Published by Reuters By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dan Williams GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel and Hamas will cease fire across the Gaza Strip border as of 2 a.m. on Friday (2300 GMT on Thursday), the Palestinian Islamist faction and Egyptian state TV said, bringing a potentially tenuous halt to the fiercest fighting in decades. Israeli Prime Minister […]
Israel and Hamas agree Gaza truce, to be monitored by Egypt Read More »
Middle East
During the pandemic, YAAANA, the Yiddish Arts and Academics Association of North America, a tiny non-profit organization I founded four years ago, saw significant growth, and is about to move into a new physical space in La Jolla. In June 2021, we plan to open a mini-Yiddishland California in the Village of La Jolla. Among the activities planned for that space are Yiddish music concerts, theater performances, activities for children, Yiddish classes, and festive Yiddish-style dinners. And, just like our previous pop-up and Zoom events, all YAAANA activities will be accessible to all regardless of Yiddish-speaking abilities. Additionally, childcare will be available to visiting parents. [Jana Mazurkiewicz Meisarosh]
Making San Diego a Yiddish Destination Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) and a group of like-minded colleagues wanted to sink the proposed $735-million sale of a Boeing-built arms guidance kit to Israel. The Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) kit converts unguided or “dumb” bombs into precision-guided munitions. The goal, according to Politico, is “leverage to push the Israelis to drop their resistance to a ceasefire.” [Shoshana Bryen]
Withholding Weapons from Israel Makes the US Weak Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Thursday released preliminary data from its Center on Extremism revealing an increase in online and real-world incidents of antisemitism in the United States since the most recent outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas. [ADL Press Release]
ADL: Antisemitic Incidents Linked to Recent Mideast Violence Read More »
Middle East, USA
More than a thousand Californians, including nearly 70 rabbis, today petitioned the California Legislative Jewish Caucus to oppose AB 101, a bill to make ethnic studies courses a high school graduation requirement. The California Assembly is likely to debate AB 101 next week. [AMCHA Initiative Press Release]
Advocates Petition Against California Ethnic Studies Bill Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Published by DPA Angry Lebanese crowds attacked buses and smashed the windows of cars carrying supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Beirut on Thursday, decrying what they call a sham as international voting in Syria’s presidential election began. Vehicles loaded with Syrians, holding pictures of al-Assad and waving the Syrian flag, were seen heading
Mobs attack pro-al-Assad voters in Lebanon as overseas polling begins Read More »
Middle East
Published by Reuters By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United States on Thursday defended its efforts to broker a ceasefire in renewed fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants after Washington found itself isolated at the United Nations over its opposition to any Security Council action. “We have not been silent,” U.S. Ambassador to
At U.N., U.S. defends its efforts to broker Mideast ceasefire Read More »
Middle East
The catchy slogan that is chanted so ardently by supposedly well-intentioned human beings in demonstrations being held around the world, ‘Palestine shall be free, from the river to the sea,’ is in effect a call for the destruction of Israel. And that, of course, is what the terrorist organization of Hamas wants to achieve. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
‘River to the Sea’? That Means ‘Eradicate Israel’ Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Middle East
I dreamt up the idea to make artisanal matzo way back in 1995, for Brett Kelly, my next door neighbor in my rent-stabilized, West Village apartment building. Her parents were closing their pizza shop on City Island and I was trying to convince her to take it over and turn it into the City Island Matzo Factory. She didn’t take the unleavened bait and the concept laid dormant in the back of my messy mind for over two decades. [Ashley Albert]
The Story Behind The Matzo Project Read More »
Travel and Food, USA
Published by AFP United Nations (United States) (AFP) – The conflict in the Middle East has stirred up a diplomatic stand-off at the United Nations between France and the United States, the first open tension between the two allies since President Joe Biden took power. Despite guaranteed opposition from Washington, France proposed another draft UN
US and France tangle at UN over Middle East Read More »
International
An unending intifada against the Jewish state has been the central mission of Hamas since its inception, and part of that war against Israel includes what Palestinians claim is their legal “right of return;” that is, the right of those Arabs who fled or were expelled from what became Israel to now return, en masse, to the Jewish state—together with all of the original refugee’s descendants, now numbering in the millions. [Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D]
The ‘Right’ of Palestinian Return Is a Myth Read More »
Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts
Israelis Efraim Gordon and Yehuda Guetta learned too late that they were not safe whether waiting for a bus in the West Bank or visiting relatives in Baltimore. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Terror in Baltimore and the West Bank Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA
Last month there was a brief kerfuffle when a copy of Vice President Kamala Harris’ book for children, Superheroes Are Everywhere, was spotted among materials being handed out to migrant children at the Long Beach Convention Center. There was only one copy that someone had donated, but the New York Post reported that the book was being given to all the children. Subsequently, that newspaper retracted the story, but not before other right-wing media jumped on it including Fox News. [Donald H. Harrison]
What Kamala Harris’ Book Teaches Children Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, USA
Israeli actress Gal Gadot tweeted about the current military crisis between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, “My heart breaks. My country is at war. I worry for my family, my friends. I worry for my people. This is a vicious cycle that has been going on for far too long. Israel deserves to live as a free and safe nation, Our neighbors deserve the same. I pray for the victims and their families, I pray for this unimaginable hostility to end, I pray for our leaders to find the solution so we could live side by side in peace. I pray for better days.” In response, Yair Netanyahu, son of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, criticized her for her comments. What did he say? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Gal Gadot Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Trivia, Humor & Satire