By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — The BDS’ers (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) are at it again. Alice Walker, author of the The Color Purple is urging singer Alicia Keys to cancel a concert she has scheduled in Israel in July. Walker wrote, “It would grieve me to know you are putting yourself in danger […]
BDS campaign defames Israel, ignores others Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM– Jews have been arguing among themselves since before they were called Jews, or had decided what Judaism was supposed to be. Jews make their arguments the subject of comedy. Anti-Semites take them as one more reason to hate the Jews. Remember that Abraham left home. We can assume that he had
Israeli politicians battle over drafting the Haredim Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –Last week, before meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pronounced Israel’s prosperity an impediment to “peace” with the Palestinians. “I think there is an opportunity [for peace], but for many reasons it’s not on the tips of everyone’s tongue. People in Israel aren’t waking
Building up P.A. won’t make it more amenable to peace Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Morton A. Klein and Dr. Daniel Mandel NEW YORK — On September 1, 2000, only a couple of days into the Palestinian violence against Jews that erupted at Yasser Arafat’s behest across the West Bank and Gaza, a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, Muhammad al-Dura, was reportedly killed by Israel during a clash with Palestinian armed
The real meaning of the Muhammad al-Dura findings Read More »
Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States, Canada, Israel, the Netherlands, and Bahrain designate Hezb’allah a terrorist organization; Britain and Australia outlaw only Hezb’allah’s “terrorist wing” but permit its “political wing” to organize and raise money (only for political activity, of course). A motion by Britain will put the British/Australian formula on the
Hezb’allah: The terrorist organization Europe tries to ignore Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–It is unwise to invest too seriously as a consumer of political rhetoric. Politicians lie. They must, in order to serve diverse constituencies. Party platforms are designed to up the enthusiasm of those already committed. “Singing to the choir” pretty much summarizes what goes in election campaigns, with parties appealing to their
World should examine apartheid in Muslim states Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Will President Obama’s speech at the National Defense University this week rank with his speech in Cairo that called for freedom, liberty, and democracy, or George W. Bush’s speeches that promised democracy in Iraq and later declared victory? Bluster or wisdom? is an appropriate question to ask of an American president, fated to
When coping is a wisdom mechanism Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — At first blush, it might have sounded like praise, but it wasn’t. Before meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Secretary of State John Kerry pronounced Israel’s prosperity an impediment to “peace” with the Palestinians. “I think there is an opportunity [for peace], but for many reasons it’s not on
Is Israel, in Kerry’s view, too prosperous? Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israelis have no monopoly of feeling threatened. Residents of Greece, Spain, and a few other developed countries–including some from the USA–have trouble paying their bills, or looking forward to work and a vacation. Israel’s economy is in pretty good shape. Not for all Israelis, but for most. Being Jews, many
When violence seems always nearby Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Sandy Golden SAN DIEGO — Dalya’s Dancing, Tarbuton’s Yeladim, Yochanan’s Becko Band, and French chanteuse Chantal made the day shine even brighter this past Sunday at the annual House of Israel (HOI) Lawn Program in Balboa Park. It was a celebration of Israel and even the weather cooperated to the success of
San Diegans enjoy House of Israel lawn program Read More »
Middle East, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Travel and Food
By Jeremy Ben Ami WASHINGTON, D.C. — Secretary of State John Kerry is back in the Middle East this week for his fourth visit in three months. And J Street’s Leadership is back in the United States after a 9-day, 8-night mission to Israel and the Palestinian territory. We met Israeli and Palestinian political and
J Street chief detects new energy in Mideast peace process Read More »
Middle EastBy Arkady Mamaysky TARRYTOWN, New York — Earlier this year on San Diego Jewish World, I presented some thoughts about how to forge closer bonds between Jews in Israel and the Diaspora to ensure that we remain a single people, rather than just coreligionists. The op-ed assumed that Israel is important, and now I would
Some reasons why the world needs Israel Read More »
Arkady Mamaysky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Newspaper estimates of the numbers taking part in recent demonstrations tell us something about the ranking of items on the agendas of various sectors. What is impressive is not the precision of such numbers, but great differences in their magnitude. On Thursday evening of last week, it was estimated that
Lapid backpedals on secular education for Haredim Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Remember the Cold War? And the crises focused on Berlin and missiles in Cuba? Could we be on the cusp of a comparable crisis focused on Syria? Among the unanswered questions is the relative weight of Israel in the thinking and threatening being done by the US and Russia. This,
Is Syria heating up the old U.S.-Russian cold war? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East