http://washingtonjewishweek.com en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 20:17:15 GMT Daily feed of articles http://washingtonjewishweek.com/Main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=29&ArticleID=19361 Many American universities share the common problems of insufficient student housing and inadequate funding for their Hillel student centers. As recently reported by JTA (see Page 4), supporters of Hillel at the University of Central Florida in Orlando have come up with an approach to address both problems, which combines entrepreneurship with philanthropy. The Orlando plan deserves careful attention, since it could serve as a model for other fiscally challenged communities. Commentary Wed, 22 May 2013 14:27:00 GMT http://washingtonjewishweek.com/Main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=29&ArticleID=19360 Over the last two weeks, Russia has demonstrated again that it considers Syria's government a vital ally, a strategic asset and a regime worth saving, notwithstanding the country's two-year-old civil war. Russia's shipment of advanced weaponry to the government of Bashar al-Assad could make it more difficult for the West to impose a no fly-zone or to establish a naval embargo in Syria, or otherwise to help advance the rebel efforts. In addition, in an apparent about-face, Russia announced it will deliver S-300 advanced missiles to Syria, in fulfillment of a 2010 contract, and it has stepped up deployment of Russian warships in the eastern Mediterranean and at its station at the Syrian port of Tartus. Commentary Wed, 22 May 2013 14:26:00 GMT