In Short

Reform Embraces 'Ethical' Kashrut
NEW YORK (JTA) -- The Reform movement's rabbinical group endorsed the Conservative movement's ethical kosher initiative.

The Board of Trustees of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Reform movement's rabbinical association, resolved last month to explore ways to cooperate with the initiative, known as Hechsher Tzedek.

The conference urged producers of kosher meat to adhere to the highest ethical standards, applauded the Conservative movement for integrating ethical concerns into kashrut and encouraged Reform Jews to consider the initiative's guidelines in making dietary choices.

Spurred in large measure by the continuing controversy over Agriprocessors, the Iowa meat producer that was the target of a massive immigration raid in May, Conservative Rabbi Morris Allen has pushed Hechsher Tzedek as a supplementary certification attesting that kosher-food products are produced in an ethical manner.

Agudath Israel of America, an umbrella group of Orthodox Jews, is expected to release a statement criticizing the initiative.

Google Responds to ZOA Complaint
NEW YORK (JTA) -- The Zionist Organization of America applauded Google for removing what the group deemed as objectionable material about Israel from its Google Earth service.

In a letter to the company in July, ZOA said that Google Earth -- a popular service that provides detailed geographic information -- was hosting "false and demonizing political propaganda about Jews and Israel."

Users who searched for Israel or the West Bank, the ZOA said, were provided with information posted by pro-Palestinian users that appeared to be endorsed by Google.

JAFI, Nefesh B'Nefesh to Work Together
JERUSALEM (JTA) -- The Jewish Agency has agreed to an official collaboration on North American aliyah with Nefesh B'Nefesh.

The organizations announced that under an agreement signed a week ago, Nefesh B'Nefesh will have primary responsibility for marketing and promotion, while the Jewish Agency will remain responsible for determining aliyah eligibility with other authorities in Israel, and will also pay the airfare for each new émigré.

The organizations have been in competition with each other for several years.

Future olim from the United States and Canada can apply for both Nefesh B'Nefesh services and the Jewish Agency aliyah eligibility process using one application through Nefesh B'Nefesh.

The Jewish Agency will continue to maintain aliyah emissaries in North America, but it will be able to curtail the scope of this function in the future.