RJC in Israel Brings Message of Support From President Trump, American People

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05/08/2019

With profound sorrow and grief, The Rabbinical Alliance of America (RAA) — Igud HaRabbonim, with a membership of over 950 Orthodox Rabbis across the United States and Canada — extends its boundless expression of support and solidarity to the victims, their families, and the survivors of the brutal, horrendous terrorist attack that took place over a span of 36 hours where Israel suffered from a barrage of over 600 rockets and mortars fired indiscriminately by terrorists in Gaza. This attack comes from civilian areas in Gaza and is aimed at civilian centers in Israel, demonstrating once again a cynical disregard for the lives and futures of the people of Gaza as well as those of the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and other residents of Israel. Tragically, the sole aim of these terrorists is to kill, maim and terrorize citizens of Israel. These actions by Hamas and Islamic Jihad are simply unconscionable. No nation on Earth can tolerate this wanton act of war against civilians.

It is inconceivable to imagine rockets falling on Washington, Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Bern or Lisbon today without an appropriately strong reaction. Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, executive vice-president of the Rabbinical Alliance of America, affirms once again Israel’s right to defend itself as a democratic, sovereign nation and urges all peace-loving people to condemn terrorism and cold-blooded murder for what it is. These cowardly terrorists do not value democracy, freedom, human life, or the rule of law. These cold-blooded murders have a total disregard for human life.

The Rabbinical Alliance of America calls upon all people of goodwill to unite in prayer beseeching our Creator for His protection and to increase in acts of charity and loving-kindness to help heal our fractured world. We must gather together in prayer and good deeds to thwart this cowardice and hatred that wishes to destroy all that is good in this world. Rabbi Yehoshua S. Hechtt, Chairman of the RAA presidium, asks all member rabbis to call for additional prayers to be recited immediately at all prayer services for the healing of the injured.

May He who makes Peace in Heaven Make Peace in this world. May terror, death, murder be no more.

Sen. Cruz Condemns Renewed Violence Against Israel

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05/08/2019

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement in response to reports of renewed violence in Israel driven by rocket and missile attacks from Iran-backed Palestinian terrorist groups:

“The United States stands with our Israeli allies, who are exercising their absolute right to self-defense in response to the hundreds of rockets and missiles being fired at Israeli homes, schools, hospitals, and other civilian infrastructure. These attacks are being launched and coordinated by Palestinian terrorist groups backed by Iran, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. They are war crimes, doubly over, in that the terrorists are using civilian Palestinian human shields to protect their war-fighters while at the same time directly targeting Israeli civilians. Last year, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law my legislation mandating sanctions against Hamas for the use of human shields. I urge the Trump administration to expeditiously issue those mandatory sanctions.”

ADL Offers Reward for Arrest of Those Responsible for Anti-Semitic Assault in Brooklyn

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05/08/2019

The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) announced today that it is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the alleged assault of a Jewish man in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon.

According to police and other reports, the incident involved a group of men who yelled derogatory and hateful remarks at the victim and then one of the assailants punched the victim in the face.

“We are alarmed and deeply concerned that yet another violent anti-Semitic incident has occurred in Brooklyn, said Evan R. Bernstein, ADL NY/NJ Regional Director. “This is unacceptable, and the hate must stop. The fact that this alleged attack took place during the Sabbath makes it even more egregious. We will continue to work together with all New Yorkers to stem the tide of anti-Semitic violence and hope that this reward facilitates the swift apprehension of those responsible for this attack. We thank the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force for investigating.”

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.

ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education and fighting hate online, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. More at www.adl.org.

At inaugural Kyiv Jewish Forum, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder awarded Sheptytsky Medal for deepening relations between Ukrainians and Jews

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05/08/2019

The World Jewish Congress joined the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine on Monday for its inaugural Kyiv Jewish Forum, a two-day event aimed at promoting deeper ties between the Ukrainian Jewish population and world Jewry and offering a platform for galvanizing European efforts in the fight against antisemitism.

During the forum, Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk and Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Yaakov Bleich presented WJC President Ronald S. Lauder with Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter’s Sheptytsky Medal for deepening relations between Ukrainians and Jews. In accepting the honor, Lauder underscored the fact that “Jews should be able to live in peace without fear,” and dedicated the award to “all of the people around world who stand up and speak out again antisemitism and injustice.”

In his address to the forum, WJC President Lauder praised the government of Ukraine for its efforts to support the local Jewish community and for maintaining relatively low levels of antisemitsm. “While the history of antisemitism in Ukraine can never be erased, I see the Ukrainian Christian community and the Ukrainian Jewish community moving forward together.” Lauder also stressed the need for unity among the Jewish people, saying: “We have many differences, left-right, religious-secular, but we face big challenges and we need to work together.”

The forum featured a number of high-level participants, Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, WJC CEO and Executive Vice President Robert Singer, President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine Boris Lozhkin, Co-President of the Vaad of Ukraine Josef Zissels, President of the EuroAsian Jewish Congress Michael Mirilashvili, French Human Rights Ambassador Francois Croquette, US Special Envoy on Combating Antisemitism Elan Carr, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Joel Lion, Head of WJC’s Global Jewish Community Security Department Ernest Herzog, andWJC Representative in Geneva Leon Saltiel, among others.

During the forum, Ukrainian FM Klimkin announced that Ukraine has applied to join theInternational Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s task force on Holocaust education, drawing accolades from the participants.

The first day of the forum included keynote addresses and panel discussions on a number of topics, including Jewish identity in the 21^st century, the Ukrainian-Israel Relationship, and the future of global Jewry. WJC CEO and Executive Vice President Singer moderated a panel discussion on combating antisemitism within a global context, in which he thanked the Ukrainian authorities for helping to ensure a thriving Jewish life in the country, but also noted the government’s “failure to confront the most bitter chapter in Ukraine’s wartime history,” a continued catalyst for antisemitism in eastern Europe.

Singer also stressed the fact that amid the rise of Jew-hatred around the world, “no-one has a monopoly on antisemitism, neither the left nor the right, nor extremist Islam. However, there is one thing on which they can all agree, and that is that the Jew is the enemy – even if they try to disguise their hatred as opposition to Israel.”

On the sidelines of the forum, WJC President Lauder and WJC CEO Singer also met privately with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman for productive talks about the Ukrainian Jewish community and Ukraine’s bilateral relationship with Israel.

The forum will continue on Tuesday with panel discussions on preventing antisemitism and anti-Zionism on a parliamentary level, the role of the Jewish community in promoting global peace and security, and the importance of memorializing the Holocaust.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION JOINS WITH BUKHARIAN LEADERS TO CELEBRATE TORAH REVOLUTION

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05/08/2019

The secret to the success of the thriving Orthodox Jewish community was discussed at a meeting of two major organizations. On May 5, Rosh Chodesh Iyar, the Rabbinical Alliance of America held its monthly conference together with the leadership of the Beth Gavriel Jewish Center of the Bukharian community in Forest Hills, New York. Over 50 rabbis gathered to discuss the remarkable success of the Bukharian community in nurturing Jewish continuity through intensive education, and the formidable task still remaining.

Jewish education affects not just the students but their entire families, intensifying Torah observance and strengthening communal bonds. There is no greater guarantee of Jewish connection throughout the generations than religious observance and intense Torah study. Through its passionately run school and renowned Chazaq community engagement program, the Bukharian community centered in Beth Gavriel has seen a remarkable renaissance.

Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, executive vice-president of the RAA/IGUD served as the Rosh Chodesh Iyar Conference Chairman.

At the Rabbinical Alliance of America conference, Chief Rabbi of the Bukharian community, Rabbi Yitzchak Yisraeli, described the overflowing school that has served as a blessing for so many Jewish families. The challenge facing the community is funding the expansion of their burgeoning school for the thousands of potential students. The school’s success is a source of pride but also a responsibility. It can serve an even larger portion of the community if the leadership can only find the means to expand.

Rabbi Yehoshua S. Hecht, Chairman of the RAA/Igud’s Presidium, described to the audience the growth of the Syrian community in New York, which he witnessed personally as the son of one of the community’s leading rabbis. The key to success lies in building a thriving Jewish school which can impart Torah values to children who would otherwise fall under the influence of American cultural mores.

Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum, Rabbi of Khal Nachlas Yitzchok and a leading rabbi and halachic authority in Queens, captivated the gathering with timely words of Torah about communal unity and devotion to truth. Rabbi Yaakov Klass, Presidium member of RAA/Igud, offered insights into the weekly Torah portion and Rabbi Gil Student, Director of the Halacha Commission of RAA/Igud, discussed the textual sources behind the latest controversy over women serving as a Sandek during a circumcision in contradiction to Jewish tradition. Rabbi Yehuda Blank invited the gathered crowd to the RAA/Igud’s upcoming May 28 symposium on the rabbi’s self-care, held in conjunction with the National Council of Young Israel and Lenox Hill Hospital.

State Assemblyman David Weprin and City Councilman Kalman Yeger each addressed the rabbinic audience, offering words of thanks and encouragement to the gathered leaders. Rabbi Yerucham Silber, director of New York Government Relations, Agudath Israel of America; explained the latest developments in Albany regarding assisted suicide. This state sanction for murder serves as a grave concern to the Jewish community. In addition to the general lack of concern for life, the Jewish community’s elderly population is particularly susceptible to pressure to end the divine gift of life.

Rabbi Yaniv Meirov and Rabbi Ilan Meirov, two brothers who run the Chazaq organization, described the life-changing impact of their outreach organization. On a regular basis, leading scholars teach to packed crowds who thirstily absorb the inspirational lessons. Chazaq has not only taught immense amounts of Torah to the Bukharian community, it has changed the way the broader Orthodox community thinks about adult Torah education. The gathering was galvanized by the inspiring story of Chazaq’s continued success in changing the lives of community members, including hundreds of public schools students via their afterschool programs and yeshiva placement division. Chazaq has successfully transferred over 650 Public school students to Yeshiva in the last two and a half years alone.

The key to Jewish continuity is education. Through its innovative school, synagogue and adult education programs, the Bukharian community is already seeing future generations carrying on its sacred traditions. The leaders of this community, together with the Rabbinical Alliance of America, will not stop until every Jewish child experiences the birthright of a Torah education.

DeBlasio to Throw Hat in the Ring & Announce Candidacy for 2020 POTUS Race

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05/07/2019

New York - DeBlasio to Throw article — A source has reportedly told the Daily News that DeBlasio’s official announcement could come as early as Wednesday, which is also the major’s 58th birthday. A second source is said to have shared that the announcement was originally planned for last week. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Rumor has it that New York Mayor Bill de Blasio will be announcing his intention to be the president of the United States this week.

No, really.

By: David Meyers

A source has reportedly told the Daily News that the official announcement could come as early as Wednesday, which is also the major’s 58th birthday. A second source is said to have shared that the announcement was originally planned for last week.

de Blasio has tried to generate buzz by paying visits to first primary states like Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. If the rumors are true, it would make de Blasio the 23rd Democratic candidate – no, really — to throw a hat into the ring.

The Associated Press has already reported that the mayor said he would make a final decision on whether to run “in the month of May.” His office has remained mum.

Some have questions whether the mayor could earn a spot on the state for the Democratic debates. “The debates are important, there’s a lot of other factors in how … a campaign of this importance emerges,” he said on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show.” To qualify for the 12 scheduled Democratic primary debates, The Hill said, candidates must receive at least 1 percent support in at least three separate polls recognized by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) or receive campaign contributions from at least 65,000 unique donors. The DNC has said that it will prioritize candidates who meet both thresholds if more than 20 contenders qualify for the debates.”

de Blasio was embarrassed in April when a Quinnipiac University poll showed that a whopping 76 percent of New York City residents think he should not run for president.

“De Blasio has cast himself as a progressive during his tenure as mayor, railing against income inequality, touting the benefits of the Green New Deal and feuding with New York’s centrist governor Andrew Cuomo,” The Hill noted.

“It’s unclear exactly what the potential Johnny-come-lately candidate expects to find in Iowa, given that every poll out of the state has him at 0 percent (or not even listed), while high-profile progressives like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren already occupy his hypothetical lane,” Vanity Fair recently suggested. “Moreover, it’s unclear where de Blasio is getting the idea he should enter the crowded race in the first place, considering absolutely no one seems to want him there. Of nearly three-dozen allies and advisers surveyed by Politico in March, only two said he should run, while the rest considered the idea to be, as one adviser put it, “f-ing insane.” A Monmouth poll found that, of every single Democratic candidate, both declared and undeclared, de Blasio was the only one with a net negative favorability rating.

Former Bklyn City Councilman Lew Fidler Dies at 62; Found Unconscious in Queens Movie Theater

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05/07/2019

New York - Former Bklyn article — Lew Fidler, a one-time Democratic City Councilman from Brooklyn, has died. His death on Sunday comes just two days after he was discovered while unconscious in a Queens movie theater. Photo Credit: BoroPark24

Lew Fidler, a one-time Democratic City Councilman from Brooklyn, has died. His death on Sunday comes just two days after he was discovered while unconscious in a Queens movie theater.

By Haim Brooks

Fidler, who according to the New York Post underwent a double kidney transplant in 2014, was discovered inside the theater at around 11:30 p.m. Friday, police said. He was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital, where he died around 12:30 p.m. Sunday without having regained consciousness.

“He was a truly remarkable man and a remarkable dad,” his widow, Robin Fidler, told The Post. “He made me happy when things were sad. He made me feel beautiful on days I felt just . . . ugly. He made me feel thin on days on days when I gained a little too much weight. Just everything you would expect or want for yourself.”

According to the web site kingscountypolitics.com, Fidler was a graduate of Tilden High School in East Flatbush and the NYU Law School. He served in the city council from 2002 to 2013 representing Bergen Beach, Canarsie, Georgetown, Flatlands, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Mill Island, Gerritsen Beach, Madison and Sheepshead Bay.

“Until his death, Fidler was also a Make Democratic District leader and a leader of the 41st Assembly District Democrats Club, along with Lori Maslow and Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein,” the web site continued. “Fidler and the club regularly held the largest Toys for Tots giveaway for underprivileged children during the holiday season.”

Many have already paid tribute to Fidler. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said, “I join all Brooklynites in paying homage to our brother and friend Lew Fidler, and I extend my most heartfelt condolences to his loving wife Robin, his sons, and all in his family upon his passing.”

“Lew was of great assistance to me in my formative political years. As a result of his assistance, we later became colleagues, and during my tenure as borough president, he has served as a vital member of my team. As an elected official, Lew was truly committed to fighting long and hard for those he served. He always stood up for what he believed in, with true courage in his convictions. Lew was a man of high integrity and strong moral values, a devoted husband and father. He made a tremendous mark on New York City, and in particular the borough he proudly called home. Lew will missed, but never forgotten,” Adams added.

“We’ve shared almost 40 years of politics together,” noted Kings County Democratic Party Chair Frank Seddio. “I was his most avid supporter when he wanted to run for city council, and found him an outstanding partner in our universe of politics. He was one of the best campaign strategists that I knew and was committed to bettering the lives of the people he served. My deepest condolences to Robin and their family on this enormous loss.”

Brazilian Pres Bolsonaro to Cancel NYC Trip Amid Controversy Over Award

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05/07/2019

New York - Brazilian Pres article — President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil announced last week that he would cancel a trip to New York this month in the wake of several weeks worth of controversy over the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce’s decision to honor the far-right leader at its gala later this year. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil announced last week that he would cancel a trip to New York this month in the wake of several weeks worth of controversy over the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce’s decision to honor the far-right leader at its gala later this year.

By: Zach Carmichael

“The honor set off outrage among environmental groups, gay activists and New York politicians, including Mayor Bill de Blasio, who called Mr. Bolsonaro “a dangerous man” whose “overt racism, homophobia and destructive decisions will have a devastating impact on the future of our planet,” the New York Times reported. “The pushback began when the American Museum of Natural History, which had agreed to host the event before the honoree had been announced, reacted with dismay to Mr. Bolsonaro’s selection.”

The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce noted on its web site that it “has learned through the office of the President of the Republic of Brazil that President Jair Bolsonaro, the 2019 Person of the Year Honoree, will not be attending the Gala Dinner on May 14th. The Chamber hereby affirms that the Gala Dinner will take place as scheduled, including the presentation of the 2019 Person of the Year Fellowship Program, and awards recognizing important contributors to Social Responsibility and Digital Innovation.”

Other parallel events scheduled during the week will take place as planned, the group said, promising to provide further updates as they become available.

“President Jair Messias Bolsonaro is the Brazilian recipient of the 2019 Person of the Year Awards,” the message continued. “Jair Bolsonaro was elected President of Brazil in October 2018. His political career began in 1988 as an elected representative of the City Council of Rio de Janeiro. In 1990, he was elected for the first of seven consecutive terms as Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro.

“The choice of President Bolsonaro is a recognition of his strongly stated intention of fostering closer commercial and diplomatic ties between Brazil and the United States and his firm commitment to building a strong and durable partnership between the two nations.”

“President Jair Bolsonaro’s first months in office have been marked by frustration because he refuses to horse trade in the murky party system of the Brazilian Congress. Although critics blame his inexperience and naïveté, for his part, Bolsonaro claims that Brazil must adjust to his distinct governing style,” The National Interest recently reported. “However, the impulsive and pugnacious style that swept him to electoral victory now threatens his ability to govern. Rather than identifying a new and productive way to govern for all Brazilians, Bolsonaro is busy placating his base and taunting his leftist critics. Instead of setting himself up for wins, he continues tilting at windmills.”

Mnuchin Refuses Request from House Democrats to Access Six Years of Trump’s Tax Returns

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05/07/2019

On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin denied a request from House Democrats for access to six years of President Donald Trump’s personal tax returns, according to a CNN report.

Edited by: JV Staff

“I am informing you now that the Department may not lawfully fulfill the Committee’s request,” Mnuchin wrote in his one-page letter, written in consultation with lawyers from the Department of Justice.

Mnuchin added that the Department of Justice would issue a formal legal opinion.

Mnuchin, in a letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.), said he had consulted with the Justice Department and that they had concluded that it would not be lawful for the Trump administration to turn over the tax returns because of potential violations of privacy.

Mnuchin added that requests from Congress “must serve a legitimate legislative purpose” and that the request from Democrats does not.

Neal said in a statement on Monday evening, “I will consult with counsel and determine the appropriate response.”

On April 23, Mnuchin notified House Democrats that he would be consulting with the Justice Department about the request for Trump’s tax returns and planned to reach his final decision on May 6.

The Washington Post reported that a number of legal experts have said it would be unprecedented for Mnuchin to refuse to turn over the tax returns, as the power for lawmakers to seek the returns is written explicitly in a 1924 law.

Trump has refused to release his tax information, first as a candidate and now as president, breaking a precedent going back to Watergate, as was reported by CNN.

The fight over Trump’s tax returns is escalating just as the President has made increasingly clear that he expects his administration officials to fight requests from the opposing party. Attorney General William Barr declined a Democratic request to testify last week in the House about special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, a day after appearing in the Republican-controlled Senate, according to the CNN report.

An administration official familiar with the matter said the Trump administration is not backing down in the fight over the President’s tax returns.

“It appears the Justice Department is prepared to litigate” the matter in the courts if Neal goes that route, the official said.

Some Democrats made clear Monday that they are eager to escalate, citing the Mueller report as well as the conviction of Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen.

“On a day when his former fixer heads to jail and his current fixer heads the Department of Justice, President Trump obstructs both Mueller and his tax returns from speaking for themselves,” Texas Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett said in a statement. “We need immediate legal action. We cannot allow this bad president to set bad precedent.”

The top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, applauded the decision not to turn over Trump’s returns.

Bklyn Man Subjected to Anti-Semitic Abuse on Streets of Crown Heights

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05/07/2019

A Brooklyn man named Jack Blachman man recently found himself on the receiving end of nasty anti-Semitic abuse on the streets of Crown Heights, New York in the latest open display of Jew-hatred across the United States.

Edited by: JV Staff

JTA reported that the man who was obviously Jewish was attacked over the weekend in the strife ridded Brooklyn neighborhood.

The attack comes days after the New York Police Department reported that more than half of all hate crimes reported in 2018 and so far in 2019 were anti-Jewish.

In the weekend incident, according to the New York Post, the unnamed victim, who was visibly Jewish, was punched in the back of the head while walking in the heavily Hasidic Williamsburg section. The attacker was reported to have called the man a “f***ing Jew.”

JTA also reported that over the past week, Brooklyn community activist Yaakov Behrman tweeted a video of a man harassing a Jewish passer-by and New York Times columnist Bret Stephens posted about witnessing an incident on Manhattan’s First Avenue.

Last week, it was reported that Chabad Rabbi Uriel Vigler was attacked by an African-American man who physically threatened him and yelled anti-Semitic vulgarities. The assault happened on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, as the Rabbi was making his way to morning prayers (Shacharit).

The assailant then ran away, and the rabbi did not need medical treatment.

Rabbi Vigler filed a complaint with the New York Police Department (NYPD).

In response to the attack, Rabbi Vigler told the TPS news agency: “I thought we were living in peace and tranquility in Manhattan. We won’t surrender to terror. We will continue to act with alacrity and full of love for every Jew and we will continue to spread light to the world.”

Rabbi Vigler is the rabbi of the Chabad Israel Center on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and the director of the “Balev Echad” organization which empowers IDF soldiers who were wounded while serving in the army.

U.S. May Review Ties with Countries Deemed Anti-Israel

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05/06/2019

National - US MAY REVIEW — The State Department's special envoy for monitoring and combating anti-Semitism, Elan Carr, said this U.S. position could spell reviews of ties with foreign governments or leaders, as was reported by Reuters. Carr declined to cite specific countries or leaders, or to elaborate on what actions the Trump administration might take. Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The State Department’s special envoy for monitoring, combating anti-Semitism Elan Carr said this U.S. position could spell reviews of ties with foreign governments or leaders

Edited by: JV Staff

The United States may review its ties with countries it deems as being anti-Israel after what a U.S. envoy said on Sunday was a shift in policy towards equating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism, according to Ynet News report.

According to a Reuters report, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a March speech that anti-Zionism – opposition to Israel’s existence as a homeland for the Jewish people – was a form of anti-Semitism, or hostility toward Jews, that was on the rise worldwide and that Washington would “fight it relentlessly”.

The State Department’s special envoy for monitoring and combating anti-Semitism, Elan Carr, said this U.S. position could spell reviews of ties with foreign governments or leaders, as was reported by Reuters,

“The United States is willing to review its relationship with any country, and certainly anti-Semitism on the part of a country with whom we have relations is a deep concern,” he told Reuters during a visit to Israel.

“I will be raising that issue in bilateral meetings that I am undertaking all over the world,” he said. “That is something we are going to have frank and candid conversations about – behind closed doors.”

Carr declined to cite specific countries or leaders, or to elaborate on what actions the Trump administration might take, as was reported by Reuters.

“I obviously can’t comment on diplomatic tools that we might bring to bear,” he said. “Each country is a different diplomatic challenge, a different situation, number one. And number two, if I started disclosing what we might do it would be less effective.”

Some political analysts say that President Donald Trump and other Republicans hope support for Israel will attract Jewish voters, including those disaffected by pro-Palestinian voices within progressive Democratic Party circles, according to the Reuters report.

At the same time, critics have credited Trump’s confrontational, nationalistic rhetoric with encouraging right-wing extremists and feeding a surge in activity by American hate groups. The administration has flatly rejected that charge.

Carr said the administration’s equating of anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism “certainly breaks new ground … by making clear that something that a lot of us who are involved in the Jewish world and a lot of us who are proponents of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship have known for quite some time, and that is that one of the chief flavors of anti-Semitism in the world today.”

Eurovision Fever Sweeps Tel Aviv Despite BDS Efforts, Gaza Rockets

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05/06/2019

Attacks from Gaza pose the latest threat to the popular Eurovision contest, which already survived an aggressive BDS campaign to derail the event being hosted in Israel this year.

By: TPS & WIN Staff

Just hours before the latest air attacks from the Gaza Strip which launched on Friday, the first of the 40 delegations to take part in this month’s Eurovision Song Contest began arriving in Israel to prepare for the event, which is to take place in Tel Aviv, beginning May 14.

Entourages from Australia, Hungary, and Cyprus were the first to arrive.

Many of the other delegations were arriving on Saturday and Sunday.

There have been no cancellations, organizers say.

Before the latest violence, celebrities and entertainment industry leaders had voiced their support for Israel’s hosting of the Eurovision festivities and came out against calls to boycott the event.

Contestants, broadcasters, and Madonna, who is set to perform at the finale contest, have been facing extreme pressure from anti-Israel elements to boycott the popular singing contest.

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) wrote Madonna on Twitter that her performance will “undermine our struggle for freedom, justice, and equality” by performing “in apartheid Tel Aviv, on the ruins of the ethnically-cleansed village of al-Shaykh Muwannis.”

“Tell Madonna that performing at Eurovision in Israel means lending her star-power to cover up Israel’s continued human rights abuses and harms the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality,” said PACBI.

Countering these calls, Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), an organization comprised of prominent members of the entertainment industry dedicated to promoting the arts as a means to peace and to defending artistic freedom, issued a statement signed by more than 100 leaders in the entertainment industry supporting the Eurovision in Israel.

CCFP stated that it believes that “unifying events, such as singing competitions, are crucial to help bridge our cultural divides and bring people of all backgrounds together through their shared love of music” and that the Eurovision contest “embodies this unifying power.”

However, this year, “the spirit of togetherness is under attack by those calling to boycott Eurovision 2019 because it is being held in Israel, subverting the spirit of the contest and turning it from a tool of unity into a weapon of division.”

CCFP charged the calls to boycott Israel “an affront to both Palestinians and Israelis who are working to advance peace through compromise, exchange, and mutual recognition. While we all may have differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the best path to peace, we all agree that a cultural boycott is not the answer.”

CCFP called on “all our friends and colleagues around the world to express their support for an exciting and successful Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv.”

CCFP members include Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, and Aerosmith. (World Israel News)

Michael Cohen Off to Prison – Will Get Matzo Ball Soup, Gefilte Fish & Personal Rabbi

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05/06/2019

New York - Michael Cohen article — shutterstock

Free-flowing matzo ball soup and gefilte fish, a full-time personal rabbi and an occasional visit home. An expensive resort? No.

It’s jail.

By Howard M. Riell

At least it is for Michael Cohen, comfortably ensconced in a luxury resort at which he will do hard time for the next three years is unique in the federal system. Forbes once called it one of America’s 10 Cushiest Prisons.

President Trump’s former attorney turned squealer will be reporting to the Federal Correctional Institute in Otisville, New York, about 70 miles northwest of New York City, on Monday. When he gets there, he will be ushered into his new and decidedly comfortable dorm-like accommodations inside the minimum-security camp. Prison consultants – yes, there is such a thing – say Otisville has earned a reputation as the in place for Jewish criminals.

“He’s going to what I like to refer to as ‘Jewish heaven,’” said Larry Levine, founder of Wall Street Prison Consultants, who served a 10-year prison sentence that ended in 2007 for racketeering and other crimes, in an interview with Reuters. Celebrity bunkmates will include Jersey Shore star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland.

Cohen, of course, was sentenced in December for orchestrating payments to pornographic film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal shortly before the 2016 U.S. presidential election,” Reuters notes.

The nearly posh accommodations came at the request of Cohen’s then-attorney, Guy Petrillo.

According to the Otisville facility’s web site, the menu offers matzo ball soup, gefilte fish and rugelach, along with Doritos tortilla chips and Diet Sprite soda – all of it, of course, meeting the highest standards of kashrus. No word yet on whether or not chocolate is left on the pillows.

Jack Donson, a former manager at the prison who now runs a prison consulting firm, told Reuters that the camp was “a great place for white-collar Jewish guys.” The institution also provides “contract rabbis” over and above its regular, full-time rabbi.

Otisville’s newest inmate “spent his final weekend of freedom trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy — leaving his Manhattan apartment building on Saturday with his son to go to a coffee shop and then to a barbershop,” Fox News reports. “They both got haircuts. Cohen’s next stop was the pricy store Barneys New York, where he told journalists that he plans to hold a news conference Monday before heading to prison.”

In March, Cohen’s lawyers reportedly contacted prosecutors about meeting to reduce his sentence. They never got together, however. “That snub,” noted voanews.com, “might be the best evidence yet that Cohen’s months-long campaign to sell himself as a potential witness hasn’t paid off.”

Israeli Death Toll Rises to 4 from Continuous Hamas Rocket Onslaught

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05/06/2019

Gaza terrorists fired rockets at the southern city of Arad on Sunday, the first such attack since Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014.

By: TPS Staff

The terrorist groups have been broadening their scope of fire since commencing their attack on Israel on Saturday morning. The range to Arad from Gaza is greater than that from Gaza to Tel Aviv.

Ahmad Khudri, responsible for transferring money from Iran to terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, was killed in an Israeli Air Force (IAF) Strike on Sunday, the IDF announced.

New information emerging in the last hours casts serious doubt on Hamas’ claim that a Gazan woman and her baby daughter were killed in an Israeli Air Force strike in Gaza city on Saturday night.

A woman in the Gaza Strip on Saturday night and her toddler baby were reportedly killed, with Gazan sources identifying the victims as 14-month-old Saba Mahmoud Abu ‘Arar and her pregnant mother Falastin.

Hamas claims she was killed by an Israeli strike, but the IDF is saying she was killed by terrorist activity in the area.

However, as the hours pass it is becoming clear that Hamas may be lying about the entire incident.

The Hamas-controlled Minister of Health in Gaza is now saying that it misstated that a mother and daughter had been killed, and instead a toddler has in fact died, but her mother is alive.

The Health Ministry told TPS that another woman named Falastin Abu ‘Arar was killed in the attack, and that she too was pregnant.

The woman killed may have been the baby’s aunt and not her mother.

The Hamas’ confused statement generated rumors on social media, including one that says that the baby died of chemicals and not by an explosion.

The IDF stated Sunday afternoon that “Palestinian weapons caused the tragic death of a mother in Gaza and her baby.”

“Hamas blamed Israel. Journalists amplified the lie. Our assessment indicates that the incident had nothing to do with IDF strikes,” it underscored.

Earlier on, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee stated on Twitter that “according to indications the baby and her mother died as a result of the terrorist activities of Palestinian terrorists and not as a result of an Israeli strike.”

Pictures “clearly show the launching of rockets from crowded areas,” he said.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that Islamic Jihad and Hamas are committing a double war crime by intentionally targeting Israeli civilians while hiding behind the local civilian population.

Ahmad Khudri, responsible for transferring money from Iran to terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, was killed in an Israeli Air Force (IAF) Strike on Sunday, the IDF announced.

The IDF stated that Khudri, 34, was a money changer who transferred large sums of money from the Islamic Republic of Iran to Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.

Iran provides vast support to Palestinian terror organizations, including Hamas which rules Gaza, as part of its support of a global Islamic terror network.

Islamic Jihad’s Quds Brigades receives some $70 million directly from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC). The Quds Brigade was reorganized by Qassem Suleimani, commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force.

Khudri’s company was previously been designated as a terror entity.

“Khudari’s financial activity, which spearheaded Iran’s activity in the Gaza Strip, has contributed significantly to the promotion of terrorist activity and the military buildup of terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF stated.

“The IDF and the General Security Service will continue to operate to thwart and disrupt Iran’s attempts to promote terrorist activity from the Gaza Strip by funding terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip,” it added.

At least 14 terrorists have been killed in IAF strikes in the past 24 hours, while Khudri’s elimination appears to the first targeted assassination.

Israeli residents throughout the south have been under constant attack by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists who have been launching rockets at cities and towns since Saturday morning.

Schools have been shut down, work has been limited, and Israel’s citizens are again facing a reality in which their homes have become a battleground.

Shimon Salomon, director of the Kfar Silver Youth Village and a former Member of Knesset, described a frightening situation in which explosions are continuously heard, caused by incoming rockets and their interception by the Iron Dome defense system.

“It’s unbearable, the house is shaking,” Salomon told TPS.

Some 200 students were present at the youth village on Saturday morning when the Gaza-based terrorists fired the first barrage at Israel. A rocket exploded at the entrance of the village, just dozens of yards away from the students, who had just finished their breakfast.

The students, many of whom had experienced previous attacks, ran for shelter.

“It’s not a simple situation, there is a lot of stress,” Salomon shared, noting that several of the students are new immigrants and are not used to such extreme incidents.

He said that the students have yet to exhibit anomalous or irregular behavior following the latest attacks, but that previous incidents did see students fainting or showing other signs of distress.

The students undergo training for such situations and receive counsel and treatment when needed to address the strain they experience during these traumatizing events.

The majority of the students were sent home Sunday morning, while some 80, who do not have families in Israel, stayed behind, close to shelters.

“It’s a maddening thought,” Salomon said. Israel will mark its Memorial Day on Wednesday and celebrate its Independence Day on Thursday, and yet “we sit here like ducks, waiting at home. This thought does not leave me.”

He called on the government to deal the terror groups a significant blow.

“My children are constantly crying, it’s an intolerable situation. Why should the children grow up shadowed by such a threat?” he said.

Sapir Daddon, a university student from Kiryat Gat, encountered the rocket fire late on Saturday. She said she had heard the rocket explosions earlier in the day, but the rockets fell in her city only later on.

Two rockets hit the city, seriously wounding an 80-year-old woman and hitting another house, in which no one was injured. She lives only three minutes away from that home.

She said she took shelter in the building stairway during the attacks because her house does not have a safe-room. The family whose home took a direct hit was not sure if to heed the alarm, but the mother urged the family to enter the shelter and saved their lives.

Daddon, 25 years old, has essentially grown up into this reality of violence. She has been experiencing such attacks from Gaza since 2012. She says this has conditioned her to develop a sort of callousness, while the constant fear still remains.

Relating to the upcoming holidays, she said it was an “inconceivable” situation, a sense of collision between the holidays’ solemnity and the insanity generated by the rocket fire.

“I hope everything settles beforehand,” she said. (Tazpit Press Service)

Israel, Start Targeted Killings Again!

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05/06/2019