aspirations: Why go all the way to Canada when you can smoke legally a couple of states away? On Wednesday, Canada became the first major industrialized nation to legalize recreational marijuana, sparking huge demand. But those in the tourism industry are meeting legalization with more precaution than promotion. “The tourist is really at the mer...
Istanbul - A Turkish official said Friday that investigators are looking into the possibility that missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s remains may have been taken to a forest on the outskirts of Istanbul or to another city — if and after he was killed in Istanbul earlier this month. Ankara’s top diplomat, meanwhile, denied sharing any audio from the Saudi consulate with U.S. officials. The official told The Associated Press that police have established that two vehicles belonging to the consulate, left the building on Oct. 2 — the day Khashoggi had walked into the consulate and vanished. One of the vehicles traveled to the nearby Belgrade Forest while the other traveled to the city of Yalova, across the Sea of Marmara from Istanbul, the official said, spe...
Missoula, MN - President Donald Trump suggested without evidence Thursday that Democrats or their allies are supporting a “caravan” of Central American migrants who are traveling north aiming to enter the United States. Addressing thousands of supporters at a campaign rally in Montana, Trump said immigration is now one of the leading issues in the 2018 midterms, and he accused Democrats of supporting the migrants because they “figure everybody coming in is going to vote Democrat.” The comments mark the injection of one of Trump’s signature 2016 campaign themes back into national conversation as he looks to boost Republican turnout to maintain their congressional majorities in 2018. Trump was in Montana to boost GOP Senate candidate Matt Rosendale, who is ru...
Menlo Park, CA - In an otherwise innocuous part of Facebook’s expansive Silicon Valley campus, a locked door bears a taped-on sign that reads “War Room.” Behind the door lies a nerve center the social network has set up to combat fake accounts and bogus news stories ahead of upcoming elections. Inside the room are dozens of employees staring intently at their monitors while data streams across giant dashboards. On the walls are posters of the sort Facebook frequently uses to caution or exhort its employees. One reads, “Nothing at Facebook is somebody else’s problem.” That motto might strike some as ironic, given that the war room was created to counter threats that almost no one at the company, least of all CEO Mark Zuckerberg, took seriously just two ...
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