By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM–Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem on the eve of his departure for the United States where he will deliver a historical speech to Congress on Tuesday, March 3 at the invitation of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) about the Iranian nuclear threat. “On the eve my […]
Bibi makes trip to HaKotel in advance of U.S. speech Read More »
Middle East, USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –Be the first of your friends to like this. Pop quiz: How can the threat of radical jihadists be countered? • President Obama: “Efforts to counter violent extremism will only succeed if citizens can address legitimate grievances through the democratic process and express themselves through strong civil societies. Those efforts
The making of a Jihadist Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USABy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem presents a Kafkaesque vision of the divorce process for Jewish women in Israel. Viviane, soulfully played by the film’s co-director Ronit Elkabetz, seeks to get out of an unhappy marriage, but her husband Elisha, played by the Armenian actor Simon Abkarian, won’t consent
The Wandering Review: ‘Gett’; Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lawrence BaronBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Wandering through the stalls of the Jerusalem International Book Fair held a few weeks ago my eye fell upon a display entitled ‘Lavi Publications,’ where copies of just one or two volumes in Hebrew were on display. The modestly dressed elderly lady in attendance at the stall was eager
A treasure of Iranian history at a Jerusalem book stall Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East
By Eva Trieger ENCINITAS, California -“When summer camp ends, you miss the friends you’ve made for about a week. When Hands of Peace ends you miss those friends forever, “said Itamar, describing his experience of the dynamic dialogue-based program that has one agenda: to develop open-minded young leaders who want to be a catalyst for
Hands of Peace bring Middle East teens together Read More »
Eva TriegerBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO─ Angered that the Senate passed a “clean” bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, House Republicans proposed a three week funding extension of DHS expecting that ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other Islamic terrorist groups will be defeated by interim but then voted against the measure. Apparently, John Boehner prefers
Humoring the headlines: February 28, 2015 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — As the former director of the Jewish Studies Program at San Diego State University for 18 years and holder of the Nasatir Chair in Modern Jewish History there for 24 years, I was outraged by the Horowitz Center designation of SDSU as one of the top ten anti-Semitic universities in the United States.
Horowitz claim of SDSU anti- Semitism disputed Read More »
Lawrence Baron, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & EducationJeb Bush to Israeli newspaper: U.S. approach to Iran nuclear talks ‘inexplicable’ (JNS.org) Former Florida governor and expected Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said in an interview with Israel Hayom published Friday that the Obama administration’s approach in the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran is “inexplicable.” “It is inexplicable to me,” Bush said. “The administration
Jewish news briefs: February 27, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — As the popularity of cycling continues to increase across the world, Israel is working to develop cycling trails that make the country’s spectacular desert accessible to cyclists. This week, the southern segment of the Israel Bike Trail was inaugurated on February 24 and offers for the first time a unique uninterrupted
Israel inaugurates southern bike trail Read More »
Middle East, Sports & CompetitionsBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Once a month I teach a class at La Vida Real, a senior living community in Rancho San Diego. Several Tifereth Israel members live there. This week I began to speak about Purim beginning with the special maftir we read from the Torah this week. This maftir is
A Jewish stroll through the streets of Paris Read More »
International, Middle EastSAN DIEGO (Press Release) — The Women’s Philanthropy Division of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County is orchestrating a community wide art drive, dubbed Art from the Heart, in recognition of this year’s International Good Deeds Day, which will come to full fruition on March 15, 2015. Through collaboration with several community partners, Federation will
On the Ides of March: Art from the Heart Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CalendarBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York –What is Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Patricia Arquette’s Jewish connection? A. Her paternal grandfather Cliff Arquette (also known as Charley Weaver) was Christian, her father was Muslim, and her mother was Jewish. She and her four siblings (all actors) were raised with no religion. She is the
Jewish trivia question: Patricia Arquette Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire