An eyewitness account of the 1948 battle for Jerusalem
Matti Friedman of the Times of Israel presents a glimpse into the journal of British clergyman Hugh Jones, who remained in Jerusalem as the fight for control of the city waged around him.
Report of a two-hour cease fire in the afternoon to enable dead to be collected from the streets. As many as 40 Jewish dead reported to be lying outside the New Gate after the attack on Friday last. Another very noisy night, apparently an attack by Jews on the Old City, which began at midnight, mainly directed on the Zion Gate, where 60 to 80 Jewish dead were reported to have been left in the vicinity. A plane flew over several times during this attack.
Berkley-Adelson feud has potential to alter politics on a national level
Sheldon Adelson’s long-running personal row with Democratic Senate hopeful Shelley Berkley could see him pouring funds into her opponent’s campaign from his national war chest of some $100 million, writes Anjeanette Damon in the Las Vegas Sun.
As a Democrat with strong union ties, Berkley never really saw eye-to-eye with Adelson on politics. But the philosophical differences didn’t really become a problem until he became more active politically and started spending money in races against Berkley’s friends.
Writing in Foreign Policy, Egyptian activist Mona Eltahawy examines the oppression of women in the Arab world, even in the wake of the Arab Spring.
Name me an Arab country, and I’ll recite a litany of abuses fueled by a toxic mix of culture and religion that few seem willing or able to disentangle lest they blaspheme or offend. When more than 90 percent of ever-married women in Egypt—including my mother and all but one of her six sisters—have had their genitals cut in the name of modesty, then surely we must all blaspheme. When Egyptian women are subjected to humiliating “virginity tests” merely for speaking out, it’s no time for silence.
The case for military intervention in Syria
Writing in Christian Science Monitor, former NATO envoy Kurt Volker argues in favor of intervention in Syria before a mass atrocity forces the US’ hand.
The moral principles arguing for intervention are already known: The Syrian government is engaged in a systematic campaign of mass murder, seeking to kill anyone who dares oppose it, in order to re-establish firm control. The state of Syria has a monopoly of force – in the military, police, intelligence services, and secret police. The people are standing up with great valor – but little capacity – to oppose such tyranny. Over 9,000 people have been killed – though over a year’s time, not at once.
Ron Torossian of Algemeiner identifies what he believes is the greatest threat facing American Jewry today.
The larger problem is one of Jewish continuity. There are very few programs succeeding in educating or exciting the next generation of American Jews. With rampant assimilation, there is precious little leadership in American Jewry. While Newsweek makes a big deal about their Top 50 Rabbis list, how many non-Orthodox do they truly reach, and even amongst those they do reach, how many of their children will be Jewish in America one or two generations from today? How many American Jews have any clue who Abe Foxman or any of the other so-called Jewish “leaders” are?