This week in power: Israel election, Hagel nomination, Gun plan, Christmas giving

A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

Election coming
Israeli elections are a month away,  and “there's no shortage of hot-button issues that might dominate the campaign, including Iran's nuclear program, a call to draft religious students into the army and a growing budget deficit,” ” target=”_blank”>said Isi Leibler at the Algemeiner. Satmar offers Israelis cash for not voting. But one barrier that could stand in Israelis' way is the anti-Zionist Satmar Hasidic sect's prospect that it will ” target=”_blank”>recent blowback over the possible nomination of Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel. Hagel previously has made controversial comments about Israel. “I think it is time to acknowledge, bluntly, that certain major Jewish organizations, indeed, the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations—also, the ADL, AIPAC, the American Jewish Committee, political groups like the Republican Jewish Coalition, along with their various columnists, pundits, and list-serves—are among the most consistent purveyors of McCarthyite-style outrages in America today. Are there greater serial defamers of public officials in fake campaigns against defamation?” ” target=”_blank”>said Thomas Friedman in The New York Times.

Gun myth
The NRA's aim to arm guards in schools is built around a ” target=”_blank”>said Adam Clark Estes at The Atlantic Wire.

Jews give back
Even though Christmas isn't their holiday to celebrate, Jews around the country took their day off and used it on charitable actions. ” target=”_blank”>Denver: “They were among more than 125 mostly Jewish volunteers who fanned out at hospitals and nursing homes around the metro area on Tuesday. They were serving meals, greeting guests, pouring tea and hot chocolate and otherwise lending a hand as part of the Christmas Mitzvah Project, a yearly day of service and a tradition for more than 25 years.” ” target=”_blank”>the creator said. Some were ” target=”_blank”>said Chanel Dubofsky at The Jewish Daily Forward.