Benny Ganz's Partner In a Coalition Wants To Abolish "Law of Return"

Joint Arab List Aida Touma-Suleiman stated on Sunday that one of the conditions her party will present to support any coalition would be the repeal of the Law of Return.

The Joint Arab List, an alliance comprising the Arab or mostly Arab parties: Balad, Ra'am-Ta'al, and Hadash, won 15 parliament seats in the March 2 general elections. Although coalition talks have yet to begin, it is widely believed that the Arab lawmakers would most likely support Likud challenger Blue and White leader Benny Gantz for prime minister.

The Law of Return, passed in 1950, gives every Jew the right to come and live in Israel and to gain Israeli citizenship.

In an interview with Israel Radio, Touma-Suleiman reiterated the demand, originally presented by the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, saying, "I don't think the Law of Return is needed anymore. Anyone who wanted to return to Israel has already done so. Those who chose to live in the US or France have already made their choice.

"The law is unnecessary. At the time, it greatly wronged my people, but now it's time to rethink it – and many other things."

She further stressed that the Joint Arab List "will not support anyone who supports the [Trump administration's] 'deal of the century.'"

Asked whether she recognizes Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, Touma-Suleiman replied, "We have been excluded from the civil collective of the State of Israel. We were marginalized and ignored. If that's what you call a Jewish state then yes, I want to change it. I suggest that you decide among yourselves what is a 'Jewish state' first. "

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Shul in Yerushalyim Goes to the Dogs

Southern Jerusalem is famous for its variety of progressive synagogue options, but one congregation has can claim its bark is worse than its bite.

"Kehilat Kelev" bills itself as Israel’s first dog-friendly congregation. “Pet-ition God with your pet by your side,” the shul’s website proudly proclaims.

Chairs at the egalitarian shul are arranged with extra space between them so that prayer-goers have room for extra paws among the pews. A separate section with more tightly packed seating is designated for members with lap dogs.

"Kehilat Kelev" ups the ante over notoriously dog-affable Tel Aviv, where it’s common to find man’s best friend welcome in the trendiest of restaurants.

Midway through services, dogs are invited to leave the building for “Tefilat Klavim” – aka the dog service. There, the dogregants are pampered for 45 minutes with a trip to the nearby park where tummy rubs are dispensed along with rebbe-themed games of fetch. (“Rashi says, ‘go long.’”)

The portion of the week is explained in dog-appropriate language. Snacks are brought in a doggie bag and a dog kiddush concludes the service before the dogs return excitedly to their owners and “the prayer for the welfare of dogs” is recited.

The highlight of "Kehilat Kelev’s" programming for pets is when a bark mitzvah takes place. Dogs that are turning 13 are invited up to the bima, where they are pelted with dog treats and chew toys while congregants sing out “That’s a good boy” or “That’s a good girl” while dancing around the room. Dogs that are especially vocal are offered a platform to bark out a short divrei barka and to thank any special trees, curbs or plastic bags they have befriended over their decade plus of life.

The bark mitzvah concludes with the assembled congregation crying out in unison, “Muzzle tov!”

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Megilas Ha'Corono

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"Shtickl" Show About Reform Jews Is a Surprise Hit Among the Very Frum

Who knew that a half-hour comedy/drama about the loves and lives of a Reform Jewish family would be such a runaway hit in Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community? 

* Purim Spoof

That’s exactly what’s happening with “Shtickl,” the new series from Ori Kumi and Elchanan Duranduransky, now showing on Netflix.

The series stars Jeff Goldblum as Arthur Shtickl, the patriarch of a loving but complicated Reform Jewish family living in Syosset, L.I. Arthur, a psychiatrist, goes to synagogue three times a year and feels bad about it, but feels even worse that his daughter Lindsey is becoming a rabbi and will probably be dependent on him until she pays off her student debt. His wife, Shelly (Fran Drescher), a real estate broker, has opened a boutique selling scented candles, and has been feuding with Linda (Christine Baranski), the synagogue administrator, who refuses to carry her products in the Beth Elohim Judaica shop.

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Ger, Belz And Pinsk Karlin Cancel Purim Tish Due To Coronavirus

With coronavirus spreading in Israel, some chassidish Rebbes took the initiative to contain the viral epidemic by canceling their annual Purim tish.

Ger, Belz and Pinsk Karlin all announced to their chassidim that they would not be holding a public Purim tish this year due the risk of spreading the dangerous virus. A chassidish tish at by these Rebbes would have thousands of chassidim converged into one room and the close encounters with others can make it a breeding ground for the virus to spread.

17 Israelis have already contracted coronavirus and over 100,000 are in self imposed quarantine.

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Trumpeldor's 100th Yahrzeit Was This Shabbat.... Died Al Kiddush Hashem

The 100th yahrziet of Yosef Trumpeldor was this Shabbat eve before Purim this year. 

A century after his combat death, Trumpeldor stands out as one of the most important individuals who played a part in the founding and building of the State Of Israel. 

A courageous soldier, a brilliant and indefatigable organizer, and a highly principled and selfless pioneer, Trumpeldor was universally mourned by Zionists of all ideological persuasions.

Born in Russia in 1880, Trumpeldor lost an arm during the Russo-Japanese War at the 1904/1905 Siege of Port Arthur. Taken off of the front-lines because of his injury, he pleaded with his commander: “Even though I have only one arm, it is my right arm, and my request is that I be given a sword and rifle to continue to fight.”

Later he was a prisoner of war and organized Zionist activities for hundreds of Jewish fellow captives.

Trumpeldor rose to become an officer in the Czarist army, an extremely rare accomplishment for a Jew. After returning from the war, the intensification of Russian anti-Semitism convinced him that as a Jew, he had no future in Russia. His thoughts turned again to practical Zionism and he decided to leave Russia for the Land of Israel.

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Nazi Flag Display at Sanders Rally

The display of a Nazi flag by a man at a Bernie Sanders campaign rally in Arizona drew condemnation from Jewish American groups on Friday amid ongoing worries about Democratic candidates’ security at public events.

Images of a flag depicting the Nazi swastika symbol that was displayed at Sanders’ Thursday night rally in Phoenix began circulating online after the incident. 

“Good people, regardless of how they vote, should call this out in no uncertain terms,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in an interview, adding that “I worry we’ll see more of this” given the anti-Semitism that emerged, particularly online, during the 2016 campaign.

The American Jewish Committee tweeted in response to reports of the Sanders rally display that “Nazi flags are symbols of pure hate and have no place anywhere in America, much less in a rally for a Jewish presidential candidate.”

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US Sending 94 Year-Old Nazi Back To Germany

A Tennessee man who served as a guard in a Nazi concentration camp at Neuengamme has been sent back to Germany. 

Friedrich Karl Berger was ordered by judge Rebecca L. Holt on Thursday to return to his home country, where he is still a resident and continues to receive a pension 'for wartime service'. 

The now 94-year-old was said to have been 'willing' to work at the subcamp in Meppen, where prisoners were held during the winter of 1945 in 'atrocious' conditions.   

Widower Berger, who came to the US in 1959 with his wife and daughter and has two grandchildren, told The Washington Post: 'After 75 years, this is ridiculous. I cannot believe it. I cannot understand how can happen in a country like this. You’re forcing me out of my home.

Berger is said to have been 'part of the SS machinery of oppression that kept concentration camp prisoners in atrocious conditions of confinement', according to Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski. 

The court heard that Berger, who came to the US legally, admitted that he guarded prisoners to prevent them from escaping. 

And with the advance of Allied forces Berger even helped guard the prisoners during their forcible evacuation to the Neuengamme main camp after the Nazis abandoned the sub camp at Meppen. 

The two-week move, in March 1945, claimed the lives of some 70 people.  

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Israeli Researcher Finds 2000 year-old Caves with Help of Josephus Flavius.

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List of 12,000 Nazis Living in Argentina during the 1930s Who hid Jewish money in Swiss banks

Researchers have discovered a list of 12,000 Nazis who lived in Argentina in the 1930s including many who hid stolen money in Swiss bank accounts. 

The long-forgotten list was found in a store room at a former Nazi headquarters in Buenos Aires and handed to the Nazi-hunting Simon Wiesenthal Centre.  

The centre said it believed that the 'long-dormant' bank accounts could still hold funds which were looted from Jewish victims under Nazi rule. 

Although Argentina is better known as a refuge for exiled Nazis after World War II, many also lived there in the 1930s while a pro-Nazi military regime was in power. 

Many such records were burned when another pro-Nazi regime took power in 1943. 

However, the surviving list was discovered by Argentine investigator Pedro Filipuzzi and handed to directors at the Wiesenthal Centre. 

Many of the Nazis on the list held funds that were sent to a bank called Schweizerische Kreditanstalt, now known as Credit Suisse. 

'We believe very probable that these dormant accounts hold monies looted from Jewish victims, under the Nuremberg Aryanization laws of the 1930s,' the Wiesenthal Centre said in a letter to Credit Suisse. 

'We are aware that you already have claimants as alleged heirs of Nazis in the list.'  

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