Possible Iran nuclear program concession draws skepticism from Israeli officials (JNS.org) Israeli officials reacted with skepticism to a report by the German newspaper Der Spiegel that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is considering dismantling the deep underground nuclear site of Fordo. Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin said Rouhani “is the father of the method of talking
Jewish news briefs: September 17, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — From an Israeli perspective, it won’t be possible to judge the Obama-Putin (or the Putin-Obama) deal on Syria until we see what happens with Iran’s nuclear program. (A pessimistic view is that we won’t be able to judge until we see how Israel and Iran deal with each other’s nuclear
Two views of Obama among Israelis Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastENCINITAS, California (Press Release) – For their philanthropic impact on the Jewish community and support of San Diego’s seniors, the Women’s Auxiliary of Seacrest Village Retirement Communities will honor Sylvia and David Geffen at the 36th Annual Gala on Saturday, February 1, at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine in San Diego, California. With
Seacrest Village to honor Sylvia & David Geffen Read More »
San Diego County
SAN DIEGO — Melanie Rubin found it, and no matter how you spell it, it means “To Life!”
Jewish-interest license plate ‘l’haim’ Read More »
Melanie Rubin, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California– There may be some kind of national spirit in India, or in China, or possibly in Finland. No one should really judge. The Germans have their technology, the French their superiority, and the Italians their wine. But the former ceded their hearts to a psychotic jingoism that ignited both
Yes, Mr. Putin, America is exceptional Read More »
USAGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel: Support for Israeli security part of national ethos (JNS.org) German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced one week before her country’s upcoming federal elections that “Germany’s support for Israel’s security is part of our national ethos, our raison d’etre.” Although Merkel acknowledged that she has often made critical comments about construction in Judea,
JNS news briefs: September 16, 2013 Read More »
InternationalATLANTA (Press Release) — Fighting hereditary disease among Jews is the aim of a multi-state public health initiative launched Monday, Sept. 16, called JScreen. The JScreen program (www.jscreen.org), managed by Emory University School of Medicine’s Department of Human Genetics, provides at-home genetic screening and private counseling for people with Jewish lineage to determine their risk
Jewish genetic screening program to begin in the South Read More »
Science, Medicine, & EducationJERUSALEM (Press Release) — Here is a text of a joint appearance on Sunday by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry: PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Mr. Secretary, John, a pleasure to welcome you again in Jerusalem. I very much appreciate the fact that you’re here today. You’ve got a lot
Kerry, Netanyahu tell importance of Syria chemical pact Read More »
Middle EastBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–There are times I believe we Jews should begin a Society for New Israel. The objectives for this society would be to find some place on Earth where we Jews can begin a nation anew, a place where our traditions, customs, inventiveness, drive and values would be welcomed, not rejected.
A Society for New Israel Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish ReligionBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — The San Diego State University school year opened with a blatant politicization of an Arabic class. An Arabic instructor handed out a map of the Middle East which omitted Israel and labeled it Palestine. After a protest by an Israel advocacy group, the instructor apologized and penciled in
Humoring the Headlines: September 15, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Anav Silverman In what UNHCR officials have described as the worst refugee crisis in 20 years, over a million Syrians, half of whom are children, have fled the country in the past six months. Since the outbreak of the Syrian war in March 2011, the total number of Syrian refugees is now up to
Israelis aiding Syrian refugees in Jordan Read More »
Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — A white card with black lettering fell out of a book as I took it down from its shelf. This turned out to be an invitation sent in 1963 to members of the Society for Jewish Study and the B’nai Brith Leo Baeck (London) Lodges to attend a
Insights into Israel-UK relations from Society for Jewish Study Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There has been a new development in the difficult history of French Hill and Isaweea. A trench has been dug, and its dirt piled in the field separating the neighborhoods, alongside a French Hill street that abuts the field, and has suffered more than its share of the difficulties. We
On the border between French Hill and Isaweea Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
Between Friends, a collection of short stories by Amos Oz; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 179 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-98558-9, $24. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — In “Eleanor Rigby,” the Beatles’ songwriting duo of John Lennon and Paul McCartney asked “All the lonely people, where do they all come from?” and if you should happen
Loneliness and the kibbutz ideal Read More »
Donald H. Harrison