Middle East

Israel redoubles efforts for second attempt to land on moon

By Josh Hasten (July 15, 2021 / JNS) SpaceIL, an Israeli nonprofit organization that strives to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and dreamers through innovative space missions, announced this week that it has secured crucial funding towards the launch of the “Beresheet 2” Spacecraft mission in 2024 with the goal of sending Israel

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

Good News from Israel (July 18, 2021)

By Michael Ordman NETANYA, Israel — In the 18th July 21 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:  Israeli tech restores the sense of touch and helps the blind to “see.” Celebrating Israel’s first deaf MK and its first visually impaired doctor. Israel’s second moonshot project gets huge funding boost. Israeli scientists have made

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, USA

UN recognizes antisemitism as cause of terrorism for first time

(July 14, 2021 / JNS) The U.N. General Assembly acknowledged a link between terrorism antisemitism in its recently passed Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS) for the first time—a move that has been applauded by pro-Israel and Jewish organizations. The GCTS, which lays out the world body’s strategy for combating terrorism, is required to be reviewed and

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International, Middle East, USA

Whisky From the Land of Milk and Honey          

Israel’s first and only whisky distillery was established in 2015 by a group of ex high-tech Whisky fans. The main investor is Gal Kalkstein, currently the CEO. They rented an old building, formerly the famous “Eilat” bread bakery. Among the leaders are Tal Hotiner, also known as “The Grape Man,” who is an experienced alcohol expert, bar owner, alcohol blogger, and sales and export director;  Dana Baran, marketing director; Tomer Goren, a master distiller with experience in Scotland; and the late Dr James Swan- consultant, one of the world leading experts for warm climate distilling, who used to work with Chivas Regal, Jim Beam and other well-known distilleries. The staff includes more than 20 employees, and the visitor center hosts some 10,000 visitors a year, including workshops and lectures. The name comes from the “Land of Milk and Honey” and the logo is a combination of a dairy cow and honeybee. [Yoni Peres]

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Business & Finance, Middle East, Travel and Food, Yoni Peres

UAE opens embassy in Tel Aviv

Published by Reuters TEL AVIV (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates opened its embassy in Israel on Wednesday, with Israel’s president attending the inaugural ceremony. The embassy is situated in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange building and its opening followed the inauguration of Israel’s embassy in the UAE last month. (Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing

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Middle East

Cornel West quits Harvard over tenure dispute, Palestine

Published by Al-Araby American political activist and public intellectual Cornel West published his written resignation from Harvard University on Tuesday over a tenure dispute and what he said was the institution’s rejection of his political views on Palestine. In his resignation letter which he published on Twitter, dated 30 June, West criticised Harvard’s alleged hostility

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Antisemitism and the Courts Probed in New Book

In Courtroom Trials in Jewish History, attorney and Jewish-community activist Esther Zaretsky offers an eclectic collection of stories about Jews who, in a broad sense, have had their day in court, courts representing justice at its worst, verdicts driven by antisemitism and anti-Israeli hatred. The title is somewhat of a misnomer, as there are no depositions or testimonies; no exhibits or closing arguments. Rather, Zaretsky provides the backstory leading up to the trial, the verdict, emphasizing how the “courts fail to affirm society’s most precious values of justice, equality, morality, and the preservation of human rights,” and its aftermath—we get to hear the rest of the story. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Netanyahu’s Support Waning Among Likud Colleagues

Some members of the Likud party, those who say they want to head the party “after Bibi steps down,” are showing signs of insurrection. In the June 20 Jerusalem Post, veteran political columnist Gil Hoffman wrote, “In public, Likud MK and former health minister and head of the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein, has kept fairly quiet regarding his decision to run in the next Likud Party primary. In private, however, he has told other high ranking Likud members that he intends on winning [the next Likud primary] and didn’t spare any harsh words for his party leader and former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ….” [Steve Kramer]

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Middle East, Steve Kramer

‘Russians’ vs. the Haredim in Israel’s Latest Political Battle

For years, Avigdor Lieberman has been calling for a limitation of what the Haredim have demanded, and received. He’s called for a liberalization of marriage laws, allowing the joining of those not Jewish according to Orthodox Rabbis, with those who are Jews. Or the union of two people who can’t satisfy the demands of the Orthodox, who insist on those born of a mother who can prove that she was born of a Jewish mother [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East

The Importance of Plants in Religious Art

What is the message conveyed by the representation of plants in religious text? What do the images that these references bring to our minds tell us about a people and a society? These are questions posed by award-winning artist and author Gloria Abella Ballen, whose book Garden of Eden: Plants of the Hebrew Bible was the subject of a recent webinar sponsored by the American Sephardic Federation. [Ellen Hernandez]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts