Shorts: World

British shuls tempt young adults

london (jta) | Britain's main Orthodox synagogue body is offering benefits such as discount kosher food and phone calls to encourage younger people to join synagogues.

The initiative by Tribe, the youth wing of United Synagogue, enables singles ages 21 to 30 to join a shul as full members, including burial rights, for about $8 per month.

In addition, participants gain access to incentives such as $25 of free telephone calls and discounts on health insurance, travel, health and beauty services and kosher wine and food, in both the United Kingdom and Israel.




Acquittal in Kenya terror case

nairobi (jta) | Three Kenyans were acquitted of involvement in the 2002 bombing of an Israeli-owned hotel.

The High Court in Nairobi ruled last week that there is insufficient evidence to link the defendants, all Muslims, to the November 2002 suicide attack in Mombasa that killed 12 Israelis and three hotel staffers. An earlier case involving four other defendants also ended in acquittal.

Al Qaida claimed responsibility for the bombing and for a simultaneous attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner taking off from a nearby airport.




Germany loosens restrictions on Jewish immigrants

berlin (jta) | Germany is changing elements of its new immigration policy regarding Jews arriving from the former Soviet Union.

Jewish leaders reacted positively to the June 23 announcement that the restriction limiting immigration to those under age 45 would be dropped, and that a hardship clause for victims of Nazi persecution would be introduced.

The law was part of legislation enacted last year to codify the immigration of all groups to Germany. Critics feared it would greatly reduce the historic wave of Jewish immigration to Germany over the last 15 years, which had quadrupled the Jewish population here to more than 105,000.