Free Republic

Israeli and Jewish targets all over the world are likely to be sought out by terrorist organizations in the coming weeks, the Israeli government’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau warned in strikingly strident tones on Monday, listing dozens of countries where it said it had “concrete” indications of a terrorist threat. It cited concerns about terrorist acts timed to coincide with the forthcoming Rosh Hashana (New Year), Yom Kippur and Succot festivals, and also said that the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US was likely to be “a favored period” for al-Qaeda and other global jihadist groups to attempt to...

JERUSALEM (CNS) — Coveted as a spiritual and political capital by both Israelis and Palestinians, the status of the city of Jerusalem has stood out as one of the pivotal topics in their ongoing peace negotiations. snip “Jerusalem is very critical to the negotiations,” said Bernard Sabella, associate professor of sociology at Bethlehem University and a member of the Palestinian parliament. “U.N. resolutions and even the United States recognize East Jerusalem as occupied territory. We are going to have to find a solution set-up which is acceptable to both parties. snip Rabbi Rosen said that although there are some fringe...

A bill introduced in the U.S. House would move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Capital of the State of Israel Act is sponsored by a bipartisan group of five representatives, the Israeli news agency Ynetnews reported Saturday. They say the move would show U.S. support for Israel and would save money. The bill recommends the United States convert the Tel Aviv Embassy to a consulate or sell it. The sponsors are Trent Franks, R-Ariz., Brad Sherman, D-Calif., Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., Gene Green, D-Texas, and Juan Vargas, D-Calif. They cite both political and religious reasons...

The chief rabbi of Russia had no choice but to walk 19 miles from Moscow airport after his plane unexpectedly landed just minutes before the beginning of Shabbat. The rabbi, Berel Lazar, walked from the airport to his home, after landing about 10 minutes before Shabbat.

Embattled Jets rookie Oday Aboushi lashed back yesterday at accusations he is a fundamentalist Muslim who associates with radicals opposed to Israel, labeling the charges “lies and smears.” In an exclusive interview with The Post, the fifth-round pick — a Brooklyn native who is believed to be the first Palestinian-American ever drafted by an NFL team — adamantly denied charges leveled by a conservative website this week that Aboushi is anti-Semitic and uses social media to endorse what they consider Palestinian terrorist groups.

The obvious response to Matt Nosanchuk being appointed as the White House’s new Associate Director for Jewish Outreach is Huh. Matt Nosanchuk has a long history of gay advocacy. And that’s about it. Matt Nosanchuk’s entire career consists of shrilly pushing gay rights through every organ of government. If he was ever involved in Jewish causes or the Jewish community, it’s not obvious. He worked on gay rights at the Justice Department, under radical extremist Tom Perez and he was a leader of the LGBT Policy Committee for the Obama campaign.

A Jewish student from Kansas was denied entry into Britain for a summer job several weeks ago – apparently due to a customs agent's anti-Semitism. After being detained for more than nine hours, he was put back on a plane to the United States by customs officials. During that time he was never told why he was being denied entry. According to the the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, the British man who had offered Louis “Chip” Cantor summer work experience, Kevin Shilling, said the British border agent he spoke to in his attempt to get Cantor admitted into Britian made...

Israel is the center of the world “in so many ways,” the archbishop of Canterbury said Thursday in Jerusalem. He stressed Israel’s legitimacy and right to security, and also spoke, in the context of persecution of Christians by Islamists in the Middle East, about the Christian imperative to “love our enemies.” It was his maiden visit to the region since being appointed to one of the highest positions in the Protestant Church. The Most Reverend Justin Welby, who has a Jewish father, is the leader of the Church of England and of 80 million Anglicans worldwide. He was enthroned in...

Jewish gay rights activists on Wednesday welcomed a landmark decision by the US Supreme Court that promises to improve the lives of countless same-sex married couples, including bi-national American-Israeli ones. snip All of the Jewish justices — Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan — voted with the majority. Many Jewish groups and organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, the National Council of Jewish Women, and the Reform movement, came out in support of the Court’s decision. Orthodox groups were not in favor of it. snip

Rabbi Metzger is probed for bribery and money laundering. Israeli National Fraud Squad raided the home and offices of Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yonah Metzger yesterday and questioned him under caution for ten hours, as part of a bribery, fraud, money-laundering and breach-of-trust case. Metzger was later released. The chief Rabbi is now under house arrest. Chief Rabbi Metzger is forbidden to enter his offices, leave the country or make contact with any of the other suspects in the case.

LONDON — Geza Vermes, a translator of the Dead Sea Scrolls and renowned for books exploring the Jewish background of Jesus, has died at 88.He died on Wednesday, David Ariel, president of the Oxford Center for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, said Saturday. ...

A report by the Church of Scotland, published this week, denies any special privilege for the Jewish people in the land of Israel. The church, which in recent years has jettisoned its once philosemitic character, opened a wide rift with the Scottish Jewish community with the report. Among other controversial statements, the report argues that, “Christians should not be supporting any claims by Jews, or any other people, to an exclusive or even privileged divine right to possess particular territory.” The report, titled “The inheritance of Abraham? A report on the ‘promised land’”, was prepared for the general assembly of...

The hit-and-run ex-con charged with mowing down a young Orthodox Jewish couple in New York last month, killing them and their unborn child, said “accidents happen,” in his first remarks about that death-filled day.

2013 NDP Theme NEWS RELEASE – April 8, 2013 Dion Elmore Director, Public Relations The National Day of Prayer Task Force (719) 559-9570 media@nationaldayofprayer.org “PRAY FOR AMERICA” AMERICANS TO UNITE AND PRAY ON THURSDAY, MAY 2ND, FOR THE 62ND ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO (April 8, 2013) – As our nation struggles with continued economic insecurity, vast healthcare reform, and countless challenges to our constitutional rights, citizens of the United States are preparing to exercise their freedom to gather, worship, and pray. Millions will answer the call to prayer on May 2nd in observance...

Here is more on the triple Jewish murder -- Earlier I posted that the Boston Jihad Bomber's "only American friend" had his throat slit. I said, "I think this case should be reopened in light of the Boston jihad. Throat slitting is a jihad speciality." What I didn't know was that there were three victims, all Jewish, or that they had their throats slit on September 11. We know that under Islam, slaughtering Jews is the most "righteous" of all kuffar murder: "I killed my Jew!" Islamic Jew-hatred -- it's in the quran. Police in a Boston suburb are investigating...

I never dreamed when I wrote what I assumed would be a “throwaway” column last week calling for a day of national prayer and fasting on 9/11 that my plea would be met with an outpouring of enthusiastic support from thousands of people. It clearly struck a chord. I’ve been doing media around the clock ever since. Pastors are telling their congregations about the plan. Lay activists are talking it up in Bible studies. Rabbis are writing to me expressing their support. I secured the domain name 911dayofprayer.com, which is where you can go to express your support for the...

Stephan Stowe, 17, was charged with harassment after telling Jewish rider ‘They should have killed all of you.’ Police also wrestled a woman to the ground and arrested her after angry onlookers swarmed the station's platform, snapping video and yelling at cops during the incident.

ATLANTA - From Washington to metro Atlanta, gun control supporters have put pressure on Georgia's senators to support the compromise bill. At the same time, gun owners are making their voices heard right here at home. Rabbi Elana Perry of Temple Sinai led a roundtable discussion to pressure Georgia's senators into supporting the new background check bill on Thursday. "Many of their constituents support university background checks. So, I really think that lots of pressure should be put on them at this time. And I just hope that they'll be listening," said Perry. She's not alone. Tamara Stevens is a...

As another Passover begins, the echoes of "Once we were slaves and now we are free" and "Next year in Jerusalem" resound briefly and then fade into the background noise of everyday life. We can board a plane tomorrow and fly off to Jerusalem. Some of us are already there now. But will that make us free? Since Egypt we have become slaves again, lived under the rule of iron-fisted tyrants and forgotten what the very idea of freedom means. And that will likely happen again and again until the age ends. What is this freedom that we gained with...

The selection of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina to be the new pope of the Roman Catholic Church is being seen as a move that will continue to cement Catholic-Jewish relations and perhaps end the debate over the ChurchÂ’s actions during World War II. Bergoglio, 76, who took the name Francis and is the first Jesuit ever to be chosen pope, has publicly called for the opening of the Vatican archives to learn the true role Pope Pius XII during the Holocaust. There have been allegations that Pope Pius XII, who is on track to be canonized by the...