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Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Shiloh Welcomes Shiloh

Residents of the West Bank settlement of Shiloh voiced pleasure at having a new namesake in the daughter of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt.

History of UNRWA and Its Refugees

The U.N. General Assembly established the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in 1949 as a temporary agency focused on relief work for the Palestinians. It began operating in 1950. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians became refugees in the war that began when the Palestinians and their Arab allies attacked the fledgling Jewish state the day after its formation in 1948.

Requests Swamp Israel Trip Program

Birthright Israel has received many more applications for its upcoming trips than it has spaces available. Approximately 14,000 young Jews applied for 8,000 spots in the program\’s spring/summer trips this year in just the first 12 hours of registration Feb. 8.

History Behind What Makes Hamas Tick

Hamas, which will form the next Palestinian Authority government, has an ideology that is based on the destruction of Israel through jihad, or Muslim \”holy war.\” The group\’s 1988 charter states that \”Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.\”

JDate a Capitol Idea

A second U.S. congressman has been found using JDate. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) began using the Jewish online dating service in May under the screen name \”jim2005ofDC,\” The Hill newspaper reported.

‘Oy Vey’ Such a Sign

A traffic sign with the words, \”Leaving Brooklyn Oy Vey!\” went up on the Williamsburg Bridge from Brooklyn into Manhattan.

A Guilty Plea in AIPAC Case

Edward Adams, a spokesman for the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., announced last week that Lawrence Franklin had scheduled a guilty plea for this week.

Deep Throat: Not a Jew

A former FBI agent who outed himself as the \”Deep Throat\” of the Watergate scandal is not Jewish, though Nixon and his aides believed he was. Mark Felt, 91, revealed himself to Vanity Fair this week as the best-known anonymous source of the last century.

Shin Bet Links Up & Prayers for Pesach

Shin Bet Links Up

Israel\’s Shin Bet security service went online Tuesday at www.shabak.gov.il. The Hebrew-only site contains information on the domestic intelligence agency as well as application forms for would-be agents interested in countering Palestinian terrorism or foreign spies, or in joining one of Israel\’s diplomatic bodyguard units. The Shin Bet\’s overseas counterpart, the Mossad, put up its own Web site last year.

Prayers for Pesach

The Orthodox Union is again operating a program for Passover to help Israeli soldiers. The group is selling prayer cards for $1 apiece that can be placed at Passover seder tables. Proceeds from the cards will be given to help soldiers and their families. More information is available at www.ou.org/israel.

Key Points in Geneva Peace Proposal

The following are some of the main points of the Geneva accord, the unofficial Israeli-Palestinian peace proposal launched Monday.

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