What Sweden's Jews have to say about the aborted Bible burning

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and Diaspora reporter Canaan Lidor join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with a number of African officials in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Sunday. Hebrew media has reported on an off-record meetup with an official of a country that does not currently have ties with Israel. Which country could it be? President Isaac Herzog is flying to the US late tonight. Who is unhappy with the trip and what is planned for the president? During his weekly Saturday night sermon, Yitzhak Yosef, the Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel, accused National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir of “sinning and causing others to sin” by visiting the Temple Mount. What instigated this outburst? In a story that lit up international headlines, a Muslim activist who had received permission to burn a Torah and a Bible outside the Israeli embassy in Sweden on Saturday said he was backing off from the move. What did local Jews have to say? The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration has ended a so-called fast track for Russian and Belarusian applicants, citing low demand for the service despite increasing arrivals amid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war. Lidor gives a 360-degree explanation. Discussed articles include: In Nairobi, FM said to meet with leader of African country with no ties to Israel Netanyahu said to bash Israeli ambassador to US over lack of White House invite Chief Sephardic rabbi: Ben Gvir’s Temple Mount visits are a ‘sin’ Activist backs off Sweden Torah burning: Trying to draw attention to Quran desecration Government ends fast-tracked immigration option for Russians, drawing criticism Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. Illustrative image: A Hebrew Bible at a synagogue in Jerusalem, July 14, 2023. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.