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New Prisoner Releases This Month; Anti-Semitism in Sweden

Plus Israeli start-ups focus on women’s health, and more in the news

by
Stephanie Butnick
October 21, 2013
Palestinians celebrate while waiting for the arrival of released prisoners near Erez crossing, between Israel and northern Gaza Strip, early on August 14, 2013. (MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images)
Palestinians celebrate while waiting for the arrival of released prisoners near Erez crossing, between Israel and northern Gaza Strip, early on August 14, 2013. (MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images)

• A second wave of 30 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released at the end of the month as part of ongoing peace talks. [Times of Israel]

• Irish journalist Patrick Reilly wore a yarmulke in the Swedish city of Malmo to see how bad local anti-Semitism has become. “Even when I didn’t feel afraid I was made to feel different and unwelcome,” he reported. [Haaretz]

• Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver apparently hasn’t spoken to pal William Rapfogel since the disgraced Metropolitan Council On Jewish Poverty chief was indicted for stealing millions from the charity—which is especially awkward since Rapfogel’s wife, Judy, is Silver’s chief of staff. [NY Daily News]

• An Israeli start-up is developing a smartphone-mounted camera that takes pictures of the cervix, and an accompanying app that analyzes the data and detects whether a tumor is present. [JTA]

• In Huntsville, Alabama, a farmers market in a church parking lot offers fresh produce and sermons. [Ozy]

Stephanie Butnick is chief strategy officer of Tablet Magazine, co-founder of Tablet Studios, and a host of the Unorthodox podcast.