Grandpa’s Mountain: Letters from a Border Kibbutz in Israel by Arieh Larkey, Gefen Publishing House, 2015 By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — After accidentally finding his grandfather’s address in Israel, a twelve-year-old boy in America decided to write. He hoped to establish a relationship and find the warmth and understanding that he felt was lacking in
From the Jewish library: ‘Grandpa’s Mountain’ Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — Karl Taro Greenfeld is the son of a Hollywood screenwriter and a Japanese novelist and was blessed with the writer genes he inherited from both his parents. Born in Japan in 1964, Greenfeld grew up in Los Angeles in the 1970s and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in
Humorous cli-fi novel is ‘subprime’ but far from sub-par Read More »
Travel and Food
Speech by Tony Klug Delivered 29 April 2015 BATH, England — I am delighted to be here at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, in such elegant surroundings and distinguished company. My appreciation to everyone involved for the invitation and thank you all for coming. I hope this doesn’t sound too discourteous, but I want
European offers plan to force Israel’s hand Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — Actress Bryna Weiss’s ‘ credits include The Rose Tatoo on stage with Olympia Dukakis, films such as Slums of Beverly Hills with Alan Arkin, TV appearances in Desperate Housewives, NYPD Blue, Gilmore Girls and others. Her full, expressive voice and theatrical gestures enhanced the clever, humorous and poignant
Three present diverse poetry at the Astor Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Yehuda Amichai, one of Israel’s great poets with a particular attachment to Jerusalem, has written: “The air over Jerusalem is saturated with prayers and dreams like the air over cities with heavy industry. It’s hard to breathe.” Many of us thrive in this heavy air. By contrast, the pollution that’s really
Peace will require some division of Jerusalem Read More »
Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Friends of Israel tend to use their “Israel is the center of the universe” prism to refract events in the region. But sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. The New York Times, Foreign Policy magazine, and others to the contrary, the document released this week by a joint
Vatican pact with P.A. intended to protect Christians Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO─ The new coalition formed by Benjamin Netanyahu is the most right-wing government Israel has ever had. It is so right-wing that if Israel were a ship of state sailing West on the Mediterranean towards the Atlantic, it would run aground on Cyprus the first day. * B.B. King died this
Humoring the headlines: May 15, 2015 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireUnusual Bible Interpretations: Joshua by Israel Drazin, Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem; ISBN 978-965-229-709-9 ©2015, $24.95, p. 174, plus references and index By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — The Book of Joshua is part of a collection of biblical books, which include Deuteronomy, Judges, Samuel, Jeremiah, and Kings, called Deuteronomic history because these books are believed
Did Book of Joshua author really know Torah? Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionBy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — Dear Friends and Family, I have been a reporter since 1934, but this is my first attempt at fiction. Actually, 90% of it is true based on my life and others that I have known. Love Conquers All: A short, short story by J. Zel Lurie Her name was
101-year-old writes a love story Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short StoriesBy Barry Shaw JERUSALEM – The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs staged a highly successful event at the 5th Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism in Jerusalem between 12-14 May. Delegates from around the world gathered to hear an impressive array of speakers, led by Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The conference was intense. Even the lunches
Anti- Semitism and the question of Palestine Read More »
Barry Shaw, Middle East“Whosoever saves a single life saves an entire universe —Mishna, Sanhedrin 4:5 By Joe Spier CALGARY, Alberta, Canada — When Soviet troops entered the Auschwitz extermination camp on January 27, 1945, they found 7,000 survivors from the more than one million who had passed under its gates. Auschwitz has become a symbol for the Holocaust
An Auschwitz love story Read More »
International, Jewish HistoryBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — At the end of parashat B’har we find the following words: “You shall not make idols for yourselves, or set up for yourselves carved images or pillars, or place figured stones in your land to worship upon, for I the LORD am your God. You shall keep My
Shabbat and the prohibition of idol worship Read More »
Jewish Religion