Israel:

Mideast News:

In Mideast news, an Iraqi dissident takes issue with President Obama’s Mideast policies, though for some relatively unusual reasons; Sec. of Defense Hegel says U.S. strategy is to reinforce Israel and other allies; Russia denies plans to sell missiles to Syria; and Egypt’s ruling Islamist party holds a major anti-Israel rally.

In domestic Israeli news, the Women of the Wall pray at the Kotel without being arrested, though a counter-rally ignites some controversy. Several Times of Israel bloggers and a JTA reporter weigh in on the pluralism debate as well.

• Times of Israel -- ‘Obama policy will lead region to war,’ warns ex-Iraqi MP who’s paid heavy price for dissent
• JTA -- Hagel: US strategy is to reinforce Israel, allies
• Jerusalem Post -- Russia: No plans to sell air-defense system to Syria
• Ynet News -- Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood rally against Israel

Israeli Domestic News:

• N.Y. Times -- 3 Ultra-Orthodox Men Arrested in Confrontation at Western Wall
• Ynet News -- Jerusalem: Haredim attack Women of the Wall
• Times of Israel -- A resonant reversal at the Wall, as the police protect the pluralists
• Times of Israel (commentary) -- Sharing the sacred Kotel space
• Times of Israel (commentary) -- Massive Prayer Rally at the Kotel Today – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
• JTA (analysis) – After Friday’s confrontation, are more haredi protests ahead?

For more Israel news, see the weekly JFNA Israel news page.
For more security news, see JFNA’s Secure Community Network (SCN) website.

Israel Advocacy:

A columnist for a New York weekly newspaper punches holes in Stephen Hawking’s support for BDS; and Algemeiner reports on a controversial plan by DC’s Newseum to honor reporters of a Hamas-backed TV outlet.

• N.Y. Observer (commentary) -- The Black Hole of Stephen Hawking’s Israel Boycott
• Algemeiner -- Think Tank Slams Newseum’s Plan to Honor Hamas Faux ‘Journalists’

For more Israel advocacy news, see the Israel Action Network website.

Global Jewish News:

JTA reports synagogues are increasingly merging across the denominational spectrum.

• JTA -- To stay afloat, shuls merging across denominational divide

Federations/Philanthropy:

Globally, New York’s John Ruskay look at the Federation’s global impact; NY’s David Mallach looks at communal changes; Shalom TV reports on PM Netanyahu’s appearance at the 2013 GA; and an investigative journalism website offers a tool for people to examine tax forms of non-profits.

Locally, Federations are featured in Colorado; Ocean County, NJ and Toronto.

Global:

• NY UJA-Federation (John Ruskay) -- A Global Impact We Never Imagined
• Jerusalem Post -- The changing American Jew
• Shalom TV – Israeli PM Netanyahu to headline 2013 GA (highlights Federation)
• Chronicle of Philanthropy -- ProPublica Launches Online Tool to Search Nonprofit Tax Forms

Local:

Israel & Mideast:

The Israel-Syria situation seems to have calmed today, though a Times of Israel analyst wonders if the strategy will work. Meanwhile, the NY Times looks at Hezbollah’s risky Syria venture; Times of Israel editor David Horovitz sits down with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who on Jerusalem Day vows to keep Jerusalem unified, a sentiment Naftali Bennett echoes; Israel Hayom reports on the breakup of a Hamas cell in the West Bank; and a top Palestinian official says Israel remains the Palestinians’ main foe.

In Israel domestic news, a state report calls the absorption of Ethiopians a failure; MK Tzipi Livni seeks to ban public gender segregation; and MK Yair Lapid issues a budget plan calling for cuts and taxes, which PM Netanyahu backs.

• Times of Israel (analysis) -- ‘Shock and shush’ strategy, meant to mollify Assad, may have run its course
• N.Y. Times (analysis) -- Hezbollah Takes Risks By Fighting Rebels In Syria
• Times of Israel -- One Jerusalem. Undivided. Open to all. Controlled by Israel
• Jerusalem Post -- Bennett: We cannot compromise on a united Jerusalem
• Israel Hayom -- Tech-savvy Hamas cell in Judea and Samaria busted
• Times of Israel -- Top PA official: Israel ‘is our main enemy, resistance is still our agenda’

Israel Domestic News:

• Ynet News -- State Comptroller: Absorption of Ethiopians "a failure"
• Jerusalem Post -- Livni bill to criminalize discrimination of women
• JTA -- Israel’s Lapid plans to charge value added tax to tourists
• Jerusalem Post -- Netanyahu gives full backing to Lapid on budget

For more Israel news, see the weekly JFNA Israel news page.
For more security news, see JFNA’s Secure Community Network (SCN) website.

Israel Advocacy:

Scientist Stephen Hawking says he will boycott the Peres conference; JNS looks at the anti-Israel atmosphere at UC Berkeley, while a Times of Israel blogger writes about the anti-Israel environment at UC Santa Barbara; and JNS surveys which global pop musicians are playing in Israel – and which are not.

• Times of Israel -- Hawking is indeed boycotting Peres’s Jerusalem meet
• JNS -- Israel divestment vote at UC Berkeley the latest sign of hostile campus environment
• Times of Israel -- Like a Bad meal…. UCSB Pro-Divestment Group at it again
• JNS -- For popular musicians, performing in Israel makes a statement 

For more Israel advocacy news, see the Israel Action Network website.

Federations/Philanthropy:

Globally, the JPost reports on PM Netanyahu’s headlining the 2013 GA in Jerusalem (see the JFNA briefing here); an Israeli trauma team helps Boston, thanks to CJP, reports the Times of Israel; and the Chronicle of Philanthropy looks at how charities are coping with government cutbacks.

Federations are featured in Boston; Chicago; Metrowest, NJ; Monmouth County, NJ; and South Palm Beach.

Global:

• Jerusalem Post -- Netanyahu to headline JFNA General Assembly in November (highlights Federations)
• Times of Israel -- Israeli team helps Boston fight back against trauma (highlights Federation)
• Chronicle of Philanthropy -- Charities Veer From Record Government Funds to Cutbacks

Israel & Mideast:

Tensions remained high between Israel and Syria today, even as Israel tried to cool the situation following strikes on Hezbollah weapons near Damascus. Palestinian terror groups in Syria say the regime has given them the go-ahead to attack Israel, and a top Israel official says the Jewish State will act on its ‘red lines’ on Syria.

Meanwhile, on the Palestinian front, PM Netanyahu reportedly froze West Bank settlement construction; Jerusalem’s mayor says Israel will never cede control of the city; and JTA reports Qatar is seeking to become a Mideast peace player.

In domestic news, Israeli NY Times columnist Shmuel Rosner looks at how young Israelis seem ignorant of great Zionist literary figures; Israel’s opposition leaders spar over budget cuts; and a new survey says Jerusalemites are among Israel’s happiest residents.

• Haaretz -- Palestinian militants in Syria: Assad grants green light to attack Israel
• Times of Israel -- Israel will act on its red lines, Yaalon vows
• Israel Hayom (op-ed, Eyal Zisser) -- Assad and the Arab Spring’s pincer
• Jerusalem Post -- ‘PM orders freeze of W. Bank settlement tenders’
• Times of Israel -- Barkat: Let the Palestinians rename Ramallah as ‘Jerusalem’
• JTA -- Oil-rich Qatar pushing to make its name as a Mideast peace broker

Israel Domestic News:

• N.Y. Times “Latitude” blog -- The Youths of Zion
• Times of Israel -- Opposition head bombs Lapid’s ‘cruel’ economic plan
• Ynet News -- Survey: Jerusalem enjoys economic boost, happiest residents

For more Israel news, see the weekly JFNA Israel news page.
For more security news, see JFNA’s Secure Community Network (SCN) website. 

Israel Advocacy:

The Algemeiner looks at the anti-Israel slant of The Economist; and a top San Francisco city official gains new insight into Israel on an annual trip led by the Federation-supported SF JCRC.

• Algemeiner -- The Economist Reveals its Anti-Israel Bias
• San Francisco magazine -- What David Chiu learned on his trip to Israel

For more Israel advocacy news, see the Israel Action Network website.

Global Jewish News:

The World Jewish Congress continues to seek to clamp down on a far-right Hungarian party; and the WJC re-elects Ronald Lauder.

• JTA -- WJC resolution urges Hungary to crack down on Jobbik
• Jerusalem Post -- Ronald Lauder reelected president of WJC

Federations/Philanthropy:

Globally, Alisa Doctoroff looks at the impact of a recent Israel mission; a former Federation official in Canada is among those exploring ways to save the Canadian Jewish News; and CBS News looks at a novel non-profit.

Federations are featured in Delaware; Monmouth County, NJ; New York; and Princeton Mercer Bucks, NJ.

Global:

• N.Y. Jewish Week (op-ed, Alisa Doctoroff) -- Mission To Israel: A Workshop In Resilience And Hope (highlights Federation)
• Canadian Jewish News -- Effort underway to rescue the CJN (highlights Federation)
• CBS News -- Modern-day Robin Hood applies business skills to philanthropy

Israel & Mideast:

China apparently seeks to become a Mideast power player, while MK Tzipi Livni says her talks with Sec. of State Kerry on Israeli-Palestinian peace prospects went well. The IDF shores up the security fence; Egypt and Iran jockey for power in Gaza; Hamas teaches children to be martyrs; the U.S. enhances its bunker-buster bomb, while Sec. of Defense Hagel says the military option will be considered after Iranian elections; and Iran and Hezbollah plot to divvy up Syria.

• Times of Israel -- China offers to broker Netanyahu-Abbas meeting
• Times of Israel -- Livni optimistic after talking peace with Kerry
• Algemeiner -- IDF Moves to Close Holes in Security Fence Following Israel Hayom Report
• Jerusalem Post (analysis) -- Egypt, Iran in power struggle over Gaza
• The Tower -- “Our Children Love Martyrdom”: Hamas Photo Glorifies Child Soldier Deaths
• Wall St. Journal -- Pentagon Bulks Up 'Bunker Buster' Bomb to Combat Iran
• Haaretz -- Hagel to Israel: Military option will be considered after Iranian elections
• The Tower -- Iran and Hezbollah Coordinating To Militarily Seize Control of Syria

For more Israel news, see the weekly JFNA Israel news page.
For more security news, see JFNA’s Secure Community Network (SCN) website.

Domestic Israeli News:

A disgraced Knesset member returns to power; and the Times of Israel tells the story of how an Israeli hospital is caring for an abandoned, disabled Palestinian child.

• Washington Post -- Israeli ultra-Orthodox party reinstates leader who left politics after 1999 bribery conviction
• Times of Israel -- Disabled Palestinian toddler lives at Israeli hospital

Israel Advocacy:

Google appears to take a stand on the Israeli-Palestinian debate.

• Times of Israel -- Google adopts ‘Palestine’ for local edition

For Israel advocacy news, see the Israel Action Network’s website.

Global Jewish News:

The World Jewish Congress urges Hungary to counter local hate crimes.

• Ynet News -- WJC urges Hungary to combat hate crimes

Federations/Philanthropy:

Globally, CJP helps bring the Federation-supported Israel Trauma Coalition to Boston to help support local officials after the marathon attacks; a JTA commentator urges a new kind of Jewish affiliation; and the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports on a new Google app promoting small donations.

Federations are highlighted in Boston; Northern NJ; and Orlando.

Global:

• Times of Israel -- Israeli team to bring hard-earned post-trauma expertise to Boston (highlights Federation)
• JTA (commentary) -- Time to replace programmatic model of Jewish affiliation
• Chronicle of Philanthropy -- New Google Giving App Promotes Small Gifts