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Torahs Stolen in Queens

Several Torah scrolls were stolen from a Conservative synagogue in New York City. The Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills reported the theft last Saturday morning. News reports conflicted over whether seven or eight Torah scrolls were taken. WINS-AM radio reported that the congregation first discovered the theft when the ark was opened during services Saturday morning. “I can’t imagine anyone willing to buy these stolen Torahs,” said Bernie Newman, the synagogue’s honorary president. “If they read the words that are contained in these books, they’ll know that’s a terrible thing they’ve done.” Police say there were no signs of forced entry.

New Act Has Tougher Hate Crime Standards

President Bush enacted a higher education act that includes stricter standards for collecting campus hate crime data. The new act, signed into law on Thursday, applies FBI standards for universities collecting hate crime data. Failure to apply the new standards could affect federal funding for colleges. Jewish groups had lobbied for the change; earlier standards included fewer definitions of hate crimes.

“The enactment of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which includes an important new campus hate crime data collection mandate, is an important step forward,” the Anti-Defamation League said in a statement. “ADL stands ready to assist colleges and universities in providing education and training for campus law enforcement officials on a range of hate crime and extremism issues.” The act also includes new provisions for universities seeking federal funding for international studies that include standards for “diversity,” a salve to some Jewish and conservative groups that charge that Middle East departments are dominated by anti-Israel Arabists.

Rabbi to Deliver Dem Convention Invocation

Rabbi David Saperstein will deliver an invocation at the Democratic National Convention. The director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism will deliver the invocation on Aug. 28, the night that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is scheduled to accept the Democratic nomination. “I am deeply honored to have been invited to offer a religious voice at this celebration of American democracy; the opportunity to do so at an evening of such historic significance to our nation is especially meaningful,” Saperstein said.

The Democratic convention will open with a public interfaith service of Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. Several prominent religious leaders, including the heads of several Jewish, Christian and Muslim denominations and national organizations, are participating in both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (D.-Fla.) will also speak at the convention, on foreign policy issues. The Jewish congressman represents a large Jewish constituency.

Appeals Court to Hear Arguments in AIPAC Case

Oral arguments in the U.S. government’s leak case against two former AIPAC staffers have been set for October. On Thursday, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., scheduled oral arguments for Oct. 28-31 in the case against Steve Rosen, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s former foreign policy chief, and Keith Weissman, its former Iran analyst. Rosen and Weissman are charged with receiving classified information and relaying it to journalists, Israeli diplomats and colleagues at AIPAC. The charges are based on a section of the 1917 Espionage Act that prosecutors have rarely invoked because its inclusion of civilians as legitimate targets for prosecution for handling information threatens First Amendment protections. In March, the government had appealed rulings by U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis deeming some classified evidence admissible. It also sought reversals of earlier Ellis decisions against closing the trial to public scrutiny and narrowing the constitutional scope of the statute so that prosecutors must prove Rosen and Weissman harmed the United States, and not merely helped Israel.

The 4th Circuit already ruled in June that it would only consider what classified evidence may be ruled admissible, and dismissed the government’s arguments on the closed court and the constitutionality of the charges. However, in its most recent filing last month, the government continued to press the latter issues. Sources close to the defense say that the government appears determined to restore the entirety of the section of the Espionage Act underpinning the case, even though it has been knocked back by Ellis and the appeals court. Documents uncovered in recent years show that the Bush administration was considering using the section in question as a way to punish those receiving leaks even before the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The appelate court often issues rulings based only on written briefs. The fact that the court has called for oral arguments suggests that the issue of what classified evidence may be deemed admissible at trial is proving vexing. Ultimately, the government decides what evidence may be presented at trial. However, a judge may issue sanctions—and may even dismiss a case entirely—if the government refuses to allow the use of evidence that the judge has deemed admissible. The Oct. 28 date for oral arguments in the appellate court almost certainly knocks back the latest trial date set by Ellis, also Oct. 28. Trial dates have been set and canceled at least five times since indictments were handed down three years ago.

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