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OU IPA Washington Wire - July 13, 2007
July 13, 2007
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Rally for Captured Israeli Soldiers

This week marks the anniversary of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. The fighting began on July 12, 2006 after Hezbollah militants attacked Israeli soldiers in a border patrol, killing three and capturing two others. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect Eretz Yisrael. We continue to pray for the return of Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser, Eldad Regev, and Gilad Shalit who remain in captivity.

Join us at a rally in New York demanding the release of our soldiers. The rally will take place on Monday, July 16th, 2007 at 12:00 noon at the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (First Avenue and 47th Street) in New York City. Please click here for more details.

In the News

NJJN reports this week on the continuing debate about education tax credits. The article entitled "Both sides draw on lessons of other states' tuition tax breaks" quotes IPA Deputy Director Howie Beigelman saying that passage of the bill would be "historic. We would certainly be supportive of anything that happens in New Jersey.... Minnesota has had similar deductions and Illinois has credit for education expenses. The Pittsburgh Jewish community has done really well. They raised over $1 million this past year from corporations for a scholarship fund. In the Scottsdale, Ariz., Jewish community, more than 60 percent of the children in day schools are receiving scholarships." Read the article here.

The House passed legislation on July 11 condemning the decision by the leadership of the University and College Union of the United Kingdom to support a boycott of Israeli academia. H.RES.467, introduced by Representative Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania, comes amidst similar talks of divestment from Iran and Sudan, and says that such sanctions will not be extended towards Israel.

Campaign '08

This week Time Magazine featured a story on the Democrat's new focus on religion. Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy write "In this campaign season, if Clinton and Barack Obama and John Edwards are any measure, there will be nothing unusual in Democrats' talking about the God who guides them and the beliefs that sustain them. Clinton has hired Burns Strider, a congressional staffer (and evangelical Baptist from Mississippi) who is assembling a faith steering group from major denominations and sends out a weekly wrap-up, Faith, Family and Values. Edwards has been organizing conference calls with progressive religious leaders and is about to embark on a 12-city poverty tour. In the past month alone, Obama's campaign has run six faith forums in New Hampshire, where local clergy and laypeople discuss religious engagement in politics. Read the article here.

(While the IPA endeavors to bring the Washington Wire readership statements from presidential candidates on issues of interest to the OU community, doing so does not indicate any endorsement of any party or candidate by the IPA or IPA staff.)
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[This email is comprised of excerpts from cited news articles and does not necessarily represent the views, opinions, or positions of the Institute for Public Affairs, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, its affiliates or its employees.