By 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 EastBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – When SDSU President Elliot Hirshman was held captive Wednesday in a car for approximately two hours by angry students, that potentially was a matter of false imprisonment and violation of his civil rights that demand investigation by state and federal prosecutors. At the same time, flyers naming individual
D.A. should investigate SDSU incident Read More »
Middle East, San Diego County, USASenior UK Labour Party lawmakers called on party leader Jeremy Corbyn to take greater action against anti-Semitism among its members, after two senior politicians were dismissed for anti-Semitic remarks. The Labour Party’s shadow home secretary Andy Burnham told Sky News on Friday that opposition party members “have made anti-Semitic comments” and that “these allegations, when
Labour MPs seek quick action against anti- Semitism Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East
In what has become a yearly tradition at the holy site, hundreds of Jewish worshipers packed the Cave of the Patriarchs (also known as the Cave of Machpela) in Hevron for a mass prayer led by two leading rabbis from Tzfat (Safed), the heart of Jewish mysticism in Israel: Tzfat Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and
Machpela packed for Pesach prayers Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastDespite his abysmal showing on the latest Super Tuesday — he won only in Rhode Island — Bernie Sanders insists that he will keep campaigning through the last contest. But political analysts already are discerning a change in Sanders’ rhetoric consistent with reality. One sign of that recalibration is Sanders’ focus on leveraging his support
Can Sanders impact Democratic Party platform? Read More »
Middle East, USA
British physicist Stephen Hawking could finally win a Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking theory on black holes thanks to new research out of Israel’s Technion university. In 1974, Hawking hypothesized that black holes are slowly evaporating, challenging the conventional understanding that nothing could escape from the void of a black hole. The theory, known as
Israeli-made ‘black hole’ could win Hawking a Nobel Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationItalian authorities arrested four people suspected of extremism on Thursday and issued arrest warrants for two more operating in Syria, according to the Milan prosecutor. Authorities said one of the suspects is a Moroccan-born national living in Italy who had received orders from the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) to conduct an attack in Rome
Italy Uncovers Plot to Attack Vatican, Israeli Embassy Read More »
International, Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release) –Leaders of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations on Thursday, April 28, condemned the offensive, outrageous, anti-Semitic statement made on Wednesday by the Palestinian Permanent Representative at a press conference in the United Nations (UN). In his appalling statement, Dr. Riyad Mansour compared the recent Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming
COP condemns Nazi allusions by P.A. envoy Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
We have entered the age of migration. If all the people who live outside the country of their birth united to form their own-a republic of the rootless-it would be the fifth-largest country in the world, with a population of more than 240 million people. Though much has been written about how a world on
The migration super powers Read More »
International, Middle East, The World We Share