Your daily spiel for Monday, March 7

IDF unveils photo series in honour of International Women's Day, Bernie Sanders talks Judaism, Palestinian Media Watch reinstated on YouTube, London Uber driver shouts "kill all the Jews" at Orthodox bus driver, and more

Your Daily Spiel is The CJN‘s daily roundup of trending stories in the Jewish world


Canada: Aside from the Kim Catrall gaffe that emerged from Justin Trudeau’s appearance on 60 Minutes, the Canadian PM gave American audiences the chance to get to know him intimately, opening about his family and his politics, while on the other end of the political spectrum, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario unveiled its (unimpressive?) new logo.

The new logo for the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party
The new logo for the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party

As food prices continue to soar, Canadian kosher consumers are having a tough time shopping, an Ottawa playwright is the first Canadian to win Yale’s prestigious Windham-Campbell prize, York University’s faculty association has joined the YUDivest campaign many believe is part of the BDS movement, Roger Waters stopped by Radio-Canada’s Montreal headquarters yesterday to talk BDS (what else?), and, thanks to a clever comedian, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia will henceforth be known as Anti-Trump Island.

U.S.: Bernie Sanders finally opened up about his Judaism during yesterday’s debate against Hillary Clinton, former ADL leader Abe Foxman says Donald Trump’s now infamous Nazi-esque hand-gesture was a deliberate “fascist gesture,” the late Nancy Reagan was eulogized by Benjamin Netanyahu as a “great friend of Israel,” and ten Israeli-Americans were indicted over illegally operating Dead Sea mall kiosks.

Israel: A 60-year-old tourist was lightly injured in Jerusalem after she was attacked by stone throwers, an IDF widow was denied her request to engrave her late husband’s tombstone, Israeli Arab political parties have condemned the Gulf states for listing Hezbollah as a terror group, and P.A. president Mahmoud Abbas recently likened the current “knife intifadah” to a “popular peaceful uprising.”

2,500-year-old woman's seal ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY PHOTO
2,500-year-old woman’s seal ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY PHOTO

The mayor of a Hebron village (home to twelve young Palestinians who died either while attacking Israeli Jews or during clashes with troops) explained why it’s been eerily quiet as of late, a YouTube account belonging to Palestinian Media Watch was removed and then reinstated today, while meeting with Romanian president Werner Iohannis, Netanyahu spoke of how Israel defends Europe from terrorism, and Israeli settlers are refusing to comply with the EU’s new settlement guidelines.

IDF soldier in 1954 ASSAF KUTIN/IDF PHOTO
IDF soldier in 1954 ASSAF KUTIN/IDF PHOTO

In Jerusalem, a 2,500-year-old woman’s seal from the First Temple was discovered, while a 4,200-year-old tomb complex was unearthed near Bethlehem, police are investigating an incident at an event sponsored by Ha’aretz where a left-wing artist graphically desecrated the Israeli flag on stage, and to celebrate International Women’s Day, the IDF has unveiled a series of photos depicting women warriors throughout Israel’s history.

World: An anti-Semitism watchdog is asking Amsterdam to rename a municipal hall honouring an enthusiastic Nazi sympathizer, in a first, a neo-Nazi party has won a seat in Slovakia’s parliament, Sweden insists it will provide financial aid to the Palestinian Authority regardless of its anti-Semitic or anti-Israel educational policies, and Indonesian president Joko Widodo has called on the Islamic world to unite for “Palestine.”

In the U.K., a pro-Palestinian group at Queen Mary University has been suspended after inviting a convicted terrorist to speak, a new report claims Oxford students laughed at Jewish terror victims while mocking the Holocaust, and a London Uber driver was convicted of road rage after shouting “Kill all the Jews” at an Orthodox bus driver.

Tech: India’s third-largest conglomerate is currently shopping for Israeli tech, and a charity lead by Israeli women has connected 104 villages across Africa to water and electricity.

Culture: Jewish rapper Daniel Isenberg opens about about contributing to Matisyahu’s revered album Youth (which turns ten on Friday), amidst the thousands of newly-unearthed lyrics and tapes part of the Bob Dylan Archive is a note where he calls Barbra Streisand his “favourite star,” and Lena Dunham is in hospital to undergo surgery for a ruptured ovarian cyst.

Saturday Night Live had fun at Donald Trump’s expense (who isn’t?) over the weekend, with a sketch called “Racists for Trump.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfjaQe_7T1Q

Also on SNL, Jewish actor Jonah Hill filled in for Drake’s verses while rapping alongside Future:


Ideas for news items to include in the spiel? Please send them to [email protected].

Click here for Friday’s edition of Your Daily Spiel

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