Jay Leno to Host Genesis Prize Program

JNS.org—Former Tonight Show host Jay Leno will be in Israel in May to host the first-ever Genesis Prize ceremony, Israel Hayom reported.  PM Benjamin Netanyahu will present the inaugural award to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The ceremony will be held at the Jerusalem Theatre at the end of the month. The Genesis Prize, $1 million, will be awarded annually by the prime minister to a single individual in recognition of achievements and values that will inspire the future generation of Jews. This year’s ceremony takes place May 22.

The prize was created in partnership by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Genesis Philanthropy Group and the Jewish Agency Chairman’s Office.

Reform Group Threatens to Quit Conference of Presidents After J Street Rejected

JNS.org—The head of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) on Thursday said the group would consider leaving the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations following the Conference’s rejection of J Street. “We may choose to advocate for a significant overhaul of the Conference of Presidents’ processes. We may choose to simply leave the Conference of Presidents. But this much is certain: We will no longer acquiesce to simply maintaining the facade that the Conference of Presidents represents or reflects the views of all of American Jewry,” stated URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs, a former member of J Street’s Rabbinic Cabinet.

Netanyahu Seeks to Add ‘Jewish State’ to Israel’s Basic Law

JNS.org—PM Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to codify Israel as the “nation-state of the Jewish people” in the country’s foundational legislation. “It is my intention to submit a Basic Law to the Knesset that would provide a constitutional anchor for Israel’s status as the national state of the Jewish people,” Netanyahu said during a ceremony marking Israel’s Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall in Tel Aviv. Netanyahu also insisted that the new Basic Law would respect the rights of non-Jewish minorities in Israel. But unlike the U.S., Israel does not have a formal written constitution, and instead operates on a series of “Basic Laws” passed since the country’s foundation in 1948, which form the basis of Israeli constitutional law.

Some Mideast Countries Top Violators of Religious Freedom

JNS.org—Several Middle East countries have been identified as among the worst violators of religious freedom, according to an annual report issued by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Iran and Saudi Arabia are listed as “Tier 1” or “Countries of Particular Concern (CPC).” The report recommends that Iran and Saudi Arabia be re-designated as “Tier 1” or “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC). Egypt, Syria and Iraq are listed as countries that meet the Tier 1 criteria and should be added to the U.S. State Department’s CPC list. Turkey is listed as a “Tier 2,” for countries that do not fully meet the criteria of being a CPC but still have serious violations of religious freedom. The report criticized Egypt for the increased number of religious groups who were “detained, prosecuted, and imprisoned” under Egypt’s controversial blasphemy law as well as the rampant anti-Semitism that continues to appear in Egypt’s state-controlled media and other outlets. Iran was blasted for its continued poor treatment of Christians and Baha’is, including increased imprisonment. One of the worst violators of religious freedom in the past year has been Pakistan, where religious minorities—including Shi’a, Christians, and Hindus—are routinely targeted by the government and extremists, said the report.

Sapling from Anne Frank’s Tree Planted on U.S. Capitol

JNS.org—A sapling grown from the original tree that stood outside the hiding place of Holocaust teenage diarist Anne Frank was planted on the U.S. Capitol’s west front lawn. Frank wrote about the original tree in her diary.The planting ceremony for the sapling in the Capitol was attended by politicians from both major U.S. parties, foreign dignitaries such as Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans and Holocaust survivors.

Israeli Tax Office to Notify IRS of American Incomes in Israel

JNS.org—The Israel Tax Authority will be notifying the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about bank accounts owned by Americans living in Israel. The agreement between the Israeli Ministry of Finance and the U.S. Department of the Treasury is meant to implement the Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Israel will hand over financial information of U.S. citizens living in Israel, Green Card holders, residents and other legal entities in which Americans are significantly invested. Conversely, the IRS agreed to notify Israel of income in accounts of Israelis living in the U.S. FATCA is not limited to Israel. Every financial institution outside of the U.S. must report to the IRS once a year with information about Americans’ accounts. If the financial institution does not comply, it will face sanctions and a 30% tax payment on any source of income in the U.S.

62 Teens VandalizeTeaneck High School

Teaneck—On Thursday night, 62 members of Teaneck High School’s graduating class—including, sources say, the class president—vandalized Teaneck High School. Acting Teaneck Police Chief Robert A. Carney said they were arrested for burglary and criminal mischief. At least 10 police departments responded at the school after a burglar alarm went off at about 2:15 a.m., with officers outside to get the kids fleeing the building and others who checked the interior of the large school building. The 24 adults, all 18 years old, were released from custody Thursday after a brief court appearance. The remaining 39 juveniles were released in their parents’ custody.

Intel To Invest $6 Billion To Upgrade Production Facility In Israel

(JNS.org) U.S. chipmaker Intel announced that it plans to invest $6 billion to upgrade its facility in Kiryat Gat facility to meet future needs,” but didn’t specify any technical details. Intel, which began operating in Israel in 1974, has four development centers and two production plants in the Jewish state that employ 9,855 people and produce $1 billion annually.

Temple Mount Jewish Prayer Could Be Allowed by New Rules

JNS.org—Israel’s religious affairs ministry is preparing rules that would allow Jews to pray at the Temple Mount. This would reverse the current regulations, established when Israel gained control of the area in 1967, banning Jewish prayer from the site. Jews seen praying there have often been arrested or harassed by Muslims. “I expect the prime minister and the government of Israel to adopt and validate these regulations and allow all Jews who desire so to go up to the Temple Mount and pray there,” Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Eli Ben-Dahan said to Liba, an organization supporting Jewish prayer at the Temple Mount. Separately, Christian pastor Keith Johnson urged “the children of Abraham” throughout the world to stand up to harassment at the holy site. “As an American pastor I am appalled by the actions of some Muslims who chastise Jewish visitors—including children—who desire to ascend the Temple Mount,” Johnson said.

Stanley Fischer Nomination for Fed Vice Chairman Approved by Senate Committee

JNS.org—The former governor of the Bank of Israel, Stanley Fischer, has been unanimously approved by the Senate Banking Committee as a nominee to take over as vice chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board. The appointment would make Fischer the second-ranked Federal Reserve official after Chairwoman Janet Yellen. Fischer’s nomination, along with the approved nominations of former Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs Lael Brainard and Fed Governor Jerome Powell for another term, now requires confirmation from the full Senate. Fischer was a professor for former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.