By Alex Joffe, Ph.D NEW YORK — BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) activities in March reflected both its use as an individual instrument and as a political wedge issue. Cornell West’s allegation that he was denied tenure at Harvard over his support for BDS appears to be an individual effort to profit from BDS support.
The fights for and against BDS Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
In the March 30, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
–Israelis were able to celebrate Passover again with their families and friends.
–On World Water Day a JNF video shows desert city Beersheva is now a water city.
–Three Israeli nanosatellites have been launched into a synchronized orbit.
–Israel is developing the world’s smartest microprocessors.
–Two more Israeli companies have become worth more than $1 billion.
–Israel’s Linoy Ashram won two world medals in rhythmic gymnastics.
–Israel broke two matzah world records without breaking a single matzah. [Michael Ordman]
Good News from Israel (March 30, 2021) Read More »
Business & Finance, International, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
Those firmly supporting Benjamin Netanyhu are Likud, SHAS, United Torah Judaism, and Religious Zionists, for a total of 52 Seats Those clearly in the anti-Bibi list are Lapid, Blue White, Israel Beiteinu, Labor, New Hope, Joint Arab List, and Meretz, for a total of 57 Seats Between them are Yamina and the Separate Arab List, so far undecided, with 11 Seats [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
Israeli Election Analysis at the Seder Table Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East
Tuvia Tenenbom is an expat Israeli who has lived in Germany and elsewhere for many decades, working as a journalist and author. Holding many academic degrees, Tenenbom is also a playwright, essayist, and the founding artistic director of the Jewish Theater of New York. Tenenbom has a very idiosyncratic style. His sardonic personality goes well with his cherubic appearance, and the reader is soon caught up in Tenenbom’s droll reporting of mundane encounters with people all around the world. His latest book, The Taming of the Jew, features people from Ireland and Britain. The thing is, most of those interviewed either know almost nothing about what they are saying, or are consciously spreading vicious, false narratives [Steve Kramer]
Book Review: ‘The Taming of the Jew’ Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Middle East, Steve KramerThanks to Stan and Janet Tiger for sending along the Passover sea shanties above, and to Richard Kahn who alerted us to this Passover salute by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. My wife and co-publisher Nancy Harrison joins me in wishing all our readers a joyous Passover! [Donald H. Harrison]
Some Happy Passover Music for You Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
Jewish Programming via Internet of interest to lay and academic audiences [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Streaming Jewish Programs (March 28-April 6, 2021) Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
It’s déjà vu all over again. Groundhog Day. More of same. Another general election in Israel. The fourth in the space of two years. And again the result does not give a decisive majority to any combination of the 38 parties vying for our votes. Israel’s society is fragmented into countless interest groups, with parties representing segments of the population, ideas and occasionally even ideologies that seek to predominate in this small country. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Yawn! Israel’s Election Produces More of the Same Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East
American Jews cannot avoid hearing from grossly ill-informed Israel-bashers, most notably those who masquerade as being loftier than thou. Four items in recent weeks stand out. [Bruce Ticker]
No Shortage of Ill-Informed Israel Bashers Read More »
Bruce Ticker, International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has been meeting with American, European and Israeli government representatives to end-run both the American Taylor Force Act (anti-“pay for slay”) and the Israeli law prohibiting financial transfers to the Palestinians in the amount the PA remunerates terrorist “salaries.” [Shoshana Bryen]
P.A. Seeks to End Run U.S. Law Against Paying Terrorists Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA
Almost all of the Dead Sea Scrolls that have been found to date are housed in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. How did Israel obtain a number of the Dead Sea Scrolls? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Dead Sea Scrolls Read More »
Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Trivia, Humor & SatireThe March 21, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news includes the following highlihts:
• With half the population fully vaccinated, Israel’s Covid-19 infection rates have plummeted.
• The UK benefits from two more Israeli medical innovations.
• Many Israeli activities for Good Deeds Day – the country where it began 14 years ago.
• Israeli-designed Instagram Lite is rolled out to 170 countries.
• Israelis enjoy newly opened parks, restaurants, entertainment and sporting events.
• Kosovo opens its Jerusalem embassy.
• 1900-year-old Jewish relics discovered in Dead Sea cave. [Michael Ordman]
Good News from Israel (March 21, 2021) Read More »
Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
Ambassador Raphael Morav did not plan to move to Israel; his parents brought him there when he was still in primary school. He did not plan to become a diplomat, he simply saw a listing for jobs, took a test, and got in. He never planned on becoming the Ambassador of Israel to Ethiopia, but that is the position that opened up at the time and he applied. Lastly, Ambassador Morav never planned on completely changing Ethiopian Jewish life nor perceptions of Jews in Addis Ababa. But that is what he did, with calm and persistence and his usual kind demeanor. [Sam Litvin]
Israel’s Envoy Seen as ‘Modern Moses’ in Ethiopia Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Sam Litvin
The adoption of an Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum on Thursday, March 18, by the State Board of Education drew mixed responses from Jewish advocacy groups. It was hailed by some and decried by others. [Donald H. Harrison]
State Board Approves Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAI ordered this book from Bibliophile because the blurb proclaimed that its main character was a pilot who fell in love with an Israeli woman and fought for his adopted country. That, in essence, is the nub of the story, but around it surges and swells a series of events and adventures involving love and enmity, joy and sorrow, and a veritable roller-coaster of emotions for the reader, who cannot help but be drawn into this gripping tale of romance, adventure and action. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
A Pilot’s Love Affair With a Beautiful Israeli Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East