By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –We are now more busy than usual. Perhaps various groups of activists had been sidelined by the storm, which is still evident in piles of tree trash that block sidewalks. Whatever the cause for the pause, there were Saturday night demonstrations in behalf of legalized marijuana, or at least easier access
Multiple causes flavor Israel’s political stew Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Other than occasional reassuring hints by US Secretary of State John Kerry, the public is being kept in the dark about the state of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The chief Palestinian negotiator is quoted to have said that there hasn’t been direct contact between the two sides in recent
Could attempted violence mean peace is coming? Read More »
Middle East
By Aryeh Savir BAT YAM, Israel — A terrorist attack was thwarted Sunday after a passenger found a suspicious package and alerted his bus driver. The driver of line no. 240, Michael Yuger, was told about a large black knapsack in the back of the bus. He immediately had all 15 passengers get off and
Bus bombing thwarted in Bat Yam Read More »
Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — The biggest failure in the American diplomatic quest to midwife the State of Palestine has been a failure to listen to the Palestinians, who don’t hide much. (One wag said that generally parties to a negotiation lie on the outside and tell the truth in private; the Palestinians, however,
Kerry publicly oblivious to Palestinians’ real goals Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
By Anav Silverman HAIFA, Israel –= While the American Studies Association (ASA) may have voted to boycott Israeli academic institutions this week – a boycott that was initiated in 2005 and coordinated by the Palestinian BDS National Committee – the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) has been successfully reaching out to the Arab-speaking world both
Israeli online course attracting students from Arab countries Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Hardly anything is more agreed among both Israelis and Palestinians than the condemnation of the Oslo Accords. They did not bring peace, or continue with the steps included in the agreements that were meant to bring the parties closer to peace. The criticism is valid, but invites a large HOWEVER.
Despite latter-day naysayers, Oslo Accords were valuable Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastSAN DIEGO–A close friend in Florida, Amnon Markusfeld, forwarded to me this 6-minute tour of Israel. I think readers of San Diego Jewish World will enjoy it!
A 6-minute video tour of Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –Two items in today’s news encourage me to repeat earlier, perhaps now less idle, speculation about the future of Avigdor Lieberman: (1) the Attorney General has decided not to accept the outgoing Chief Prosecutor’s recommendation to appeal Lieberman’s not guilty verdict that enabled him to resume his post as foreign
Will Israel become increasingly attached to Russia? Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Several overseas friends have urged me to read and write about Ari Shavit’s My Promised Land. Shavit is a well known columnist for Ha’aretz, but the book is not the left of center all out screech that might be expected from the paper’s turn in recent years. According to the unusually long,
For Israelis, these books seem like old news Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Some years ago I began flogging the idea that policymakers and activists must be aware of problems that have no solutions. Israel had something to do with it. This is a country with more than its share of problems, bothering nervous Jews here and elsewhere, as well as others who want
Israelis have perfected the art of coping Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–The response to the weather crisis – yes it was and in many ways still is a crisis – suggests that Israelis are good at improvisation but Israel is deficient in preparation. Though the snow hasn’t melted as of Sunday, Dec. 15, , power hasn’t yet been restored to all households,
New Israeli winter sport: finger-pointing Read More »
Middle East
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –The forecasts proved correct. A major storm coming out of Russia would bring lots of rain, and snow to the northern mountains,and at least a bit of snow to the Judean Mountains. Read that as Jerusalem. French Hill is the highest point within the city at 810 meters (2,500 feet).
Snow replaces politics as chief news topic Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– Having seen snow in Siberia, Sweden and Canada I was never impressed by what they described as a snowfall in Jerusalem. Though there had been some snow once or twice during the winters we spent here. It’s different this time: they forecast up to half-a-meter of the white stuff. It
Snow lays siege to Jerusalem Read More »
Middle EastBy Steve Kramer KIBBUTZ KETURA, Israel — Michal and I, together with our friends, recently spent a long weekend on this kibbutz in the Negev Desert. The trip was sponsored by their beit knesset, the Masorti (Conservative) Congregation of Ra’anana. A quote from its website: “The membership of Ra’anana Masorti is a successful mixture of
Exploring a kibbutz that is still Socialist Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer