By Carol Davis GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Arizona–For decades I have wanted to visit the Grand Canyon. Finally, on my 74th birthday in May, my friend Debbie and I set out (from her Las Vegas home) to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for a three-day excursion. Never in my imagination had I pictured […]
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel – People in this country are accustomed to grumbling about everything – the government, the cost of living and above all the weather. They are not, or at least have not been in the past, accustomed to doing anything much about any of them. This is in contrast to
Man-on-the-street protests focus on everyday annoyances Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israel is best known for its chronic problems with Arab neighbors. And now there are demands from middle- and upper-middle income young Israelis about the cost of living. Yet what is arguably the country’s most serious problem is somewhat under the surface as seen by overseas observers, i.e.,
Israel ponders what to do with unproductive Haredim Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — When Katrina all but drowned New Orleans starting six years this very day, media pundits and animated politicians followed with serious criticism of the federal and state responses and glaring lack of preparedness. A great deal of focus fell upon President George W. Bush’s evident
Officials were right to be cautious about Hurricane Irene Read More »
USAEditor’s Note: The president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Steven J. Morris, on Friday sent out the following message to the community regarding renewed violence along Israel’s borders with Gaza and Egypt. Sha’ar Hanegev, the partnership region of the San Diego Federation, lies alongside Gaza in Israel’s northern
Jewish Federations promptly help victims of rocket attacks from Gaza Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — He started out with the most outrageously un-rabbinic analysis of why Haiti suffered so much more than did the other part of the island, the Dominican Republic, during last year’s catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake: it was due to the widespread practice of homosexuality and the per capita AIDS
Homophobic rabbi is wrong on theology; embarasses fellow Jews Read More »
USA
By Isaac Yetiv, PhD LA JOLLA, California — In the last 13 articles I attempted to tackle the most arduous problems plaguing America today, and I offered some solutions in the belief that the dire situation is not an act-of-God: the predicament is man-made, and the medicament will be man-made too. I trust the following
These are abiding principles for America Read More »
USABy Roz Rothstein and Roberta Seid LOS ANGELES — The recent coordinated terrorist attacks on Israel and the latest poll of Palestinian public opinion offer insight into why Middle East peace remains so elusive: The Palestinian public is simply unwilling to recognize the human rights of Jews. Consider Palestinians’ reactions to the grisly coordinated attacks
Until Palestinians recognize this, we will never have peace Read More »
Middle EastBy Sasha Ben-Ari JERUSALEM–The summer of 2011 marks twenty years since the fall of the Soviet Union and the beginning of a new era for Russian Jewry. For pain-filled decades, this was a population discriminated against, both in the practice of their religion and in pursuing educational and professional opportunities. Two decades later, the situation
Summer camp reaches to Russian Jewish youth Read More »
Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Events in Israel over the past week have a “back to the future” vibe. Terrorism from over the Egyptian border, renewed rocket attacks from Gaza, threats of violence from the Palestinian Authority and Hezbollah, continuing violence in Syria and shock waves in Jordan all are reminders that ultimate
Defensible Israeli borders the first Middle East priority Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM — The latest Nefesh B’Nefesh charter flight bringing 360 new immigrants from North America last week included some Southern California olim who landed in thethick of the worst terror attacks in recent years. MarvinCouture, 65, and Tom Dimercurio, 58, making aliya to Beersheba, stood out among the scores of young members
Californians become new Israelis under Palestinian fire Read More »
Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) on Monday called upon the White House to communicate its expectation that Egypt’s ruling Supreme Military Council will act to secure the Sinai border with Israel and act to curb attacks on the pipeline supplying Israel and Jordan with natural gas. JINSA Executive Director Tom Neumann
U.S. should insist that Egypt police its Gaza and Israel borders–JINSA Read More »
Middle East
By Dan Bloom CHIAYI, Taiwan — Longtime observers of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have said, “The China question is open as long as the CCP rules China.” And as long as the gates of freedom in China remain closed, as long as theseungainly scars of gates are permitted to stand, it is not the
China, tear down those gates! Read More »
InternationalBy Ira Sharkansky Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It was not a day for a Schlafstunde. Soon after lunch on Thursday, Varda called from the other room that I should turn on the radio. That generally means something unpleasant. This was the onset of a terror attack. As is typical in such events, early reports were
The Eilat attack and its possible aftermath Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East