This week in power: Obama, Egypt, Mel Gibson, Kosher Facebook

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

Obama’s “Jewish problem”
The national election is still over a year away, but discussion has already begun over Obama’s “Jewish messaging,” ” title=”http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/09/11/jewish-vote-democrats-obama/”>said Jonathan S. Tobin at Commentary. As usual, it all starts with Israel, and the ” title=”http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i5cIPGgmVcd_HRxqSs8uelAVh-_g?docId=e6afc16973444195959f90ee114de001″>broke into the Israeli Embassy last weekend which led the ambassador and his family to flee the country. It called relations between the two countries even more into question. “The rules of the game with Egypt have changed. The policy of winks and tacit agreements of the days of former president Hosni Mubarak is now on trial and cannot survive,” ” title=”http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904265504576566431045060822.html”>Bret Stephens wondered what it means for Israel: “No democracy in the world today lies under a darker shadow of existential dread than Israel. And the events of the past month ought to demonstrate that Israel’s dread is not of shadows only. Israel’s efforts to allay the enmity of its enemies or mollify the scorn of its critics have failed.” Remember, there’s ” title=”http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/09/mel_gibson_to_write_jewish_her.html”>reports that Mel Gibson is working on a movie that will portray Judah Maccabee, the Jewish hero. But there were some defenders, including ” title=”http://www.avclub.com/articles/mel-gibson-finally-making-a-movie-for-the-jews,61527/”>Sean O’Neal at The Onion’s A.V. Club had a sense of humor about the whole thing. “What better time than right now, considering the Jews already kind of hate him? It’s like a double jeopardy, nothing-left-to-lose, nowhere-to-go-but-up sort of thing.”

A Kosher Facebook option
For those who wish to do their social-networking free of the opposite sex, there’s ” title=”http://www.scribbal.com/2011/09/new-social-network-faceglat-caters-to-orthodox-jews-separates-men-and-women/”>asked Marieln Loveland at Scribbal. It’s definitely a different experience, ” title=”http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/the_oy_of_sex_online_SpZZQgjoO4xAiFE4WzHvBI”>reported about KosherSexToys.net, a site that caters to more religiously- and modestly-minded adults. “Can they use the battery-powered vibrators on Shabbos? Or do they need a Shabbos Goy to come turn it on for them? ” title=”http://www.jewishjournal.com/keepingthefaith/item/sex_toys_for_orthodox_jews_mazel_tov_20110912/”>said Ilana Angel in the Jewish Journal.