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

A Havdalah service with homemade candle, salt shaker spice box, paper cup and grape juice, make all the difference on a Halloween eve.

When Havdalah haunts Halloween

A Havdalah service with homemade candle, salt shaker spice box, paper cup and grape juice, make all the difference on a Halloween eve. (Edmon Rodman) Read more »

Two shot at California synagogue

October 29, 2009

Two people were shot in the legs in the parking lot of a synagogue in North Hollywood, Calif. Read more »

Top Stories

Does new German memorial honor Nazis, ignore Jews?

By Toby Axelrod

A controversy has erupted in a German town over a new memorial that critics say honors Nazis and ignores Jewish Holocaust victims. Read more »

Holocaust memorials go up in Eastern Europe, with some flaws

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

Some new monuments whose positioning and design make them prominent provide little or no information as to what they commemorate, but still are important as a permanent presence. Read more »

Op-Ed: Israel must break growing stranglehold of religion

By Uri Regev and Stanley Gold

The increased stranglehold of religion on Israel has a dire impact on the nation, write the leaders of Hiddush, a new advocacy organization that aims to ensure equal civil and political rights for all regardless of religion. Read more »

Birthright funders look to upbeat study to boost fund raising

By Jacob Berkman

Birthright Israel is hinging a major fund-raising push on a new study that says the program, which sends young Jews on free 10-day trips to Israel, has a major impact on Jewish continuity. Read more »

Blogs

The Fundermentalist

Good God: Steinhardt no longer an atheist?

Michael Steinhardt used a recent talk at the 92 St Y to reiterate his long list of complaints about the… Read Blog »

Capital J

Romney rips Obama foreign policy at AIPAC gathering

Likely (and former) Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says he’s concerned about current… Read Blog »

The Telegraph

Forgiving Ronan Tynan

Meet the Teaneck, N.J., resident who made the match between the Anti-Defamation League and Irish tenor… Read Blog »

The Wandering Jew

Hidden memorials in Berlin

The Wandering Jew files a video tour of places of Holocaust remembrance that are often overlooked in… Read Blog »

Photos and Videos

In this handout image provided by the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), an Arrow anti-missile missile is launched from a testing ground on April 7, 2009 in central Israel. The Defense Ministry confirmed the successful test of the anti-missile system designed to protect the country from attack by Iran. (IAI / BPH Images) American rabbinical and Jewish education students protest plans by the Simon Wiesenthal Center to build a tolerance museum atop a Muslim cemetery in downtown Jerusalem, April 2, 2009. (Activestills.org) Israeli President Shimon Peres (seated right) sits next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and poses with the largest Cabinet in Israeli history on April 1 at the president's residence in Jerusalem. (Amos Ben Gershom GPO/BPH Images) Israeli President Shimon Peres (left) congratulates Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before posing with the new Israeli Cabinet at the presidential residence in Jerusalem on Wednesday April 1. (Amos Ben Gershom GPO/BPH Images) Israeli Arabs wave Palestinian flags as they protest a march by right-wing Israelis in the Israeli-Arab city Umm al-Fahm on March 24, 2009. (Brian Hendler) Flag-waving right-wing Israelis, protected by riot police and armored buses, march in the Israeli-Arab city Umm al-Fahm on March 24, 2009. (Brian Hendler) Israeli musician Idan Raichel speaks at New York University on March 23, 2009 at an event sponsored by USD Hagshama, the student division of the World Zionist Organization. Raichel sang some of his songs and answered questions. (David Karp) Jewish reggae artist Matisyahu peforming with the Israeli jam band Aharit Hayamim on March 14, 2009 at Shemspeed Massive Live, a concert event at the 92nd Street Y Tribeca in New York City featuring various up-and-coming Jewish musicians. (Daniel Sieradski) Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper addresses a reception for 100 Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries on Parliament Hill in Ottawa as Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, second from left, vice chairman of the Chabad-Lubavitch educational arm, and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, right, look on. (Chabad.org / Peter Waiser) Stanley Chesley, president of the Jewish National Fund-U.S., playing air hockey with children from Sderot on March 10, 2009 at the opening of a $5 million recreational facility in the southern Israeli city. The facility, funded by JNF-U.S., provides a respite for children in the Sderot area from Gaza-launched missiles. (Sasson Tiram)

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  • In this handout image provided by the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), an Arrow anti-missile missile is launched from a testing ground on April 7, 2009 in central Israel. The Defense Ministry confirmed the successful test of the anti-missile system designed to protect the country from attack by Iran.
  • American rabbinical and Jewish education students protest plans by the Simon Wiesenthal Center to build a tolerance museum atop a Muslim cemetery in downtown Jerusalem, April 2, 2009.
  • Israeli President Shimon Peres (seated right) sits next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and poses with the largest Cabinet in Israeli history on April 1 at the president's residence in Jerusalem.
  • Israeli President Shimon Peres (left) congratulates Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before posing with the new Israeli Cabinet at the presidential residence in Jerusalem on Wednesday April 1.
  • Israeli Arabs wave Palestinian flags as they protest a march by right-wing Israelis in the Israeli-Arab city Umm al-Fahm on March 24, 2009.
  • Flag-waving right-wing Israelis, protected by riot police and armored buses, march in the Israeli-Arab city Umm al-Fahm on March 24, 2009.
  • Israeli musician Idan Raichel speaks at New York University on March 23, 2009 at an event sponsored by USD Hagshama, the student division of the World Zionist Organization. Raichel sang some of his songs and answered questions.
  • Jewish reggae artist Matisyahu peforming with the Israeli jam band Aharit Hayamim on March 14, 2009 at Shemspeed Massive Live, a concert event at the 92nd Street Y Tribeca in New York City featuring various up-and-coming Jewish musicians.
  • Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper addresses a reception for 100 Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries on Parliament Hill in Ottawa as Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, second from left, vice chairman of the Chabad-Lubavitch educational arm, and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, right, look on.
  • Stanley Chesley, president of the Jewish National Fund-U.S., playing air hockey with children from Sderot on March 10, 2009 at the opening of a $5 million recreational facility in the southern Israeli city. The facility, funded by JNF-U.S., provides a respite for children in the Sderot area from Gaza-launched missiles.
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