By Robert Singer NEW YORK (WJC) — The question of whether the West should take in Middle Eastern refugees is becoming irrelevant. Shutting the borders would be immoral. It would also be impossible. The real issue then is how to absorb these refugees, share the burden equitably and above all, avoid the mistakes of the […]
Radical Islamists, not refugees, are the West’s enemies Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Stephen Baird, M.D. SOLANA BEACH, California — Donald Trump recently said that Hillary Clinton got “schlonged” by Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic Presidential primary elections. This unleashed a torrent of commentary about the use of Yiddishisms, whether or not the term was useable as a verb form, whether it was vulgar, and so forth.
In reply to Trump’s use of ‘Schlong’ Read More »
Trivia, Humor & Satire, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Jews remain an easy target. BDS is the best example. Its leadership is Palestinian, but its appeal is wider. It’s attained the support of students and faculty members at supposedly distinguished universities, as well as assorted labor groups and a motley collection of individuals. There is no lack of opposition to the
A response to the BDS movement Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — Most families have some cousins they would rather not think about. Our Crowd: The Great Jewish Families of New York, by Stephen Birmingham (Syracuse University Press, 1996) and Poor Cousins by Ande Manners (Putnam Publishers Group, 1972) relate the stories of the powerful Jewish families of New York and
That ‘Other’ Part of the Family Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, USABy Morton A. Klein and Daniel Mandel NEW YORK — A major uproar exploded across the political scene recently when Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” Conversely, there has been a remarkable, deafening silence on the official position proclaimed by Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas: “If
Double standard in U.S. about Muslim, Jewish targets Read More »
Middle East, USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –The president says, “Muslims are our neighbors,” which, in fact, they are. Newspapers, including the influential Washington Post, have run stories extolling the virtues of Muslim refugees, Muslim soldiers, and Muslims as just-about-everyone, which, in fact, they are. And because of that, perhaps, Americans have not exactly been on an
Americans hate terrorists, not Muslims Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USA
By Jonathan A. Greenblatt NEW YORK–It’s been nearly two months since the so-called “adoption day” when Iran officially began the process of scaling back its centrifuges and retrofitting some nuclear infrastructure as part of the agreement with the world powers to restrict its nuclear weapons program. Some have touted the agreement as a sign of
Iran: While We Weren’t Looking Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Eva Trieger SOLANA BEACH, California -Catching up with Bulletproof Stockings, a female Hasidic alternative rock band was not easy. A flight delay caused them to arrive periolously close to Shabbat, so we had to reschedule. It was not until the following Tuesday morning when I connected by telephone with Perl, Dalia and Elisheva, who
Girl band rocks the Hasidic world Read More »
Eva Trieger, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Noah Baird recently was signed for his third six-month contract appearing on Broadway in Matilda: The Musical which isn’t bad at all for a 10-year-old boy from Carlsbad, whose kvelling grandparents–Ed and Sue Cherlin and Steve and Carol Baird–live in San Diego County. Fans of local theatre may
S.D. County lad acts in Broadway’s ‘Matilda’ Read More »
San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USABy Kenneth Bandler WASHINGTON — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) strongly condemns Lehava leader Bentzi Gopstein for his incendiary words threatening Christians in Israel, and urges Israeli authorities to take appropriate actions against him. “The boundless hatred that infuses Gopstein and Lehava is a chilul haShem, a desecration of Judaism, contrary to the founding values
AJC condemns anti- Christian rhetoric; visits Gulf States Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — For a creative and innovative Jewish man from the Boston area, Hannukah was always a great holiday — but with just one thing missing. That thing turned out to be “The Mensch on a Bench” and he created it. Meet Neal Hoffman, the 30-something interfaith dreamer with a
Meet the man behind ‘Mensch on a Bench’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
By Jack Rosen NEW YORK — The election of Mauricio Macri as Argentina’s new president is a promising development, not just for his long-suffering nation, but for the prospects that Latin America can move successfully into a post-Chavez period of reintegration with the West. As Argentina works to reinvigorate its economy, abandon a provocative and
U.S. should support vision of Argentina’s new president Read More »
International, USABy Kenneth Bandler NEW YORK — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) is calling on the U.S. Government to end the practice in the armed forces of denying security clearances for Jews who have family in Israel. The disturbing practice was brought to light again in a Wall Street Journal column this week. The practice is
AJC Report: U.S. security clearances; Iran Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — Most people want to fit in, to belong, to be part of a group, to be “one of the gang,” to share not only in the work but in the play, in the joking, the beer after a long day, the weekend golf or tennis games, the
Disclosing your identity in the work place Read More »
Natasha Josefowitz, Travel and Food, USA