Middle East

The deal of the century — really?

That Prime Minister Netanyahu was enthusiastic about the plan, even comparing it to the 1948 Israel’s Declaration of Independence, is understandable. As is the Palestinians’ total rejection of it. Having recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and declared the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, President Trump has now given Israel the green light to annex parts of what since the 1967 War has been disputed territory and where by now some half-a-million Israeli settlers have built their homes. The Netanyahu government will be quick to try to enact legislation to make it happen – even before the March 2 general election. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]

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International, Middle East, USA

‘Avodah’ Jewish Service Corps commits to San Diego

The Jewish service corps known as “Avodah” – Hebrew for “work” – has announced that San Diego will be the fifth city in the nation where its fellows will spend a year volunteering to combat poverty, help the homeless, and work with immigrants and asylum seekers, among other projects. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
https://youtu.be/JZVvQ-_C6Ns

Can carob save a nation?

The carob tree has been appreciated for its various features throughout the ages. Nowadays, people are starting to rediscover this amazing plant. It is both a wild growing forest tree, and an easy to cultivate fruit tree. Because of this combination, the carob tree lends itself to a wide range of uses, thus making it the perfect tree to solve many of Morocco’s pressing economic and environmental issues. [By Nora Martetschläger]

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International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food

Mayoral candidates discuss anti-Semitism

Anti-semitism?  City Councilwoman Barbara Bry blames President Donald Trump.  City Councilman Scott Sherman points his finger at the Internet.  And Tasha Williamson says it’s the fault of domestic terrorists, who ought to be prosecuted with the same tenacity as are terrorists from foreign countries. The three candidates made their comments Sunday night at a forum at Temple Emanu-El skipped by Assemblyman Todd Gloria, who polls show to be the frontrunner in their race to be San Diego’s next mayor. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Movie, play offer gripping Holocaust stories

The film 1945 and the play The Class give new meaning to the phrase “bad neighbor.” These very relevant works of performance art were among those highlighted at the 5th Kisufim (Hebrew for “longings”) conference held at the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem, in November. This year’s topic was: “Writing, Memory and Vision” and it was produced in partnership with the Zalman Shazar Center, the Hebrew Writers Association, and the Matanel Foundation, among others. [Toby Klein Greenwald]

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International, Jewish History, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Toby Klein Greenwald

What Mideast parties want ahead of a peace proposal

We have to wait until President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan is unveiled to discuss it; those already discussing are likely to be wrong. But it is worth reviewing where Israelis, Palestinians, Arab states, and Americans have been — and why this time may be different. The central flaw in the “Palestinian-Israeli peace process” has never been addressed. There has not been — and there is not now — a shared goal toward which Israelis and Palestinians can be induced to work. Instead, each side has three specific and irreconcilable objectives. [Shoshana Bryen]

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International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Conductor Yoav Talmi a classical composer

As Yoav Talmi continues to receive accolades for his guest conducting throughout the world and his inspiring teaching at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Tel Aviv University, the internationally acclaimed maestro is also garnering increased recognition as a world class composer. His recent CD, Yoav Talmi COMPOSITIONS, released by the Israel Music Institute and produced with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, contains three of his large compositions, De Profundis, a four movement work for mixed choir and orchestra; Animi Motus, a four movement work for orchestra with children’s or women’s choir; and Elegy for strings, timpani and accordion (Dachau Reflections). [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Why I love Brexit

The European Union is a group of countries which seemingly have a collective hatred of Israel, and by extension, the Israelis – 75% of whom are Jewish. (What else do we expect from the continent that brought us the Holocaust?) Not every country in the EU is vehement about their distaste for our Jewish country, but their collective decisions, by consensus, are testament to it. I love Brexit because it weakens the EU and will probably lead to a further lessening of its power. Thankfully, Boris Johnson soundly defeated Jeremy Corbyn in the latest UK elections, enabling the EU to begin leaving the EU imminently. [Steve Kramer]

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International, Middle East, Steve Kramer

Behind the byline: Jerry Klinger

Though he lives in Boynton Beach, Florida, Jerry Klinger writes stories for this publication from all over the United States and the globe.
Klinger is president of the Jewish American Society of Historic Preservation, an organization which he largely funds. It has erected more than 100 historic markers honoring Jewish-American contributions in this country, Europe, and Israel. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Rabbi Ralph Dalin honored by WZC nomination

Other items in today’s column include: * Political bytes * Recommended reading By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –  Mathematics tell us that Rabbi Ralph Dalin, San Diego’s Jewish community chaplain, has approximately as much chance of winning a delegate spot at the World Zionist Congress as, say, the Red Sea has of splitting again. 

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, San Diego County, USA