Thursday, January 12, 2006

Let the Weekend Begin!

I'm done with classes til Tuesday afternoon.

In the meantime, here's some free press for Tuesday evening's meeting around 7 PM at the Wilder Civic Center for the GOTV Volunteer Meeting for Democrats in Northern Kentucky. From what I hear RSVP's have been slow. I don't know if I will be there as of this moment.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Moscow Jews who were affected by the mass-stabbings yesterday at Bolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue.

Israel has taken action against Pat Robertson for his recent comments after PM Ariel Sharon fell ill with a second stroke.
A spokesman for Tourism Minister Abraham Hirchson said Wednesday that Robertson, who recently suggested that Ariel Sharon’s Jan. 4 stroke was divine punishment for last summer’s Gaza withdrawal, would not be allowed to take part in a planned $48 million Christian Heritage Center on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

The spokesman, Jonathan Pulik, said Israel would include other Christian groups in the 125-acre project, which is expected to be complete by the end of the decade.
Three of four Likud members in the Israeli cabinet have resigned their positions. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has held off his resignation until Sunday.

Avraham Berkowitz sent the following email out today.
Dear Friends,
Yesterday an anti-Semitic man forced his way into the Chabad Bolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue in the center of Moscow and mercilessly stabbed eight people with the intention to kill them simply because they are Jews.

I was present at the horrible scene of blood and carnage, but what I want to remember is the site of the bravery and courage of Yosef Kogan, the 18-year old son of the Synagogue's Rabbi Yitzchak Kogan, who wrestled the knife-wielding attacker to the ground and held him there until police detained him. As a result, Yosef saved many lives. Thank G-d that all of the victims are now receiving treatment in local hospitals and we continue to pray for their full recovery.

I want to thank many of you who took the time to call and write e-mails to show your concern and solidarity. It means very much to us that people of good will around the world and in Russia are united with us in combating the scourge of anti-Semitism.

Today I am very sad because of what happened, but it has strengthened our resolve to continue our efforts in providing a life support to the reviving Jewish Community of Russia and beyond.

We keep the images of over 200,000 Jews across the FSU celebrating Chanukah with us just two weeks ago as a guidepost for the freedoms we must work so hard to protect. We will work together with civil society, law enforcement agencies, the Russian government and concerned citizens to never allow such manifestations of evil to ever occur again.

Sincerely,
Avraham Berkowitz
Executive Director
Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS

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