Jewish News

Lenin’s Jewish roots confirmed

In a country long plagued by anti-Semitism, such heritage can be a significant taint, especially for the founder of the Soviet Union who is still revered by many elderly Russians.For the first time ever, ordinary Russians can now see documents that appear to confirm long-standing rumors that Vladimir Lenin had Jewish heritage.Among dozens of newly released documents on display at ...

Leiby Kletzky’s family thanks community: ‘We are forever grateful and thankful’

In their hour of grief, the family of Leiby Kletzky is thanking their community and their city for helping them through the tragedy of losing their 8-year-old son to a murderer.A neighbor posted this statement from Nachman and Itta Kletzky outside their Borough Park building Friday morning:“We are forever grateful and thankful to Hashem (G-d). We would also like to ...

Lehigh Chabad Builds Community for Jewish Students

For many Jewish college students, Chabad organizations on campuses around the world provide a home away from home. There are Chabad centers on more than 140 campuses worldwide, and Lehigh’s campus is no exception.Alumni, faculty and students suggested to the Chabad of Lehigh Valley that there was a need for another Jewish outlet to the Lehigh community. Rabbi Zalman Greenberg and ...

Legal Separation for Zionist, Haredi Yeshivas

The Ministerial Legislation Committee on Sunday approved a bill declaring that the State would separate between legislation for haredi yeshivas and Zionist-religious yeshivas – thus preventing the confusion and direct connection usually made between the two on a legislative level.The bill which was presented by Knesset Members Zevulun Orlev and Uri Orbach (Habayit Hayehudi) together with Yariv Levin (Likud) is ...

Left-wing hecklers interrupt Netanyahu’s speech to AIPAC

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington, D.C. on Monday night was interrupted by left-wing protesters who heckled him and criticized his policies toward the Palestinians.Protesters from the group Move Over AIPAC, at least some of whom say they are Jewish, stood up, held up banners and made statements criticizing Israeli defense policies.Israeli officials ...

Left and right clash at Tel Aviv rally to support Palestinian state

Leading left-wing cultural leaders, including several Israel Prize laureates, were verbally accosted on Thursday during a rally in support of an independent Palestinian state.The rally, taking place outside Tel Aviv’s Independence Hall, was reportedly disrupted by right-wing activists equipped with bullhorns, who called out: “leftist professors, it will all blow up in your face,” “Kahane was right,” and “traitors.”Read more : ...

Leading rabbi joins animal rights group’s campaign against kaparot

Ahead of the Yom Kippur holiday, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel last week launched its annual information campaign against the ritual slaughter of chickens. That campaign just received a boost from an unexpected source, as one of religious Zionism’s most influential rabbis joined the call against the practice of kaparot, in which an individual’s ...

Leading Israeli Rabbi Tells Americans in Israel to Vote Romney

Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, rabbi of the town of Har Bracha in the Shomron (Samaria) and the Dean of the Har Bracha Yeshiva, a prolific writer on halakhah whose seminal books on Jewish law are part of school curriculae, called on American olim and visitors with the right to vote in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections to cast their votes for the Republican nominee, Mitt ...

Lazio Withdraws From Governor’s Race

Conservative Party candidate, and former GOP favorite, Rick Lazio said Monday he will no longer be on the ballot this November.The former congressman made the announcement from the Sheraton in Midtown. It comes almost two weeks after his stunning primary defeat against Carl Paladino.“I ran for office to combat the Albany establishment, to govern, and to turn this state around,” ...

Lawsuit over ‘Jew or not Jew’ app dropped

French anti-racism groups dropped a lawsuit Thursday against Apple Inc. over an iPhone app called “Jew or not Jew?”after it was removed from circulation worldwide.Lawyer Stephane Lilti, representing four anti-racism associations, said the decision was “motivated by the removal of the application in all countries of the world.”Lilti said at a hearing in a Paris court Thursday that the app’s ...

Late Polish president’s twin brother to seek top job

Poles are due to elect a new president on June 20 following the death of Lech Kaczynski, along with 95 other people, mostly senior Polish officials, in a plane crash in Russia on April 10.Despite an increase of sympathy for the Kaczynski family, opinion polls show Acting President Bronislaw Komorowski of the centrist Civic Platform as the most likely election ...

Larry King Prepares to Sign Off, and Everybody’s Talking

Famous people liked talking to Larry King, and for many of them, there was one reason: His program was the place to go for unhurried, agenda less conversation.“I consider Larry one of a kind, absolutely one of a kind,” said Ross Perot, one of the many subjects from politics whom Mr. King has interviewed during his 25 years on CNN. ...