By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM -Two items in recent days have put the issue of Israel, Iran, and the United States in clearer perspective.One comes from a former head of Israeli military intelligence, a man widely respected for his judgment, and not regarded as a hawk. The other comes from the New York Times journalist who […]
U.S. temporizing may prompt Israel to go it alone against Iran Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON D.C. — The aftermath of the American disposal of Korans mutilated by Afghan Muslims requires revisiting our position in Afghanistan. Not because Americans were killed by their Afghan “partners.” Not because dozens of Afghans have died in rioting as well, or because the UN evacuated its northern offices. Not even because
U.S. squanders military aid on non-Allies Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USABy Daniel Halper WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last Saturday, a front-page story in America’s newspaper of record, the New York Times, reported that “American intelligence analysts continue to believe that there is no hard evidence that Iran has decided to build a nuclear bomb.” Apparently, the Times’s reporters-as it would otherwise be a betrayal of their
Debating Iran’s intentions vs. its capabilities Read More »
USAJERUSALEM (Press Release) — Israelis recall the Second Intifada, which began in September 2000 and lasted half a decade, as a bleak period of terrorism and suicide bombings. Yet new research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem finds that surprisingly, the terrorism had almost no impact on Israelis’ self-reported life satisfaction levels in surveys conducted at
Study finds terrorism does not demoralize the victim society Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —A congregant shared with me a wonderful story about his little nephew who lived in the State of Illinois. One day, his uncle was trying to teach him some Hebrew blessings. After he taught him the blessings, he went home. A week later, he asked his nephew,
Words must be chosen carefully in international affairs Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Despite attempts by some politicians to compromise Israeli democracy, the Supreme Court, with its commitment to the rule of law and the rights of individuals and minorities, always made sure that they wouldn’t succeed. Those on the reactionary far Right have, therefore, often regarded the judges as thorns in
Criticism of Arab Justice for not singing Hatikvah an excuse for bigotry Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — National Public Radio commentators recently discussed a very interesting question: Should President Obama have “apologized” for the accidental burning of the Qur’an? Some argue that the President should have expressed “regret” over the incident, which acknowledges some degree of culpability. Regret does not contain any element
Who’s right in debate over President Obama’s apology? Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA
By David Brin ENCINITAS, California — My own fascination with Rick Santorum is partly rooted in the fell prediction that Papa Robert Heinlein made, in his future history, way back in the 1950s… that a fundamentalist preacher would win the presidency on a court decision, without a plurality (sound like 2000?) and thereupon clamp down
Santorum, a futurist’s nightmare come true? Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–This week the leaders of Israel gathered to honor the retirement of Chief Justice Dorit Beinisch, and the installation of her replacement, Justice Asher Grunis. The ceremony provided several insights into the nature of Israeli government and society. It touched the Holocaust as well as the rights of Israeli Arabs.
Changing of chief justice ceremony laden with symbolism Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO –He was often called “Rooster” by his college chums, due to a stubborn cowlick and a kind of “in-your-face” attitude. He has unquestionably suffered grievously in his lifetime, having lost a child even as he and his wife Karen have raised another youngster that struggles with Edwards syndrome (Trisomy
Santorum’s sectarianism negates principles of the nation’s founders Read More »
USABy Evelyn Gordon WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amid the din of debate over a possible Israeli strike on Iran, perhaps it is unsurprising that Israeli Intelligence Minister Dan Meridor’s press conference on February 20 attracted so little international attention. But in a world that claims to view an Israeli-Palestinian deal as a top priority, it should
Continued Egypt-Israel peace precondition for new treaties in Mideast Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — I learnt the term that heads this page last Tuesday at a meeting in the Knesset. It was coined as a variant of the Hebrew for “money laundering” (halbanat hon) to read halbanat khok. The occasion was a meeting hosted by Zahava Galon, the leader of Meretz, to which
Efforts to preserve Migron called ‘law laundering’ Read More »
Middle East
Rasputin and the Jews: A Reversal of History by Delin Colón; ISBN 978-1-4610-2775-1 ©2010, $15.00, p. 110, including bibliography By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — The controversies over the deeds and exploits of Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin, an illiterate faith healer and prophet from nineteenth century backwater Russia, continue to swirl around his legacy nearly
Was Rasputin actually a friend of the Jews? Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, InternationalBy Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO –In the snowy village of Chardon, Ohio yesterday, a teenage gunman from another school entered the cafeteria of Chardon High School and opened fire—wordlessly—into the bodies of several other students. At the time of this writing, there are three confirmed deaths. The wounds, of both flesh and spirit, the
Saturation television coverage of school shootings intensifies fear Read More »
USA