NewsBits: Around the Jewish World

both from the Jerusalem Post:

Hadassah stretches to meet costs of new tower by 2012 deadline

The Madoff affair and its reverberations on donors to Jewish and Israeli causes has led to the raising so far of only about $200 million of the $300 million cost of the hospitalization tower under construction on the Hadassah University Medical Center campus in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem.

Some relief has been provided by the David and Fela Shapell Family Foundation, which has declined to announce exactly how much it is contributing…

However, The Jerusalem Post learned that it is between $10 million and $20 million.

Molla denies he misused US donations

Kadima MK Shlomo Molla hit back angrily on Tuesday at allegations made in The Jerusalem Post by an anonymous source that he had used donations from US Jewish organizations and individuals for personal expenses.

Molla was responding to claims by a source close to him that he had used money given to him by Orthodox institutions, Reform and Conservative congregations and at least one rabbi to buy clothes and presents for his family during a recent trip to the US.

The MK also addressed information published earlier this week by the Hebrew media that revealed how a large donation from an American messianic Jewish (Christian) organization had ended up in his private bank account.

from JTA:

Italian Jews launch new Jewish newspaper – for non-Jews

When Italy’s first national Jewish newspaper launches this month, Italy will get what few Jewish communities around the world offer: a Jewish newspaper geared toward non-Jews.

Sponsored by the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, or UCEI, the umbrella organization that links Italy’s 21 established Jewish communities, the newspaper and an online Jewish information portal launched last year are part of a multi-dimensional media offensive aimed at bolstering the Jewish voice in Italy and creating a constructive dialogue between Jews and non-Jewish Italians.