JTA Daily Briefing

Reform leader urges followers to adopt Jewish dietary practice

Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, called on Reform Jews to develop consciously Jewish and ethical food policies for themselves and their congregations, stopping short of embracing kashrut. Read more »

Ari Teman wins Jewish Community Hero award

After weeks of deliberation and more than 600,000 votes, the Jewish Federations of North America has named its first Jewish Community Hero: Ari Teman. Read more »

White House pushes negotiations without preconditions

Rahm Emanuel urged Palestinians and Israelis to launch negotiations without preconditions, echoing Benjamin Netanyahu's call. On Monday, President Obama met with federation leaders, then later with the Israeli prime minister. Read more »

What really happened at the Reform biennial in Toronto

Reform in Canada. No sex at the table. Tony Blair in film. Tweeting holiday services. And other tales from the biennial conference of the Union for Reform Judaism. Read more »

Jewish Republicans, Democrats debate results of '09 vote

After playing an active role in both the New Jersey and Virginian gubernatorial races, Republican and Democratic Jews joined their respective partisans in debating the meaning of the election results. Read more »

This just in... (JTA Special GA coverage) Kathy Manning talks to the GA. Watch the video of Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the conference. Amid crisis, the Jewish Agency restructures. Pitching Birthright Israel to the federations. Federation president Jerry Silverman: We can get through this stronger if we work together. And more news from the GA courtesy JTA's Fundermentalist.

Goldstone vs. Gold Richard Goldstone, the man behind the U.N. fact-finding mission into the Gaza war, debates Dore Gold, Israel's former U.N. ambassador, in a forum at Brandeis University.

Rubashkin's followers in South Dakota (Des Moines Register) Supporters of Sholom Rubashkin, former vice president of the Agriprocessers kosher meat plant, have flocked to his trial in Sioux Falls, S.D., to offer their support.

San Francisco's soferet (New York Times) Scribe Julie Seltzer writes a Torah as part of an exhibit at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco.

A question for Justice Goldstone (Boston Globe) If Israel acted wrongly in Gaza, how should a state defend itself against terrorist attacks the like of which have been aimed at Israel from Gaza? That's the question Richard Goldstone has failed to answer, writes columnist Jeff Jacoby.