War and peace. The line between the two is often razor-thin. For people caught up in conflicts, war does not begin with a single shot, or end with the signing of a treaty. It is a continuum that may start with sporadic hostilities and end only after generations. In this year’s Hot Docs film festival, […]
Hot Docs: Five stories of endless war Read More »
International, Middle East, Theatre, Film & BroadcastTel Aviv (dpa) – Fifty Holocaust survivors who never got to celebrate their Jewish coming-of-age ritual because of the horrors of World War II got a chance to do so Monday in Jerusalem. The bat mitzvah and bar mitzvah – the first for girls, the second for boys – is typically performed when the child
Belated b’nai mitzvahs at Kotel for Shoah survivors Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastDeputy Speaker of the Knesset MK Yehiel “Hillik” Bar (Zionist Union) visited Poland last week, after a town square was named after his maternal family. The main square of the small picturesque village of Skulsk in Poland was renamed the ‘Kotowski Sqaure’ this week, in a special ceremony Bar attended with other dignitaries. Bar’s grandfather,
Poland: Town square named for Israeli MK’s family Read More »
International, Middle EastA senior Likud official has revealed the details of alleged secret talks between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the opposition Zionist Union faction, in anticipation of the left-wing party joining the coalition government. A report in the Haaretz paper Sunday cited the unnamed, “knowledgeable” source, detailing the clear conditions outlined for an expanded unity government.
Details of alleged ‘unity gov’t’ deal revealed Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The Triguboff Institute, established by an Australian philanthropist, specializes in the needs of Jews from the former Soviet Union, notably Russia and Ukraine. The fact that perhaps as many as 400 000 Israeli citizens of Russian and Ukrainian background aren’t regarded as Jews by the state’s rabbinic establishment has prompted
Orthodox intolerance helps grow Reform in Israel Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastHamas man allegedly received $2,000 monthly salary for operating terror tunnel (JNS.org) Suspected Hamas terrorist operative Medhat Abu Sneima was indicted in Beersheba on Sunday for crimes including plans to attack Israeli soldiers along the Gaza border. Abu Sneima, 24, from Gaza, was arrested last month. According to the indictment, which lists 18 charges,
Middle East Roundup: May 2, 2016 Read More »
Middle East
Story by Donald H. Harrison; photos by Shor Masori SAN DIEGO – Israel’s consul general for New York, Ido Aharoni, told a San Diego gathering of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) on Sunday, May 1, that arguing with the supporters of BDS is a sterile exercise, not likely to influence the 95 percent of the
Aharoni: Arguing with BDS supporters wastes time Read More »
Middle East, San Diego County, USA
By Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE — The ESRA organization for English speakers (esra.org.il) had a beautiful hike in Ramat (hills of) Menashe during the intermediate days of Passover. This is one of the two regions of the Land of Israel in which the ancient tribe of Menashe resided. (The other area is located in the
Hiking in Ramat Menashe Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Every government in Israel, irrespective of ideological orientation, has declared its commitment to peace with the Palestinians. But peace comes at a cost: the Hebrew word leshalem (to pay) has the same root as the word shalom. Israel’s cost of peace with the Palestinians would inevitably entail giving up
The French initiative and Israel’s shaky coalition Read More »
International, Middle East
When cruise ships dock at Ashdod, and passengers disembark for a look at Israel’s fifth largest city, their first stop is often Yona’s Hill (Givat Yona). For it is on Givat Yona, today the site of a delightful overlook, that the prophet Jonah was buried well over two thousand years ago. True, tradition places his
Ashdod has witnessed Israel’s history since Jonah Read More »
Middle EastAs Passover and Shabbat end tonight, people across Israel are celebrating Mimouna. Social Equality Minister Gila Gamliel (Likud) is taking part in the festival at the Dahan home in Yavne, along with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara. Gamliel spoke to fellow attendees, saying that “the festival of Mimouna, in which the doors
Minister: ‘Mimouna is the best symbol of unity in Israel’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastSoothing rattled nerves of secularists in Turkey, who were irked by comments the speaker of the Parliament made Monday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu made reassurances Wednesday that its new constitution will guarantee secularism. The speaker, Ismail Kahraman, had appealed for a religious constitution for the Muslim-majority nation. In a televised speech, Davutoğlu said: “Secularism will
Turkey says new Constitution to be secular Read More »
Middle East
A mysterious virus that has decimated tilapia fish stocks in Ecuador and Israel has finally been identified by an international team of scientists. The virus, dubbed tilapia lake virus, was long suspected to be behind mass die offs of valuable farmed tilapia in Ecuador and Israel since 2009. In a paper published in the journal
Deadly Fish Virus Finally Identified Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We ShareNearly three years ago, the European Union finally overcame its longstanding resistance and addressed the issue of adding Hezbollah to its terrorism list. The good news is that the 28 member states, prompted by the determination of Bulgaria, which experienced a deadly Hezbollah attack the year before, and Cyprus, which arrested a Hezbollah operative scouting
There is only one Hezbollah Read More »
Middle East