Comments (0)Descendants of Chinese Jews Arrive in Israel
October 29, 2009Jerusalem
JTA Wire Service
A group of descendants from an ancient Chinese Jewish community moved to Israel.
The seven young adults, all descendants of the Jewish community of Kaifeng, arrived last week in Israel on one-year entry permits.
They will study Hebrew at a kibbutz ulpan and then undergo conversion to Judaism, according to Michael Freund, founder of the Shavei Israel organization, which brought the group to Israel.
“This is an historic event,” Freund said. “Kaifeng’s Jewish descendants are a living link between China and the Jewish people, and it is very moving to see the remnants of this community returning to their roots.”
An estimated 1,000 Jewish descendants are living in Kaifeng.
Netanyahu, Livni Meet in Moscow
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Tzipi Livni met for the first time in four months.
The two met Monday to coordinate positions in advance of Livni’s scheduled trip to Moscow Tuesday at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to reports.
The visit by Livni, Israel’s foreign minister under Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, is being coordinated with her successor in the post, Avigdor Lieberman, Ha’aretz reported.
Livni in Moscow likely will discuss Iran’s nuclear aspirations and program. The Kadima Party chief also is expected to ask Lavrov to oppose referring the Goldstone report on last winter’s Gaza war to the U.N. Security Council, as well as meet with Russian lawmakers and Moscow Jews.
Livni and Netanyahu are supposed to meet regularly.
Israel to Form Task Force on Goldstone Report
Israel will establish a task force to respond to the Goldstone report and its repercussions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday appointed Israeli Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman to form the task force.
Netanyahu was careful to point out that the task force will not serve as an independent commission on the events of last winter’s Gaza war and that such a commission of inquiry is not being considered, according to reports.
“No soldiers or officers will be brought before a commission of inquiry,” Netanyahu said.
The task force will be made up of representatives of the foreign and defense ministries, as well as the Israel Defense Forces, Ha’aretz reported.
This story reprinted courtesy of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.