Section: Jewish Telegraphic Agency (USA)
Ukraine’s brawling parliament hopes to learn from Israel’s — but who’s really worse?
Israel’s honorary consul in Ukraine, Oleg Vyshniakov, left, posing with officials from the Ukrainian parliament at the Knesset in Jerusalem, Dec. 16, 2015. (Dmitry Spicheko) When Israelis rank the things that make them proud of their country, the Knesset is rarely first on the list. Or second. Or third. In a survey in April, Israelis put...
France is Israel’s largest source of aliyah for 2nd straight year
(JTA) — For the second consecutive year, France is the largest provider of Jewish immigrants to Israel with a record total of 7,328 newcomers in 2015. The number of French citizens who immigrated to Israel under its law of return for Jews, or made aliyah, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1 constituted a 10 percent increase over the 6,661 French olim who came...
Lithuanian city names park for native Jewish philosopher
(JTA) — Lithuania’s second-largest city named a park for Emmanuel Levinas, a late Jewish philosopher who was born there before moving to France. Levinas, whose writings greatly influenced Bernard-Henri Levy, another French Jewish thinker, was honored by the city council of Kaunas on Monday, the news site Jewish.ru reported. Born to a Jewish...
In an ultra-wealthy Moscow suburb, a luxurious JCC opens its doors
An exterior view of the Zhokuvka Jewish Community Center (Courtesy of The Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia) ZHUKOVKA, Russia (JTA) — On the only road connecting this affluent village on Moscow’s western outskirts, Russian secret service agents are blocking all inbound traffic. Drivers bound for Zhukovka pull over and step out to...
Syrian refugees participate in Berlin public menorah lighting
BERLIN (JTA) — A group of Syrian refugee children — along with other Muslim groups in Berlin — joined with Jewish groups for a public Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony in the German city. On Sunday, the Syrian children joined with local Jewish kids to light the giant Chabad menorah at the Brandenburg Gate. Aiman Mazyek, head of the Central...
Elton John to headline ‘Life Festival’ in Auschwitz town
WARSAW, Poland (JTA) — Elton John will headline the next Life Festival Oswiecim. He will perform in the city of former Nazi death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, at the festival in June, the festival announced on Thursday. “Like everyone, I am shocked by the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and elsewhere. In June, in Oswiecim, we’ll be...
Angela Merkel accepts German Reform movement’s top honor
BERLIN (JTA) — Refugees in Germany must unlearn the anti-Semitism fed to them in their home countries, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in accepting the German Reform movement’s top annual award. Merkel on Wednesday was presented with the Abraham Geiger Prize, worth more than $10,000, for her commitment as “guarantor of basic democratic values...
Jewish group’s report: Nationalism, anti-Semitism appear in some Polish textbooks
WARSAW, Poland (JTA) — Nationalism and anti-Semitism are present in some history textbooks in Poland, a new report found. The report, “Anti-Semitism is not an option,” by the Czulent Jewish Association in conjunction with the Autonomia Foundation, analyzed 142 Polish history textbooks used in formal education settings accepted by the Polish...
Human rights group: Ukraine Jewish mausoleum fire may have been arson
(JTA) — A Jewish mausoleum in western Ukraine burned down in what a human rights group said may have been a deliberate arson attack connected with a dispute over a commemoration project. The gravesite of Hillel Lichtenstein, a 19th century Jewish sage and former chief rabbi of the Ukrainian city of Kolomyia, was partially destroyed last week in a...
Ukrainian Jewish politician arrested on embezzlement charges
(JTA) — A Ukrainian Jewish politician has been arrested on suspicion of embezzlement and participating in organized crime. Hennadiy Korban, head of the UKROP party that he founded in June, was arrested Saturday in Dnepropetrovsk, a city in eastern Ukraine. He is accused of stealing $1.7 million intended to fund Ukrainian troops fighting the...
