JTA daily briefing

JTA DAILY BRIEFING
Tuesday March 17, 2009

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TODAY'S STORIES
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Summaries after Breaking News

* To revitalize Jerusalem, new mayor looks to Diaspora
* Wave of staff cuts hits federations
* Roger Cohen spars with Iranian Jewish expats
* Op-Ed: American corporate complicity created undeniable Nazi nexus


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BREAKING NEWS
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Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu asked President Shimon Peres to help him form a unity government.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/17/1003766/netanyahu-asks-peres-for-coalition-help

Russia's Jewish billionaires lost more than two-thirds of their wealth in 2008, according to figures released by Forbes magazine.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/16/1003759/financial-crisis-hits-russias-billionaires-hard

A second group of Conservative Jewish leaders has issued a series of demands of the movement's synagogue association.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/17/1003775/more-woes-for-conservative-leadership

It is not appropriate for the pope to wear a cross at the Western Wall, the rabbi in charge of the holy site said.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/17/1003767/rabbi-no-crosses-at-western-wall

The Conference of European Rabbis welcomed moves by a European Parliament committee to protect the right to kosher slaughter.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/16/1003757/european-rabbis-praise-moves-to-protect-kosher-slaughter

A Russian woman related to Israel's first president was beaten in her home in an attack with anti-Semitic overtones.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/17/1003765/relative-of-israels-first-president-beaten

Germany appears to be preparing to ditch the Durban II anti-racism conference for being an attack on Israel.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/16/1003756/germany-preparing-to-drop-durban-ii

Australia said it will boycott the Durban II anti-racism conference unless the heavily anti-Israel conference draft document is changed.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/17/1003772/australia-ready-to-boycott-durban-ii

The fatal shooting of two Israeli policemen in the Jordan Valley is not connected to the removal of a checkpoint, an Israeli police commander said.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/17/1003769/police-checkpoint-removal-not-connected-to-attack

An American demonstrator seriously injured during a protest against the West Bank security fence is breathing on his own.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/17/1003777/injured-american-fence-protestor-improves

Lebanon opened its first embassy in Syria.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/17/1003770/lebanon-opens-embassy-in-syria

Israel's senior negotiator briefed the father of Gilad Shalit amid rumors that the talks to free the kidnapped soldier had broken down.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/17/1003763/israel-hamas-reneges-on-shalit-deal

One of Canada's largest universities says it will probe recent campus clashes relating to the Middle East.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/16/1003758/york-university-will-probe-clashes-over-mideast

The Jewish Funders Network will provide $750,000 in matching grants to first-time gifts for environmental projects in Israel.
Read more: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/03/16/1003735/jfn-annonces-750000-pool-for-matching-grants-for-israeli-environmental-projects