Shorts: U.S.

Thursday, January 29, 2009 | by

Rabbi defends decision to join in Obama service

In the face of criticism from the main Modern Orthodox rabbinical union, a prominent Manhattan rabbi is defending his decision to participate in the National Prayer Service.

The Rabbinical Council of America said that Lookstein was breaking the organization’s rules by participating in the service because it was held in a church.

In response, Rabbi Haskel Lookstein of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in New York City sent a mass e-mail to his colleagues explaining his decision to participate in the Jan. 21 service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

Lookstein, who read part of a nondenominational responsive prayer, was one of three Jewish clergymen to participate in the service on the morning after Barack Obama’s inauguration.

In his e-mail to his colleagues, Lookstein said that he had “never participated in such an event,” but felt that in this case it was “proper for someone in the responsible Orthodox rabbinate and, indeed, necessary, to participate.” He cited several rabbis and religious authorities who had allowed for a rabbinic role in these sorts of scenarios. — jta

Agriprocessors’ ex-chief to get bail

Former Agriprocessors official Sholom Rubashkin can be released from jail, a federal judge ruled.

Judge Linda Reade of U.S. District Court in Northern Iowa ruled Jan. 27 that although Rubashkin is a flight risk, reasonable measures could be taken to ensure his appearance at trial, the Des Moines Register reported. Reade required that Rubashkin post $500,000 bail and confine himself to Allamakee County, Iowa. She also barred him from any contact with potential witnesses in the case.

Rubashkin, who has been behind bars since November, was expected to be released before the end of the week. His trial is scheduled for September.

He is facing a range of charges related to his management of the Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa, which was the target of a massive federal immigration raid in May. — jta

U.S. gives immunity to key Olmert witness

American businessman Morris Talansky has been offered partial immunity from the U.S. Justice Department for his testimony in a corruption probe of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

The offer, communicated to Talansky through his Israeli attorneys, states that any testimony he gives in an Israeli courtroom cannot be used as direct evidence against him in the United States. But the Justice Department can use the testimony to pursue other leads in an investigation against Talansky.

Talansky is the key witness in an investigation against Olmert for allegedly accepting illegal funds in cash to pay for political campaigns and travel. Talansky testified that he gave Olmert $150,000 in cash in envelopes delivered by third parties and did not receive anything in return. — jta

Top Obama aide gets senior Mideast post

Daniel Shapiro, a top Obama campaign official once responsible for Jewish outreach, has been put in charge of Middle East issues at the National Security Council.

The position of senior director for Middle East and North Africa affairs was held by Elliot Abrams during the first term of former President George W. Bush and was a major force in crafting regional policy.

Shapiro held Middle East policy positions on Capitol Hill before joining the Obama campaign, as well as a more junior role on the National Security Council in the Clinton White House.

A former deputy chief of staff to Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), he was also a staff adviser to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and to former House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.).

Shapiro served as a senior adviser on Israeli-Palestinian policy for the Obama campaign and eventually was appointed the Jewish outreach coordinator. — jpost.com

Hadassah lays off a quarter of its staff

Hadassah: The Women’s Zionist Organ-ization of America has instituted massive layoffs.

The organization began the process earlier this month of laying off 80 employees across the country, roughly a quarter of its national staff, a spokesman for the organization confirmed. The cuts are coming at all levels of the organization.

Hadassah recently announced that it had $40 million invested in Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, as well as another $50 million the organization thought it had made in the scam. It was a significant hit to its endowment, which now stands at $412 million.

The layoffs, however, were not solely caused by the Madoff losses. The organization had been discussing streamlining for nearly two years. The downturn in the stock market and the Madoff losses accelerated the process, the spokesman confirmed.

“This was a painful and difficult step for us,” Hadassah’s national president, Nancy Falchuk, said in a statement regarding the layoffs, adding that “Hadassah remains strong as an organization, focused on the future and actively committed to supporting its pacesetting programs in medical care and research, education and youth institutions in Israel.” — jta