President Rivlin visit cuts short Zoom meeting with Baruch Ygal
May 17, 2020 by J-Wire Newsdesk
Over 100 Australian participants plus family members tuned in to a Zoom memorial service to give prayers for Amit Ben Ygal fatally struck down by a cinder block on active duty on the West Bank last week. Read more
Israel takes another step towards development of Coronavirus cure
May 17, 2020 by TPS
The Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) in Ness Ziona has completed the patent registration for eight Coronavirus (COVID-19) antibodies, another significant step towards the production of a cure for the pandemic. Read more
A new rabbi for Newcastle…after 60 years
May 17, 2020 by Henry Benjamin
Rabbi Yossi Rodal has been spent six years working with RARA, Rural and Regional Australia, combing this vast country for Jews living in remote areas but now it’s time to settle down and he will move this week from Melbourne to Newcastle to be the first rabbi the shul has had for 60 years. Read more
The unlearned ‘nakba’ lesson about compromise
May 17, 2020 by Jonathan S. Tobin - JNS.org
Palestinian Arabs continue to learn the wrong history lesson. Read more
Amit Ben Ygal
May 17, 2020 by J-Wire News Service
The memorial service for Amit Ben Ygal will be zoomed this evening as at 6 pm AEST and not at 7 pm as previously advised. Read more
Back to shul…but read the rules.
May 17, 2020 by Henry Benjamin
Shuls in NSW will reopen on Shavout with attendance restricted to ten worshippers and two officials comprising a singe minyan. Read more
NSW Parliament to investigate banning Nazi flags statewide
May 17, 2020 by J-Wire Newsdesk
In the NSW State Parliament this week, Shadow Treasurer and NSW Parliamentary Friends of Israel deputy chair Walt Secord welcomed the Berejiklian Government’s decision to investigate banning the public display of Nazi flags in NSW. Read more
Jordan’s Abdullah warns of ‘massive conflict’ if Israel proceeds with annexation
Jordan’s King Abdullah warned of “massive conflict” between his country and Israel if the Jewish state proceeds with annexing territory this summer in Judea and Samaria. Read more
Jewish House provides retail therapy with launch of pre-loved designer fashion auction series
May 17, 2020 by Rachel Phillips
Sydney’s Jewish House has launched a series of Pre-Loved Designer Fashion Silent Auctions, bringing retail therapy to the local community during COVID-19. Read more
Dave Sharma praises OBK and COA in federal parliament
May 17, 2020 by J-Wire Newsdesk
The federal member for Wentworth Dave Sharma has praised in parliament the efforts of two Jewish organizations in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs during the COVID-19 outbreak. Read more
Incoming waves
May 15, 2020 by Michael Kuttner
Every expert is now talking about an expected second wave of the coronavirus as most of us ease slowly out of the current crisis. Read more
Should an Islamist on Facebook’s new oversight board scare users?
May 15, 2020 by Jonathan S. Tobin - JNS.org
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinks he’s found a way to avoid further skewering at the hands of those looking for a whipping boy for the failings of the Internet. Read more
Prayer in the time of COVID-19
May 15, 2020 by Jeremy Rosen
The great advantage of having to pray alone during this period of lockdown is that one can actually take the time to pay attention to the words being said and to focus on their meaning and relevance (rather than keeping up with the congregation). Read more
A muffled consensus serves not Israel but her enemies
May 15, 2020 by Melanie Phillips - JNS.org
Should Jewish communal organizations aim to achieve consensus above all or bear witness to the truth? Read more
The Jordan Valley dilemma: A realistic approach
Article 29 of the national unity government agreement between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party and Benny Gantz’s Blue and White Party, agreed to on April 20, opens the door to territorial annexations in the West Bank. Read more
The security border Israelis want
May 15, 2020 by Efraim Inbar
In his talks during his visit to Israel, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will certainly have been discussing the application of Israeli sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria as part of the Trump peace plan. Read more
UK chief rabbi: ‘Synagogues will not open for a long time’
May 15, 2020 by JNS
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis projected on Thursday that all houses of worship affiliated with the United Synagogue—the largest network of Orthodox communities in the United Kingdom—“will not open for a long time” and urged “extreme caution” against synagogues doing so otherwise in that it would enable a “hub for the virus to reappear.” Read more
Hamas threatens more kidnappings if prisoner deal not reached with Israel
May 15, 2020 by JNS
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has threatened to kidnap more Israelis if a prisoner deal is not reached. Read more
Facebook names ex-member of Muslim Brotherhood-linked party to new board
May 15, 2020 by JNS
Among the first 20 members Facebook announced last week to its new and independent oversight board is Peace Prize Nobel laureate Tawakkol Karman, a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood-linked Al Islah Party in Yemen. Read more
Australia should leverage its moral authority in international affairs
May 14, 2020 by J-Wire News Service
Australia has the “moral authority” to be a major player on the world stage, which means it can and should do more in its international diplomacy, American Enterprise Institute Middle East scholar and former Pentagon official Michael Rubin told a webinar hosted by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council. Read more
Prayers for Amit
May 14, 2020 by J-Wire News Service
Prayers will be said on Sunday night to commemorate the life of Amit Ben Ygal who lost his life earlier this week when he was killed on active duty on the West Bank. Read more
Dunera has something for everybody – now online
May 14, 2020 by J-Wire Newsdesk
Dunera is a specially designed web portal to keep members of the Jewish community occupied during these difficult times and beyond. Read more
Top 10 reasons Israel has (so far) survived coronavirus
May 14, 2020 by Alex Traiman - JNS.org
Israelis are now once again taking to the streets in large numbers. Read more
Israeli Minister slams EU for ‘capitulating to Palestinian pressure,’ financing terrorism
May 14, 2020 by Aryeh Savir - TPS
The European Union (EU) has “capitulated to Palestinian Pressure” and is funding organizations tied to terrorism, Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan charged. Read more
Israel loans millions to help Palestinians avert virus-related crisis; will they use it for terror?
May 14, 2020 by Israel Kasnett - JNS.org
In what can be considered an unusual turn of events for the Middle East, former Fatah terrorist Mohammad Aref Massad has asked Israel’s High Court to prevent the government from transferring tax-revenue funds to the Palestinian Authority. Read more
In Israel visit, Pompeo urges progress on Trump’s Mideast peace plan, blasts Iranian aggression
May 14, 2020 by JNS
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Israel on Wednesday morning for a six-hour visit to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discuss the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration’s Mideast peace plan and Iranian aggression. Read more
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University develop one-minute coronavirus test
May 14, 2020 by JNS
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have developed a one-minute coronavirus test they hope will be used to help authorities more quickly track and identify the spread of the virus at a significantly lower cost than current testing. Read more
Search continues for IDF soldier’s killers amid clashes
May 14, 2020 by JNS
Arab rioters hurled stones at Israel Defense Forces’ soldiers in the Palestinian Authority-controlled Hebron region on Wednesday morning during operations to apprehend terror suspects, according to IDF reports. Read more
Report: Ben-Gurion airport expected to reopen by June
May 14, 2020 by JNS
Israel is weighing opening Ben-Gurion International Airport at the beginning of June as the coronavirus outbreak continues to level off in Israel. Read more
My life is finished – I love you Tommy
May 13, 2020 by Henry Benjamin
Baruch Ben-Ygal struck a relationship with Maccabi Australia in 1997 when he saved an athlete from drowning when the bridge across the Yarkon River collapsed as the team headed to the opening ceremony. Read more
