Gracie’s Night: A Hanukkah Story by Lynn Taylor Gordon, Illustrated by Laura Brown, © 2013 Cookie & Nudge Books, , ISBN 978-0-9857353-2-6, 30 pages, $8.95 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—In this beautifully illustrated story, Gracie lives in New York City with her father, who is a hard-working bus driver, and their dog, cat and […]
Children’s Literature review: ‘Gracie’s Night’ Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish ReligionHow My Grandmother Prevented a Civil War, by Haggai Segal, Gefen Publishing, 2014 By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — Haggai Segal’s grandparents immigrated to Palestine in the mid 1920’s. They fell in love with the land though the living conditions were difficult; often with no electricity, no running water, malaria, famine, hostile Arab neighbors as
From the Jewish library: A sad tale of Jew vs. Jew Read More »
Middle East
I am Sophie Tucker: A Fictional Memoir by Susan and Lloyd Ecker, © 2014 Prospecta Press, ISBN 978-1-63226-006-9, 400 pages, $27.50 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – As the back story is told, Susan and Lloyd Ecker went to a Bette Midler concert and heard “The Divine Miss M” pay tribute to her inspiration,
Sophie Tucker ‘memoir’ provides many laughs Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — We’re in the headlines again. Every day there are violent demonstrations on the borders of several Arab neighborhoods. “Violence” means stones, fireworks, and fire bombs thrown at the ranks of Border Police, who respond with tear gas, stun grenades, rubber bullets and real bullets on occasion. There have been Palestinian
Living amid civil unrest in Jerusalem Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel –Before our very eyes, the U.S. is shifting alliances in the Middle East. For decades, American foreign policy in the region was anchored by relationships with Israel, Egypt, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), and Saudi Arabia. That has changed under the Obama administration. Since the president’s first foreign speech
Under Obama, U.S. has pivoted to Iran Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– Speaking at the inaugural Israeli American Council (IAC) National Conference, former Presidential candidate Gov. Mitt Romney blasted President Obama for his Iran policy and recent secret letter to Iranian leaders, saying he was “stunned” the administration would attempt to connect with a “rogue” state. “That the president would write a letter
Romney: Obama’s letter to Iran ‘naive’ Read More »
Middle East, USANEW YORK (Press Release) – EL AL Israel Airlines and JetBlue Airways have signed a code share agreement, providing travelers to Israel with expanded options and easier connections. Travelers living in 38 cities in the U.S.A. can now experience convenient connections to their EL AL nonstop flight to/from Israel. Luggage is automatically transferred between the JetBlue and
El Al, Jet Blue ink code share deal Read More »
Middle East, Travel and Food, USAAn election wrapup… By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO─ John Boehner and Mitch McConnell celebrated the GOP’s control of both the House and the Senate by offering to work cooperatively with President Obama to accomplish their aims. In this spirit of bipartisanship they changed the GOP’s campaign slogan from “Stop Obama; Fire Reid” to “Stop Ebola;
Humoring the Headlines: November 7, 2014 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — Juliana Maio is in love with life and it shows in her debut novel City of the Sun. She takes the reader back to the 1940s in a historical romance and sets her tale in Egypt during World War Two. As you read it and turn the pages,
Jewish novelist explores wartime Egypt in the 1940s Read More »
Travel and FoodBEVERLY HILLS, California (Press Release)– Over $33 million was raised at the annual Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Western Region Gala Wednesday night, Jun 6, breaking all records at the event where more than 1,200 supporters from the United States and Israel gathered to support the brave men and women of the IDF. Those
FIDF raises $33 million at Beverly Hills gala Read More »
Middle East, USABy Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (Tazpit)– Over 30,000 U.S. citizens living in Israel cast their vote in this week’s U.S. elections. iVoteIsrael, the leading organization facilitating the ability of Americans in Israel to vote in US elections, has successfully completed its 2014 campaign making voting from Israel more accessible to as many Americans in Israel as
At least 30,000 American Israelis voted in election Read More »
Middle East, USABy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — There is a well-known Chassidic story about a man who treated an unkempt fellow traveler at an inn dismissively and disdainfully. They ended up traveling together to the next city. When they came to the next city the unkempt fellow was greeted with honor and affection by the
Abraham and Lot: Who truly welcomed strangers? Read More »
Jewish Religion
JERUSALEM (WJC)–The European Union’s new foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has made her first official visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. “It is true that never has the situation been more dangerous in this area, but this could also bring some opportunities in terms of regional framework,” she said at a joint press conference
EU’s new FM visits Israel Read More »
International, Middle EastTop U.S. general: Israel ‘went to extraordinary lengths’ to limit Gaza casualties (JNS.org) Gen. Martin Dempsey, America’s highest-ranking military officer as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday that Israel “went to extraordinary lengths to limit collateral damage and civilian casualties” during its summer war with the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza. Dempsey’s
JNS news briefs: November 7, 2014 Read More »
Middle East