Supreme Court Strikes Down Limits on Federal Campaign Donations
In a 5-to-4 decision, the Supreme Court has struck down limits on the total amount of money an individual may spend on political candidates, saying it violates free speech rights. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote the opinion which was supported by Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy, Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Justice Clarence Thomas. Advocates for reducing the role of big donors in politics decried the ruling, saying it will further amplify the influence of the wealthy in campaigns. By striking the overall cap on how much individuals can give to federal candidates and parties, the decision opens the door to the creation of super-sized joint fundraising committees that could solicit checks for more than $3 million, they say.
Pollard Release A Carrot For Middle East Peace Agreement
Jonathan Pollard, now 59, was a civilian U.S. Navy analyst who pled guilty to providing classified information to Israeli agents and was sentenced to life in prison. Asked whether the United States would release Pollard early, Kerry said there is no agreement on any prisoner, including those at issue in the Israeli prisoner release that was supposed to occur over the weekend.
Byzantine Monastery Unearthed in Negev Desert
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) A Byzantine monastery with an intricate mosaic floor has been discovered in the Negev. The site was unearthed by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). The monastery, located near the remains of the Byzantine-era town Horvat Hora, appeared “to be part of a series of monasteries [located] along a road that connected the Transjordan to the Beersheba valley.” The structure, measuring 82 by 155 feet, is divided into halls built along an east-west axis, two of which stand out because of their spectacular mosaic floors decorated with images of plants, geometric designs, baskets, and a pair of birds.
Game of Thrones to be Filmed in Israel
The Tower of David is proud to announce that the Citadel has been chosen as the main location for the shooting of the last episode of the successful TV show Game of Thrones. The production is set to land in Israel after the Passover holiday for a four-day filming. Game of Thrones is an American fantasy television series created for HBO. It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin’s series of fantasy novels. Filmed in a Belfast studio and on location elsewhere in Northern Ireland, Malta, Scotland, Croatia, Iceland, and Morocco, it premiered on HBO in the United States in 2011.
Jerusalem’s Water Crisis
(Al-Monitor) On March 4, while PM Netanyahu spoke to AIPAC from Jerusalem, “the eternal and undivided capital of Israel and the Jewish people,” the water was turned off in the homes of tens of thousands of families in the municipal area of the “undivided city.” The neighborhoods of Ras Khamis, Ras Shehadeh, as-Salam and the Shuafat refugee camp are a 10-minute car ride away from the affluent Jewish neighborhood of Givat HaMivtar, but are disconnected from the municipal water supply. The water infrastructure in the region adequately provides for the consumption needs of 15,000 people, while the local population numbers 60,000 to 80,000. In the absence of urban development plans for these neighborhoods, hundreds of apartments have been built in the area without permits. Consequently, they cannot be legally connected to the water supply and sanitation systems.
Russia Conquers Crimea, Moshiach is Coming
Grand Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch of the Eda Charedit, a great grandson of the Gaon of Vilna announced last week the times of the Moshiach are here. His source is the Vilna Gaon himself. Rav Shternbuch received a closely guarded secret that came to him from Rabbi Yitzchak Chever, z’tl, who received it from Rabbi Chaim of Volozhyn, zt’lwho received it from the Gaon of Vilna himself, who revealed it shortly before his death: “When you hear that the Russians have captured the city of Crimea, you should know that the times of the Messiah have started, that his steps are being heard. And when you hear that the Russians have reached the city of Constantinople (today’s Istanbul), you should put on your Shabbat clothes and don’t take them off, because it means that the Messiah is about to come any minute,”—all thanks to Vladimir Putin.
Vatican: Pope Francis Trip To Israel Still On Despite Foreign Ministry Strike
(JNS.org) Pope Francis’s highly anticipated trip to Israel in May will go on as scheduled despite worries over the effect of the Israeli Foreign Ministry strike. In a statement, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the release of the schedule is confirmation that the visit is “continuing as planned.” According to the trip’s schedule, Pope Francis will arrive in Jordan on May 24 to meet with Jordan’s King Abdullah, conduct a Mass in Amman, and meet with Syrian refugees. The next day, Pope Francis will fly to Bethlehem to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, conduct a Mass at Manger Squar (the traditional birthplace of Jesus), and greet Palestinian children. Later on May 25, Pope Francis will travel to Jerusalem to have a private meeting with the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church, where the two will sign a joint declaration in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Jerusalem meeting between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras. The pope will also visit the Western Wall, Mount Herzl, and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. He will also meet with Israel’s two chief rabbis, President Shimon Peres, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Isracoin, the New Israeli “Bitcoin,” To Be Released
(JNS.org) Israeli developers are preparing to release their own version of the digital currency bitcoin, dubbed Isracoin. The six developers are all associated with the social protests that occurred in Israel in the summer of 2011 and with the country’s open-source community. They have mined 10% of the total amount of planned Isracoins, 480 million out of 4.8 billion, which will be distributed based on a plan specified at isracoin.org.il. “The problem with the Israeli economy is over-concentration. A few banks control most assets, and these banks wield great influence over political parties. This expresses itself in high commission rates and in non-competitive services,” the developers added, according to Haaretz.
