Joel B. Pollak

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Articles by Joel B. Pollak

California Families of Israeli, Palestinian Victims React Differently

The Sacramento family of the Palestinian boy allegedly killed in revenge for the killing of three Israeli teens by Palestinians is mourning their lost cousin–and staging protests against the Israeli government. Earlier in the week, the Los Angeles-based aunt of one

California Families of Israeli, Palestinian Victims React Differently

Chuck Todd: Jerry Brown 'Most Likely' to Challenge Clinton in 2016

On Thursday morning’s edition of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, NBC News White House Correspondent Chuck Todd predicted that California Gov. Jerry Brown would be the “most likely” to challenge frontrunner Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party nomination in the 2016 presidential

Chuck Todd: Jerry Brown 'Most Likely' to Challenge Clinton in 2016

Murrieta Town Hall Vents Anger at Feds Over Alien Transfers

A town hall in Murrieta, CA on Wednesday evening erupted into anger at the federal government over its failure to enforce immigration laws, as counter-demonstrators outside showed support for the illegal aliens–many of them women and children–being transported to the

Murrieta Town Hall Vents Anger at Feds Over Alien Transfers

NBC News: Murrieta Protesters Filled with 'Hatred'

NBC News’ Miguel Almaguer reported Wednesday evening that the protests in Murrieta, CA that turned back three Border Patrol buses filled with illegal aliens who were being transferred from Texas were filled with “hatred,” at least in the eyes of

NBC News: Murrieta Protesters Filled with 'Hatred'

Kidnapping Ends Palestinian Statehood Bid

The kidnapping and murder of Israeli teenagers Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel, and Eyal Yifrach has put an end to Palestinian statehood as a viable diplomatic option in the foreseeable future, regardless of the insistence by the Obama administration that negotiations will

Kidnapping Ends Palestinian Statehood Bid

Protestors Block Road, Turn Away Buses of Illegal Aliens in Murrieta

Demonstrators in Murrieta, CA have confronted and turned away three busloads of about 100 illegal aliens, many of whom are woman and unaccompanied minors rounded up by U.S. Border Patrol in Texas and flown to California, according to KPBS, wire services

Protestors Block Road, Turn Away Buses of Illegal Aliens in Murrieta

Israel Defies Obama over Iraq Unity, Kurdish Independence

Though the far-left has long believed that Israel pushed the U.S. into war in Iraq, the fact is that Israel has kept a safe (albeit supportive) distance from American policy there–until now. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explicitly endorsed Kurdish

Israel Defies Obama over Iraq Unity, Kurdish Independence

California Cases Rejected by Supreme Court

In addition to handing down landmark decisions on religious freedom and public sector unions, the Supreme Court announced cases that it will not be hearing. Only a small percentage of appeals to the Supreme Court are ever taken up, and this

California Cases Rejected by Supreme Court

Planned Parenthood: Don't Worry, California Safe from Hobby Lobby Case

Planned Parenthood, the women’s reproductive heath organization that also provides abortions, has reassured Californians that the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling Monday in the Hobby Lobby case does not apply to the Golden State. Beth Parker, chief counsel for the organization, told

Planned Parenthood: Don't Worry, California Safe from Hobby Lobby Case

Rabbis Flood Brooklyn to Mourn 'Lubavitcher Rebbe'–20 Years After

Thousands of rabbis and well-wishers flooded Brooklyn Monday and Tuesday to observe the 20th anniversary of the death of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, leader of the Lubaivch Chabad movement of Hasidic Jews, which is ubiquitous on college campuses and far-flung

Rabbis Flood Brooklyn to Mourn 'Lubavitcher Rebbe'–20 Years After

Sandra Fluke on Hobby Lobby: 'A Woman's Boss Should Not Have a Say'

Sandra Fluke, whose campaign for free contraception elevated her to national prominence while she was still a law student at Georgetown University, denounced to the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby case: “A woman’s boss should

Sandra Fluke on Hobby Lobby: 'A Woman's Boss Should Not Have a Say'

Dem Rep Blames 'MEN' for Hobby Lobby Decision

Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA), one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the 2014 midterm elections, has blamed “MEN” (original caps) for the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Monday. The majority held that the federal government violated the

Dem Rep Blames 'MEN' for Hobby Lobby Decision

Awkward Family Photos: You Belong in a Museum

The California Heritage Musuem, located in Santa Monica, features several rooms of artifacts from the state’s early days, as well as new work from local artists. And now, it also houses an exhibit devoted to an Internet meme: Awkward Family

Awkward Family Photos: You Belong in a Museum

Homeless People Shower on New Bus in San Francisco

In May, San Francisco introduced the “Hook-up Truck,” providing intimate space for couples on the go. Now, the city is welcoming the “Lava Mae,” a public shower on a bus, aimed at the city’s large homeless population.  San Francisco has

Homeless People Shower on New Bus in San Francisco

After 20 Years, the 'Rebbe' Still Casts a Long, Warm Shadow

July 1 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Schneerson was a uniquely charismatic and visionary leader, who pushed back against the postwar trends of secularism and disenchantment and presented religious Judaism

After 20 Years, the 'Rebbe' Still Casts a Long, Warm Shadow

California Legislator Turns Tables on Texas

State Senator Ted Gaines, who represents parts of Northern California, will turn the tables on Texas Gov. Rick Perry this week when he visits Texas to recruit companies to invest in the Golden State. Gov. Perry has become notorious for

California Legislator Turns Tables on Texas

California on Hold as Mexico Plays Netherlands

Life on Sunday will be slower–and more tense–than usual, as Mexico faces the Netherlands in the FIFA World Cup round of 16 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time on Sunday. The match will take place at Fortaleza, in northeast Brazil, and

California on Hold as Mexico Plays Netherlands

Blue State Blues: 24 Hours, 5 Cities and No High-Speed Rail

(6:30 a.m.) For the past 24 hours, I have been on the move. Early Thursday morning, a colleague picked me up at home and we drove south to Anaheim on the I-405 and CA-22. We caught Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner to

Blue State Blues: 24 Hours, 5 Cities and No High-Speed Rail

Boies, Olson Predict Gay Marriage Nationwide

SAN FRANCISCO — Hundreds gathered at the Fairmont Hotel on Thursday evening to hear lawyers David Boies and Ted Olson discuss their new book, Reedeming the Dream: The Case for Marriage Equality. Boies, a Democrat, and Olson, a Republican, sued

Boies, Olson Predict Gay Marriage Nationwide

For Rick Perry, California Visits Offer Practice for 2016

When my Breitbart California colleague Adelle Nazarian and I met Texas Gov. Rick Perry at the magnificent La Valencia hotel in tony La Jolla, he looked more like a venture capital executive than a governor.  He was dressed in shirtsleeves

For Rick Perry, California Visits Offer Practice for 2016

Terror Victims Sue to Seize Iranian Domain Names

Victims of Iranian-sponsored terror attacks are using a new legal tactic to win justice, and fight back: seizing Iranian domain names through U.S. courts. The sixty victims, who are collectively owed $1.2 billion in damages by terror-sponsoring countries, filed a

Terror Victims Sue to Seize Iranian Domain Names

Poll: Kashkari Trails Brown by 20%

Republican moderate Neel Kashkari begins his gubernatorial challenge to incumbent Democrat Jerry Brown 20 points behind in the latest Field Poll, released Wednesday morning. While Kashkari appears to have cemented his support among Republicans, Brown leads Kashkari among almost every

Poll: Kashkari Trails Brown by 20%

Politico Celebrates Cochran: 'Cantor Looks Like an Outlier'

Politico’s James Hohmann has released his list of “takeaways” from Tuesday’s primaries, among which is the claim that Eric Cantor’s loss in Virginia earlier this month is “an outlier” in 2014. Leaving out Tea Party victories in places like Nebraska, or

Politico Celebrates Cochran: 'Cantor Looks Like an Outlier'

Shame: SF Gay Pride Parade Bans Military Recruiters

The San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade has banned military recruiters from participating in the 44th annual event this weekend, the most iconic of its kind in the world, due to the National Guard’s policy against transgendered service members, and in

Shame: SF Gay Pride Parade Bans Military Recruiters

New York Times Whitewashes Cochran's Racial Tactics

I’m not particularly aggrieved by Thad Cochran’s victory in the Senate runoff in Mississippi over challenger Chris McDaniel. Cochran’s tactics–ginning up fear among black Democrats by exploiting false accusations of racism against the Tea Party–may be nasty, and they certainly

Poll: L.A., Bay Area Love Obama; Rest of California Hates Him

A new Field Poll released Tuesday shows that 50% of registered voters in California approve of President Barack Obama’s job performance, while only 39% disapprove. However, there a striking divergence between the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas on

Poll: L.A., Bay Area Love Obama; Rest of California Hates Him

Israeli Startups Pitch Santa Monica Techies

SANTA MONICA — A dozen Israeli tech startups pitched investors and fellow entrepreneurs in Santa Monica Monday evening, highlighting a diverse range of new innovations. From a better mousetrap (literally), to cybersecurity tools that detect and defuse flash mobs, the

Israeli Startups Pitch Santa Monica Techies

Israel Goes to War Over a Muslim Teenager

News reports are flying about airstrikes by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) inside Syria, the most serious response by Israel to cross-border violence in the past several years. The IDF response came after an Israeli teenager was killed by an

Israel Goes to War Over a Muslim Teenager

Disneyland Fire Visible for 'Miles'

A small fire at Disneyland on Sunday that was visible throughout the Anaheim theme park and for “miles around” frightened many tourists, according to a report by CBS News’ Los Angeles affiliate. What u don’t want to see when you’re

Disneyland Fire Visible for 'Miles'

Stanford's Fouad Ajami Has Died

Fouad Ajami, who was a senior fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution and one of the most passionate critics of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy in the Middle East, passed away Sunday after a battle with cancer. The 68-year-old Ajami had

Stanford's Fouad Ajami Has Died

Cantor, Adelson, McCain, Graham–Hawks Abroad, Doves at Home?

The fact that former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) lost his primary last week largely because of his support for immigration reform before–and this is crucial!–securing the country’s borders has failed to dampen the enthusiasm of reform advocates. The

Silicon Beach Fest Highlights L.A. Tech Boom

California’s economy may be struggling overall, but the beach communities of Los Angeles are enjoying a major boom, thanks in part to the proliferation of new startup companies in the corridor from El Segundo north to Santa Monica, nicknamed “Silicon

Silicon Beach Fest Highlights L.A. Tech Boom

Blue State Blues: 135 Miles, 18 Buses, 13 Hours, 4 Dollars, 1 Day

On Thursday, June 19th, I rode every single bus in the “Big Blue Bus” system run by the City of Santa Monica, California. That’s 18 individual bus lines (a nineteenth, which serves Santa Monica College, has closed for the summer). I

Blue State Blues: 135 Miles, 18 Buses, 13 Hours, 4 Dollars, 1 Day

Big Blue Bus: 7000 Words, 135 Miles, 18 Buses, 4 Dollars, 1 Day

On Thursday, June 19th, I rode every single bus in the “Big Blue Bus” system run by the City of Santa Monica, California. That’s 18 individual bus lines (a nineteenth, which serves Santa Monica College, has closed for the summer). I

Big Blue Bus: 7000 Words, 135 Miles, 18 Buses, 4 Dollars, 1 Day

NPR Links Bundy–not Occupy–to Las Vegas Murders

National Public Radio’s Morning Edition aired a story by Kirk Siegler on Tuesday morning on the enduring tensions at Cliven Bundy’s ranch in Nevada, where armed protestors faced down the federal government in May. The story notes that the married couple who

NPR Links Bundy–not Occupy–to Las Vegas Murders