Author: David Leibermann

(JTA) — American Reform rabbis joined Women of the Wall for the group’s monthly prayer service at the Western Wall, weeks after members of the Israeli government introduced, then quickly withdrew, a law that would have banned their activity. In addition, police intervened to stop Orthodox counter-protesters who tried to disrupt a separate prayer service […]

When Ashley Inbar of Portland, Maine, got married in a traditional Jewish ceremony at the Jamaican beach resort of Ocho Rios in early January, there were five very special names on the guest list. Just half a decade earlier, they were all complete strangers. But then they met in Israel on an unusual Birthright trip […]

(JTA) – In a major victory for pro-Israel advocates, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal against an Arkansas state law requiring all companies that contract with the state to sign a pledge promising not to boycott Israel. The Tuesday dismissal allows the Arkansas law to stand, ending its challenger’s effort to overturn […]

(JTA) — The Israeli government’s controversial judicial reform plan cleared a major hurdle as its parliament, the Knesset, voted to advance a key piece of the plan. The 63-47 vote took place early Tuesday morning, following a second week of mass protests outside the Knesset in Jerusalem. The bill was introduced by Prime Minister Benjamin […]

(JTA) – They have donated untold millions to develop Israel and defend it from its detractors. Now, a group of major philanthropists in North America have come together to warn that Israeli democracy is in jeopardy as the new government seeks to overhaul the judiciary and grant itself veto power over Supreme Court rulings. Fifteen […]

TAYIBE, Israel (JTA) — Prominent figures among Israel’s Arab minority are calling on its members to join the mass protests against the Netanyahu government’s judicial overhaul plan, arguing that Arabs will be the first victims of any weakening of the Supreme Court. “If the government succeeds it will make our chances for equality and a […]

(JTA) — An Israeli airstrike on a building in central Damascus on Saturday killed five people and injured 15, according to Syrian officials. The strike occurred in the neighborhood of Kafr Sousa, which is the site of Iranian security institutions, according to Reuters. Iran and its proxy militias have had a heavy presence in Syria […]

(JTA) – The crusading New York prosecutor who has been exposing illicit trafficking in the antiquities market through a succession of high-profile raids has zeroed in on his next big target: the private collection of Shelby White, the widow of a Wall Street legend and philanthropist known for donating to Jewish museums in New York and […]

(JTA) — Yair Cherki, the religion reporter for Israel’s Channel 12, became a household name because of his sidecurls, his cheery demeanor and his rapid-fire delivery as he has guided his viewers into the lives and homes of Israel’s haredi Orthodox community. On Tuesday, he delivered a different sort of message — a wrenching coming-out […]

(JTA) — Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, voted overwhelmingly to strip citizenship from people who are convicted of terrorism and receive a stipend from the Palestinian Authority. The bill passed 94-10 on Wednesday, with opposition coming from some Arab lawmakers. The lopsided vote in favor of the measure stands in stark contrast to other more controversial […]