RE: WJC News Update – Hungarian Jewish community head returns state honor in protest

News updates from the World Jewish Congress website – 23 August 2016

NYC mayor: Boycotting Israel not in line with ‘progressive values’ Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York City, has defended Israel against attacks from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and vowed protection for Jewish institutions in New York.

Israeli scholar: ‘If I were a British Jew, I’d be worried’ The renowned historian Yehuda Bauer, 90, has warned of growing anti-Semitism in the UK and branded the former Labour mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, a „violent anti-Semite.”

Hungarian Jewish community head returns state honor in protest András Heisler, the president of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities, has returned a state award in protest against the same award being given to Zsolt Bayer, a journalist known for his openly anti-Semitic views.

A summer at camp exposes Ugandan Jews to America’s food and kids – JTA23 Aug 2016 Uganda’s Jews, known as the Abayudaya, are a 2,000-member community that lives in rural villages in the country’s eastern hills. Conservative rabbis began visiting the community two decades ago, and most of the Abayudaya practice Conservative Judaism. Despite support from the Diaspora, the community remains poor. READ MORE »

Israel uncovers illegal Palestinian weapons-making network – New York Times23 Aug 2016 Since the start of the year, Israel has seized dozens of weapons, shuttered arms-making factories and arrested weapons dealers in a clampdown in the West Bank meant to quell a spate of Palestinian violence. READ MORE »

Senior Paris rabbi defends controversial burkini ban – JTA23 Aug 2016 Moshe Sebbag, the rabbi of the Grand Synagogue of Paris, told JTA Tuesday he supported in principle the regulations adopted earlier this month in 15 French municipalities, including the famed beach resort Cannes, against the garb, which French Prime Minister Manuel Valls last week said was part of a “political project” to perpetuate female servitude. READ MORE »

Jewish community rallies to help Louisiana flood victims – Jerusalem Post23 Aug 2016 “You never remember how traumatic it is finding pictures of children on the floor that are water-logged and having to bring them to the homeowner and ask them ‘do you want to keep this?” READ MORE »

Nazi-looted art not to be returned to Jewish heir, California court rules – Jerusalem Post23 Aug 2016 Jewish art dealer’s heir seeks ownership of two masterpieces that were looted by Nazis during World War II. READ MORE »

Matisyahu makes surprise visit at Jewish summer camp – Arutz Sheva23 Aug 2016 Internationally-acclaimed Jewish reggae star drops in a Bnei Akiva summer camp in Pennsylvanian for a once-in-a-lifetime surprise concert. READ MORE »

Family values center-stage at Jewish summer camp in Kazakhstan23 Aug 2016 The Jewish community of Almaty, in Kazakhstan, held a summer camp for 120 people and also marked the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the World Jewish Congress. READ MORE »

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