A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

Jonathan S. Tobin

Reaction to Trump’s Golan move illustrates growing divide over Israel

By Jonathan S. Tobin, JNSPublished March 28, 2019

It was a day for Israelis to cheer the unprecedented degree of closeness between their nation and its sole superpower ally. Using his favorite form of communication, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted a clear intention to discard yet another longstanding...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at an unprecedented weekly Cabinet meeting held on the Golan Heights on Sunday.  Photo: Effi Sharir/Pool/Flash90

Talk of giving back the Golan is a thing of the past

Ben SalesPublished April 18, 2016

JERUSALEM (JTA) — During the five-plus years of Syria’s civil war, Israel has striven to stay neutral — supporting neither the government of President Bashar Assad nor the rebels, and certainly not the Islamic State. But on one issue, senior Israeli...

Hezbollah: Uncertain future, but still dangerous

By Ben Sales, JTAPublished July 23, 2012

TEL AVIV -- Hezbollah may have hurt Israel with last week’s bus bombing in Bulgaria, but the Lebanese terrorist faction faces an uncertain future as one of its main sponsors -- Syria’s Assad regime -- faces a serious revolt and weakening support from...

Liberman: Israel might withdraw from U.N. Human Rights Council

JTAPublished March 23, 2012

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman reportedly said he might recall Israel's ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Council after the council voted 36-1 to to investigate the effects of Jewish settlements on Palestinians. Liberman also...

Netanyahu calls Human Rights Council decision ‘hypocritical’

JTAPublished March 22, 2012

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at a U.N. Human Rights Council decision to investigate Jewish settlements, calling it "hypocritical" and detached from reality. On Thursday, the council passed a resolution by a vote of...

Weekend of rain, snow brings needed water to Israel

JTAPublished March 4, 2012

JERUSALEM -- The level of the Sea of Galilee rose by nearly 8 inches following a weekend of rain and snow throughout Israel. The Galilee, or Lake Kinneret, still remains 3.7 yards below the basin's upper red line, which is considered full. The level will...

Wicked weather causing damage in Israel

JTAPublished March 1, 2012

JERUSALEM -- Severe weather in Israel has caused damage and blackouts. Heavy rain and high winds disrupted air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport. Some wind gusts reached 62 miles per hour, according to reports. The severe weather is supposed to last at least...

Rain, snow send Galilee well above danger level

JTAPublished February 20, 2012

JERUSALEM -- The Sea of Galilee's water level rose by about half a foot following a weekend of rain and snow, sending its levels well above the lower red line. Even with the rise, the Galilee remains four yards shy of being what is considered full. The...

Holy cow! Calves hijacked into Palestinian territory

JTAPublished February 9, 2012

JERUSALEM -- A truck driving calves from Eilat to the Golan Heights was hijacked into the West Bank. The 70 calves, which were being taken to be fattened before slaughter, were stolen near the Dead Sea after the driver was held up at gun point and detained...

Robert A. Cohn, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

Cross-border storms ravage ‘Arab Spring’

BY ROBERT A. COHN, Editor-in-Chief EmeritusPublished May 18, 2011

The so-called "Arab Spring," which has convulsed the Middle East and North Africa for the past several months, has been jolted by the carefully coordinated "demonstrations" against Israel on the 63rd anniversary of its independence.Palestinians have labeled...

Arab demonstrators marking the 63rd anniversary of the Nakba hold Palestinian flags as they approach the village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, between Syria and Israel on May 15. Photo: Hamad Almakt/Flash90/JTA

With border breaches, has the Arab Spring reached Israel?

By Uriel Heilman, JTA, TEL AVIVPublished May 18, 2011

If a single phrase could capture the sentiment that motivated thousands of Arabs to try to cross Israel's borders on Sunday to "retake Palestine" from the Jews, it would be this: Yes, we can. That can-do attitude had toppled regimes in Egypt and Tunisia,...

Arab demonstrators marking the 63rd anniversary of the Nakba hold Palestinian flags as they approach the village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, between Syria and Israel, May 15, 2011.

With border breaches, has the Arab Spring reached Israel?

By Uriel Heilman, JTAPublished May 16, 2011

TEL AVIV — If a single phrase could capture the sentiment that motivated thousands of Arabs to try to cross Israel's borders on Sunday to "retake Palestine" from the Jews, it would be this: Yes, we can. That can-do attitude had toppled regimes in Egypt...

Load More Stories