By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal JERUSALEM — We spent Seder night and the First Day of Passover at Kibbutz HaSolelim in the Galilee. This is where Dan, Michal, his bat zug (partner), and their adorable baby daughter Kerem live. Like many kibbutzim, HaSolelim is now “privatized.” This means that members’ salaries are differentiated and gone are […]
An Israeli seder and tour during Pesach week Read More »
Middle East, Travel and FoodBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — No matter how hard I try, and believe me, I have and do try, passing over Passover is very hard to do if you live in Israel. The countdown to the festival begins for some people one month beforehand, namely, as soon as the previous festival is over
Hard in Israel to pass over Passover Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Barry Shaw NETANYA, Israel — A frustrated Israeli Defense Minister, Avigdor Liberman, criticized the United Nations for ignoring the issue of Palestinians killing Palestinians. In a phone conversation with Nikolay Mladenov, the UN Middle East envoy, he complained that while the UN regularly condemns “justified Israeli actions against terrorism” they have nothing to say about
World ignores Arabs killing Arabs Read More »
Barry Shaw, Middle EastDetroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, left, and second baseman Ian Kinsler celebrating a win over the Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park in Detroit, July 20, 2015. They are two of the most prominent Jews in the majors this year. Leon Halip/Getty Images Ryan Braun hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs in a game
The 2017 Jewish major leaguers Read More »
International, Middle East, Sports & Competitions, USAIRBIL, Iraq — The U.S. military says a misdirected airstrike this week killed 18 friendly fighters battling the Islamic State alongside the international coalition in northern Syria. U.S. Central Command said Thursday that coalition aircraft were given the wrong coordinates by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces for a strike intended to target militants south of
US military says misdirected airstrike in northern Syria killed 18 allied fighters Read More »
Middle East, USAProposed changes to textbooks by the UN agency reportedly include revised maps, a ‘balanced representation of Jerusalem,’ and excision of messages seen as incitement By Dov Lieber Palestinian children at a school in the Gaza Strip city of Rafah. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90) The Palestinian Authority Education Ministry on Thursday announced it was suspending ties with
PA suspends ties with UNRWA over planned curriculum reform Read More »
International, Middle East
By Loren S. Casuto SAN DIEGO — One of the most common complaints about politics today involves money and influence. Turn on the news and you’ll hear about groups providing millions for access while the individual has little opportunity or weight by comparison to influence their representatives. With all that said, one can believe there’s
Delegates feel empowered at AIPAC conference Read More »
Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There is a lot that is hidden from view, but what we can see is not promising. The US Secretary of State and other ranking officials are overlooking the considerable Russian investment in Bashar al-Assad, and demanding that Putin et al abandon their ally and work with the US in
Russia abandoning Assad is a U.S. fantasy Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USAPresident Donald Trump likes to live in the lap of luxury, and he’s not going to let presidential tasks like launching 59 Tomahawk missiles into Syria disrupt the decadent lifestyle to which he’s become accustomed. In a new interview with Fox Business, Trump described the Palm Beach scene from which he authorized the airstrike last
Trump Launched Missiles While Eating Chocolate Cake Read More »
International, Middle East, USAAlan Dershowitz, a famed Harvard law professor and progressive in good standing, lashed out at activists and Democratic Party officials who are trying to make political hay out of White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s . Spicer created a firestorm at the daily briefing Tuesday when he said even Hitler never sunk so low as
Liberal Harvard Professor Rips Democratic Hypocrisy on Spicer Read More »
International, Middle East, USAHead of the Palestinian Federation in Chile barred over alleged efforts to promote boycott of Jewish state By Times of Israel staff The Allenby Bridge border crossing between Jordan and Israel (Shay Levy/Flash90) A Chilean Palestinian BDS activist was barred from entering the West Bank on Monday, weeks after the Knesset passed a bill allowing
Chilean anti-Israel activist turned away at West Bank border crossing Read More »
International, Middle EastOpposition MK Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) on Wednesday announced she would fight the law forbidding public showing of chametz (leavened products) during the Pesach (Passover) holiday. The new proposal would cancel the existing law and allow the public display of chametz during Pesach. It will be proposed immediately following the end of the holiday. Zandberg claims
Leftist MK: Get rid of ‘chametz law’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastWhen former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad put his name forward as a candidate in the country’s May 19 presidential election, it surprised observers both inside and outside the Islamic Republic. Not least because Iran’s highest religious figure, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had discouraged Ahmadinejad from running. Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s current leader and the reformist
Five of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Oddest Theories Read More »
Middle EastAfter bringing down News of the World for cell phone hacking, Mark Lewis is intent on combating anti-Semitism — even as he travels to Israel to fight his multiple sclerosis By Jenni Frazer LONDON — You really wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of media and libel lawyer Mark Lewis. For a good
UK’s foremost libel lawyer sets his sights on Israel’s enemies Read More »
International, Middle East