World news-roundup: Rio mayor to celebrate win in Israel

Country: Brazil

Rio de Janeiro’s new mayor-to-be is to celebrate his election win – in Israel. Marcelo Crivella, an evangelical Christian leader, has been to Israel 35 times already, and was described as a ‘great friend of the Jewish people’ by Israel’s envoy in the city. Brazilian media said ‘the Jewish vote’ was key to his win.

Country: Germany

The American architect who designed the Berlin Holocaust memorial has said that he doubts it would get permission today, citing rising hate levels and a ‘changing social climate’. Peter Eisenman’s abstract monument includes 2,711 tombstone-like slabs of stone of differing heights, plus an underground museum.

Country: Australia

A Muslim cleric in Sydney has backtracked on his comments after telling children that Jews had ‘only envy and hatred’ in their hearts, which were ‘harder than stone’. Sheikh Youseef Hassan, described as a ‘moderate,’ said he was only referring to a particular group of Jews as mentioned in the Koran, not all Jews.

Country: United States

Outside the race for the White House, some American Jews took part in a different battle last week, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with native American Indians in Dakota to oppose a $3.7 billion oil pipeline, which may contaminate tribes’ drinking water. One rabbi cited Jews’ 500-year old alliance with native Americans.