JFNA Daily Media Report -- January 29, 2013

Tue, 01/29/2013 - 5:02pm

Israel & Mideast:

In Mideast issues, Israel slams an Argentina-Iran deal to purportedly investigate the 1994 bombing of an Argentin- Jewish community center, an attack many suspect the Iran-backed Hezbollah led; new details emerge on reports of major explosions at an Iran nuclear site; Egypt nears political chaos; and the Israel Air Force head says Israel is operating a multi-pronged war on terror in between all-out conflicts.

On the Palestinian front, the Hamas chief is said to be considering the PLO top spot; and a former Israeli minister says PM Netanyahu would accept an interim, demilitarized, Palestinian entity in return for recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.

In domestic Israeli issues, the longtime Bank of Israel head (and 2008 Jerusalem GA speaker) Stanley Fischer resigns; and the NY Times looks at Yair Lapid’s political rise as a new secular voice. Mideast:• N.Y. Times -- Israel Angry Over Argentina-Iran Accord on 1994 Bombing Inquiry http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/world/middleeast/israel-angry-over-argentina-iran-accord-on-1994-bombing-inquiry.html• Algemeiner -- WND Adds to Report on Explosion at Fordow Nuclear Plant as Former Revolutionary Guard Member Confirms Incident to Israeli Media http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/01/29/wnd-adds-to-report-on-explosion-at-fordow-nuclear-plant-as-former-revolutionary-guard-member-confirms-incident-to-israeli-media/• N.Y. Times -- Chief of Egypt’s Army Warns of ‘Collapse’ as Chaos Mounts http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/world/middleeast/egypt-protest-updates.html• Times of Israel -- Israel fighting a ‘campaign between wars,’ says IAF chief http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-fighting-a-campaign-between-wars-says-iaf-chief/Israel-Palestinians:• Times of Israel -- Hamas’s Mashaal reportedly eyes PLO leadership http://www.timesofisrael.com/hamass-mashaal-reportedly-eyes-plo-leadership/• Times of Israel -- Netanyahu would agree to interim Palestinian state, ex-minister claims http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-would-agree-to-interim-palestinian-state-ex-minister-claimsDomestic Israeli Issues:• Times of Israel -- Netanyahu reportedly offered Fischer finance portfolio http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-reportedly-offered-fischer-finance-porfolio/• N.Y. Times (analysis, Jodi Rudoren) -- Israeli Secularists Appear to Find Their Voice http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/world/middleeast/israeli-secularists-find-their-voice-in-yair-lapid.html

For more Israel news, see the weekly JFNA Israel news page: http://www.jewishfederations.org/Weekly-News-Items-in-Israel.aspx

For more security news, see JFNA’s Secure Community Network (SCN) news page:http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/1091809/bcb5afdb71/521804587/8fddab0b42/

Israel Advocacy:

The Times of London’s editor agrees to meet British-Jewish leaders amid global protests over an anti-Israel, and some say anti-Semitic, cartoon; a British MP’s attack on Israel only reflects a wider cultural disease, a British journalist says; the New Republic drops several Jewish writers from its masthead, in what some call a bid to rid the magazine of Israel supporters; JTA looks at how this years’ Oscar-nominated Israeli films reflect the Jewish state’s vibrant democracy; and Al Gore says he sold Current TV to Al Jazeera in part due to his admiration of the network.• Jerusalem Post -- ‘Times’ editor to meet Jewish leaders over cartoon http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=301269• Daily Mail (commentary, Melanie Phillips) -- A Lib Dem MP gives voice to Britain's national sickness http://phillipsblog.dailymail.co.uk/2013/01/a-libdem-mp-gives-voice-to-britains-national-sickness.html• Free Beacon -- Hughes Drops Jews http://freebeacon.com/hughes-drops-jews/• JTA -- In 2 Oscar-nominated documentaries, Israel takes a hit on occupation—and helps pays for it http://www.jta.org/news/article/2013/01/28/3118011/israeli-occupation-slammed-in-two-oscar-nominees-for-best-documentary• Forward -- Al Gore Says Stiff Competition Forced Sale of TV Network to Al Jazeera http://forward.com/articles/170130/al-gore-says-stiff-competition-forced-sale-of-tv-n/For more Israel advocacy news, see the Israel Action Network’s newly redesigned and enhanced website: http://israelactionnetwork.org/

Federations/Philanthropy: Globally, Shalom TV highlights the work of the Federations’ security watchdog SCN; the Times of Israel profiles the outgoing White House Jewish liaison; a JFNA op-ed looks at the IRA charitable rollover; New York’s Center for Jewish History will expand; and Chicago’s Spertus Institute will undergo a re-brand.

Federations are highlighted in Birmingham, AL; Buffalo; Houston; Middlesex County, NJ; and Orlando.

Global:

• Shalom TV -- Secure Community Network and NJ homeland security collaborate (highlights Federation: place cursor at 3:12 of the newscast) --http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui4Z_bjRLMY&feature=youtu.be&a• Times of Israel  -- Outgoing White House Jewish liaison gets kudos (highlights, quotes JFNA) http://www.timesofisrael.com/outgoing-white-house-jewish-liaison-gets-kudos/• Washington Jewish Week (op-ed, William Daroff) -- Retirees can act now to help Jewish charities with reinstated IRA charitable rollover (highlights Federation) http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=49&ArticleID=18754

• JTA -- Center for Jewish History receives $1.5 million for new division http://www.jta.org/news/article/2013/01/29/3118161/center-for-jewish-history-receives-15-million-for-new-reference-services-division• JTA -- Spertus Institute in Chicago gets a new name http://www.jta.org/news/article/2013/01/29/3118166/spertus-institute-in-chicago-gets-new-name

Local:

• Buffalo News -- Local doctor shares chilling story of surviving Holocaust http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130128/CITYANDREGION/130129132/1010• Birmingham News (letter to the editor, Richard Friedman) -- Israel continues to show democracy can flourish in the Middle East (highlights Federation) http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-commentary/2013/01/opinion_from_richard_friedman_1.html• Kveller -- Mayim Bialik spills all about the SAG awards (highlights Federation, Lions of Judah) http://www.kveller.com/mayim-bialik/mayim-bialik-spills-all-about-the-sag-awards/]• NJ Jewish News -- ‘Big tent’ learning festival lands in NJ (highlights Federation) http://www.njjewishnews.com/article/16101/big-tent-learning-festival-lands-in-nj#.UQfWmB3AcqM• Orlando Sentinel -- Orlando Jewish Federation honors Mardi Shader on Jan. 31 (highlights Federation) http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features-the-religion-world/2013/01/28/orlando-jewish-federation-honors-mardi-shader-on-jan-31/