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Star of Hollywood's most recent Israeli-independence movie turns 100

Michael, Anne, Catherine, and Kirk Douglas
 photo --------------------------------------------------_zpsc763f19f.jpgKirk Douglas was 50 when he made Hollywood's most recent movie on Israeli sovereignty. Now he's 100. 

Kirk Douglas, born Issur Danielovitch in upstate New York on 9 December 1916, turned 100 on Friday 9 Dec 2016. His family threw him a birthday party at the Beverly Hills Hotel for around 200 family and friends. Douglas grew up in poverty with his immigrant (Belarus) parents Bryna “Bertha” and Herschel “Harry” Danielovitch, and six sisters. The family spoke Yiddish at home. The family adopted the name Demsky, so Kirk grew up as Izzy Demsky, and changed his name to Kirk Douglas before enlisting in the Navy in World War II.

Douglas had a complicated relationship with his Jewish identity. In 1999, at age 83, he celebrated his second bar mitzvah, telling the congregation at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, “Today I am a man.”  But between his first and second bar mitzvahs, Douglas was living well outside his Jewish faith.

In an interview he gave Aish.com in 2000, Douglas explained: “Judaism and I parted ways a long time ago, when I was a poor kid growing up in Amsterdam, NY. Back then, I was pretty good in cheder, so the Jews of our community thought they would do a wonderful thing and collect enough money to send me to a yeshiva to become a rabbi. Holy Moses! That scared the hell out of me. I didn’t want to be a rabbi. I wanted to be an actor. Believe me, the members of the Sons of Israel were persistent. I had nightmares – wearing long payos and a black hat. I had to work very hard to get out of it. But it took me a long time to learn that you don’t have to be a rabbi to be a Jew.”

All his children were born to non-Jewish mothers, but Douglas insists they were “aware culturally” of his “deep convictions,” and he never tried to influence their own religious decisions.

Douglas’s wife Anne converted to Judaism in 2004. Douglas told author Deborah Moore in 1994 that the underlying theme of some of his films – The Juggler (1953), Cast a Giant Shadow (1966), and Remembrance of Love (1982) – were about “a Jew who doesn’t think of himself as one, and eventually finds his Jewishness.”

The Juggler was the first Hollywood feature filmed in the state of Israel. Cast a Giant Shadow was a big-budget action film based on the life of Colonel David “Mickey” Marcus, a Jewish-American military officer who commanded IDF units during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence. Kirk Douglas starred as Marcus, alongside Senta Berger (as Haganah fighter, Magda Simon), Yul Brynner (Haganah commander Asher), John Wayne (Marcus’s commanding officer in the Second World War), Frank Sinatra (Vince Talmadge, an expatriate American pilot) and Angie Dickinson (Marcus’s wife). Melville Shavelson adapted, produced and directed.
Don Rickles, 90, cuts-up with Kirk Douglas' on 100th birthday

Douglas is also credited with being on the side of the angels, publicly crediting Spartacus screenwriter Dalton Trumbo in an effort to end the Hollywood Blacklist.

Kirk Douglas speaks Hebrew at "Israel at 60" 2008 .Academy Award recipient Kirk Douglas, introduced by L.A. Sinai Temple's Rabbi David Wolpe, addresses the Kodak Theatre audience in Hebrew, recalling the films he made in Israel, including Walter Mirisch's "Cast a Giant Shadow," with John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, and Yul Brenner.  
Hosted by Joshua Malina, the event features a cameo appearance by Kirk Douglas, a tribute to Gerda Weismann Klein, HBO's documentarian Cary Antholis, and a speech by American Jewish University's Dr. Michael Berenbaum. 

Award-winning, Keshet Chaim, a contemporary L.A.– based Israeli dance company premiered a new work in honor of Israel’s 60th. US Holocaust Memorial Museum LA Event Dec '11

Son, Michael Douglas pays tribute to the generosity of father Kirk Douglas at Motion Picture & Television Fund's 95th celebration, Hollywood's Night Under the Stars, on October 1, 2016.

Complexities of King David's Holy Temple-building son portrayed on L.A. stage

Solomon, son of King David, ruled the sovereign nation of Israel and in 832 BC, began construction of the Holy Temple (Beit Hamikdash) in Jerusalem.

In L.A., actor and co-writer Marcus J. Freed depicts the complexities of Solomon's world in a humorous, biblical comedy. "Solomon: King, Poet, and Lover" takes you on a funny & fast-paced roller-coaster ride through the life of King Solomon. You meet Solomon as he tries to open the Temple, publish astonishing books of wisdom, experience every delicacy on earth, and keep 700 wives happy. Freed's Solomon is also the King of 700 wives and 300 concubines.

In this video excerpt, Freed likens Solomon's concomitant responsibilities (and proclivities) to spinning juggling plates:


Interview with Solomon actor and co-writer, Marcus Freed: 

Secular-Jewish, Barak Raviv reacts to Solomon production:


Orthodox visitor, Chaya Parkoff from Denver, reacts to show:

Reaction from frum Pico-Robertson's Miriam Greenberg:

The 60-minute performance is witty, engaging & thought-provoking. Los Angeles premiere runs: Sat 12/3 7.30pm, Sun 12/4 3.30pm; Sat 12/10 7.30pm, Sun 12/4 7.30pm. For tickets, click here.

Netflix launches Israeli West Bank spy TV series "Fauda" (2015/16 season) worldwide today

"A top Israeli agent comes out of retirement to hunt for a Palestinian militant he thought he'd killed, setting a chaotic chain of events into motion." The first season of Israeli suspense series, Fauda, completed on Israel's "Yes" network (which is readying for its second season there) launches Friday 2 Dec on Netflix. Itay Stern characterizes in Ha'aretz
“Fauda” (which means "chaos" in Arabic) was a major commercial success for Yes. It portrays a group of mist’arvim – undercover soldiers – who work in Judea and Samaria disputed territories, and was acclaimed for its unusually complex and humane portrayal of Arab characters, and realistic focus on life under the Palestinian Authority. The second season has been delayed due to disputes between the production companies, but is due to air in 2017. “We’re so thrilled,” says Raz, about the Netflix purchase. “This is an achievement not only for me and for (co-creator) Avi Issacharoff, but for all the writers and the director and the cast. And especially for Yes, which took on this series that no other broadcaster believed in. Without them, none of this would have happened.” 
“Fauda,” with Hebrew and Arabic dialogue, will air as is, but as an “original Netflix series,” with a new Netflix-produced opening. In some countries, the show will have subtitles, while in others, such as in South America and Eastern Europe, it will be dubbed. 
Here is the trailer



The show was co-created by lead actor Lior Raz and writer Avi Isaacharoff. Mr. Issacharoff is an Israeli journalist known for his focus on Palestinian affairs. He is Middle East analyst for The Times of Israel and its sister news portal Walla!  From 2005 until 2012, he was the Palestinian and Arab affairs correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz. The two filmmakers appeared at  the Netflix premiere screening in Hollywood this Monday, but they were not available to tape an interview with JooTube.


Lior Raz, Meir Fenigstein (Israel Film Fest), and Avi Isaacharoff in Hollywood
Lior Raz appeared at international film festival screenings in Europe last year where the show (first 2 episodes combined) met with wide acclaim among liberal judges in Israel-loathing / Palestinian-loving Europe.

When he accompanied the "film" to the Israel Film Festival in Hollywood last November, JooTube asked him about the wisdom in revealing Israeli undercover operations to a distrusting, Muslim and Christian world which suspects Jews of treachery and Israelis of unethical treatment of Palestinians in general. Here is his response:




Lior Raz answers audience questions following screening at Israel Film Festival last November.  JooTube asked him whether he feels there is a risk in showing the world the Palestinian enemy in a way which humanizes them and increases sympathy for their cause:


The news about “Fauda,” whose first season was broadcast by the Yes cable TV channel last year, comes one week after Netflix announced that it had purchased the rights to “Hamidrasha,” a series shown on Channel 2's Reshet franchise. Created by Uri Levron, Daniel Syrkin and Izhar Harlev, "Hamidrasha" is about a group of Israeli agents who are training to work for a Mossad-like espionage organization, and stars Yehuda Levi, Itay Tiran and Yehoram Gaon. It will also be available to Netflix subscribers in 130 countries, including the U.S. and Israel, under the title “Mossad 101”; it will be aired in Hebrew, with subtitles. A few weeks ago, Turner Broadcasting also purchased the rights to “Hamidrasha” for dozens of channels which broadcast in countries including South America, Poland and Russia.- Itay Stern
Text excerpts: "Netflix Buys Rights to Two New Israeli Shows"
'Fauda' will air as is, with Hebrew and Arabic dialogue, as an 'original Neflix series' with a new opening.

"On the Map" scores a victory for Israel's place among the nations


"On The Map," the Cinderella-story of the
1977 Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team which rose to win the European League Championship, is a 
documentary which shows modern Israel achieving its place among nations. Akin to the 1984 US Olympic Hockey team's "Miracle on Ice," Dani Menkin's film shows the politics surrounding little Israel's international vaunt just 4-years past the Munich Olympics tragedy. It is a treat for Jews and Gentiles alike.


Maccabi Tel Aviv's then team captain, Tal Brody, a New Jersey-raised, NBA draftee who made aliyah to play in Israel, made L.A. the final stop on his US tour promoting the movie, appearing alongside co-producer, Nancy Spielberg and director Dani Menkin.


Tal Brody spoke with JewTube.Info about the warm reception he receives in America from so many Israeli emigrants.
 

Co-producer Nancy Spielberg addressed her penchant for helping bring Israel's story to the silver-screen.  
Director, Dani Menkin, joins his two associates for a discussion and answering questions from the audience.  

The 30th Israel Film Festival is running in Los Angeles from November 12 through Wednesday the 23rd. "On the Map" screens again Sunday in Encino, California at 5pm. Writer/director, Dani Menkin, reveals in detail to JewTube.Info, what went in to making this film. 



Here, the organizers have a 10-day (to be repeated in NYC) opportunity to show films (dramatic and documentary) which portray Israel in a favorable light to the American public.  Israeli-American co-owner of  Cinemoi Film Channel, Daphna Ziman, reacts to seeing "On the Map."

Organizer, Meir Fenigstein, told JewTube.Info they appeal to a mostly American (not only Israeli-American) Jewish and Christian audience. Most of the audiences we have participated in over the past number of years have been predominantly Israeli.




Preceding the feature picture, a short comedy was screened. Actor, Itzik Golan and director, Koby Axran spoke with JewTube.Info regarding their "An Average Story," which depicts an "average" Israeli couple attempting to capitalize on their sudden unearned celebrity.
I.F.F. supporters Debra & Tim Fletcher
at Festival opening Bev Hills Gala


Americans mother and daughter, Ardyth and Alyse Freshman
express their views at I.F.F. Gala in Bev Hills


Via Soros and Rep. Keith Ellison, Hillary’s loss accelerates the Democrats’ turn against Israel

Don't think that Donald Trump's victory has ensured Israel or Jews' safety in America for the coming four-years. The leftist-influence in the Democratic Party will be antagonist in its opposition to Israel and her supporters- Jewish and Christian.

Keith Ellison Meets His People by Scott Johnson, Powerline Nov 16, 2016

On Monday, Muslim Rep. Keith Ellison met with the billionaire Marxists of the Soros-founded Democracy Alliance at its 2016 investment conference. Ellison was to update donors on “the working class vote.” Ellison presumably advised the assembled billionaires that, despite control of the media and culture by their allies on the left, false consciousness among “the working class” remains a challenge to the ultimate victory of the causes they hold dear.

Politico’s Ken Vogel reports on the conference here. Vogel obtained a copy of the conference agenda that Politico has posted here. Vogel reports that “if the agenda is any indication, liberals plan full-on trench warfare against Trump from Day One.” I think the agenda is a reliable if not a leading indicator.

Vogel adds: “Some sessions deal with gearing up for 2017 and 2018 elections, while others focus on thwarting President-elect Trump’s 100-day plan, which the agenda calls ‘a terrifying assault on President Obama’s achievements — and our progressive vision for an equitable and just nation.'”

The conference held no sessions on President Obama’s terrifying achievements. We can only pray that the “terrifying assault” on them is equal to the challenge. I urge readers to review the agenda. It is a highly useful document if you seek to understand the forces arrayed against us.

The Democrats’ big money support causes and organizations in many guises all of which are intended to undermine our freedoms. When this particular revolutions comes, you better be a billionaire or you are screwed, and Brother Keith — f/k/a Keith Hakim, Keith X Ellison and Keith Ellison-Muhammad — is just the man to lead it.

 
(video courtesy Republican Jewish Coalition)

Hillary’s loss accelerates the Democrats’ turn against Israel by Seth Mandel
New York Post, November 14, 2016  Israel’s supporters were hoping Hillary Clinton could forestall the Democratic Party’s seemingly inevitable turn against the Jewish state. Clinton’s loss last week means we’re officially après Hillary — and must prepare for the flood. 
This could be the last US presidential election that Israelis don’t have to watch with existential dread.
At least, the first signs of a post-Clinton Democratic Party aren't good. Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, a fiery critic of Israel, is the front-runner to be the next Democratic National Committee chairman.
As Scott Johnson detailed in The Weekly Standard when Ellison was on the verge of winning his House seat in 2006, before his congressional career Ellison had worked with Louis Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam and even defended Farrakhan against accusations of anti-Semitism.
Ellison has left Farrakhan far behind, but his Israel criticism remains scathing. As the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported, Ellison “has organized letters urging pressure on Israel, and was an advocate of drawing lessons from the UN Goldstone Report following the 2009 Gaza War.” Even Richard Goldstone, the author of the infamously anti-Israel report, wound up essentially disowning it.
On a trip to Israel last summer, Ellison posted a photo of a sign in Hebron declaring Israel to be an apartheid state and land thief. He has also called for Israel to end the blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip — despite the fact that Gaza-based terrorists have launched over 11,000 rocket attacks on Israeli civilians since Israel withdrew from the strip in 2005. Amid the 2014 war to stop those attacks, Israel discovered that Hamas had built a vast system of underground tunnels from Gaza to Israel in preparation for mass terror attacks.
Yet Ellison is far from a lone voice among Democrats; indeed, he’s co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
In his quest for the party chairmanship, Ellison has the backing of soon-to-be Democratic Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer — who prides himself on his pro-Israel bona fides and is now using his credibility on the issue to elevate Ellison. (Retiring Sen. Harry Reid offered his own endorsement over the weekend.)
Schumer might just be bowing to the new reality. According to the Pew Research Center, Democrats sympathize more with Israel than the Palestinians by a 43-29 margin — but that’s far closer than just a few years ago.
And among liberal Democrats, it flips: Liberals prefer the Palestinians by a 40-33 margin. 

What are Jewish and Israeli filmmakers' (and Film Festivals) responsibilities to portray Judaism and Israel favorably outside of Israel?

Islamist massacre at Jewish-friendly Le Bataclan hall in Paris Nov 13, 2016
This weekend marks the first anniversary of the massacre at the Israel-friendly, Le Bataclan Massacre nightclub in Paris. In July, it was revealed (here in the Daily Mail) that the Muslim murderers went to extremes to punish patrons of the Jewish and Israel-friendly club: 
French government 'suppressed gruesome torture' of Bataclan victims as official inquiry is told some were castrated and had their eyes gouged out by the ISIS killers. Policemen on the scene of nightclub vomited when they saw victims.
Yesterday, Breitbart News reported "Six of the Jihadis Involved in Paris Attacks Entered Europe as ‘Refugees’:
Surviving Paris attacker Salah Abdeslam helped at least 10 Islamic State fighters enter Belgium as “refugees” through the Balkan route, local media reported Friday. Of these, six went on to participate in the terror attacks which struck Paris last November, and four were involved in the coordinated suicide bombings that hit Brussels in March. The two attacks left 215 people dead, and wounded hundreds more.
Trump-victory protestors in N.Y.C.fly Palestine flag, railing against Israel
One of the complaints among the anti-Trump protests' ideology is against Trump's professed plans to restrict immigration from militant, anti-Semitic, Islamist countries. Related is the anti-Zionist cause to genocide Jews in Israel. Students for "Justice" in Palestine call for a violent terror uprising against Jewish Israel, in this scene from an anti-Trump protest in NYC on Nov 10th, 2016.




Americans (especially Democrats) seeing these news pictures assume that the pro-Hillary, pro-Palestinians' grievances are worthy of appeasing, and Israel is deserving of censure and punishment.

Concomitantly this weekend, the 30th Israel Film Festival opens in Los Angeles. Here, the organizers have a 10-day (repeated in NYC) opportunity to present arguments by showing films (dramatic and documentary) which contradict Israel's opponents and win-over the uninformed, but curious, public.

At I.F.F. Gala, Debra & Tim Fletcher
have their own views on the dilemma
The socio-political economics of Israeli filmmaking encourage production of films critical of Israeli society and politics at the expense of stories favorable to Israel.  In the cold-war Israel is involved in, does the Israel-based (and Israeli government-supported) Festival owner, Meir Fenigstein, have a duty to exclude films which do not depict Israel in a favorable light?

Ardyth and Alyse Freshman share
 views at I.F.F. Gala in Bev Hills

In the wake of the election defeat of Hillary Clinton (backed by 70% of American Jews) at the opening events of the 2016 Festival in Beverly Hills, we spoke to a number of filmmakers and attendees for their perspectives. Mrs. Ardyth Freshman and daughter Alise agreed to speak with JewTube.Info.



A case in point is documentarian Maya Zinshtein's "Forever Pure" in which she examines Jewish-nationalist fans' reaction to the addition of two Muslim players to the Jerusalem capital's soccer team.  Click to play trailer for "Forever Pure" documentary from Maya Zinshtein on Vimeo.

Watch interviews with several Israel Film Festival filmmakers:

Director Raphael Rebibo ("Amor")

Estee Yakov-Meckleberg ("Sandstorm")

Cinematographer Ziv Berkovitch with several pictures in the Festival has some surprising views.

Kristallnacht at Museum of Tolerance with Czech Ambassador Pavol Sepelak

Czech Amb. Pavol Sepelak
Reflections on Kristallnacht, 
event commemorating Kristallnacht was presented by Liebe Geft- Director, Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, November 8, 2015. 

Address by The Honorable Pavol Šepeľák, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles. Screening of the award-winning film, "A Prayer for Katerina Horovitzova," based on a screenplay by Arnošt Lustig. Q&A with Special Guests Eva Lustigova, director and daughter of Arnošt Lustig, and Ivan Passer, noted Czech filmmaker and friend of Arnošt Lustig.

Would Israel be better off under Republican or Democrat leadership? Listen to Israeli Amb. Michael Oren

Amb. Michael Oren and Hillary Clinton (photo: IsraelMatzav)
On a visit to Los Angeles to promote his book, "Ally," Israeli Amb. Michael Oren discussed the Democrat administration's treatment and often, mistreatment of Israel, despite its professing "no daylight" between the two countries. Elliott Abrams reviewed the book in Commentary, entitled "The Ally that Wasn't'- Michael Oren memoir blasts Barack Obama, but pulls its punches elsewhere." 
The first thing to say about the book is that it should not have been published—not before January 2017, that is. Oren writes about Netanyahu, Obama, and many other people who are still in power, and he writes about issues and problems over which they are still fighting. . . . But to judge it on its own terms, Ally is very well written, engaging, and enormously interesting.
Amb. Oren spoke to a capacity audience in the Nixon Library in Southern California during his book tour in the Summer, 2015.



Donald Trump's campaign Israel Advisory Committee co-chairs Jason Dov Greenblat and David Friedman, released this statement days ago regarding Mr. Trump's prospective administration's position on Israel:

It has been an exhilarating election cycle. Approximately seven months ago, we were blessed to have been tapped by Donald J. Trump to be his top advisors with respect to the State of Israel. We have been fortunate to work with a talented team of people and have put together the below positions. Each of these positions have been discussed with Mr. Trump and the Trump campaign, and most have been stated, in one form or another, by Mr. Trump in various interviews or speeches given by him or on his social media accounts.

For those of you who are true friends of the State of Israel, and for those of you who believe that the State of Israel and the United States of America have an unbreakable friendship, we urge you to read the below. We would like to express our gratitude to those individuals who have helped us over the past few months – we truly appreciate your efforts, friendship and guidance. We would also like to express our gratitude to our friend, a great friend of the State of Israel, Donald J. Trump, who gave us the tremendous opportunity to serve in this capacity. May God bless the United States of America and the State of Israel.


"The unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel is based upon shared values of democracy, freedom of speech, respect for minorities, cherishing life, and the opportunity for all citizens to pursue their dreams. Israel is the state of the Jewish people, who have lived in that land for 3,500 years. The State of Israel was founded with courage and determination by great men and women against enormous odds and is an inspiration to people everywhere who value freedom and human dignity. Israel is a staunch ally of the U.S. and a key partner in the global war against Islamic jihadism. Military cooperation and coordination between Israel and the U.S. must continue to grow. 


The American people value our close friendship and alliance with Israel — culturally, religiously, and politically. While other nations have required U.S. troops to defend them, Israelis have always defended their own country by themselves and only ask for military equipment assistance and diplomatic support to do so. The U.S. does not need to nation-build in Israel or send troops to defend Israel. The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the American and Israeli Governments is a good first step, but there is much more to be done. A Trump Administration will ensure that Israel receives maximum military, strategic and tactical cooperation from the United States, and the MOU will not limit the support that we give. Further, Congress will not be limited to give support greater than that provided by the MOU if it chooses to do so. Israel and the United States benefit tremendously from what each country brings to the table – the relationship is a two way street.

Tim Constantine of The Capitol Hill Show and the Washington Times reviews the candidates' speeches to AIPAC in March

The U.S. should veto any United Nations votes that unfairly single out Israel and will work in international institutions and forums, including in our relations with the European Union, to oppose efforts to delegitimize Israel, impose discriminatory double standards against Israel, or to impose special labeling requirements on Israeli products or boycotts on Israeli goods. The U.S. should cut off funds for the UN Human Rights Council, a body dominated by countries presently run by dictatorships that seems solely devoted to slandering the Jewish State. UNESCO’s attempt to disconnect the State of Israel from Jerusalem is a one-sided attempt to ignore Israel’s 3,000-year bond to its capital city, and is further evidence of the enormous anti-Israel bias of the United Nations. The U.S. should view the effort to boycott, divest from, and sanction (BDS) Israel as inherently anti-Semitic and take strong measures, both diplomatic and legislative, to thwart actions that are intended to limit commercial relations with Israel, or persons or entities doing business in Israeli areas, in a discriminatory manner. The BDS movement is just another attempt by the Palestinians to avoid having to commit to a peaceful coexistence with Israel. The false notion that Israel is an occupier should be rejected. The Trump administration will ask the Justice Department to investigate coordinated attempts on college campuses to intimidate students who support Israel.

 

Amb. Michael Oren, MK, addresses Shimon Peres' legacy on night of promoting Druze veteran cause in L.A.

L.A. Mayor Villaragosa, Israeli Amb Michael Oren, Pres. Shimon Peres on a
previous night in Beverly  Hills Photo: Fredric J. Brown/AFP/ Getty Images 
On the night of Shimon Peres' death, September 27th in L.A. MK Michael Oren (Kulanu party) remarks on the life of Shimon Peres and Druze-Israeli contributions to Israel and her stability. Presentation at Beth Jacob Congregation of Beverly Hills.



Ambassador Oren responds to audience questions about (among other things) the difference between Israel and Obama's beliefs regarding Islamist Iran and other topics, some of which he addressed in his revelatory book, "Ally," which exposed Democrat administration duplicity towards Americans' longtime ally, Israel.

Clubhouse Wars- reformed Democrats' struggles against liberal bigotry in Florida's retirement communities

(Photo Credit: Reuters via JPost)
The Democratic Party at Prayer The Problem with the "Jewish Vote"  by  Jonathan Bronitsky in City Journal, Oct 25 
Every presidential election produces a series of articles probing and prophesizing about the so-called “Jewish vote.” This year has been no different, with most observers agreeing that the majority of Jewish-Americans will vote Democratic.

Why are the ballots cast by Jewish-Americans, just 2 percent of the population, of such importance to politicians (and would-be politicians)? First, relative to their community’s small size, Jews contribute a disproportionate amount of money to political candidates and causes.
They give half of the funds received by the Democratic Party and one quarter of the funds received by the Republican Party, according to American history professor Gil Troy. Second, many Jews live in the swing states of Florida (846,700 of 19.9 million), Pennsylvania (324,700 of 12.8 million), Ohio (173,700 of 11.6 million), and Michigan (105,200 of 9.9 million). And third, Jews tout a stellar turnout record—80 percent, on the word of several sources.

Indeed, the Pew Research Center’s landmark 2013 survey, “A Portrait of Jewish-Americans,” found that caring about Israel was vital to Jewish identity for approximately half of Jews aged 65 and older. By contrast, only about a third of Jews under the age of 30 expressed that same sentiment. It’s also estimated that Jews constitute at least 20 percent of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement. And take what you will from this: American Jewry was virtually split down the middle over the Iran nuclear deal. Perhaps more strikingly, Jewish support for the deal was 20 percentage points higher than for Americans overall. 
 Read More.
Mr. Alan Gordon leads a weekly seniors' Current-Affairs discussion group at a Jewish Community Center in Palm Beach County. The group of transplanted, northeasterners are predominantly Democrat. Mrs. Joanne Mindes points out that the group members are commonly influenced by the liberal, pro-Palestinian bias of the mainstream press. They diminish the importance of Israel, despite it being used as a rallying-cause by the multicultural Left against Jewish-America. We bring you video from a meeting of the group on Primary Day in March 2016.



Retired Bronx Principal Alan Bergstein writes Op/Ed's in the Jewish Voice of New York. Former regional representative of the Zionist Organization of America, he is an expert on liberal fascism towards conservatives and Republicans. When a local synagogue hosted a campaign event for then Sen. Obama, synagogue members prohibited him from entering and had him detained by a number of policemen. He describes the social discrimination liberals have for those expressing conservative views and his crusade to represent Jewish interests against Judaism's Islamo-Marxist enemies throughout the world. 


Miriam Levine's shows-off daughter
Risa's photo with Hillary in the WashPost
Mrs. Levine, a snowbird from New Jersey, is asked how, as a liberal advocate of Jewish expression and safety, she supports Hillary Clinton- in the face of her demonstrated bias against Israel's safety against Iran, and advancing the interests of Islamism in Libya, Syria, and anti-Semitic Muslim immigration to the U.S.



Glenn, who used to be a liberal in the music-industry, explains how now he only socializes among people who share his Republican political views of the Obama/Clinton administration- and why he now supports Donald Trump for President.

Live concert footage of Moshav Band's Shabbat Shuvah Concert- inspiring holiness and Zionism

Dovid Swirsky and Yehuda Solomon of the Moshav Band returned to their home-base for the Happy Minyan's annual, Shabbos Shuva Concert on Saturday night 8 Oct.The band, known for their original, spiritual and Zionistic pop-rock songs, took and played a number of requests from their audience in this intimate setting, some of which are shown here through JooTube's original chronicling. The duo were joined (separately) by Breslover singer Moshe Storch and rapper, Kosha Dillz. (Click to play, click to stop).
Please help equip JooTube to replace damaged publishing systems. JooTube has served you with no-advertising or marketing - just producing and publishing original-video news for 10-years. Donors receive blessings (especially around Yom Kippur week) if keeping JooTube shining its lights amidst the darkness. Click this link - your donation of $50 or more will enable us to continue publishing video news. May  you be inscribed for a good and healthful year!


Jewish "Team Israel" started kosher at Florida stadium, rose to World Baseball Classic; Club's relations with Jews, NY Mets & fans repaid at Fernandez tragedy

Team Israel celebrates winning World Baseball
Classic tournament slot Sunday, 25 Sept '16
(l to r) Team Israel's former mgr Brad Ausmus, late President 
Shimon Peres, and U.S. Amb. to Israel Dan Shapiro 
(Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21352204
Israel's national baseball team topped Great Britain and Brazil in Brooklyn to earn a qualifier slot for 2017 March's World Baseball Classic tournament. Home runs by Jewish M.L.B. minor leaguers Blake Gailen, Ryan Lavarnway, and Cody Decker lifted Team Israel to victory. Colorado Rockies' coach, Jerry Weinstein, manages the team of predominantly minor league, Jewish ball players. Former Marlins pitcher, Craig Breslow, earned the win against Brazil. Pitcher Dean Kremer recently became the first Israeli to be drafted by a major league ball club.

Roni Raab (r) exec dir for J.N.F.'s SoFlorida, with mascot, Blue-Box Bob at
Jewish Heritage Day at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter speaks with JooTube

Team Israel's World Baseball Classic climb began at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida 3-years ago. Stadium G.M., Mike Bauer asked Roni Raab, executive director of Jewish National Fund for  South Florida, to attract a Jewish crowd for Team Israel's games in 2013. This began Jewish Heritage Day in Jupiter- and in 2015, they brought hot kosher food for sale at the ball park. JooTube visited the Miami Marlins 2016 Jewish Heritage Day against the New York Mets.


In this second spring season that kosher food was made available (this year's vendor, Boca Pita Express) Boynton Beach attendee Mrs. Natalie Herbin appreciates, "Now we (Jews) can (finally) enjoy attending a ballgame like everybody else!"


JNF Palm Beach Board President Art Silber said in a JNF press release, "There has been synergy between Jews and baseball since the earliest days of Jewish immigration to America." He added, "Jewish Heritage Day at the spring-training home of the Marlins and Cardinals is a chance to show your support for JNF, Israel, Jewish education and to connect with neighbors throughout Palm Beach County. And of course, watch some baseball — America's pastime."
The relationship fostered during these exhibition games
(including Jewish Heritage Day) between the Marlins and Mets (whose stadium is 45 minutes north in Port St. Lucie) deepened Mets' and their fans' empathy for Marlins during the untimely death of Marlins pitcher, José Fernandez, 24, at the Marlins/Mets September series. The respect that the Marlins showed for Jewish culture contributed to the empathy given back to the entire Marlins organization.

Team Israel stands for the singing of the "Star Spangled Banner"
Team Israel will compete in World Baseball Classic's Pool B against teams: Chinese Taipei, South Korea, and Netherlands at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea between March 7-10, 2017.

Pool C teams, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and the U.S. will compete in Miami at Marlins Park between March 9-12.


The semi-finals and finals will be played between March 20-22nd at Dodger Stadium. 

If Team Israel makes it to Los Angeles, hopefully Jeff's Gourmet Kosher Sausages will be asked to accomodate the kosher ball fans.