By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Every once in a while someone new starts reading my columns, and responds with an expression of frustration. Usually it’s something like, “Dammit, what’s your solution?” Read my lips. There ain’t any. In politics one should never say never, but in this case there is close to a century of
For Israel no solution is the best and only solution Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Morton Klein NEW YORK — Secretary of State John Kerry clearly believes — or wishes to be heard saying — that Israel is responsible for increased terrorism and instability roiling the Middle East. In a recent speech at a White House ceremony for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, Kerry said that “there wasn’t
Is Kerry harbinger of U.S. abandoning Israel? Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Anav Silverman MASADA, Israel –Underneath the Masada Mountain, along the shores of the Dead Sea, over 12,000 people danced to the electronic beats of Dash Berlin, Deep Dish and Sander Van Doorn and other international and local artists on Thursday night, October 23. The second annual Dead Sea Rave -424, which took place from
This kind of rock Israelis rave about Read More »
Middle EastJERUSALEM (WJC) — The Gaza-based terror groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have hailed the terrorist act in Jerusalem on Wednesday in which a baby girl died as “an act of heroism.” An Arab man from east Jerusalem rammed his car into a crowd of commuters at a light rail station, killing three-month Chaya Zissel Braun
Hamas hails murder of 3-month-old baby Read More »
Middle EastBy Michael Ordman NETANYA, Israel –In synagogues this week, Jews read about Noah and the Biblical flood, which tells of the destruction of the ancient world. Today, there are many evils that again threaten to flood the planet, but at least now we have a nation – Israel – busy re-constructing the world to prevent
Positively Israel: October 24, 2014 Read More »
Michael Ordman, Middle East
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –Holocaust Survivor Lou Dunst and Christian Zionist preacher Rev. Dumisani Washington of Stockton, Calif., are four decades apart in age, yet hearing one and then the other speak, gave me reassurance that Washington’s message partially fulfills the intent of Dunst’s agonized rhetorical cry of pain: “And the Free World
Black churches: From whence Israel’s help may come Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USAHAIFA, Israel (Press Release)–Like the intonation of individual spoken languages, sign languages also have their own unique “sound,” and, as with spoken languages, the intonation of one community’s language is different from that of another community, according to a new study at the University of Haifa. “Our discovery that sign languages also have unique intonation
Sign language has its own intonations Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM– What should Israel do? Nothing is probably the best answer. However, pick your platitude Politics does not tolerate a vacuum Politics does not tolerate quiet The world is clamoring for a solution. Not exactly the world, but a collection of activists that includes Palestinians leading the chants Jews who feel uncomfortable
Should Israel leave well enough alone? Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
NEW YORK (Press Release)– The American Jewish Committee (AJC) supports the conversion bill introduced by MK Elazar Stern of the Hatnua Party, headed by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni. Hatnua has pledged to press the measure, which already passed its first reading in the Knesset, even though it does not enjoy Cabinet support. “Loosening the Chief
AJC lauds Israeli bill to liberalize conversions Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
By Erin Philips SAN DIEGO – Karen Schuster remembers when her son, Ari Friedman, now 23, told her he was moving to Israel to become a combat medic with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was 2012, and he was a student at UC Irvine, where he had been a leader among the Jewish
Lone Soldiers’ mom alternates between pride and worry Read More »
Middle East, USATEL AVIV (Press Release)— Sixteen Eritrean refugees in Israel have completed a medical interpreting course created by Prof. Galia Sabar of Tel Aviv University’s African Studies Department. Eight of the asylum-seeking graduates have already joined the Israeli health system as medical translators. “Language barriers are acute between Eritrean asylum seekers and medical personnel in Israel,
Eritrean refugees taught to be medical translators Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Richard L. Cravatts, PhD BOSTON–As yet more evidence that academics are regularly able to engage in what George Orwell sardonically referred to as “doublethink,” “the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them,” this month 40 professors of Jewish studies published a denunciation of a study that
Willful blindness to academic anti-Semitism Read More »
Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USACAIRO (Press Release)–An American Jewish Committee (AJC) delegation, after three days of high-level consultations, urged accelerated steps to normalize strategic relations between the United States and Egypt. “Egypt has been, and remains, an essential ally in the global fight against terror and extremism,” said Jason Isaacson, AJC Associate Executive Director for Policy. U.S. military aid
AJC: U.S. should restore Egypt’s military aid Read More »
Middle East, USA
JERUSALEM (TNA) — A Palestinian drove a car into a crowd waiting for the Jerusalem light rail at the Givat HaTachmoshet (Ammunition Hill) station on Wednesday, Oct. 22. An infant died following the incident and 7 people were injured: 3 in serious condition, and 4 with light to moderate injuries.. The driver attempted to escape by foot, and
Palestinian kills baby, injures 7 at bus stop Read More »
Middle East