Kerry’s peace mission? Never say never

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–A political analyst should never say never. Things change. Politicians generally mask their intentions, and occasionally surprise constituents with their flexibility. Remember Nixon’s opening to China. John Kerry may be hoping for something like that from Benyamin Netanyahu, and maybe even from Mahmoud Abbas. It may happen, but unlikely is a legitimate

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Two men met in Ireland

By J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida –The two men sat side by side with clenched jaws as they faced the press after a two-hour emotional meeting. They were the presidents of the two greatest superpowers, the United States and Russia. What to do about the two-year-old civil war in Syria that has divided the

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Middle East

JNS news briefs: July 1, 2013

Gruesome video reveals fate of Syrian Catholic priest (JNS.org) A new video has emerged that possibly reveals the fate of Syrian Catholic Priest Francois Murad, who was reportedly killed last week by Islamic terrorists. Last week, the Vatican’s official news agency reported that Syrian Priest Francois Murad, 49, was killed in Gassanieh in northern Syria

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International

Superman no longer an American hero, just a killer

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — As a child of the early sixties, I could remember watching the George Reeves’ Adventures of  Superman show on television. Back then, the show did not feature super-sized villains like those that we have grown used to seeing over the past thirty years or so. No, Superman generally

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Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Travel and Food

Rabbi, do zombies count toward a minyan?

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Brad Pitt’s latest horror film, World War Z, started making me think of more practical questions regarding the existence of zombies. With the ongoing saga of election fraud, and in light of the Supreme Court ruling regarding election manipulations, I thought I would share some  tongue-in-cheek and

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Israel is like a European democracy, only Jewish

By Ira Sharkansky We’ve been traveling between relatives in the land that has been home to several generations of wandering Sharkanskys. Family members and others we are encountering look on Israel with a combination of admiration and disappointment. Some of those disappointed want it to be more aggressive in solving its problems, while some want

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

JNS news briefs: June 28, 2013

Netanyahu reportedly taps Dermer as next ambassador to U.S. (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to appoint his close aide Ron Dermer as Israel’s next ambassador to the United States, Army Radio reported Friday. According to the report, Dermer’s candidacy as ambassador has been in question for some time, as he

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International