Israel may nix funding for theater over Arab actor’s Jordan Valley boycott (JNS.org) Israeli Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev issued a strong rebuke of Arab-Israeli actor Norman Issa on Tuesday after Israel Hayom reported that he was unwilling to join his fellow cast members in the play Boomerang when they perform in the Jordan Valley. […]
Jewish news briefs: June 10, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO — Continuing the 2015 Jewish Arts Festival, the 14th Annual Klezmer Summit: “L’Dor V’Dor” (“From Generation to Generation”) took place Monday, June 8th at the Lyceum Space. It’s a good thing I had a press pass because tickets were sold out. Not too shabby for a Monday. The San Diego
Klezmer summit elevates the neshama Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — In the background of this column is the recent one about the misadventures of great powers, and producing unintended outcomes. It could have employed Barbara Tuchman’s title, The March of Folly. Here the focus is on the diplomatic maneuvers, proclamations, politely announced policy preferences, along with the yelling, screaming and chanting
Besides all the rhetoric, Israel faring well Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USAHosting Czech FM, Netanyahu says Palestinians set ‘perfect trap’ on peace talks (JNS.org) The Palestinian Authority rejects peace talks with Israel and then tries to get boycotts imposed on the Jewish state over the absence of peace talks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told visiting Czech Republic Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek in Jerusalem on Monday, calling
Jewish news briefs: June 9, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO –A Jewish young man was seeing a psychologist for an eating and sleeping disorder. “I am so obsessed with my mother… As soon as I go to sleep, I start dreaming, and everyone in my dream turns into my mother. I wake up in such a state, all
Part of being a good Jew is keeping your body healthy Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — President Reuven Rivlin has important things to say about many issues, e.g., the rights of Israel’s Arab citizens and the problem with haredi schools that don’t teach the basic curriculum and thus render their graduates unproductive and unemployable. But he has a blind spot about Reform and Conservative Judaism. Thus
President Rivlin snubs non- Orthodox movements Read More »
Middle East, USABy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Helena Kagan was born in 1889 in Uzbekistan, where her father, who was originally from Lithuania, had been sent as a chemical engineer to establish and supervise the construction of glass-manufacturing plants there. In 1914, after qualifying as a physician, she settled in Jerusalem and was a pioneer
Kagan Center tutors needy Jerusalem students Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Garry Fabian MELBOURNE, Australia — For over six decades I have been involved in a wide range of organizations in both the Jewish and general community as a volunteer. Recently I added a new interest to the range. I have become a volunteer guide at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. It is important to
Monash recalled at Australian shrine Read More »
InternationalU.S. Supreme Court strikes down law allowing ‘Jerusalem, Israel’ on passports (JNS.org) The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday struck down a law that enabled Americans born in Jerusalem—which the U.S. government does not recognize as a part of any country—to list “born in Israel” on their passports, on the grounds that Congress overstepped the president’s
Jewish news briefs: June 8, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel –When our older son, Moshe, recently visited Israel, we took advantage of the weather and his experience (he’s an adventure tour leader) to go kayaking. While Israel’s Mediterranean coastline and the Red Sea resort Eilat both provide Israelis with plenty of water sports, the country has a dirth of
Rafting and touring through the Galilee Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — FIFA, soccer’s governing body, is in the midst of a huge organizational scandal. During the last FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil in 2014, what did the Israeli company Elbit Systems do to support the games? A. They supplied kosher food for all of the Jewish athletes who were
Jewish Trivia: FIFA Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Sports & Competitions, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Rabbi Dow Marmur SAN DIEGO — Whereas during his term of office as president that ended a year ago, Shimon Peres was an outstanding spokesman for Israel on the world scene – and very much needed at the time when the foreign minister was virtually a persona non grata in many countries – his
Haredim without practical education threaten Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It’s a muddle. Great things have happened, most of them without any power doing something with an explicit plan, and getting what was wanted. Among the things that impress me are: The French Revolution began the exit of western European Jews from their isolation, and put them on the road
Major historic changes often unintended Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky