Events

The divide between Jews in Israel and abroad has widened. A new Knesset bill could bridge the gap This is going to be a two-part series, the second installment of which will ask the question “Should Christians Have a Say in Israel’s Internal Affairs?” But it is instructive for our readers to first understand some of the sensitive issues in the relationship between Israel and Jews living in the Diaspora. Although this is not a new question concerning Israel-Diaspora relations, it has become once again relevant due to a new bill to be proposed in the Knesset. The legislation is being endorsed by Minister of Diaspora Affairs Omer Yankelevitch and sponsored by MK Tehila Friedman, both members of the “Blue and White” party. The proposed law offers to establish a mechanism making it mandatory fo...

A broad coalition of religious groups, including three Baptist organizations, has asked the U.S. Senate to avoid using public education dollars to assist private schools in the next round of coronavirus relief legislation. The Senate GOP’s HEALS Act would provide $1 trillion for economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to providing funds for hospitals and businesses, and boosting unemployment benefits, the legislation proposes to support schools. It is the education portion of the Health, Economic Assistance Liability Protection & Schools Act that worries the Alliance of Baptists, the American Baptist Home Mission Societies, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, and other signers of a July 24 letter addressed to Senate leadership. “Specifically, we...