Sixty-one percent of Jewish Israelis do not plan to go to synagogue this Yom Kippur amid the coronavirus outbreak and national lockdown, compared to 39 percent last year, according to a survey by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI). The poll is the 12th in a survey series by the Guttman Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the IDI, examining public opinion relating to government policies relating to the coronavirus outbreak and the economic fallout from the pandemic. It also found that only 27 percent of Israelis trust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lead the effort against COVID-19, compared to 57.5 percent of the population who said they trusted him in the beginning of April. KAN reporter Naomi Segal heard more about the findings from Prof. Tamar Hermann, Director of the Guttman Center of Public Opinion and Policy Research.
Israel along with Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority on Tuesday formalized the charter of a Cairo-based regional energy forum that seeks to promote natural gas exports from the eastern Mediterranean. Israel's Energy Minister, Yuval Steinitz, who took part in the teleconference signing ceremony, said that for Israel, the forum "brings regional cooperation with Arab and European countries, the first of its kind in history."
Gabriel Mitchell, Director of External Relations at Mitvim, the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies, told KAN reporter Naomi Segal that while the formalization of the regional energy forum is a welcome development, it is muted by the changing economic and geopolitical landscape.
One of the most impressive wineries in the Judean hills is Mony. Owned by Christian Arabs, the winery sits on the edge of the Sorek Valley and is proud of its wide range of Kosher wines. Reporter Arieh O’Sullivan joined wine expert David Rhodes on a visit to the winery recently to taste on site some of their finest products.
The Jerusalem district court has ruled that Malka Leifer, a former school principal wanted for child sex abuse offenses in Australia, is fit for extradition, the latest ruling in a case that has dragged on for more than a decade. Leifer faces 74 counts of sexual assault against three sisters who attended the ultra-Orthodox school where she worked in Melbourne. An expert panel appointed by the court rejected Leifer's claim of mental illness and found her fit for extradition and trial. Leifer's counsel said they were considering appealing the decision.
Manny Waks is CEO of Kol v'Oz, an organization dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse in the global Jewish community. He was at the courthouse on Monday and later spoke to KAN reporter Naomi Segal.
This time of the coronavirus pandemic has brought forward the concept of remote education, ZOOM classes, etc. and places of higher learning has moved to adapt. But lingering in the background is the concept that traditional schools of higher education have become antiquated and are disconnected from preparing students for the needs of the future. The book Academia All the Lies, co-authored by husband and wife Oz and Tamar Almog, has just been published in English. In an interview with reporter Arieh O’Sullivan, Prof. Oz Almog, a sociologist, historian and teacher at the Israel Studies department at Haifa University, warns that universities are doomed if they don’t change.
This year's High Holidays are like no other – in Israel and around the globe, the coronavirus pandemic has restricted or prevented communal and family gatherings – from meals to synagogue worship. Traditions are upended, and for some, the joy that comes with the holidays is tempered by the emotional, physical and economic challenges posed by the pandemic. At the same time, the difficult situation presents an opportunity to use technology and creativity to connect Jews to each other and provide an enriching experience. The Beit Avi Chai cultural and education center in Jerusalem has created an online platform, Open the Gates, offering an array of original, diverse content meant to enhance this year’s holidays. The programming includes music, podcasts, lectures, cooking presentations, museum visits and more. The online content is free, available for download and streaming, with materials in Hebrew and in English. Among the English-language programming is a podcast series, Hineni, hosted by Rabbi Mishael Zion, director of the Mandel Program for Leadership in Jewish Culture, and co-founder of the Klausner Minyan in Jerusalem. The series features four episodes for the High Holidays period. Rabbi Zion spoke with KAN reporter Naomi Segal about the podcast series, the first episode of which is Selichot: The Wake Up Call.
As Israel goes under a second, nation-wide lockdown, it raises a lot of questions about not only what’s open and closed, but also about the financial aid available to citizens. We’ve turned to Leon Harris, a certified public accountant and tax specialist based in Ramat Gan, about this and other economic questions.
How have the residents of the United Arab Emirates reacted to the signing of the normalization agreement with Israel?
Marc Zell , Chair of Republicans Overseas, Israel spoke to KAN's Mark Weiss from Dubai in the UAE, describing the excitement and the hope that they will shortly be able to visit Israel
What do Israel's normalization deals with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain mean for the region? KAN reporter Naomi Segal put the question to Dr. Gadi Hitman, a lecturer in the Middle Eastern Studies Department at Ariel University.
The second lockdown which will last at least 3 weeks is a major problem for industrialists.
Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin, the Vice President of the Manufacturers’ Association of Israel, told us companies have orders from overseas and don’t know if they can fill them. Speaking to KAN's Mark Weiss, she also said it's clear that this will not be the last lockdown