Olmert’s corruption scandals: Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was
found guilty last Monday of accepting bribes in what has been called the country’s largest corruption scandal. Ironically, Olmert
rose to prominence in 1976 with his role in uncovering another scandal: an extortion racket in the area of fruit and vegetable selling.
Celebrating RFRA: American Jewish groups are
on opposing sides in a current Supreme Court battle, with Orthodox groups arguing that the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act should allow companies to refuse to provide contraceptive coverage to employees.
The day RFRA was signed into law, however, Jewish leaders from across the religious spectrum were equally jubilant. The Reform movement’s Rabbi David Saperstein called RFRA “the most important religious freedom bill of our lifetimes,” while Agudath Israel of America’s Rabbi Moshe Sherer hailed „a proud and auspicious day for freedom of religion.”
