Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

[caption id="attachment_959" align="alignright" width="100"] Dorothea Shefer-Vanson[/caption]

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson is a freelance journalist based in Mevasseret Zion, Israel.

Her published works, available on Amazon, include:

[showhide type=”pressrelease” more_text=”Show More” less_text=”Show Less”]

* All Quiet on the Midwestern Plains: A Tale of Deception, Betrayal, and Vindication

* The Balancing Game: A Child Between Two Worlds, A Society Approaching War

* Chasing Dreams and Flies: A Tragicomedy of Life in France

* The Diary of Anne Frank (Cliff Notes)

* Levi Koenig: A Contemporary King Lear

* A Ruffled Calm

* Time out of Joint: The Fate of a Family

Shefer-Vanson also is a Hebrew to English translator, with those works on Amazon including:
* The Rainy Day Man by Amnon Jackont
[/showhide]

A welcome contrast between Israel and the French countryside

The place is set in countryside that was once verdant but now, as a result of the recent spells of unaccustomed heat, consists of dried-up fields with boundaries denoted by wilting bushes and the occasional tree. Nonetheless, the village is still a place of tranquility and solace for the anguished souls who normally inhabit a country which is anything but tranquil. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

A welcome contrast between Israel and the French countryside Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Being an invited guest in the German city that my father fled

My father left Germany, but had to leave his mother behind, hoping that he would manage to bring her over to England, but that turned out to be impossible. For the rest of his life my father lived with the sense of guilt and remorse at not having succeeded in rescuing his mother, who perished in Theresienstadt from malnutrition and neglect. (Dorothea Shefer-Vanson)

Being an invited guest in the German city that my father fled Read More »

Antisemitism, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

What I learned in London in June 2026

Attacks on Jews have set alarm bells ringing in Jewish communities around England, and especially in London. Though from what I see in the media physical violence seems to be far more prevalent in England today than it was in the past. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

What I learned in London in June 2026 Read More »

Antisemitism, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Goebbels rides again

Using a succession of lies, falsehoods, distortions of the truth and blatant misrepresentations of reality, the Palestinian propaganda machine now represents Israel, the tiny Jewish country which has been under attack from the moment of its establishment, as an evil rogue state causing distress and unrest throughout the Middle East. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

Goebbels rides again Read More »

Antisemitism, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Without a book to read, author mulls eight novels she wrote

(I) could not contemplate any journey without having a book to read. But last week I had to endure that half-hour journey without proper reading matter, a predicament I hope never to have to repeat. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

Without a book to read, author mulls eight novels she wrote Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

An echo from the past

As I read the message the memory of the composer, Verdina Shlonsky, and her articles about French composers she had known in Paris, came flooding back. I recalled her as a kind, elderly lady who lived in a small apartment on the top floor of an old Tel Aviv building with virtually no furniture other than a piano and a couch. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

An echo from the past Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology

England is not what it used to be when I grew up there

There was a sense of solidarity within and between different groups, whether based on religion or ethnicity, and what interested most people was the success or failure of their favorite football team, the comings and goings of the Royal Family and the weather. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

England is not what it used to be when I grew up there Read More »

Antisemitism, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Lifestyles, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Current war, domestic politics dampen Israel’s celebration of Independence Day

In the past I would happily watch the broadcast of the official ceremony on television, enjoying the sense of unity and national pride. This year, however, like many other people, I preferred other fare and found a funny movie to watch instead. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

Current war, domestic politics dampen Israel’s celebration of Independence Day Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Lifestyles, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Distrust for Netanyahu-led government sours some Israelis’ outlook

Bad decisions, miscalculations and hubris have caused Israel’s current government to lead the country along a path that seems to bring only more death and destruction. No attempt ever seems to be made to seek peace by negotiation or any diplomatic means of settling disputes. Admittedly, countries that openly proclaim their desire to eradicate Israel and all Jews everywhere should be regarded as a threat, but Israelis should be given an alternative to living by the sword alone. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

Distrust for Netanyahu-led government sours some Israelis’ outlook Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Attack on ambulances revives memories of British antisemitism

My first encounter with antisemitism came when I was hospitalized for suspected scarlet fever at the age of ten. The children’s ward contained some 20 beds for both boys and girls, and the treatment we received was coldly efficient. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

Attack on ambulances revives memories of British antisemitism Read More »

Antisemitism, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Thoughts of an Israeli retiree as the war with Iran intensifies

And so, we spent the day hovering between our chilly basement shelter and our comfortable sitting-room as alarms rang out from our phones, radios and TV sets, as well as outside in the public arena. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

Thoughts of an Israeli retiree as the war with Iran intensifies Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jan Brokken’s “The Just; How Six Unlikely Heroes Saved Thousands of Jews from the Holocaust” tells of stories of courage

Throughout this book, which is based on extensive research, interviews with survivors, and far-reaching travel to almost all the places mentioned, the writer inserts his own personal insights and experiences, giving the reader a unique and lively account of how events developed and what people experienced. [Dorothea Sefer-Vanson]

Jan Brokken’s “The Just; How Six Unlikely Heroes Saved Thousands of Jews from the Holocaust” tells of stories of courage Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors