Your daily spiel for Friday, Jan. 29

Facebook's new reaction buttons
Facebook's new reaction buttons

U.S./Canada: University of Waterloo students voted against BDS, gay filmmaker Michael Lucas compared anti-Israel protestors at Chicago’s LGBTQ conference to Nazis, and the U.S. State Department insists that their labelling policy on Israeli settlement goods hasn’t changed – though only time will tell.

Canadian Jews and non-Jews are upset with Justin Trudeau’s Holocaust Remembrance Day statement for his failure to mention the Jews.

Israel: The Times of Israel published an expose looking at popular Palestinian songs that glorify terrorism against Israelis and Jews (which YouTube allows for some reason). One song in particular already boasts over 5 million views. And speaking of terrorism, members of Hamas (who rule over Gaza) claim they’re rebuilding the expensive infrastructure of terror tunnels the IDF attempted to destroy in 2014. Glad to know that all the money being donated to Palestinians in Gaza is going to good use.

Israel is disappointed, but “not surprised,” after reports emerged that the U.S. and U.K. have been spying on Israeli air force operations for the past 18 years. In Gaza, Coca Cola has announced plans to open a new factory within weeks. The manufacturing plant will provide over 1,000 jobs.

Right-wing organization Im Tirtzu has apologized for singling out Israeli left-wing agencies in an attack ad. “Dear friends. We were wrong,” the group posted on its Facebook page.

A heartbreaking video of a group of IDF soldiers that came to the aid of a mother dog trying to rescue her 12 puppies from a flooded house has gone viral in Israel. Sadly, five of the puppies drowned.

אמא מנסה להציל את גוריהסרטון קורע לב של אמא שמנסה להציל את גורייה..5 מהם טבעו, 7 ניצלו.הם עברו אלינו לקבלת טיפול רפואי וכבר יש עוד עשרות קריאות שמחכות לנו ואנחנו זקוקים לעזרה שלכם באומנות ואימוצים-לאלו שנמצאים עכשיו בחוץ ובקושי שורדים.אנחנו חוזרים ומבקשים שתעזרו לנו לפנות כלובים..אנחנו חוזרים ומבקשים שבמזג האויר הזה תעזרו לנו להוציא כלבים לבתים חמיםכי מזג האויר בחוץ הוא נורא- יש לנו קריאות לחילוץ של בעלי חיים במצוקה-ואין מקום!עזרו לנו לפנות מקום עבורם- ותעניקו למישהו שצריך אתכם עכשיו בית חם!בבית המחסה בכניסה לכפר רות מחכים למעלה מ-250 כלבים וחתולים. עזרו לנו.בוויז: תנו לחיות לחיות-כפר רות 036241776 שלוחה 3תודה ענקית וחיבוק גדול לחיילים היקרים! Posted by ‎תנו לחיות לחיות-העמוד הרשמי‎ on Monday, January 25, 2016

World: The CJN‘s Michael Fraiman took a trip to South America recently to search for the lost Amazonian Jews of Peru. Learn about his journey here.

The Netherlands has agreed to extend its role in the coalition against ISIS and start bombing targets in Syria.

The World Medical Association has reaffirmed its commitment to the Israeli Medical Association, after 71 British doctors sought to expel it over alleged “medical torture” of Palestinians. Spain has claimed that it’s “deeply worried” about Israel’s “use of force” in defending its citizens against Palestinian attacks.

Business: In investigating the BDS movement, Forbes claims (like so many Israelis before it) that the movement is actually more harmful to the Palestinian economy than it is to Israelis, citing examples like SodaStream.

A new campaign promoting Israeli achievements in the fields of technology, medicine, science, and humanitarian work got its first ad in the New York Times this week. Visit Israel Is On It for more info.

An Israeli team has discovered that millions of LG phones are at risk of a major security breach. Should have got that iPhone 6.

Mark Zuckerberg is now the 6th richest person in the world, thanks to Facebook’s stellar earnings reports. Speaking of FB, new buttons other than ‘likes’ will soon be available! With Facebook’s new reaction buttons, you’ll be able to express yourself on Facebook through emojis (what else?), whether you’re sad, angry, ecstatic, etc. Facebook Reactions Sports: Jewish casino mogul Sheldon Adelson wants to bring the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas, Alexei Bychenko became the first Israeli to claim a medal at the European Figure Skating Championships on Thursday (finishing second), and Canadians are cheesed that the headliner for the NBA All Star weekend isn’t Drake or someone even affiliated to Drake. Damn, that stings.

Culture: A Canadian doc about filmmaker Claude Lanzmann is up for an Oscar, Michael Douglas and Natan Sharansky are touring college campuses to discuss Judaism and anti-Semitism, Jerry Seinfeld obviously gets Israelis, and Netflix has bought its first-ever Israeli TV show!

1 thing about Israelis that Seinfeld noticedWATCH: Jerry Seinfeld just got back from Israel — and there’s one thing about Israelis that he noticed….

Posted by The Israel Project on Friday, January 29, 2016


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