JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

JTA, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, is the definitive source for American Jewish community news and opinion.

The iShpiel: a way to discover new Purim parody faces.

Simplifying the Purim parody

The iShpiel: a way to discover new Purim parody faces. (Edmon J. Rodman) Read more »

U.S. pulling out of ‘Durban II’ conference

February 27, 2009

The Obama administration has decided to boycott the so-called Durban II conference over ant-Semitism concerns. Read more »

Top Stories

Synagogue hails Dutch lawmaker as a hero

By Penny Schwartz

In his home continent, Dutch politician Geert Wilders is something of a pariah over his harsh views on Islam, but he was cheered during a recent speech at a synagogue near Boston and is receiving support from two organizations with strong ties to the American Jewish community. Read more »

Bomb damages Caracas synagogue

A Caracas synagogue was damaged by a bomb. Read more »

Vatican rejects bishop apology for Holocaust remarks

The Vatican dismissed as insufficient Bishop Richard Williamson's apology for making comments minimizing the Holocaust. Read more »

Op-Ed: Israel must address flawed electoral system

By Izak Parviz Nazarian

The predicament created by Israel’s recent Knesset elections does not reveal any new problems in Israel’s electoral system; it simply underscores the problems everyone knows already are there. Read more »

Blogs

The Fundermentalist

The real Madoff scandal: Big endowments

Former White House Jewish liaison argues that the real Madoff scandal was that the Jewish community was… Read Blog »

Capital J

U.S. pulls out of Durban II (UPDATE #2 WITH MORE REACTION)

The Obama administration has decided to boycott the so-called Durban II conference out of concerns for… Read Blog »

The Telegraph

Thank you, American Jews. Love, Sderot

Sedrot Mayor David Bouskila dropped by JTA’s offices as part of his thank-you tour of American… Read Blog »

The Wandering Jew

Photos and Videos

Rabbi Capers Funnye, a cousin of Michelle Obama, dances at the Jewish Agency's absorption center for new immigrants in Mevasseret Zion, near Jerusalem, Nov. 4, 2009. (Brian Hendler) Israeli President Shimon Peres at his residence in Jerusalem with members of a panel of Israeli Ethiopians during the first Israeli celebration of the Sigd holiday, when Ethiopian Jews mark their yearning to return to Jerusalem and Zion, Nov. 2, 2009. (Israeli Government Press Office) Young Israeli Ethiopians performing at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, Nov. 2, 2009, in a celebration of the Sigd holiday marking Ethiopian Jews' yearning to return to Jerusalem and Zion. (Israeli Government Press Office) Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, left, salutes celebrated Irish tenor Ronan Tynan after his rendition of "God Bless America" before the Anti-Defamation League's annual meeting on October 29. (David Karp) J Street founder Jeremy Ben-Ami speaking at the group's first conference in Washington, Oct. 26, 2009, as Rabbi Eric Yoffie looks on. (J Street) Some of the seven descendants of the ancient Jewish community of Kaifeng, China, arriving in Israel at Ben Gurion Airport, Oct. 20, 2009. The descendants, who were brought by the Shavei Israel organization, were issued one-year entry permits. (Michael Freund) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, a guest speaker at the opening of the annual meeting of the Jewish Agency's board of governors, looks on as Johanna Arbib-Perugia, chairwoman of the world board of trustees of Keren Hayesod, greets Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky in Jerusalem, Oct. 25, 2009. (Brian Hendler) At the initiative of JNF-UK and KKL, a group of 25 British hikers aged 9 to 79 trekked four days from the Mediterranean to the Sea of Galilee trying to raise awareness and funds to deal with the Israeli water crisis. (KKL Archive) A group of Rollerbladers and skaters in Tel Aviv show their support for alternative forms of transport on Oct. 17, 2009, the international day of climate action organized by "350," a campaign to raise climate crisis awareness. (Ronen Avihav / 350.org / Creative Commons) Rescue services members on Oct. 17, 2009 take out the body of a child who was among the six members of the Oshrenko family found stabbed to death in their torched apartment in Rishon Lezion, Israel. (Roni Schutzer / Flash90 / JTA)

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  • Rabbi Capers Funnye, a cousin of Michelle Obama, dances at the Jewish Agency's absorption center for new immigrants in Mevasseret Zion, near Jerusalem, Nov. 4, 2009.
  • Israeli President Shimon Peres at his residence in Jerusalem with members of a panel of Israeli Ethiopians during the first Israeli celebration of the Sigd holiday, when Ethiopian Jews mark their yearning to return to Jerusalem and Zion, Nov. 2, 2009.
  • Young Israeli Ethiopians performing at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, Nov. 2, 2009, in a celebration of the Sigd holiday marking Ethiopian Jews' yearning to return to Jerusalem and Zion.
  • Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, left, salutes celebrated Irish tenor Ronan Tynan after his rendition of "God Bless America" before the Anti-Defamation League's annual meeting on October 29.
  • J Street founder Jeremy Ben-Ami speaking at the group's first conference in Washington, Oct. 26, 2009, as Rabbi Eric Yoffie looks on.
  • Some of the seven descendants of the ancient Jewish community of Kaifeng, China, arriving in Israel at Ben Gurion Airport, Oct. 20, 2009. The descendants, who were brought by the Shavei Israel organization, were issued one-year entry permits.
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, a guest speaker at the opening of the annual meeting of the Jewish Agency's board of governors, looks on as Johanna Arbib-Perugia, chairwoman of the world board of trustees of Keren Hayesod, greets Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky in Jerusalem, Oct. 25, 2009.
  • At the initiative of JNF-UK and KKL, a group of 25 British hikers aged 9 to 79 trekked four days from the Mediterranean to the Sea of Galilee trying to raise awareness and funds to deal with the Israeli water crisis.
  • A group of Rollerbladers and skaters in Tel Aviv show their support for alternative forms of transport on Oct. 17, 2009, the international day of climate action organized by "350," a campaign to raise climate crisis awareness.
  • Rescue services members on Oct. 17, 2009 take out the body of a child who was among the six members of the Oshrenko family found stabbed to death in their torched apartment in Rishon Lezion, Israel.
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Editors' Picks

Kavod

Civil Unions in Israel-Not for Gays, Jews, Muslims, or Christians

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JewSchool: “This! Is! SIIINAAAAIIIIIIIII!!!!!”

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Obama: Walking on Israel in Chamberlain’s Shoes?

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