By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — As I look around me this mid-August morning in 2014 I see a number of crap shoots, or games of chance. We can argue what historical events they reflect. Among the candidates are the establishment of Israel in 1948, the Arab Spring that began toward the end of 2010 with […]
In defense of Middle Eastern cynicism Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
DENVER, Colorado (Press Release)– A generous gift from Colorado resident Francine Lavin Weaver has funded the first kosher retreat center in the Rocky Mountains, as part of Camp Ramah in the Rockies. Ramah announced the opening of the new Beit Kesher Retreat Center, which was dedicated on Sunday, August 3, with a festive opening
Camp Ramah in Rockies opens new retreat center Read More »
Jewish Religion, USANEW YORK (Press Release)–The Foreign Press Association in Israel including almost 500 members from all parts of the media from 32 countries, issued a statement protesting “in the strongest terms the blatant, incessant, forceful and unorthodox methods employed by the Hamas authorities and their representatives against visiting international journalists in Gaza over the past month.”
Foreign journalists denounce Gaza’s press tactics Read More »
International, Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – As part of $300 million in grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) announced that $1.02 million would go to fight homelessness among veterans in San Diego. Vietnam Veterans of San Diego will be the recipient of the VA grant. “I have seen first
Feds provided $1.02 m to help homeless vets Read More »
San Diego County, USASACRAMENTO (Press Release) – San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis joined Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach and Senator Marty Block (D-San Diego) on Monday, Aug. 11, to urge passage of a bill to treat human trafficking crimes committed by gang members with the same severity as 33 other gang offenses and another measure
Law would crack down on gangs’ human trafficking Read More »
San Diego County, USANEW YORK (WJC) –Former American Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is identifying anti-Semitism as an important motivation for the international criticism of Israel’s incursion in Gaza, according to a new interview. “It is striking … that you have more than 170,000 people dead in Syria. … You have Russia massing battalions—Russia, that actually annexed
Hillary Clinton: Anti- Semitism motivates Israel critics Read More »
Middle East, USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Hamas resumed rocketing Israel on Friday, August 8, one surety was that Israel’s office of “Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (West Bank and Gaza Strip)” [COGAT] would continue operating as it has through gruesome acts of terror against Jews, “intifadas,” rocket attacks and kidnappings through tunnels.
Gazans’ economic well-being requires peace Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA
s -Nineteenth in a Series — By Donald H. Harrison THE DALLES, Oregon — Today, there are few Jews living in this city, but it is not surprising that at one point in its history, Jewish merchants found it a very attractive place to do business. “The Dalles” was given its name by French Canadian
Westward- bound Jews often stopped at The Dalles Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Travel and Food, USABy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — I began my previous article with the statement that “Operation Protective Edge appears to be winding down… .” So I’m not completely surprised that the three-day ceasefire was just one of several that Hamas has used to regroup without fear of Israeli interference. The situation Prime Minister Bibi
Ceasefires play into Hamas’s hands Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Aryeh Savir JERUSALEM (TNA) — In a TV interview on the Lebanese Mayadeen TV channel, Muhammad Zeidan, the recently resigned head of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee in Israel and an Israeli citizen, came out in support of Hamas, saying: “The missiles fired from Gaza constitute self-defense,” according to MEMRI’s (Middle East Media
Zeidan supports Hamas attacks on Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — One should applaud, perhaps with one hand, the wisdom shown by Barack Obama in his efforts to withdraw the United States from active involvement in the Middle East. At the same time, we should note that he is at least partly responsible for the present chaos. That Nobel Peace Prize
U.S. tries to clean up its Middle East messes Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABOCA RATON, Florida (Press Release) — The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is shocked and horrified by the murder of a rabbi on his way to synagogue Saturday morning, Aug. 9, in North Miami Beach. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Rabbi Joseph Raksin’s family and the surrounding community. ADL has been in close contact with the
ADL mourns murdered Florida rabbi Read More »
USA
-Eighteenth in a Series– By Donald H. Harrison SPOKANE, Washington – During an all-too-short visit with grandson Shor to this eastern Washington city, I sensed that the civic leadership of Spokane values the city’s diversity and attempts to promote inter-group harmony. From a vantage point for viewing Spokane Falls, for example, Shor and I noticed
Inter- group harmony a Spokane priority Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Travel and Food, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –There are limits of what military might can accomplish. It’s a lesson well known to Americans as well as Israelis. Israel can kill a million Gazans, but if there are a few thousand Muslim fanatics among those left it won’t matter. Fanatics elsewhere will do what they can to provide them
Israel can’t eliminate all Islamist extremists Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East