Updates on Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, news on DACA, Congress returns and football season kicks off.
Rebuilding Texas
The founder of Dell Technologies has pledged up to $36 million to rebuild Texas following the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. Michael Dell announced the donation on Sept. 1 to the Rebuild Texas Fund, established by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. He grew up in Houston in a neighborhood that was hard hit by the tropical storm. “This disaster is personal to everyone who has roots in Texas. Both of us were born and raised in Texas, and the street Michael grew up on in Houston is under water now,” a statement issued by the foundation said. Forbes estimates Dell’s net worth as of February 2017 at $20.8 billion. Dell’s ancestors Anglicized the family’s original Yiddish name, Thal, when they immigrated to the United States.
Read: Jewish Founder of Dell Pledges Up to $36M to Rebuild Texas
And then there’s Irma
According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Irma has strengthened to a category 5 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, data from a hurricane-hunter aircraft show. Irma is expected to remain a dangerous hurricane as it approaches the Leeward Islands. It is still too early to tell the exact impact Irma will have on the United States. Both Florida and Puerto Rico have declared states of emergency. Landfall is expected early Wednesday on the island of Anguilla.
Read: Hurricane Irma strengthens to Category 5: Puerto Rico, Florida brace
DACA update
President Donald Trump has decided to end the Obama-era program that grants work permits to undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as children, according to two sources familiar with his thinking. Senior White House aides met on Sept. 3 to discuss the rollout of a decision likely to ignite a political firestorm — and fulfill one of the president’s core campaign promises, according to Politico. Trump has wrestled for months with whether to do away with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA. But conversations with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who argued that Congress — rather than the executive branch — is responsible for writing immigration law, helped persuade the president to terminate the program and kick the issue to Congress, two sources said. The White House plans to delay the enforcement of the president’s decision for six months, giving Congress a window to act, according to one White House official. But a senior White House aide said that chief of staff John Kelly, who has been running the West Wing policy process on the issue, “thinks Congress should’ve gotten its act together a lot longer ago.”
Read: Trump has decided to end DACA, with 6-month delay
Also see: Jewish Groups Attack Trump’s Call to End DACA Immigration Program
Look who’s back!
Congress is back in session after a month-long break and has a pretty long list of must-dos. According to CNN Politics, here are 10 of the biggest issues Congress needs to address this year. The items are: Hurricane Harvey relief money, the debt ceiling, a government shutdown, DACA, tax reform, a National Flood Insurance Program, Russia, North Korea, Affordable Care Act repeal and Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization.
See: Congress is back! Here are 10 major problems it faces.
6 Priorities Congress Has To Deal With In 12 Days
Unsportsmanlike conduct
The coach and players on Germany’s men’s national soccer team condemned fans who traveled to the World Cup qualifier for shouting Nazi-era chants. Fans chanted “Sieg Heil” on Sept. 1 during a World Cup qualifier in Prague. The German team beat the Czech Republic 2-1. The fans also whistled and chanted during a moment of silence for two Czech officials who died. “I’m full of anger and I’m very much shaken to see that some so-called fans use football, and an international match, for their deplorable demonstrations,” German team manager Joachim Loew said during a news conference. “They bring shame on our country.” Loew said he hoped the raucous fans would be sanctioned. “We don’t want them, we’re not their national team, and they’re not our fans. Given our history, it’s very important for us to represent our country in a dignified fashion and its values of tolerance, respect and openness to the world. These troublemakers demean this image,” Loew said. The national team responded to the chants by refusing to applaud the visiting fans after the match as is customary, the AFP news agency reported. The match took place on the anniversary of the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in 1939, which started World War II. — JTA
U.K. Army arrests
BBC News is reporting that four serving members of the British Army have been arrested under anti-terror laws on suspicion of being members of the banned neo-Nazi group National Action. All four are being held at a West Midlands police station. The Army confirmed the arrests, and said it had supported the police-led operation. Police said the arrests were pre-planned and intelligence-led, and there had been no threat to the public’s safety. They said they were continuing to search several properties. The men are being held on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000; namely on suspicion of being members of a proscribed organization.
Read more: Neo-Nazi arrests: National Action suspects are in the Army
Set your lineups!
As a programming note: The NFL season opener kicks off on Sept. 7 with the Kansas City Chiefs at the New England Patriots at 8:30 p.m. The Ravens play at the Bengals on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. Be sure to set your fantasy league lineups!
See: NFL schedule and PressBox’s 2017 Fantasy Football Player Rankings
J-Word of the Day:
Balabusta (Yiddish)
Meaning: A hard-working person who gets things done
Usage: “That one’s a real balabusta — she keeps that family together.”
Go to facebook.com/JMORELiving every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. to watch Need to Know with Editor-in-Chief Alan Feiler. Join the discussion on the week’s news and current events.
Top photo: U.S. Capitol Building (Photo by Amanda Krotki, Jmore)
Jewish communities should implement measures that foster inclusion for all, writes Aaron Kaufman of the Jewish Federations of North America.
Michael Olesker explains why he feels Art Modell, despite what he meant to the NFL and Baltimore, shouldn't be in the Hall.
For a shining moment six decades ago this month, the Baltimore Colts once again ruled the sports world, recalls Michael Olesker.
