Are religions unfair to women?

The Lost Tribes Of Israel

The mystery of the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel has fascinated people through the ages. Explorers claim to have discovered evidence of the "lost tribes" all over the world, from Australia to Siberia, but few if any such claims have been backed up by solid evidence. But now a provocative possibility about the whereabouts of one of the tribes has emerged--and it's 4,000 miles from Israel--in Southern Africa. Host and explorer Josh Bernstein retraces the amazing journey that the Lemba people claim they made centuries ago. It stretches from the heart of modern South Africa to the ancient stone cities of Zimbabwe...and then onto the shores of the Mediterranean and the city of Jerusalem. And the evidence for this journey is more than anecdotal. As Josh discovers, recent DNA studies point to the Lemba's true origin in the Middle East.

Punk Jews

Profiling Hassidic punk rockers, Yiddish street performers, African-American Jewish activists and more, Punk Jews explores an emerging movement of provocateurs and committed Jews who are asking, each in his or her own way, what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century.

Sensitive Site: Clashes at Holy site enter third day in Israel

The al-Aqsa mosque complex in the heart of Jerusalem, has witnessed a third day of clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians. Police tried to clear the protesters, some of whom barricaded themselves inside the holy site.

From the site: The Temple Mount Faithful | Working to Rebuild the Temple on the Temple Mount

Do not fear any human power, trust only the G‑d of our forefathers. Remove the foreign Arab Islamic occupation of the Holy Temple Mount of the G‑d of Israel, purify the Holy Hill of G‑d Almighty like our forefathers did in times past and rebuild the end-time Holy Third Temple of G‑d. Stop immediately the pagan abomination and the shameful situation on the Holy Hill of G‑d. Remove immediately the flags of ISIS, Hamas, and other foreign flags from the location of the Holy Temple of G‑d. Stop immediately the incitement against the G‑d and people of Israel perpetrated by the Arab Islamic Mufti and other Islamic speakers from the most Holy Hill of G‑d in Jerusalem, the location of the Shekina of G‑d, which is now in captivity by the agents of the Satan of ISIS and other cruel terrorists.

Never ever in the history of Israel have the people of G‑d allowed such a terrible and satanic anti-godly event to happen on the holiest place of G‑d in the entire universe and it should immediately be stopped. It breaks the heart of the people of Israel and many righteous friends of Israel throughout the world. More of this here..

The Best of Norman Finkelstein

Norman Finkelstein is an American political scientist, activist, professor and author. His primary fields of research are the Israeli--Palestinian conflict and the politics of the Holocaust.

Hillary Clinton Tells Israeli Billionaire and Mega-Donor She Will Support Israel, Fight Palestinian Movement

Israeli-American Haim Saban is one of America's richest men, the owner of numerous media and entertainment outlets — and a big Democratic donor. When the Democratic National Committee needed a new building, he coughed up $7 million to fund it, “one of the largest known donations ever made to an American political party.” What does Saban want for all that money? “I’m a one-issue guy, and my issue is Israel,” he said.

In order to pursue this objective, Saban has been pouring money into Hillary Clinton's super PAC, $2 million by one estimate. This week, Hillary returned the favor. She wrote a long letter to Saban praising Israel and pledging to fight the Palestinian-led boycott movement, which seeks to use economic pressures to end the occupation of their territories. Saban was so proud of the letter he took the rare step of publishing it in full through a public relations firm, broadcasting it to the world. Here it is.

Click to enlarge

In the letter, Clinton clearly links the boycott movement to anti-semitism, even raising the terrorist attack in Paris. She also condemns the increasingly popular apartheid analogy, one that current Secretary of State John Kerry used. This is likely intentional messaging, distancing herself from Obama so as to tell pro-Israel donors like Saban that she's on their team.

More at Alternet

What do you think of Israeli settlers forcing Palestinians out of their homes in East Jerusalem

Want to know what Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East really think about The United Nations, the United States and the European Union have all called on Israel to stop the illegal eviction of Palestinians and the demolition of their houses.
Israelis: What do you think of settlers forcing Palestinians out of their homes in East Jerusalem?

Orthodox Jews Can’t Protest Gay Pride Parade, Hire Mexicans Instead

Some of the most curious costumes worn along the parade route belonged to protesters. Behind a barricade, a group of men wore the fringed Jewish prayer garment known as the tzitzit and held up anti-gay signs bearing the logo of a group calling itself the Jewish Political Action Committee. “Judaism prohibits homosexuality,” one sign read.

But the men were not Jewish. They were Mexican laborers, protesting because they were paid to protest, said one of the men, who would not give his name. Heshie Freed, a member of the political action committee, an Orthodox Jewish group based in Brooklyn, said that the men were supplementary troops, filling in for the Jewish students who would normally be called upon to demonstrate.

“The rabbis said that the yeshiva boys shouldn’t come out for this because of what they would see at the parade,” Mr. Freed said.

The New York Times

Orthodox Jews in talks with US health officials over oral suction circumcision

The Orthodox Jewish tradition known as oral suction circumcision reaches back to biblical times but it has created a modern-day dilemma for New York City health officials, who have linked it to 17 cases of infant herpes since 2000. Two died and two others suffered brain damage.

Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration, which came into power a year ago with a promise to reconsider an existing regulation on the ritual, is now negotiating with a group of rabbis over how to protect children's health while still preserving religious freedom. 'The talks are ongoing but I cannot go into particulars,' said Avi Fink, the mayor's deputy director of intergovernmental affairs who has been leading the talks. 'Our goal is to achieve awareness of the risks.' 

More at Daily Mail Online