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

CANADA

Canadian MP Omar Alghabra has denied allegations that he holds anti-Israel views at a recent conference in Mississauga. “I do not believe a boycott is a constructive approach. I did not enter politics to promote boycott but to encourage engagement and dialogue between parties for the purpose of reaching long-lasting peace,” he said.

Canada’s last Jewish radio station, Radio Shalom, has shut down after fifteen years. There is talk, however, of whether some Jewish content can continue under the station’s new managers, evangelical Christians.

UNITED STATES

A spokesperson for the UN has cited a “miscommunication” over its decision to uncensor a display about Zionism at a pro-Israel exhibit created by Israel’s mission to the UN and StandWithUs. Two other displays, one about Israeli Arabs and the other about Zionism, remained censored.

Students at Massachusetts-based Brandeis University reported discovering a swastika drawn on a Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) house Friday night. The university’s interim president called it a “heinous act.”

ISRAEL

After excavating a 2,000-year-old Jewish settlement and synagogue from the Second Temple era near the Sea of Galilee, Israeli archeologists found rare and well-preserved antiquities, including a bronze shovel and jug.   

An Israeli lawmaker with right-wing party Jewish Home took to Twitter this week to declare his support for separating Jewish and Arab mothers in the maternity ward at Israeli hospitals. “It’s natural that my wife wouldn’t want to lie down [in a bed] next to a woman who just gave birth to a baby who might want to murder her baby twenty years from now,” he said, before declaring that Arabs are his “enemy.” Several MKs Jewish and non-Jewish alike condemned his tweets as “racist.”

Two Jewish Israelis were arrested after impersonating Muslims to gain entrance to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a site holy to both Muslims and Jews, but largely only available to Muslim worshippers.

The IDF says that there is enough evidence to prosecute the soldier who shot an unarmed Palestinian attacker in Hebron, despite claims that he feared for his life. “I saw him move his hand and head. I didn’t shoot for no reason. I wouldn’t have fired if I didn’t feel I was in imminent danger,” he said. “I was emotional, and in a split second I decided to shoot.”

WORLD

In a new video report from Vice, Jewish leaders in Paris speak about a “community in fear.” CRIF director general Robert Ejness says he believes anti-Semitism will continue to rise no matter what security precautions are overseen by the government. He adds that Jewish parents are “very worried and questioning the future of their children in this country.”

Google has removed an app developed by the Taliban from its app store. The app was developed in a bid for the terrorist group to attract a wider, larger audience around the world. With groups like ISIS, Hezbollah, Boko Haram, etc., there’s obviously a lot of competition out there these days when it comes to spewing hatred and inflicting terror.

New Zealand’s former prime minister Helen Clark announced her candidacy to be the next UN secretary-general yesterday. In 2004, Clark imposed major diplomatic sanctions on Israel after two Israelis were convicted of illegally obtaining New Zealand passports. Let’s just hope she treats Israel fairly (unlike current secretary-general Ban Ki-moon).

A week after the U.K.’s Labour Party suspended member Vicki Kirby for sharing anti-Israel vitriol, an activist aligned with the party has been expelled over airing comments denying the Holocaust.

CULTURE

Our favourite Canadian-Jewish rapper unveiled two new songs from his upcoming Views from the 6 today, including a jam that features both Kanye West and Jay-Z. Click here to hear it via Apple Music.

Rob Liefeld, creator of Deadpool, tried out an Israeli accent at ComicCon recently. It could have been better.

Anyone else see Jewish wunderkid Kevin Pillar’s insane catch last night? #GoJays #ComeTogether

Click here for yesterday’s edition of Your Daily Spiel

Send ideas, news items to [email protected]