By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Kever Shmuel and/or Nebi Samwil is one of the sites that includes within its stories the long and controversial history of this place, as well as ongoing disputes about who did what, and its justification or suitability for moral condemnation. The place is the highest point in the area of […]
The dispute over the Prophet Samuel’s Tomb Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –The world is full of surprises. I was stunned to read about a New York Times condemnation of the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas. The name of the Article was, “Let Abbas’s Vile Words Be His Last as Palestinian Leader.”[1] Abbas went on record saying that the
Abbas unveils his true Jew- hating identity Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USA
By Edwin Black NEW YORK — For decades, Rabbi Yotav Eliach, esteemed principal of Rambam Mesivta High School in Long Island, has accumulated his teachings, writings, and those of many other scholars and rabbinical authorities, tracking the history of Israel. His mission was not just to chronicle the dispossession and repossession of a people, as
Zionism, diplomacy, and God’s covenant in new book Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Edwin Black, Middle East
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Currently showing at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem is an exhibition by Zoya Cherkassky, who was born in Russia and immigrated to Israel with her family in the 1990s. The Cherkasskys were part of the million-strong influx of Jewish immigrants from Russia who were finally able to leave
Social Realism: Russians in Israel Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Middle EastBEER-SHEVA, Israel (Press Release) — A team of researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev(BGU), and the United States provided significant evidence that sunscreen ingredient oxybenzone (BP3) causes coral bleaching at sites in Hawaii, Eilat, Israel, and the Caribbean, leading to a ban which passed Thursday in the Hawaii state legislature, Under the new legislation, which
Some sunscreen lotions seen as unsafe for coral Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USABy Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Symphony, like many other orchestras throughout the world, is honoring the centennial birthday of Leonard Bernstein, the great 20th century American conductor, composer, pianist and educator, by including his works in all three Masterworks symphony programs during the month of May, as well as in a
This is the second part in a two-part series To read the first part, click here. By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Natalie Portman lately has developed a penchant for creating headlines about Jews. This past week, she went on record saying, “The Shoah is no more tragic than other genocides,” and
Natalie Portman raises a good issue about the Shoah Read More »
International, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USASANTA CRUZ, California (Press Release) – The Drylongso Collective, a group that consists of numerous Cal Poly student organizations, demanded “an increase in ASI funding for ALL cultural clubs, with the exception of organizations that are aligned with Zionist ideology.” Today, 60 education and civil rights organizations urged Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong to take immediate and long-term steps
Protests against anti- Zionism at Cal Poly Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Islamic Republic of Iran’s declared position is that it does not want nuclear weapons and never has. Which is good, because the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) contains language declaring that “under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop, or acquire any nuclear weapons.” Which is
World should not shrug its shoulders at Iran’s cheating Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — One of the obsessions of ultra-orthodox (Haredi) men is not to be close to women. Even proximity to mothers, wives and daughters is at times restricted. Though public transport in Israel doesn’t allow segregation, some private buses used by Haredim put the women at the back. There’re many reported
Haredim slowly changing Israeli society Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — A great presentation? Telling the world something it already knew? A Prime Minister firming up his support at home? Or Bibi making an ass of himself? All of the above? It depends on what you heard and what you read. It’s widely viewed as an intelligence achievement, but maybe more
Netanyahu speech on Iran leaves many questions Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
JERUSALEM (Press Release) — Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, on Wednesday condemned a speech by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestine Authority, about the Holocaust. Following is the statement from Yad Vashem: In his address on Monday, 30 April 2018, to the Palestinian National Council, the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas,
Yad Vashem condemns Holocaust speech by Abbas Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastBy Gilles Pargneaux, Alon Ben-Meir, and Arbana Xharra NEW YORK — The summit held in Ankara on April 4 among Putin, Erdogan, and Rouhani provides an eye-opening depiction of the rapidly changing discourse of 2018’s geostrategic international rivalry. The Syrian conflict, the center of global attention for more than seven years, is now in the
EU should not permit Turkey to become a member Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — People in the know tell us that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech the other day about Iran’s nuclear ambitions was more of a performance than an evidence-based argument. Though the coup of the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency that brought the data to Israel is a remarkable achievement, some experts aren’t
Fears of war in the Israeli air Read More »
Middle East