Middle East

Coronavirus, Haredi demands on Netanyahu roil Israel

In one respect the news is good. The recent closures have reduced daily infections below 2,000 and even below 1,000. However, we’re still plagued with questions. In short, the Haredim, or ultra-Orthodox. Unknown numbers of them decline to be tested. Many of them say that the concern with Coronavirus is exaggerated. They go their own way with respect to opening schools and gathering for weddings, funerals, and other occurrences. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

SWU urges denial of Zoom platform for Leila Khaled

StandWithUs, the pro-Israel organization that opposes anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist activities on college campuses, has written to Zoom Video Communications urging the company to deny a platform to airline hijacker Leila Khaled when she is scheduled to address students  on Friday, Oct. 23, at the University of Hawaii.  Zoom previously denied its platform to Khaled when she was scheduled to address students at San Francisco State University.

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Racism, Cancel Culture, Hypocrisy at Harvard

Harvard University has become another in the growing list of universities where professors found themselves victims of the cancel culture. At UCLA, University of Chicago, Cornell, and Skidmore, faculty members were maligned and threatened with termination for purportedly critiquing Black Lives Matter, defending the police against attacks for perceived racist brutality, and even questioning the extent and reality of anti-black racism at their respective institutions and outside the campus walls. [Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D]

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Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Good News from Israel (October 18, 2020)

Jews globally restarted reading the Torah this week from Genesis and Israelis are certainly continuing the creative task. New Covid-19 treatments, life-saving surgical procedures and medical apps. Israel is a pioneer, stopping the fur trade and international bribery and launched Bedouin Arab startups. Innovations include a new agricultural R&D center, a hybrid drone, airport security, landmine and disaster detection, electric roads, a recycled electric car and new ways to enjoy culture, nature and entertainment online. [Michael Ordman]

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Michael Ordman, Middle East

Migrant workers hard hit worldwide by COVID19

As an economic recession looms, migrants vulnerable to poverty, facing conflict, displacement, or unsafe working and living conditions require greater economic support as unemployment rises, access to PPEs, and legal assistance.Migrant workers have been at the forefront of the world economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, as essential workers. Yet, at the same time this comes with risk. [Jacqueline Skalski-Fouts]

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International, Middle East, USA

A new blow to Iran’s forgotten Jews

Next week, an online event organized by the human rights group “3 Generations” will feature New York Times op-ed columnist Roger Cohen, who sparked an international furor in 2009 when he visited Iran and announced that the oppressed Jews there were not really so oppressed, after all.  Cohen’s assertion that Iranian Jews were “living, working and worshiping in relative tranquility” was met with scorn across the political spectrum. Jeffrey Goldberg, in The Atlantic, called him “credulous.”  The Anti-Defamation League charged Cohen with viewing Iran through “dangerous rose-colored lenses.” J.J. Goldberg, in The Forward, characterized Cohen as “simply naive, and dangerously so.” [Rafael Medoff, Ph.D]

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International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Virtual meetings spur Jewish theatre community

By Toby Klein Greenwald EFRAT, Israel — In April, the board members of the Alliance for Jewish Theater bit the bullet and decided to morph their annual autumn conference into a three-day Zoom event. Like everyone, they hoped for the best, but were being proactive and not assuming there would be a miracle. Theater makers

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International, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Toby Klein Greenwald, USA

Streaming Jewish programs (Oct. 18-23)

Compiled by Laurie Baron, Ph.D SAN DIEGO — All times are Pacific Daylight Time. Sunday, October 18 8 am  Luca Ascoli, “The Jews of Italy,” Sephardic World. 8 am  Yevilah McCoy, “Keynote Address,” Jewish Coalition for Racial Equity Virtual Conference. 8 am Moshe Halbertal and Jonathan Sacks, “Strange New World- Conversations in Times of Crisis- Religious

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Israel’s ultra-orthodox and the spread of COVID19

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel –In these difficult times Israel finds itself facing a fresh scandal on an almost daily basis. The latest was the bold statement made by the outgoing head of a hospital situated in the ultra-orthodox town of Bnei Brak, and hence treating primarily that population. As a rule I don’t

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East

Bereishis and Ancient Creation Stories

  By Irv Jacobs, MD LA JOLLA, California —  This essay covers creation stories; rivers in the Eden and pagan stories; and snakes and serpents in mythology. Genesis 1:1-6:8 The creation stories, and Genesis in general, offer a different focus in my year-long project, because they are more legendary than historical in flavor. I have

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International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion, Middle East

Police increase patrols following attack on rabbi

Other items in this column include: *Seacrest Village has newly reconfigured kosher kitchen *Jewish organizational news *In memoriam By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Police Department considers last Saturday’s attack on Rabbi Yonatan Halevy to be a “high priority incident” and as a result will increase patrols in the University City

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Holiday gatherings hamper Israel’s fight against coronavirus

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Life here has focused on the confluence of holidays: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah, plus the preoccupation of the Prime Minister with his indictments. The combination is a spike in the illnesses of the ultra-Orthodox, and manipulations by the Prime Minister to remain on the good side

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Israel to receive another 2,000 Ethiopian Jewish immigrants

JERUSALEM  (Press Release) — The Jewish Agency for Israel and the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) applaud Monday’s decision by the Government of Israel to approve the Aliyah (immigration) of 2,000 members of the Ethiopian community who are expected to arrive in Israel by early 2021. These Olim (immigrants) are among the thousands in

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International, Middle East