WJC urges Greek party to withdraw candidate after anti-Semitic outburst against PM Samaras

WJC News Update – WJC urges Greek party to withdraw candidate after anti-Semitic outburst against PM Samaras

News updates from the World Jewish Congress website – 06 February 2014

WJC urges Greek party to withdraw candidate after anti-Semitic outburst against PM Samaras

„Hateful anti-Semitic conspiracy theories can have no place in public discourse in the world’s oldest democracy,” says Ronald S. Lauder.

Thessaloniki University to get chair in Jewish Studies, memorial

06 Feb 2014 Greece’s largest university, which is partly build on the grounds of a former Jewish cemetery, will get a chair in Jewish Studies from next fall. READ MORE »

Dallas rabbi sued for running home-based synagogue – JTA

06 Feb 2014 A Dallas-area rabbi who uses his home as a synagogue is being sued by a neighbor who says it has lowered his property values.  READ MORE »

Canada: Veteran Jewish lawmaker Irwin Cotler to retire from politics – Globe and Mail

06 Feb 2014 Irwin Cotler is leaving politics after a 15-year career in which he fought for justice and human rights on all stages. READ MORE »

Hungarian Jews set to ‘physically hinder’ Neo-Nazi rally in former synagogue

06 Feb 2014 The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (Mazsihisz) may send people to physically prevent members of the ultra-nationalist Jobbik party from holding a rally at a former synagogue next Friday, the Jerusalem Post has learned. READ MORE »

Orthodox Jewish woman whose husband refused to divorce her for two years finally wins her freedom – Daily Mail

06 Feb 2014 Gital Dodelson has been granted a ‘get’ by her ex-husband Avrohom Meir Weiss, after the pair legally divorced in 2012. READ MORE »

Iran 35 years after the Islamic revolution – A conversation with David Menashri

05 Feb 2014 David Menashri is the president of the College of Law and Business in Ramat Gan, Israel, and founding director of the Alliance Center for Iranian Studies. He held the Parviz and Pouran Nazarian Chair for Modern Iranian History at Tel Aviv University. READ MORE »

Natalie Portman joins Israeli initiative to help Syrian women and children – Jerusalem Post

05 Feb 2014 ‘I am proud to take part in an operation where Israeli youth of all backgrounds are taking action to help out those who need it most,” says the actress.  READ MORE »

Israel cuts seminary funds, angers ultra-Orthodox Jews – Reuters

05 Feb 2014 Israel’s Finance Ministry said on Wednesday it was cutting funds to seminary students exempt from compulsory military service, in the latest battle between the Jewish state’s secular majority and an ultra-Orthodox minority. READ MORE »