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by Aisha Y. Musa, Ph.D., The American Muslim, October 28, 2008
Today, it often seems as if the relations between Muslims and Jews are dominated by bigotry, intolerance, and even downright hostility. Some claim that Muslim hostility toward Jews is taught in the Qur’an itself. How does the Qur’an portray the Jews? Is it inherently hostile toward them? Are they described, as some have claimed, as apes and swine”? The simple answer to the latter question is no, the Qur’an never says the Jews are “apes and swine”. We will take a closer look at this claim later in this essay. Before that, however, let us take a broader look at the overall image of Jews in the Qur’an. The present essay focuses entirely on the Qur’an and is meant as an introduction. Beyond the Qur’an, Muslim opinion is also shaped by the Prophetic traditions (Hadith) and centuries of commentaries and interpretations. Future essays will examine other such sources and aspects of the question.
There are approximately 60 verses in the Qur’an that speak directly about or to the Jews. Two thirds of these use the phrase “Children of Israel” (bani Isra’il), others use the terms “Jews” (yahud) or “those who are Jewish” (alladhina hadu). In addition to verses specifically about or addressing the Jews, the Qur’an also speaks of the people of the Book (ahl al-kitab) and “those who have been given the Book” (alladhina utu al-kitab). These verses are generally understood to refer to both the Christians and the Jews, those who received the scriptures which preceded the Qur’an. The Qur’an also mentions the Torah more than a dozen times. It also mentions the Pslams of David. In addition to the variety of verses that speak to or about the Jews, chapter 17 of the Qur’an is entitled “The Children of Israel.”
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Islam, Judaism, Middle East Report, Monotheistic Religions, Opinion, Recent Posts on October 31, 2008 - ב' חשון תשס"ט at 3:18 pm
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by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz, Arutz Sheva, 30 October 2008
(IsraelNN.com) The Indonesian Rescue and Emergency Organization, run by that nation’s second-largest Islamic movement, Persyarikatan Muhammadiyah, signed an agreement Wednesday night in Tel Aviv with Israel’s first-response organization, Magen David Adom (MDA). The deal was penned in the shadow of serious jihadist threats against Indonesia, which is home to the world’s largest Muslim population.
As Indonesia has no diplomatic relations with Israel, the agreement was formally signed by representatives of Muhammadiyah. However, the Islamic reformist organization operates dozens of clinics, hospitals, orphanages, schools and universities in Indonesia, and has been recognized by the Indonesian government and by international organizations. The head of Muhammadiyah, Dr. Sudibyo Markus, was the most senior Indonesian representative to make an official visit to Israel.
"I am 76 years old," Dr. Markus said at the signing ceremony, "and I am pleased that I have succeeded in fulfilling a childhood dream of mine to come to Israel." he said.
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences, Middle East Report, Recent Posts on October 31, 2008 - ב' חשון תשס"ט at 9:38 am
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By Afzal Khan, America.gov, October 28, 2008
Washington — The United States and the Palestinian Authority are working to create new business partnerships to attract investment dollars and create jobs in the Palestinian Territories.
Toward this goal, the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sponsored a meeting of the Palestinian Business and Investment Forum in Washington on October 14 to build on the success of the Palestinian Investment Conference in the West Bank city of Bethlehem in May 2008, where $1.4 billion was pledged for various projects. (See "Palestine Investment Forum ‘Met Its Goal,’ U.S. Official Says.")
The Washington forum, attended by some 150 American and Palestinian business leaders, featured addresses from U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and other top U.S. and Palestinian officials.
Rice said the United States has given $600 million to the Palestinian Authority in 2008 and has advanced another $150 million for budget support in 2009. She said this aid is “a sign of U.S. confidence” in the government of President Mahmoud Abbas and Fayyad.
Rice suggested that the next U.S. administration should follow the recommendations made at the November 2007 Annapolis, Maryland, summit between Abbas and departing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Business and Commerce, Middle East Report on October 30, 2008 - א' חשון תשס"ט at 4:43 pm
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By ETHAN BRONNER, NY Times, October 30, 2008
KHIRBET QEIYAFA, Israel — Overlooking the verdant Valley of Elah, where the Bible says David toppled Goliath, archaeologists are unearthing a 3,000-year-old fortified city that could reshape views of the period when David ruled over the Israelites. Five lines on pottery uncovered here appear to be the oldest Hebrew text ever found and are likely to have a major impact on knowledge about the history of literacy and alphabet development.
The five-acre site, with its fortifications, dwellings and multi-chambered entry gate, will also be a weapon in the contentious and often politicized debate over whether David and his capital, Jerusalem, were an important kingdom or a minor tribe, an issue that divides not only scholars but those seeking to support or delegitimize Zionism.
Only a tiny portion of the site has been excavated, and none of the findings have yet been published or fully scrutinized. But the dig, led by Yosef Garfinkel of Hebrew University in Jerusalem, is already causing a stir among his colleagues as well as excitement from those who seek to use the Bible as a guide to history and confirmation of their faith.
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Judaism, Middle East Report, Monotheistic Religions, News Articles, Recent Posts on October 30, 2008 - א' חשון תשס"ט at 5:10 am
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ScienceDaily (Oct. 30, 2008) — Popular cholesterol-busting drugs — statins — appear to lower men’s PSA values along with their cholesterol levels, according to researchers in the Duke Prostate Center and the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. But whether the drugs prevent prostate cancer growth or just mask it is not known yet.
"Previous studies had shown that men taking statins were less likely to develop advanced forms of prostate cancer but no one had looked at the relationship between the drugs and prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, a biomarker that is correlated with cancer growth and is the most common prostate cancer screening tool," said Stephen Freedland, M.D., a urologist at Duke and senior investigator on the study. "Our study represents a move to understand if and how statins influence prostate biology and whether they are really reducing cancer risk, or simply making PSA a less effective screening tool."
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences on October 30, 2008 - א' חשון תשס"ט at 4:49 am
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From San Diego State University
Reprinted from Health News Digest, Oct 27, 2008
SDSU professor teaches physical education to help overweight students reach their fitness goals
(HealthNewsDigest.com) – SAN DIEGO, — Bags of Halloween candy are piled high in the grocery stores this week, providing a dangerous temptation for those battling obesity. For the parents of overweight children, getting their children to understand the dangers of overindulging after trick-or-treating can be even more difficult.
San Diego State University Exercise and Nutritional Sciences professor David Kahan, offers ten ways to help parents — and teachers — get overweight kids back on track, not just after Halloween, but for the rest of their life, in his new book "Supersized P.E."
"Being physically active every day is especially crucial for children struggling with weight issues," said Kahan, a physical education teacher and researcher. "Overweight and obese youth carry social, psychological and emotional burdens that often lead to anger, despair and ultimately, a sedentary lifestyle. Our goal is to help youth love physical activity."
Supersized P.E. is designed to help parents, physical educators and leaders of physical activity programs to better understand the physical, emotional and psychological issues that reduce the overweight child’s quality of life and help them learn how to be physically active for a lifetime. The book’s recommendations include:
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Education, Health Sciences, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on October 28, 2008 - כ"ט תשרי תשס"ט at 8:53 pm
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By Muhammad Ayish, The National UAE, October 26. 2008
Against a gloomy backdrop of diminishing higher education budgets and bureaucratic hindrances, collaborative networking with potential partners in the region at large opens up the most promising window of opportunity for Arab universities to go international.
The publication of the THES-QS World University Rankings for 2008 brings unhappy news for aspiring institutions of higher education in many regions, including the Arab world. According to the rankings, not one Arab university is among the top 400 in the world. The THES-QS report comes on the heels of the Academic Ranking of World Universities compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Institute of Higher Education, which offers an equally dismal assessment of Arab universities against global benchmarks.
While the findings of both reports have raised concerns about the implications of an apparently uncompetitive higher-education sector in the Arab knowledge economy, new developments in the region seem to show some promise of a better alignment between Arab universities and international higher education standards.
Although global university rankings such as those developed by THES-QS and Shanghai Jiao Tong are still in their infancy, they are increasingly viewed as providing credible benchmarks for higher education quality. The rankings, which focus heavily on the opinions of thousands of academics and recruiters, have become the most relied-upon international university grading system. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Education Report, Islam, Middle East Report, News Articles, Opinion, Recent Posts on October 27, 2008 - כ"ח תשרי תשס"ט at 7:28 am
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JERUSALEM – We need a cultural revolution. We have waited far too long for governments and armies to bring us peace and security. Fear and mistrust of the other side define our reality. Good, peace-loving Israelis and Palestinians are convinced they have no partner for peace. Most are unaware of the fact that every Israeli and every Palestinian holds so much power to shape his or her future. Artists, as well as those involved in media, have tremendous power to help build trust and create human connections despite the political and social barriers that currently divide us. For the sake of our future, we must eliminate the separation that has kept us apart for far too long. This is our power.
If we could use the power of music, I thought, to connect young Israeli and Palestinian musicians in the context of the greater community, we could succeed in building trust among the masses. A year ago, under a fellowship from MTV and the U.S. State Department’s Fulbright Award, I created a project called Heartbeat: Jerusalem. The goal was to explore the power of music to build trust between Israelis and Palestinians by forming an ensemble of Israeli and Palestinian teenage musicians.
Over the course of two months, I met with every conservatory director and high school principal I could find. Most of them enthusiastically supported the project, but a few Palestinian educators roundly objected to having Palestinian and Israeli youth sit side by side, as supposed equals. These Palestinian elders were afraid that sitting with “the enemy” would signify that the current situation was fine. Insisting that these programs would do far more harm than good, they told me that “brainwashing” their children to love their enemy would harm their national struggle and normalise the Occupation. But the contrary is true; to continue fighting and hating is “normalisation”. To end the Occupation, to end terrorism, and for all the people of this land to live with security, justice and freedom, people on both sides will have to trust each other. Without mutual trust, the only option is chronic strife. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Middle East Report, News Articles, Opinion, Recent Posts on October 25, 2008 - כ"ו תשרי תשס"ט at 7:09 am
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By Israel Zwick, CN Publications, October 20, 2008
SETTING: Tel Aviv barroom
TIME: Saturday night, October, 2008
Avi: Hey Benni, are you following this Presidential campaign in America? What do you think of it?
Benni: I’m not following it very closely because I’m not an American citizen and can’t vote, but you’re an American citizen so whom are you voting for?
Avi: I’m not sure, it’s a tough choice between Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama, they’re both good-looking women. I haven’t decided yet.
Benni: But the Republicans also have Sarah Palin so it’s two attractive women against one.
Avi: I guess you’re right, so I’ll vote Republican. Say, do you think that with a nice Jewish name like Sarah she could be one of our girls.
Benni: You’re probably getting her confused with Linda Lingle, the Jewish governor of Hawaii. Sarah Palin is Governor of Alaska and she’s Christian.
Avi: Well, Jewish or not, she’s definitely matza chain b’enai, much more appealing than the other candidates, and easy on the eyes.
Gilad: You guys are demonstrating that Mel Brooks was right when he said in one of his satirical movies that it’s all “bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.”
Avi: What do you mean, you think it’s bullshit who becomes President of the United States, it’s the most powerful position in the world.
Gilad: No, I mean this campaign is bullshit. Both candidates are distorting statistics to their benefit, making promises that they can’t keep, and presenting proposals that will never come to fruition.
Benni: So what’s so unusual about that? What makes it different from any other election campaign in the USA or Israel?
Gilad: This election is important and there are major differences between the candidates. The American people need to realize that there are different skills involved in running a successful campaign and actually being President.
Avi: What’s the difference, if you think it’s all bullshit anyway?
Gilad: To run a good campaign, it helps to be an energetic, motivating speaker who can inspire hopes and dreams in the people and encourage them to donate money to the campaign. Being President requires different skills. When an issue arises, the President sits down to discuss it with the appropriate advisers, which may include Cabinet officers, military leaders, intelligence agencies, and Congressional leaders. He needs to gather information from many sources, evaluate the data, and use his knowledge and experience to make a decision on a course of action. Then he has to inspire confidence in the American people and Congress to accept his decision and follow through on it. So the American people have to choose which candidate will make the right decisions, not necessarily which is the best speaker or debater.
Avi: You mean I shouldn’t just vote for the best-looking First Lady?
Gilad: Unfortunately, many Americans will vote like you by just looking at superficial characteristics without evaluating who can actually make the best decisions for the American people. There are a number of factors to take into consideration.
Benni: It isn’t any different in our country, it’s the same bullshit. For the last two decades, every Israeli Prime Minister has been talking about making peace with the Palestinians and nothing ever comes of it, it’s all diplomatic bullshit.
David: In Israel, there is a better word for it. Instead of bullshit, I would call it “tukhes.”
Avi: What are you talking about, I understand bullshit, but what’s tukhes?
David: Do you mean that you young Israelis don’t even know what tukhes is? Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Fun Stuff, Humor, Middle East Report, Opinion, Recent Posts, Zwick's Picks on October 23, 2008 - כ"ד תשרי תשס"ט at 12:10 am
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By David Shamah, Israel 21C, October 22, 2008
Basheer, a Muslim, is proud to be Israeli. “I’m an Israeli Arab, there are many others like me,” he says. “It isn’t even a question for me. I represent Israel at many international conferences, and no one finds it exceptional.
In the world of biology, an enzyme is a change agent – a catalyst that can cause chemical reactions, shaking things up and producing a new, and better, reality. So it’s no accident that Dr. Sobhi Basheer’s specialty is enzyme work; the Sakhnin native is one of the most accomplished enzyme technology researchers in Israel, an entrepreneur with no fewer than three successful startup companies to his credit, and a walking symbol of Israeli-Arab coexistence, as well. If that doesn’t describe a “change agent,” then what does?
From his post as director of the Galilee Society’s research and development center – a biotechnology incubator funded by the Ministry of Science – Basheer has been working on biotechnology projects for over a decade, conducting groundbreaking work in enzyme research that has led to a number of innovative products, from environmentally friendly biodiesel fuel to artificial mother’s milk fat, to a better way to make margarine, among others. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Alternative Energy, Climate Change, Middle East Report, Recent Posts, Science and Technology on October 22, 2008 - כ"ג תשרי תשס"ט at 8:20 pm
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