ANTHONY LAKE CONVERTED TO JUDAISM

Yes, Anthony Lake is Jewish (Now) (JTA)
Obama’s foreign policy adviser, Tony Lake, was at NYU today, talking to students at the Bronfman Center about why he thinks the Democratic presidential hopeful is so great. But before he got into details, Lake, who served as national security adviser in the Clinton administration, described his own history of first being mistaken for, and then actually becoming, a Jew.

SCIENTOLOGISTS DESCEND UPON VULNERABLE SDEROT RESIDENTS

Sderot residents offered Scientology workshops (JPost)
In a move seen by some as an attempt to take advantage of Sderot's shell-shocked residents, a nonprofit group is offering them free workshops based on the teachings of the late L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology.

A group calling itself the Association for Prosperity and Security in the Middle East, which denies any connection with the Church of Scientology, has sent e-mails to social workers in Sderot offering to help the residents cope with the Kassam rocket attacks.

It is entitled, "Sick of being bombed?" and asks: "Are you afraid to leave the house in the morning? Don't know if the children will return home safely? Business in danger? Life become a struggle in the shadow of fear? Come make sure right now that the psychological damage will be as limited as possible!" The free workshops are offered to schools and places of work.

Dalia Yosef, head of the Hosen Center - an umbrella organization for all the psychological counseling and professional support provided to Sderot's residents - said several social workers had voiced concern after receiving e-mails soliciting interest in a workshop provided by the organization.....

Mordi Bucai, who answered the Center for Scientology's toll-free line, told the Post that there was no Scientology activity in Sderot. He said that the teachings found in "The Way to Happiness" were "totally different" from Scientology.

Bucai acknowledged that most of the people in the Association for Prosperity, including its director-general, were Scientologists. But he added that some were not, and one did not have to be a Scientologist to work for the association....

Ayelet Kedem, director-general of the Israeli Center for Cult Victims, said the Association for Prosperity was a front for Scientology activities.... Kedem added that Scientologists often tried to take advantage of the weakened psychological state of victims of natural disaster, or in this case, Sderot's victims of terrorism......

A leading rabbi from the Sderot Hesder Yeshiva said he and his students would go from door to door if necessary to prevent Scientologists or those disseminating Hubbard's teachings from making inroads among Sderot residents.  "We have no need for any '-ologies' here in Sderot," said the rabbi. "Attempts to take advantage of peoples' weaknesses in times of distress are worthy of condemnation."

The Association for Prosperity said in response: "It is sad that as the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Jewish state approaches, there are still vile individuals trying to vilify other Jews for their convictions, faith, education, skin color [and] gender, in ways that remind us all of what happened during the Holocaust and that almost resulted in the loss of the entire Jewish people.

"We denounce such behavior, as we do those brainless individuals who choose to find fault with volunteers giving of their time, money and energy for the residents of Sderot, instead of reaching out to innocent Jews under a constant barrage of rockets."

COURT: JCC CAN FIRE "JEW FOR JESUS"

Court backs JCC's right to fire employee over Jews for Jesus link (JTA)
A federal court ruling that allowed a JCC to fire an employee who attended a Jews for Jews event could serve as a broader legal guide for Jewish institutions that want to reserve the right to hire only Jews for various positions.

PALI JEWISH CONVERT CONVICTED OF AIDING TERRORIST BROTHER

Haifa resident convicted of planning to transfer explosives to Islamic Jihad (YNet)
The Haifa District Court convicted a 39-year-old city resident of conspiring to assist the enemy, contacting a foreign agent and additional security offenses. The man, a Palestinian who converted to Judaism and changed his name to Assaf Ben-David, was convicted of planning to purchase explosives for his brother, an Islamic Jihad member wanted by the IDF. The brother was killed by IDF fire before the deal came through.

JEWISH SON OF NAZI

The ultimate betrayal? (JTA)
First, he's a former officer in the Israel Defense Forces, a physician who developed expertise in biological warfare. He lives in Miramar, Florida, runs a family practice in North Miami Beach, has become a legislative leader of the American Medical Association and is active in local Jewish causes.

Now, at 49, he has decided to tell "my coming-out story."

It is this: He was born the Christian son of a World War II German tank commander — a third-generation warrior who received Deutschland's highest military honor, the Iron Cross, which was pinned on his uniform by Adolf Hitler himself.

As a teenager, Bernd studied the Nazis and the Holocaust and was repelled by what he learned. Ultimately, he converted to Judaism and moved to Israel.

"This was, and is, very difficult to deal with, " he said. "I never saw my father again."

HAMAS KIDNAPS PROFESSOR, FORCES HER TO CONVERT

'Hamas forced professor to convert' (JPost)
Fatah officials in Ramallah claimed over the weekend that Professor Sana al-Sayegh, who teaches at Palestine University in Gaza City, was kidnapped by Hamas militiamen who forced her to convert to Islam against her will. The officials said the president of the university, Dr. Zaher Khail, had assisted Hamas in kidnapping the professor. They added that senior officials in the office of Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh played a major role in forcing her to convert to Islam.

"She was forced to convert to Islam against her will," the Fatah officials said. "She was kidnapped and held for two weeks during which time she was not allowed to contact her family." Sayegh is the dean of the Science and Technology Faculty at Palestine University. She has represented the university at numerous conferences around the world over the past few years and is considered one of the most prominent experts in her field.

According to the Fatah officials, she went missing in late June. When her family's attempts to find her failed, they sought the help of Haniyeh's office. Two weeks later the family was summoned to a meeting with some of Haniyeh's aides, who were accompanied by the professor. At the meeting, which was held at the home of Hamas official Rafik Makki, the family was told that the professor had converted to Islam and married a Muslim man.

When the professor's stunned mother asked her if this was true, she nodded her head, murmuring: "Yes, God has guided me through the right path." The mother later claimed that her daughter made the statement under threats from Hamas gunmen who were in the room.

CHELSEA CLINTON THINKING OF CONVERTING?

Chelsea Clinton: Good for the Jews? (Contentions)
It’s hard to grasp the point of yesterday’s front page New York Times article on Chelsea Clinton by wunderkind reporter Jodi Kantor. While it’s clear that Kantor intended her piece to reveal the “real” Chelsea, she admits at the outset that the former first daughter and her parents “turned down interview requests for the article, as they have for countless others on the subject.” So, how does Kantor remedy this lack? With received wisdom and banalities, naturally. Kantor helpfully informs readers that the young Clinton has strawberry blond hair and favors tasteful pantsuits, that she graduated in 2001 from Stanford, did a stint at McKinsey, and works at a hedge fund run by a donor to various Clinton causes. That’s hard-hitting reportage.

The only mildly interesting nugget in the piece was the paragraph near the end, in which we discover that Chelsea hopes to learn “more about Judaism,” the faith of her boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky. Clinton, a “churchgoing Methodist,” has, of late, been attending Sabbath dinners. Perhaps Judaism will reach the White House in 2008 after all.

POPE EXPANDS USE OF PRAYER FOR CONVERSION OF JEWS

Vatican Expands Use of Prayer for Conversion of the Jews (INN)
Jewish groups demanding explanations from Vatican for its edict expanding use of an old prayer asking help for Jews to overcome their blindness.

SEE: WILL POPE REINTRODUCE ANTI-SEMITIC MASS?

IS BRITNEY SPEARS CONVERTING TO JUDAISM?

Besides showing off her newly brunette locks, Britney Spears models another accessory – a Star of David necklace – as she and new guy Isaac Cohen (not pictured) leave Hollywood's Chateau Marmont Monday night. A source close to Cohen tells PEOPLE that the necklace belongs to him. (People)

Britney Spears: From Pop Star to Star of David (FOXNEWS)

So is the Southern Baptist Brit converting for her new boy toy, Jewish model Isaac Cohen? While Brit dabbled in Kabbalah (an offshoot of Judaism) back in 2003 after being introduced to the religion by former pal Madonna, she quit in May 2006, declaring: “My religion is my baby.” According to World Entertainment News Network, Britney is so smitten with Cohen, she's very interested in adapting to his way of life.

ARE POP TARTS KOSHER?

CONVERSIONS TO JUDAISM (NOT FOR MARRIAGE) RISING

Converting, on their own terms
Conversions to Judaism -- and not for purposes of marriage -- are rising. (New York Jewish Week)