By Shoshana Bryen and Stephen Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Russia’s options in Syria are poor. While Vladimir Putin intervened to save his client Assad and Russian access to warm-water ports, it is beginning to look as if air power won’t do the job for Russia any more than it will for the U.S. and
Russia’s three main options in Syria Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, Stephen D. BryenA Curious Coincidence and a Visit to Yad Vashem By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson JERUSALEM — The anniversary of the Pogrom of 9th November 1938, otherwise known as Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, is marked every year by Jews all over the world. It is not a religious occasion, but does nevertheless serve to unite Jewish
Never Again: Holocaust news for November 16, 2015 Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History
By Dov Smith JERUSALEM — What do bagels and falafel have in common? According to a Hebrew University of Jerusalem researcher, comparing the histories of these two foods shows us that bagels and falafel have much more in common than meets the eye. On a simple level, says Prof. Shaul Stampfer, both foods are based
Bagel n’ lox, falafel are keys to Jewish history Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, USABy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — France now has its own “9/11,” joining the UK (7/7/05), Spain (3/11/04) and Mumbai (26/11/08). It’s about time for Europe, as well as America, to face the fact that what’s going on is a religious war, a Western war against Muslims who are “radical,” if you prefer to
Polled Muslims show sympathy for religious killings Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USAFearing home demolition, Palestinian father turns in terrorist son (JNS.org) A Palestinian terrorist was turned into Israeli security forces Sunday by his own father, who feared that harboring his son would result in the demolition of the family home. Ahmad Matua, 28, of Hebron, is suspected of killing Rabbi Ya’akov Litman, 40, and his 18-year-old
Middle East Roundup: November 16, 2015 Read More »
Middle EastBy Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO–Violinist Asi Matathias and Pianist Victor Stanislavsky have become regular visitors to San Diego. This time, they performed as the second offering in the Salk Science and Music Series. A unique series, inaugurated in 2013, it takes place in the Salk Institute’s excellent concert hall. These evenings are unusual because they
Salk’s mixture of music and science stimulates Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual ArtsBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — If you do not see the evil inherent in currently popular versions of Islam, it’s time to take another look. Not all Muslims are hateful and inclined to violence. Perhaps only a minority. However, all–or virtually all–those inciting and participating in mass violence are Muslims, and doing it in the name
Will Paris terror mean the end of PC? Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastShe’s singing in Danish
The Jewish singers: Raquel Rastenni Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –The latest Jihadist attack in and on Paris (not the first and, alas, probably not the last) is now the main topic in Israel just as in the rest of the world. Even the terrorist attack near Hebron on a Jewish family on its way to a celebration that killed
Diverse Israeli reactions to Paris massacre Read More »
International, Middle EastBy Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra presented an all-orchestral program in San Diego’s Civic Theatre Nov. 12 under its venerable Conductor-for-Life, Zubin Mehta. The concert began with the playing of the two anthems, The Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah. The latter, which featured the IPO’s glorious string section, brought tears to
Mehta and the IPO please San Diego concert goers Read More »
Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
Ani ma’amin b’emuna shelema be’viat hamashiach, V’af al pi sh’yit’mame’a im kol zeh achakeh lo bechol yom sheyavo. I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah; and even though he may delay, I will await him every day – 12th Principle of Faith, from Rambam’s Shloshah Asar Ikkarim By Beth Sarafraz BROOKLYN, New York — One
In case of Moshiach break glass Read More »
Trivia, Humor & Satire, USABy Joe Spier CALGARY, Alberta, Canada — Al Schwimmer, an American citizen, born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1917, a hero of Israel’s War of Independence, died on June 10, 2011, his 94th birthday, at central Israel’s Tel Hashomer Hospital. David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, described Schwimmer’s activities during 1947-48 as “the Diaspora’s single most
Al Schwimmer built Israel’s clandestine air force Read More »
Travel and FoodA Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz, Harcourt, Inc., 2003 By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — Is it fair to write a review of a book after having read only 55 out of a total of 358 pages? Probably, not. And, yet, that is exactly what I am going to do. Amos Oz is
Love and Darkness on Jewish book shelf Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short StoriesBy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — Peter Gould has lived in Vermont for over 45 years and his new novel Marly is about Vermonters, climate issues and wind turbines, among other things. Growing up Jewish, Gould — who calls himself a “non-observant Goddess-worshipping American Jew — said it was his parents who were “intellectual,
He does the talking; she dominates the discussion Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories