Rep. Frank is considered to have one of the fiercest wits and sharpest minds on Capitol Hill today. "The 68-year-old congressman may be imperious, antisocial and abrasive - President Bush's name for him is 'saber tooth' - yet, these days he is also indispensable," explains Ms. Cottle. "In recent weeks, as financial markets melted down, Frank has found himself in frequent consultation not only with his party leadership and caucus, but also with top Bush officials and major players on Wall Street, ... cementing him as the public face of Washington's efforts to cope with the chaos."

According to reports from both sides of the aisle, Rep. Frank is "clearly thriving at the center of the whirlwind. ... He (is) excite(d) about the opportunity to reshape public policy" and confident "about his ability to do so effectively."

Congressman Frank is well-known to JSPAN members. He was the guest speaker at the JSPAN Annual Meeting on May 20, 2007. Ms. Cottle's insightful profile reveals new insights about this powerful political voice that should be of interest to our readers.

To read "Bailout: The Redemption of Barney Frank" by Michelle Cottle in its entirety, click here.

The initiative, formerly known as the Saudi plan, had been endorsed that week by the Palestinian Authority. Even though there are "controversial" parts of the plan that require negotiation, Mr. Rosenberg stated unequivocally that "there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. I say that because every provision in it requires the agreement of both Arabs and Israelis. .... The Saudis (and the other Arabs) are not saying 'take it or leave it.' They are saying, 'let's negotiate.' "

Mr. Rosenberg used the issue of the return of refugees to Israel as an example: "In fact, to avoid misunderstanding, the reference to the return of the refugees - the most controversial part of the initiative - specifically refers to Israel's agreement. .... A solution to the refugee problem would not be imposed on Israel; it would have to be accepted by Israel."

In Mr. Rosenberg's estimation, however, there is a major stumbling block in the way: "Now Israel accepts the Palestinian right to statehood in the West Bank and Gaza. And the Arab Peace Initiative offers Israel not just acceptance, but also full recognition and normalization of relations with the entire Arab world. .... So why is Israel dragging its feet rather than accepting the plan and starting to negotiate? The reason is, almost surely, the settlers. It's always the settlers!"

Mr. Rosenberg concludes with a final challenge to the President-elect: "Time is running out. The Arab Peace Initiative presents an unprecedented opportunity. Obama should run with it."

To read "What Obama Needs to Do First" by M. J. Rosenberg in its entirety, click here.

The report examines ways that lawmakers can make smart investments to support infrastructure improvements, adequately fund public schools and spur job creation -- all important tools to stimulate the economy and make it more sustainable. Read the full report on the center's website.

The number of people in the worst-off category - the hungriest Americans - has risen by nearly one-third since 2000, from 8.5 million to 11.9 million. These numbers do not incorporate the jump in unemployment and the skyrocketing food costs that characterized 2008 and undoubtedly increased the number of hungry people in the U.S.

During the 2008 election cycle, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), under the leadership of its executive director Rabbi Steve Gutow, was at the forefront of faith-based efforts aimed at elevating the issue of poverty and eliciting concrete solutions from candidates for public office. President-Elect Obama made two pledges: to cut poverty in half in 10 years and to eliminate child hunger by 2015.

According to Rabbi Gutow, "The first step (now) is to include a temporary boost in the Food Stamp program (known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) and additional funding to our nation's food banks... These measures not only target assistance to those who are being hardest hit by the recession, but they also serve as the most effective stimulus ... in a time of economic downturn."

JCPA and other Jewish, interfaith and civil-rights organizations are urging local, state and national leaders to advance anti-poverty legislation and programs that help provide food, shelter, additional work and educational opportunities for the nation's most vulnerable.  

• full equality in marriage, regardless of sexual orientation
• support of civil unions, with or without any legal status to the term "marriage"
• state by state determinations on this issue, or
• whether to seek repeal of the federal "Defense of Marriage Act"

We welcome input from our members on this important issue. Click here to add your thoughts.

In the new poll, 59 percent of Americans agreed that the "people who run the TV networks and the major movie studios do not share the religious and moral values of most Americans." Also, 43 percent believed that Hollywood and the national media are waging an organized campaign to "weaken the influence of religious values in this country."

Nearly 40 percent of Americans supported the notion that "dangerous ideas should be banned from public school libraries," and nearly the same number disagreed with the statement that "censoring books is an old-fashioned idea." In addition, 49 percent believed that the United States is becoming "too tolerant in its acceptance of different ideas and lifestyles," while 47 percent disagreed.

"It is troubling that so many Americans feel as if the output of Hollywood is part of an organized campaign to undermine religious values in this country and believe that censorship is acceptable," said Abraham Foxman, ADL’s national director. "It shows that in this age of pervasive media and the widening availability of the Internet, many Americans still maintain a very parochial view toward the information age, and even believe in censorship to ‘protect morality.’ "

To access the ADL survey in its entirety, click here.

According to Mr. Fishman, "in the past year there have been at least five assassination attempts on establishment figures in Jerusalem and its environs. .... Is there a single common denominator for all five terror attempts? In at least some of them one can identify a kind of messianic-religious motive, an attempt to fix the nation and society as a whole. Other cases are linked to a more nationalist ideology."

Mr. Fishman expresses frustration at the political correctness that has hampered discussions of the issue. "In order to maintain correct political protocol and in order not to slander the name of a larger population, all governments and state organizations have been cautious in their terminology."

According to police data, attacks by Jews against Palestinians and Israeli law enforcement officers are on the rise this year. The Samaria and Judea District Police handled 675 violent incidents since January in which Jews attacked Palestinians or security forces. This year, 105 indictments were filed against suspects, compared to 61 indictments last year. Mr. Fishman attributes improved law enforcement to an Israeli public that is increasingly intolerant of settler violence and to better coordination between various law enforcement agencies in the West Bank.

However, even these new measures are "too little, too late." The modest West Bank police presence, comprised of 17 patrol cars, is up against thousands of well-organized youngsters, who coordinate their actions by text-messages and who are backed by charismatic leaders.

Please remember that JSPAN welcomes your donations to help us continue our important and effective work in Tikkun Olam. You may send gifts via PayPal on www.jspan.org. or to JSPAN, 1735 Market Street, Suite #A417, Philadelphia, PA 19103