JERUSALEM (Press Release)–“Despite what people might think, anti-Semitism does not strengthen our ties with Jews overseas” said Minister of Jerusalem & Diaspora affairs, Naftali Bennett, before presenting the annual report on the subject to the Israeli government in Jerusalem on Sunday, Jan. 26. “For every Jew who makes Aliya as a result of anti-Semitism, […]
Anti-Semitism prompts both assimiliation and aliyah Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Aryeh Savir JERUSALEM–Two unusual events relating to Holocaust remembrance took place in the Arab world in December 2013: a first official conference on the Holocaust was held in Tunisia, dealing with Holocaust of the Jews of Tunisia, and the first visit by an Arab diplomat to a Holocaust memorial site, when Bahraini ambassador to
Holocaust acknowledgment stirs Arab controversy Read More »
InternationalBy Danny Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — Remember a popular novel from the 1950s titled On The Beach by the British-Australian writer Nevil Shute? His real name was Nevil Shute Norway, but he used a pen name for his writings. The novel came out in 1957 and was a dire warning about the perils of
New Nevil Shute needed to warn about climate change Read More »
The World We Share
By Sybil Kaplan/JNS.org Arava, literally meaning “desolate” and “dry area” in Hebrew, on the map is a section of the Jordan Rift Valley, running in a north-south orientation between the southern end of the Sea of Galilee down to the Dead Sea and continuing farther south, where it ends at Eilat and the Gulf of
Desert agriculture flourishes in the Arava Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Isaac Yetiv, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — One of the characteristics of “one-man rule,” whether autocratic, theocratic, authoritarian, or totalitarian, is the absence of “mistakes, blunders and scandals” because the dictator answers to no one and to no law. In the Roman empire, “the Prince is exempt from the Laws,” (Princeps legibus solutus est.)
The United States of Maboul? Read More »
USA
By Maxine Dovere/JNS.org HONG KONG—A taxi ride to 70 Robinson Road in Hong Kong, the address listed for the Ohel Leah synagogue, ends with a simple question: Where is the synagogue? The driver had understood the destination request. But this was a street of high-rise residential towers. There is no synagogue in sight. A quick look
Hong Kong Jewish community is vibrant Read More »
Natasha Josefowitz, Travel and Food
SAN DIEGO– Sandi Masori spotted this license plate and concluded that clearly the owner of this car is someone who enjoys a friendly conversation!
Jewish-interest license plate: A Shmuzr Read More »
Trivia, Humor & SatireRabbi Moshe Walter, The Making of a Halachic Decision. Menucha Publishers.ISBN: 1614650896. 231 pages, $24. Rating: 3* out of 5. By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Any student of Jewish law has often wondered about the origin of the Halachic decision-making process. True, the Talmud is full of arguments. If you
Book Review: ‘The Making of a Halachic Decision’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Slogans of the left are that Israeli occupation of Palestinian land cannot last, or alternatively, that the international community will not tolerate the lack of agreement between Israel and an independent State of Palestine.. It has lasted for coming onto 66 or 47 years, depending on whether you begin at
Is long-lasting peace possible in volatile Mideast? Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky
-Second in a series-– By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — The director of the San Diego Center for Ethics in Science and Technology says what sounds like an easy question before someone is diagnosed with cancer, can be just the reverse afterwards. During a recent telephone interview, Michael Kalichman framed the issue this way:
Cancer treatments raise ethical issues Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Danny Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — I have always felt so sad for Danny Pearl and his family for the tragic way in which he was kidnapped and beheaded in Pakistan. Everyone knows the story by now, and a recent essay by Asra Q. Nomani in the Washingtonian magazine headlined “Danny Pearl’s Final Story”
‘Daniel Pearl Day’ not always respected by media Read More »
InternationalBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Question from Jewish Values Online: In the Torah parsha (selection for reading) Yitro, the Torah tells us that Jethro took Moses’ wife, Tziporah and their two sons, and sent them home. I once heard a teacher explain in a homiletical way that this was an example
What kind of a family man was Moses? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiNEW YORK (Press Relase) — The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Friday, Jan. 24, welcomed an important warning by the United States that, despite modest sanctions relaxation, now is not the time to do business with Iran. ADL called on Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Undersecretary David Cohen to amplify that message to U.S.
ADL pleased by U.S. warning on Iran business Read More »
InternationalBy Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — I have my own theory about why some people retire happily and others get depressed or ill upon retirement, about why some people drive fast and like rollercoaster rides and horror movies, and others—like me—absolutely refuse to see anything violent and frightening and have always avoided scary
Adrenaline addiction can hamper retirement Read More »
Natasha Josefowitz, Travel and Food