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LA Museum’s Nazi-Looted Art; FBI, NSA in Israel

Plus cancer-gene screening campaign sparks debate in Israel, and more

by
Stephanie Butnick
November 27, 2013
Portrait of St. Catherine of Alexandria, painted in Italy in 1615.(Los Angeles County Museum of Art)
Portrait of St. Catherine of Alexandria, painted in Italy in 1615.(Los Angeles County Museum of Art)

• Thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv for the funeral of Arik Einstein, the music sensation who, as Liel Leibovitz wrote yesterday, once defined and embodied Israeli culture. [Times of Israel]

• In Israel, a country with one of the highest breast cancer rates in the world, a screening campaign for cancer-causing genetic mutations has sparked a heated debate, and many emotional family discussions. [NYT]

• The Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s most recent donation is a Baroque-era painting that was looted by Nazis in 1944 and returned to its owner’s family last week. [NY Post]

• The wife of Alan Gross, the subcontractor for the State Department imprisoned in Cuba in 2009, is launcing a new campaign for Gross’ freedom. [Forward]

• FBI and the National Security Agency chiefs both reportedly visited Israel recently, likely part of the administration’s attempt to emphasize its security relationship with Israel. [JTA]

• Mark Zuckerberg’s sister, Randi, wants you to enjoy your Thanksgiving turkey without Instagramming it. Only awkward if you remember that Facebook owns Instagram. [Jewcy]

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