Jewcy Zeitgeist: Gaza Strip Violence Continues, No Promise In Virginity Pledges and Holocaust Memoir Fabricated

Here are today’s top stories in no particular order:

• The third day of violence in the Gaza Strip, after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was called to a halt, has resulted in a death toll of 315, a large number of which are civilians.

• Getting crunk in the name of Jesus: despite the fact that he’s an ordained Episcopal priest, Father Greg Malia keeps the champagne flowing and the party ranging in top New York night clubs—where he generously over-tips and sometimes takes the cocktail waitresses on shopping sprees.

• According to a study by San Francisco State University, children of parents who respond negatively to their coming out as gay are more likely to commit suicide, use drugs and suffer from depression.

• Promise rings full of empty promises? A new study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health claims that teens who make virginity pledges are just as likely to have sex as teens who don’t pledge and are less likely to use contraceptives.

• Inspirational Holocaust love story deemed false: Author Herman Rosenblat has confirmed that details in his memoir Angel at the Fence, about finding love after escaping a Nazi concentration camp, are fabricated. The book—which was slated for an early 2009 release—has had its publication cancelled.

• Woman overboard: The FBI has been called in to help the search of missing cruise ship passenger Jennifer Seitz, who has been missing since Friday. The ship was off the coast of Cancun, Mexico, when Seitz fell into the water. 

• George Francis, the nation’s oldest man, died on Sunday of congestive heart failure. He was 112 years old.