Weekly Items from the Israeli Press, July 21, 2011

Shalom,

Please see below items from the Israeli press. You can access this news digest as well as check out our other online features, by visiting the Israel & Overseas page on our website.

If you would like to recommend other recipients for this weekly e-mail, would like to be removed from the mailing list or have any suggestions, please write to me at Tikva.Schein@JewishFederations.org.

Regards,

Tikva

Jewish World

Rabbinic ruling on Jewish identity doesn't pass muster at Interior Ministry

(Haaretz) Although she is Jewish, Yehudit Weizman, an immigrant from Hungary, and her three children are defined as people with 'no religion.'

Haredi women trained as engineers

(Ynet) Some 800 ultra-Orthodox women have been trained as software engineers, architects and graphic artists, according to a new study conducted by the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry.

Welfare and Social Issues

Doctors stage mass walkout

(Ynet) Wage negotiations between doctors, Treasury deadlock once more prompting physicians, residents across Israel to walk out on shifts en masse

Cabinet okays memorial for 1.5m. Jewish WWII veterans

(JPost) Jewish soldiers who fought with Allied forces to be honored with Latrun memorial; "It's due to their sacrifice that we're here," Netanyahu says

MK: Israel mulls creation of ‘women’s affairs’ ministry

(JPost) Gamliel (Likud) says women's ministry would devote attention entirely to improving situation of women and promoting equality in society

Israel leads West in diabetes, kidney disease deaths

(Haaretz) New health ministry report on death trends in 2008 find Israeli mortality rates for diabetes and kidney disease higher than U.S. and Europe

Aliyah and Immigration

3,000 party at Taglit ‘Mega-Event’ in Ramat Gan

(JPost) Festivities hosted by actor Michael Harpaz, feature addresses from Taglit-Birthright CEO Gidi Mark, IDF’s chief education officer

Construction

Tent dwellers chase TA mayor away with boos and beer

(Haaretz)  'Tent City' protest to expand as National Students Union calls on branches at institutions of higher education throughout Israel to join the demonstrations for affordable housing.

Death by a thousand snags

(Haaretz) Building projects across the country are being held up by an embarrassment of hitches, from uncooperative squatters to precious antiquities.

In the shadow of the Polinum

(Haaretz) Haifa's landscape is about to change with the construction of a mammoth hangar that will house the navy's new submarines, but mar residents' view of the sea.

Environment

Firefighters gain control over Jerusalem fire, police suspect arson

(Haaretz) Fire broke out in three different places; Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial evacuated and nearby residents told to shut their windows.

Cabinet okays $5.048b. in future renewable installations

(JPost) Ten percent or $660.8m. of systems slated for W. Bank; green organizations praise decision, but say much more must be done.

Green for the rich

(Haaretz) Green building standards, like the Environmental Protection Ministry's public service broadcasts urging a change in consumption habits, are currently directed mainly at the well-off.

Israel Philanthropy

Millionaires to fund Israeli athletes

(Ynet) Fund comprised of Jewish donors, one Arab millionaire launched in London to help Israel's young talents win as many medals as possible in 2012 Olympic Games

Israel Advocacy/Relations

Terror attack survivor's peace team

(Ynet) Although Asael Shabo's mother and three of his siblings were killed by Arab terrorists, 18-year-old boy who lost his leg in same incident plays basketball alongside disabled Palestinians

Science, Technology and Development

Teva cleared to market generic cancer drugs from Nov. 2013

(Haaretz) Teva Pharmaceutical Industries took a major step toward launching its first big line of bio-generic products in the U.S. after signing an agreement with Amgen that settles patent claims on two products.

Arts and Culture

Ruins from ancient Syrian synagogue put on display in Israel after 63-year delay

(Haaretz) An archaeological exhibit slated to open on Mount Scopus in 1948 finally kicked off last month with a display of tiles from the famed Dura Europos

Op-Eds and Opinion Pieces from the Israel Press

Yediot Ahronot implores, "Where has the Iron Dome disappeared to?  After such a successful performance about three months ago, which surprised even the developers of this active defense system, we thought that that's it, we won't see any more rockets falling here, at least not on the Gaza-adjacent communities.  And here in the past two weeks rockets are dropping in from the Gaza Strip, the Air Force is again operating over Gaza, the ping-pong game of rocket fire followed by retaliation has returned – and Iron Dome?  As if the earth has swallowed it up."

Yisrael Hayom notes that, "Exactly 400 days after she ran amok on the deck of the Mavi Marmara as it made its way to Gaza, MK Hanin Zoabi was barred from the Knesset plenum yesterday for 2.5 weeks," and adds that, "What a pity that MKs with good intentions reached a poor result."  The paper believes that, "This is mainly because the Ethics Committee's decision indicates a failure and rift in Jewish-Arab dialogue inside Israel.  Zoabi has not been insulted; she doesn't care; being barred from the Knesset is a medal in the eyes of her voters.  That is the real tragedy, the era of the Tower of Babel, one sector does not understand the other."  The author asserts that despite Zoabi's, "abhorrent remarks," the Knesset should realize that, "Such a light, headline-grabbing punishment will only goad Zoabi's colleagues in the Arab factions into taking extreme positions," as they vie to curry favor with their voters.  The paper says that if the Israelis on the flotilla broke Israeli law, they should be tried, and that if they are MKs, their immunity should be lifted.  The author contends that, 'There is no point in a parliamentary punishment that befits a gentlemen's club in London."