Weekly roundup of world briefs

Israel’s men’s soccer team is headed to the Olympics for the first time since 1976

By Gabe Friedman

(JTA) — Israel’s national men’s soccer team qualified for the Olympics for the first time in nearly 50 years by making a surprising run at a major under-21 European tournament.

Israel lost to England on Wednesday in the semifinals of the UEFA European U-21 Championship, a biennial contest among the continent’s best under-21 teams. But three days earlier, after a win in the playoff round against Georgia, Israel earned a place at the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside just 15 other countries.

Soccer at the Olympics is an under-23 tournament, although each team is allowed three roster spots for players older than 23. Israel has competed in UEFA, Europe’s umbrella soccer association, since the 1990s because they were previously booted from the Asian Football Confederation.

“This tournament brought historic achievements to Israeli soccer. We reached the quarterfinal, then the semifinal, and we qualified for the Olympics for the first time in 47 years,” Moshe Shino Zuares, the chairman of the Israel Football Association, told Israel’s Kan broadcaster after the loss to England. “I am proud of each and every one of our players, our professional staff and the whole delegation for smashing every possible ceiling and restoring confidence in Israeli soccer.”

The under-21 team’s success follows the Israeli under-20 team’s Cinderella run to a third-place finish at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina last month. That squad beat South Korea 3-1 in a third-place game at the end of a thrilling stretch that included wins over Uzbekistan, Japan and powerhouse Brazil.

“Soccer in Israel is improving, we have a good generation, and the people understand what we can do,” midfielder El Yam Kancepolsky told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency during that tournament.

Israeli professor alleges Biden family accepted Chinese military bribes

(JNS) — An Israeli professor claims that he was arrested in Cyprus to prevent him from testifying to the House Oversight Committee that the family of U.S. President Joe Biden accepted payments from the Chinese military.

The events occurred when Biden was running for the presidency, Gal Luft claimed. He provided a 14-minute video to the New York Post, which was published in a column by Miranda Devine.

“The self-proclaimed fall guy says he provided the incriminating evidence to six officials from the FBI and the Department of Justice in a secret meeting in Brussels in March 2019—but alleges that it was covered up,” Devine wrote.

Luft stated that he is neither Republican nor Democrat. “I have no political motive or agenda,” stated the self-declared “patient zero of the Biden family investigation.”

“I did it out of deep concern that if the Bidens were to come to power, the country would be facing the same traumatic Russia collusion scandal—only this time with China,” he added.

‘New York Times’: Orthodox Jews not ‘archetypical’

(JNS) — If there is a quintessential New York Times reporter, that writer might complain that Orthodox New York Jews have too much influence and are not the “archetypical Jewish New Yorker.”

That’s just what Dana Rubinstein did in a July 6 article about New York City’s first Jewish Advisory Council, which Mayor Eric Adams appointed.

“If there is an archetypical Jewish New Yorker, that person might be found on the Upper West Side, somewhere between Zabar’s and Barney Greengrass,” Rubinstein wrote. But on the new council, “that type of Jewish New Yorker was in short supply. Instead, at least 23 members of the 37-member council are Orthodox, and only nine are women.”

The Times noted that about 40 percent of Jews in New York city identified as Orthodox in 2011, citing UJA-Federation of New York data. Much more recently—in 2021—the Pew Research Center noted that “Orthodox Jews have much higher fertility rates and live in larger households than non-Orthodox Jews.”

Orthodox Jews have an average of 3.3 children born per adult—more than double the 1.4, on average, for non-Orthodox Jews, per Pew.

“Something is deeply wrong with The New York Times,” Seth Mandel, executive editor of The Washington Examiner, tweeted, sharing a screenshot of the article.

“Yes, please tell us what box every Jew in New York City is supposed to fit into,” added Fabien Levy, press secretary to the mayor.

Dovid Margolin, a senior editor at Chabad.org, called the paper of record “bigoted.”

“Imagine ‘If there is an archetypical American, that person might be found in Rye, be named Graham Cabot III and eat lobster rolls,’” he tweeted.

“Mad ‘(Orthodox) Jews will not replace us’ energy from the Upper West Side’s hometown paper,” another user tweeted.

Hadassah names Carol Ann Schwartz national president

(JNS) — Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America voted on July 10 at its annual meeting to name Carol Ann Schwartz its next national president. She will start serving a four-year term on Jan. 1, 2024.

Schwartz has worked for more than 30 years at Hadassah—a volunteer organization that is more than 110 years old and has about 300,000 U.S. members—including as national vice president and national secretary. 

Working with Hadassah’s CEO and executive director, she will oversee the organization’s support of Israel, efforts to combat antisemitism and advocacy for women’s health, Hadassah stated. (The organization also supports the Hadassah Medical Organization in Israel.)

Schwartz, who has served on several Jewish nonprofit boards, will replace Rhoda Smolow, who said Schwartz is the “ideal person” to be Hadassah’s national president.

“If I can lead with just some of the grace and wisdom she has shown over the last four years, I cannot help but succeed,” Schwartz stated of Smolow.

Bank of Israel leaves interest rate unchanged at 4.75 percent

(JNS) — The Monetary Committee of the Bank of Israel decided on Monday not to raise the interest rate, leaving it unchanged at 4.75 percent following 10 consecutive hikes. 

According to a statement released by the central bank, inflation, though still high over a wide range of CPI components, is moderating. Inflation over the past 12 months was 4.6 percent, according to the BOI.

“Looking at the past six months,” said the BOI, “and even more so over the past three months, the pace of inflation is moderating in the prices of both tradable goods and non-tradable.”

“One-year inflation expectations and forecasts are within the target range, near the upper bound. Expectations derived from the capital market for the second year onward, too, are within the target range,” the bank said.

“Economic activity in Israel remains strong, but a number of economic indicators point to some moderation in activity. The labor market remains tight, and in a full-employment environment, but the downward trend in the job vacancy rate continues,” the statement continued.

“The Research Department revised its macroeconomic forecast, predicting that GDP will grow by 3 percent in each of 2023 and 2024, and some of the moderating effects of monetary restraint on activity will be realized later than in the April assessment,” the bank said. 

“The main risk to the forecast is the materialization of a scenario in which the legislative and institutional changes with regard to Israel’s judicial system are accompanied by an increase in the country’s risk premium and continued depreciation of the shekel, an adverse impact to exports, and declines in domestic investments and in demand for private consumption,” it continued.

The bank noted, however, that “while inflation appears to be slowing, it sees a real possibility of having to raise the interest rate in future decisions if the inflation environment does not continue to moderate as expected,” Globes reported. 

Since the previous monetary policy decision, the shekel weakened by 1.8 percent against the U.S. dollar, by 2.3 percent against the euro and by 0.2 percent in terms of the nominal effective exchange rate.

Ben-Gvir cancels appearance by ‘Fauda’ actor who legitimized attacks on IDF

(JNS) — Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir canceled the participation of “Fauda” actor Hisham Suliman in a conference on Tuesday over his prior legitimization of attacks on IDF soldiers.

Ben-Gvir organized the event for Arab authorities in northern Israel.

Israeli media had previously quoted Suliman as saying that Palestinians in Judea and Samaria “have a right to fight and oppose the occupation…. A soldier who is in the [West] Bank and someone attacks him—I do not think that is a terror attack.”

Said Ben-Gvir on Tuesday: “Whoever gives legitimacy to harming IDF soldiers and is not loyal to the State of Israel absolutely cannot receive payment from the state and perform at National Security Ministry events,” adding, “Not under my watch.”

Presented bilingually in Hebrew and Arabic with subtitles, “Fauda” tells the story of an elite undercover unit in the Israel Defense Forces with a focus on Israeli agent Doron Kavillio, played by the show’s co-creator, Lior Raz. 

Produced by Yes Satellite Television Company, “Fauda,” which means “chaos” in Arabic, became a global hit almost immediately after its first season aired. It is considered the strongest TV brand exported by Israel and has aired in some 190 countries through Netflix.

Contact lost with nearly 300 Israelis after India floods

(JNS) — Some 290 Israeli travelers in northern India cannot be reached due to a lack of cellphone connections and downed power lines following stormy weather and flooding, the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said Wednesday.

The Israeli embassy in New Delhi is trying to connect with the travelers and make sure that they are safe.

At least 49 people have died in India since the weekend as flash floods and landslides washed away bridges and vehicles, blocked roads and destroyed buildings following days of intense monsoon rains. 

In May, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen made an official visit to India, where he engaged in talks on strengthening relations between the two countries.

Cohen attended the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) India-Israel Business Forum in Delhi, saying that he would raise the issue of a free trade agreement during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Israel’s top diplomat was also present for the signing of three memorandums of understanding between Jerusalem and New Delhi and met with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. 

Israel and India are celebrating 30 years of diplomatic relations. Cohen’s trip followed recent visits by Israel’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.

Israeli citizen kidnapped for ransom in Ethiopia

(JNS) — An Israeli citizen was abducted during a visit to Ethiopia’s Gondar region last week, Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday evening.

Gondar in the Amhara region, northern Ethiopia. Credit: Google Maps.

Jerusalem told Hebrew media that officials were working with Interpol on the matter. Additionally, the Israeli consul in Addis Ababa is said to be in contact with local authorities to “bring about the release of the Israeli citizen as soon as possible, safe and sound.” 

According to the Kan public broadcaster, the 79-year-old abductee had sent a voicemail to his family saying, “Help me. I’m in the middle of the jungle. It’s raining hard. Help me… This trouble I wouldn’t wish upon my enemies.”

He reportedly also called on family members to collect ransom money, leading Israeli officials to believe the background is criminal.

Israel does not currently advise against travel to the Horn of Africa country’s Amhara region, which includes Gondar, but the U.S. State Department warns of “sporadic violent conflict and civil unrest” there.

OU distributes reflective belts for walking home from synagogue at night

(JNS) — This High Holiday season, the Orthodox Union wants everyone to have a particularly reflective Days of Awe. Literally.

Since 2019, the OU has provided more than 40,000 high-visibility, safety belts—at no cost—to about 400 North American synagogues. Drs. Larry and Evelyn Kraut are underwriting the program out of a sense of gratitude for the former’s recovery.

On a Friday night in 2018, the Fair Lawn, N.J. physician was walking home from synagogue when, upon crossing the street with the right of way, an SUV driver struck him. He required spinal surgery. After his recovery, he and his wife decided to do something about the problem of Jews walking home from Shabbat and holiday services at night in dark clothing.

“We urge everyone to wear them when walking at night—definitely during the High Holidays, but especially when it’s dark earliest, during the winter months,” stated Judi Steinig, senior director of community projects and partnerships department at the OU. (The High Holidays both occur in September this year.)

Ilhan Omar mocked for plan to boycott Herzog address to Congress

(JNS) — “No way in hell,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) told The Messenger, when asked if she would attend Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s July 19 address to Congress.

“I respect the fact that unlike others in her party, she doesn’t even pretend it’s about Bibi. She just hates Israel! Openly!” tweeted Seth Mandel, executive editor of the Washington Examiner. “It’s like when AOC pulled out of an event honoring Yitzhak Rabin when she found out he was Israeli.”

“Isaac Herzog ran against Bibi as head of the Labor party, and nearly beat him too. Now he’s trying to get Likud to water down judicial reform,” Mandel wrote. “If you claim to simply hate Bibi and want a more liberal Israel, Herzog is your hero. If you just hate Israel, you boycott him too.”

If Omar really opposed Netanyahu, then she would attend the talk and clap along, but her problem is with Jews, not with the prime minster, Mandel added.

“So Omar is boycotting Herzog’s address to Congress because of the Netanyahu judicial package that Herzog has worked tirelessly to try to prevent?” tweeted Robert David (KC) Johnson, a history professor at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center at City University of New York.

Bryan Leib, executive director of CASEPAC, tweeted that Omar is a leader of the boycott Israel movement in America.

“Stop calling for the boycott, divestment and sanctions of Israel, and I’m willing to bet you will be allowed to visit like thousands of other Muslims do every single week,” he wrote.

Half of Israeli Jews favor separation of religion and state

(JNS) — Forty-nine percent of Israeli Jews, or 2.3 million people, believe that there should be a divide between religion and state, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics’ annual survey on the influence of religion.

The survey polled Israelis over the age of 20.

Three quarters of Israeli Jews—and half of Israeli Arabs—say that religion has a “strong influence” on life in the country, the survey found. 

More than half of Israelis polled believe that the influence of religion has increased in various spheres in society over the last several years.

In ‘steal’ of first day of baseball draft, Dodgers pick rising Jewish star

(JNS) — It is a common refrain in rabbinic thought that “The deeds of the fathers are a sign for the sons.” In Jake Gelof’s case, it was more about following his brother’s lead.

Two years ago, the Oakland Athletics drafted Jewish ball player Zack Gelof with the 60th pick. Zack is a top prospect in the Oakland farm system, and now his brother Jake has also been selected with the 60th pick in the draft.

Jake, who is now part of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, set home run (48) and runs-batted-in (186) records at University of Virginia.

The Delaware native’s selection was “the steal of day one of the 2023 draft,” according to Bleacher Report, which also called Jake “one of college baseball’s best hitters for the past two seasons.”

Zack played for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.