By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM–As the center of the Jewish religious world, you would think that Jerusalem would have hosted a kosher wine festival before–but no, the first Jerusalem Kosher Wine Exhibit took place just this week at the Binyanei HaUma convention center. With a steep entry price of 70NIS per person (my press card […]
Jerusalem hosts its first kosher wine exhibit Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–In this week’s Likud party primaries Binyamin Netanyahu got some 75% of the votes cast by card-carrying members. The rest went to Moshe Feiglin, an extremist with considerable nuisance value but, mercifully, not much political clout. Even though more credible contenders and reputed critics within the party didn’t stand against him,
Netanyahu’s continuation as Likud’s leader may lead to increasing isolation for Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Evelyn Gordon WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last month, Victor Davis Hanson published a fascinating article on why Iran might nevertheless decide to start a war it can’t win. In it, he analyzed several cases in which countries did exactly that, including the Korean War in 1950, the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the 1982 Falklands War and
Are Egypt’s domestic problems so bad that war with Israel will be a welcome distraction? Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The usual complaints about the inadequacy of democratic governance are about the majority that disenfranchises a minority. InIsrael, it seems to be the other way around. Often it’s relatively small groups that hold the rest to ransom – democratically. Today’s examples: two minority groups, the settlers (probably around 5%
Is Israel giving up its right to be called democratic? Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The headlines are about a couple of issues roiling close to the Prime Minister. They do not concern the big stuff that will attract people around the world who look to Israel for the excitement of threat, promise, personal or collective salvation. Insofar as the Prime Minister is the Prime Minister, however,
PM’s administrator accused of harrassing woman on staff Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida– My father, Jacob “Yankel” Lurie and my mother, Ida “Hayele” Lurie, made aliya from Brooklyn to Haifa in 1929 a few months before the crash on Wall Street. My father, the owner of several ready-to-wear women’s fashion stores, was 54. My mother at 50 had brought up six sons and
Agudat Israel and the yeshiva that was never built Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –The kerfuffle over the postponement of the highly touted “Austere Challenge 12” joint US-Israel military exercise is over. Officials in both countries are now on the same page: it was a “joint decision” having nothing to do with finances, Iran or politics, just “technical issues.” Regardless of the lid they’ve
Israel, U.S. differ over strategy for stopping Iran’s nuclearization Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — There’s new statistical evidence that when Israelis say that they’re secular, it doesn’t mean that they’re non-believers. Thus though 46% of Jewish Israelis describe themselves as secular, 80% say that they believe in God and 65% believe that the Torah is God-given in one way or another. When it
Israelis more ‘religious’ than they think they are Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Hopefully, Iraq and Afghanistan will be the Lebanon War of the United States. Israel learned from the massive invasion and long occupation of Lebanon (1982-2000) that too much force is frustrating, does not accomplish announced goals, and may be self-defeating. Its second Lebanon war of July-August, 2006 demonstrated the lesson: only
The lessons to be drawn from Middle East interventions Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Yaakov Lappin JERUSALEM–A virtual conflict is developing in the Middle East, involving high speed internet connections and keyboards rather than missiles and tanks. It has been a victimless affair so far, though it carries the potential for more serious harm in the future, and serves as a wakeup call for the Israeli private
Cyber-War heats up in Middle East Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– The Prime Minister of Israel is suffering at the moment with migro-aine, which in this part of the world might be called the mother of all headaches. Whereas a conventional migraine can often be treated with medication, this one can only be controlled by an artful combination of political savvy and,
Migron provides mother of all migraines for Netanyahu Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The 1930s are one of the most famous periods of early 20th century American history. Most of us of the Baby boom era grew up watching The Untouchables television series. Chicago, 1930, is best remembered for Al Capone, America’s most successful gangster, who made organized crime into
Niso Shaham is Israel’s version of Eliot Ness Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Negative campaigning isn’t new in the world. Just look at what the Republican presidential candidates are currently saying about each other in the United States But you can’t diminish an American by accusing him/her of being Jewish. On the contrary. It’s different in, say,Poland where being called a Jew is
Anti-Semitism in Diaspora perceived differently in Israel and elsewhere Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — My readers have weighed in on a recent column. According to one, I was not sensitive enough in recognizing how dastardly was Ahmed Tibi in referring to Anastassia Michaeli as “cos amok.” According to another, Tibi really is a traitor, in speaking out so forecefully in favor of Palestinian interests while
What are the limits of an MK’s free speech? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East