By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The good news – according to a poll published in Ha’aretz on the Eve of Rosh Hashanah – is that 54% of all Israelis believe in God and another 21% believe that we’re governed by a Higher Power. The bad news is that, as a result, 37% don’t believe
How religious are Israeli Jews? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — As ever, returning to Israel after two months of absence is something of a culture shock, particularly when it comes to driving a car. One is reminded with alarm that rules are no longer rules, the word ‘courtesy’ does not exist in the Hebrew language, and the overall feeling
Home again in Israel Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
German court in Hesse hears case alleging discrimination against Israelis by Kuwait Airways The High Court of Hesse on Thursday heard an appeal against a previous Frankfurt court ruling regarding Kuwait Airways’ discriminatory policy of banning Israeli passengers from flying on the airline. The case was brought by an Israeli student, represented by The Lawfare
Editor’s E-Mail Box: September 6, 2018 Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Editor’s Note: This is the 27th in a series of stories researched during Don and Nancy Harrison’s 50th Wedding Anniversary cruise from Sydney, Australia, to San Diego. Previous installments of the series, which runs every Thursday, may be found by tapping the number of the installment: 1, 2,3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21,
Recalling the WWII Seabees on Bora Bora Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — BDS and other anti-Israel movements on western campuses and elsewhere are clearly at odds with what is happening here. We shouldn’t be surprised. Americans and others operate by their own norms, with limited—if any—connection with the realities of Palestinian politics. Those enamored of a Palestinian state might consider the condition of
Palestine: a house divided against itself Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
Paraguay reverses self; moves Embassy from Jerusalem back to Tel Aviv The American Jewish Committee expressed deep disappointment over Paraguay’s decision to close its recently opened embassy in Jerusalem and return it to Tel Aviv. “This diplomatic reversal is shocking,” said Dina Siegel Vann, AJC Director of Latino and Latin American Affairs. “Paraguay has
Editor’s E-Mail Box: September 5, 2018 (9 items) Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Magen David Adom, Israel Railways and police conduct emergency drill on new high speed train lane After the holidays, the new high speed train lane leading to Jerusalem is expected to open. Awaiting the opening of the new lane and as part of the preparations, Israel Railways, Israel’s police, MDA and firefighting services conducted a
Editor’s E-Mail Box: September 4, 2018 (6 items) Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Debating the boycott call for scientific conference at Ariel University An Israeli professor from the Weizmann Institute is leading the efforts to boycott an academic conference held in Ariel University, located in Israel’s Samaria region beyond the Green Line. In an open letter published last week in The Guardian, Professor Ofer Aharony of the Weizmann
Editor’s E-Mail Box: September 3, 2018 (2 items) Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education
By Jerry Klinger SALINA, KANSAS — The ity of Salina, (Kansas) Historic Commission, the Smoky Hill Museum and the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation dedicated a new historic marker on August 30, 2018 dedicated to abolitionist August Bondi, a proud Jew. The citation on the marker read: AUGUST BONDI 1833-1907 Jewish-American Abolitionist, Salina Resident August
Marker placed in Kansas for August Bondi Read More »
Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The holidays have not finished. They haven’t even begun. However, school is on, as of September 2, families are back from vacation, and the noise is underway to deal with a number of pending issues. News from police and prosecutors is that Sara and Yair Netanyahu are under suspicion for
Israeli politicians, law enforcers shaking off lethargy Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USARed Sky at Noon by Simon Sebag-Montefiore; Penguin, Random House, UK, 2017 By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — This novel gives a detailed account of the days leading up to the German attempt to take Stalingrad in the summer of 1942, doing so by tracing the exploits of a group of former prisoners, taken
Novel shines a light on Soviet WWII decison- making Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, InternationalBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Israel will hold municipal elections next month. Who will run Israel’s largest city, Jerusalem, with a population of some 860,000? The present mayor isn’t standing again, because he’s said to have his eyes on national politics. There’s a host of candidates ready to replace him. Though the number will
Another missed opportunity for Jerusalem Arabs Read More »
Middle EastBy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — According to britannica.com, nationalism is, “… an ideology based on the premise that the individual’s loyalty and devotion to the nation-state surpass other individual or group interests … it [is] one of the great, if not the greatest, single determining factors of modern history.” Zionism, the need of
A brief history of Zionism Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Steve Kramer
StandWithUs condemns goals of National Students for Justice conference at UCLA StandWithUs strongly condemns the stated goals of the National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) Conference, scheduled to take place at UCLA November 16-18. The theme and goals of the conference celebrate blatant violations of free speech and say that, “the reason we can
Editor’s E-Mail Box: August 31, 2018 (3 items) Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA