NEW YORK (JTA) — A man convicted of having been a Nazi concentration camp guard lost his appeal to retain his citizenship.
On Monday, a U.S. appeals court ruled against Theodor Szehinskyj, who lost his citizenship two years ago after a court determined he had served as a Nazi guard. A retired machinist living in the Philadelphia area, Szehinskyj now could face deportation.
Rabbis will visit political prisoner
NEW YORK (JTA) — Two U.S. rabbis will visit Lori Berenson in her Peruvian prison.
Rabbis Balfour Brickner and Josh Saltzman, along with Christian clerics, traveled to Peru last week to see the jailed American Jewish woman, according to the New York Jewish Week.
Berenson, 32, is serving a 20-year prison term after being convicted of collaborating with leftist terrorists against the Peruvian government.
Berenson has recently complained of physical abuse in the prison.
World’s iciest rabbi defrosts for Shabbat
NEW YORK (JTA) — A New York rabbi failed to set the record for remaining inside an ice hut.
Rabbi Abraham Abraham, a senior citizen, emerged from his ice hut last Friday in order to prepare for Shabbat.
Abraham’s 54 hours and 54 minutes fell short of the record set by Wim Hof, who lived in a tube of ice cubes for more than 60 hours.
Abraham was fully dressed and did not come into contact with the ice, but said the temperature inside his hut hovered around 10 degrees. He said he neither ate nor slept during his time in the walk-in freezer.
A spokesman for Abraham told the New York Jewish Week that the stunt, dedicated to Sept. 11 victims, was also designed to show the world that Jews are “strong physically and mentally.”
Bill Clinton to get Tel Aviv U. degree
NEW YORK (JTA) — Former President Clinton will visit Israel later this month to receive an honorary degree from Tel Aviv University.
Clinton will give a speech on the Middle East peace process Jan. 20 in Tel Aviv, and participate in the opening of the Clinton Center for American Studies at the university, which will teach U.S. history, culture and political science.
The school is also opening the Saban Center for American Studies, which will teach Israelis how to speak on television and provide opportunities for U.S. politicians to visit Israel in an academic setting.
History of terror is being rewritten
NEW YORK (JTA) — Scholastic removed a line from its Web site stating that the Jews who fought the Romans were the world’s first terrorists.
The reference was contained in the children’s publication “History of Terrorism.” An editor with the company said the line was taken out because further research could not substantiate the claim.