WISHING OUR READERS
the
ewish Voice J
TM
Deuteronomy 32:1
M AY T H E E A RT H H E A R T H E WO R D S O F M Y M O U TH
April 22, 2011| 4 Nissan 9 5771
PFLP Members Arrested for Itamar Murders
Vol. 7, Iss. 16
CHAG SAMEACH V'KASHER HAPPY AND KOSHER PASSOVER HOLIDAY
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IRAN SECRETLY AIDING CRACKDOWN ON SYRIA PROTESTS
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Israel Expects 250,000 Tourists to Celebrate Passover, Holy Week
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Former Comptroller Hevesi Receives Max Prison Sentence The Kotel, Judaism’s holiest site, is a popular destination for both Jewish and non-Jewish tourists visiting Israel.
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TOURISM REMAINS STRONG DESPITE TERRORIST, ROCKET ATTACKS JV Composite
Israeli Academic to Lead Prominent American Think Tank
BY DAVID GOLLUST The U.S. State Department said Thursday it has credible information that Iran is helping the Syrian government quell anti-government protests. Meanwhile a top U.S. diplomat is returning to Bahrain to try to ease a conflict between authorities and protestors there. ran has at least in public statements, praised protest movements in Arab countries. But officials here say that it is actively helping Syria in efforts to quell persistent demonstrations against the Damascus government. The State Department comments follow a Wall Street Journal report Thursday quoting U.S. officials as saying that Iran is providing the government of Syrian President Bashar
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Israel’s tourism is holding steady for the upcoming Passover and Easter holidays despite the turmoil in neighboring countries and recent terrorist and rocket attacks. About 250,000 visitors are expected during “holy month” - about the same number as last year.
al-Assad with gear to suppress crowds, and assistance in blocking and monitoring protestors’ use of the Internet, cellphones and textmessaging. The Iranian government used such tactics to violently put down a local protest movement last year, and the Wall Street Journal said its support for the al-Assad government reflects its concern about the prospect of losing a critical regional ally. At a news briefing, State Department Acting Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said while the Iranian government has “obvious problems” with its own human rights record, it continues to play a meddling role in the region. “We believe that there is credible information that Iran is assisting Syria," said
assover begins this year on the evening of April 18 and lasts eight days outside of Israel, and seven days in Israel. Easter falls on April 24 in both Western and Orthodox Christianity, with Good Friday occurring two days earlier. The week encompassing those days, which also includes Palm Sunday – April 17 – is known as Holy Week. Passover is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish calendar and begins with a festive meal, the Seder, on the eve of the first night of the holiday when the biblical account of the Israelites’ release
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