Leaders will meet when Netanyahu comes to town for AIPAC conference

Church says baptism was result of member’s violation of church policy, which determined in 1995 that Jewish Holocaust victims would not be baptized

Baltimore couple in their 90s and married 71 years makes aliyah

Rabbi host of 2006 TV show “Shalom in the Home” will attempt to represent New Jersey district

“Oprah’s Next Chapter” explores Brooklyn Chasidim Feb. 12 and 13

The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles awarded some $200,000 in grants for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and financial literacy programs.

(JTA) — A California synagogue asked movie star Mel Gibson for a donation, suggesting it would remedy his reputation regarding Jews.   The president of Congregation Beth Shalom in Corona sent the filmmaker and actor a letter asking for help to prevent the synagogue from losing its building, the Hollywood gossip site TMZ reported last [...]

Reuters Photojournalist Gil Cohen-Magen to speak on his work in CJC’s Distinguished Speaker Series

Stiller, author Jonathan Safran Foer team up to produce new TV comedy

Israel again going to the Oscars gate with a Joseph Cedar entry

(JTA) — Israeli-American businessman Micky Arison is the CEO and chairman of the company that operates the cruise line whose ship ran aground off the Italian coast.   Arison, who also owns the National Basketball Association’s Miami Heat, is the head of the Carnival Corp., of which Costa Cruises is a subsidiary.   Arison, 62, [...]

Talented Segel fan and YouTuber writes, performs ode to actor, nabs a date

Former director of Office of Budget and Management Jack Lew replaces William Daley as Obama chief of staff

NEW YORK (6nobacon.com) — After a short stint in France visiting her husband’s family, Natalie Portman, along with hubby Benjamin Millipied, enjoyed a weeklong vacation with baby Alef in her native Israel. According to Ynet news, the couple stayed at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem and traveled throughout the country, including Tel Aviv and the Dead [...]

With 603 dreidels spinning simultaneously, the world record for most Chanukah dreidels spun simultaneously in the same room (541) appears to be topped by Conservative Jewish high schoolers at the United Synagogue Youth’s annual international convention in Philadelphia, Dec. 28, 2011. It will take some time for the Guinness Book of World Records to verify [...]

Caption: The Brandenburg Gate, which is known as the launching pad of the Nazi era, will host a Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony on Tuesday evening. Credit: Sven Gross-Selbeck In what will no doubt be seen as a symbolic measure, Chabad-Lubavitch of Berlin will host a candle lighting ceremony at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on [...]

(JTA) — Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry set a record for a single collection sold at auction.   The jewelry was sold Tuesday night at Christie’s auction house for nearly $116 million. Most of the 80 lots sold for at least 10 times the catalog estimates, according to The New York Times.   The sale more than [...]

CAPTION: Jimmy Fallon performs for a sold-out crowd at the Jewish United Fund’s Young Leadership Division’s Big Event in Chicago, Dec. 10, 2011. (Robert Kusel) NEW YORK (6nobacon.com) —  More than 2,600 young Chicago Jews enjoyed an exciting early Chanukah gift over the weekend with a visit by “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon as part of Chicago’s [...]

Caption: NBA star Kobe Bryant practiced at the JCC in Irvine Nov. 28 as the league set to resume its season after a prolonged lockout. (Keith Allison via CC) (JTA) — Kobe Bryant reportedly held a private training session at the Merage Jewish Community Center in Irvine.   The Los Angeles Lakers’ star guard, according [...]

Caption: Jewish leaders who met with Vice President Joe Biden, shown here checking out an iPhone app in the White House with President Obama in July 2011, said in a statement that they had a “meaningful and productive” meeting with the vice president about Jonathan Pollard. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)   (JTA) [...]

Caption: Mila Kunis attended the Marine Corps ball Nov. 18 after a soldier invited her in a YouTube video. (Cpl. Johnny Merkley) NEW YORK (6nobacon.com) — Mila Kunis became the latest celebrity to make it to the 236th annual Marine Corps Ball this week. Fresh off being named GQ’s Man of the Year, Kunis was the distinguished [...]

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The Dead Sea was frustrated in its bid to become one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.   Though it was running in the top 14 finalists on the last day of voting, it was not enough to make it onto the final list.   “Thanks to the impressive campaign led [...]

(JTA) — The Anti-Defamation League called a reported exchange between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and President Obama disparaging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “decidedly unpresidential.”   According to reports of their conversation at the Nov. 3 G20 summit in Cannes, which was overheard by reporters via an open microphone, the French president said, “I cannot [...]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to Internet “Bibi bombing,” in which a Photoshopped Netanyahu is seen in several iconic shots on the Internet, with a bomb of his own. On his Facebook page, a photo shows Bibi watching himself as he addresses the United Nations General Assembly. Coming out of his mouth in a [...]

(JTA) — Vice President Joseph Biden’s future son-in-law is a Jewish doctor.   The news became public after Biden referred to Philadelphia doctor Howard Krein as his future son-in-law during an event in his home state of Delaware on Oct. 28.   Ashley Biden, 30, and Krein reportedly dated for a year before they became [...]

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Rockets fired from Gaza began pounding southern Israel again, one day after a weekend barrage which left one Israeli civilian dead.   The Iron Dome missile defense system successfully intercepted at least one long-range Grad rocket fired at Beersheba Monday evening. Seven rockets fired from Gaza landed in the Beersheba area, according [...]

(JTA) — Grammy Award-winning singer Amy Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning, according to the results of her autopsy.   The coroner’s report said that Winehouse, 27, died with five times the legal British drunk driving limit in her bloodstream.   The court hearing Wednesday in London described her final days and struggles with alcohol addiction, [...]

BERLIN (JTA) — If the slate of candidates is any indication, the European Jewish Parliament faces an uphill battle to be taken seriously. Among the candidates for election announced by the new body: soccer star David Beckham, filmmaker Roman Polanski, comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen, fashion designer Diane von Furstenburg, and other famous and less-famous [...]

Photo Caption: Palestinians in the West Bank city of Ramallah celebrate the return of prisoners who were exchanged for Gilad Shalit Oct. 18. (Arie Kuipers) (JTA) — A failed Palestinian suicide bomber freed in the swap for Gilad Shalit told Gaza schoolchildren she hoped they would follow in her footsteps.   “I hope you will [...]

PHOTO CAPTION: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit at the Tel Nof Air Force base in Israel shortly after his release from captivity, Oct. 18, 2011. (Avi Ohayon / GPO)   (JTA) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote to family members of the victims of attacks perpetrated by some of [...]