By Donald H. Harrison 

On occasion, readers ask us to run this or that story that they read in another publication or elsewhere on the web.  We explain that we can only run stories which we ourselves have developed, or which we have permission to reprint.

Then it hit us.  We don't need permission to link to other sites; in fact, other sites welcome links just as we do.  We all like it when new readers check us out.  

That said, we're offering a new service on this jewishsightseeing blog—links to stories that our readers, who are located over the world, have recommended for such consumption.

We have  two recommendations from a La Mesa, California, reader, who wants us to know about the number of American Jews who have died in the Iraq War, and also to learn about the Conservative movement's "World-Wide Wrap" Day.  Finally, in this posting, a reader in Ashland, Oregon, wants to advise us about a new program in the American Jewish community to defend Israel against constant propaganda attacks.

Let's take them, one by one:

Phil Snyder in La Mesa writes, "...I have never seen any article in a San Diego Jewish paper about Jews dying in Iraq.  I think readers would be very interested in this article.  The article quotes a person from the Jewish War Veterans who says that many Jews are lying low and not getting into the fact that they are Jewish."  Nate Bloom wrote the piece in question, "More Tears by the Rivers of Babylon: American Jewish Service People Killed in Afghanistan and Iraq," on the website www:jewhoo.com. Scroll down the left side of the home page to find it.

An activist in the Men's Club movement of Conservative Judaism—as well as a friend from Tifereth Israel Synagogue—Phil also wants our readers to be aware that February 5 will be "World Wide Wrap" day, in which Jews across the world are encouraged to go to shul and put on tefillin.  Here's a link to what it's all about.

Another reader is Gary Acheatel in Ashland, Oregon, who recently joined the Green Party so he could work to change its platform pushing for a divestment campaign against Israel.  The Green Party has become notably anti-Israel, according to Acheatel and the best way to bring change is by working on the inside. If Gary's name sounds familiar, it's because his brother, Larry Acheatel, is the head of the San Diego Jewish Academy.  Gary invites all our readers to check out the website of a new organization he has helped to form, Advocates for Israel.  Here's a link to the website.  If you like what you read and want to get involved, Gary is looking for two special kind of volunteers. First, a public relations person who can help familiarize Jewish media throughout the world with the Advocates for Israel campaign.  Second, a talented editorial cartoonist who can put powerful ideas into pictures.  If you're interested, email him at Ashland@qwest.net