By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — “Strategy” is the summer watchword in Washington — strategy for handling ISIS, strategy for Syria, strategy for Middle East peace. The President says, “We don’t have, yet, a complete strategy” for ISIS, but presumably one will emerge. In this atmosphere, the debate over sending more American troops to Iraq, and […]
Obama helps Iran control Iraq, Syria, Lebanon Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USABy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO─ In the wake of major hacking incidents of government computers, Hillary Clinton is now bragging about how much foresight she had to put her State Department emails on a private server. * Rachel Dolezal resigned from being president of the NAACP’s Spokane Chapter after it was revealed that she really
Humoring the headlines: June 16, 2015 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireCypriot and Israeli leaders emphasize common threats in Jerusalem meetings (JNS.org) Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Israeli leaders emphasized their nations’ shared challenges while holding meetings in Jerusalem. “Israel and Cyprus are both small countries, and share common threats in the shape of radical Islam, Iran, and the ongoing conflict in Syria, to name but
Jewish news briefs: June 16, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — It sometimes seems as if we’re living in a kind of science-fiction fantasy world in which, from the comfort of our home, we watch the dreadful events swirling around us while we remain cozily ensconced in our little cocoon of comfort and plenty. The images we see nightly
Watching disasters in comfort Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Who’s winning? Nobody. Among the refrains we hear from Israelis, overseas friends, and those sitting on the fence is that Israel (the government and the people) do not do enough to explain themselves. Hah! The sounds of Israeli efforts to explain themselves are deafening to those who bother to listen.
No winners in Israel vs. P.A. propaganda war Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — Rachel A. Dolezal, the now discredited president of the Spokane, Washington, chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), has a few problems. Her issues, however, are not greater than those shared by all of us who have jumped on the bandwagon of our own
Dolezal case points up racial hypocrisy in U.S. Read More »
USABy Anav Silverman JERUSALEM — One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Mumbai, formerly Bombay, is home to the majority of India’s Jewish population. Among the 12 million people that make up the city, some 4,000 Jews live in the city. While many of India’s Jews have immigrated to Israel, the United
Birthright group from India tours Israel Read More »
International, Middle EastBy Joe Spier CALGARY, Alberta, Canada — On July 29, 1977, at Kfar Habad, a village near Tel Aviv, a bar mitzvah was in progress. After reading from the Torah, 13 year old, Shai Cohen spoke, “I promise you, father, that in my life I will never fail you. I will do my duty with
The saga of Eli Cohen, Israel’s greatest spy Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastBy Gary Rotto SAN DIEGO — Some believe that there are two types of congregations: destination congregations and neighborhood congregations. A destination congregation is so compelling, so well known for its theology, programming, school or rabbinical leadership that people will travel from anywhere in the region to attend or become a member. A neighborhood congregation
Shul, Ken, and SDJA to share the campus Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyNearly half of Palestinians killed in Gaza war were armed, Israeli report finds (JNS.org) A new Israeli Foreign Ministry report on last summer’s Operation Protective Edge found that nearly half (44 percent) of the 2,125 Palestinians killed were confirmed to have been armed members of Hamas or other terrorist organizations. The 277-page report, titled “The
Jewish news briefs: June 15, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Jamal Michael Barrow, a rapper from Belize who performed using the name Shyne, served 8 years at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York for attempted murder, assault, and reckless endangerment. His time there overlapped that of escaped killers Richard Matt and David Sweat. Unlike them, however, Shyne
Jewish Trivia: The rapper Shyne Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
By Mimi Pollack LA MESA, California — This is not a political story, but rather a human interest one. It is my recollections of the weekend I spent with Jeb and Columba Bush, and why he impressed me. In October 1981, my ex-husband, Carlos, and I traveled from Mexico City to Miami. We were with
My weekend with Jeb and Columba Bush Read More »
Mimi Pollack, USA