By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — A considerable portion of the world is being nasty to Israel. The list of governments inviting the Israeli ambassador in their capital city to the halls of their foreign ministry for a drubbing includes virtually all of the European worthies, along with Australia and Brazil. The list may be
Will Obama take political revenge on Netanyahu? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastPA, writing to UN, calls Israeli construction plans ‘war crimes’ (JNS.org) Palestinian leaders delivered a harsh complaint to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday in light of Israel’s recent decision to move ahead with plans to build an additional 3,000 housing units in area E1 between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim, Israel Hayom reported. A letter
JNS news briefs: December 5, 2012 Read More »
International
By J. Zel Lurie DEL RAY BEACH, Florida — The most important fact about the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is that it was announced in Cairo by an American and an Egyptian, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. The Israeli and Hamas representatives were nowhere in sight. Here is
A short history of the recent Gaza conflict Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East
By Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK — The class devoted to the study of leadership, using the book of Genesis as a text, was proceeding well. On this, the ninth session, it reached a new depth. It did so by paying careful attention to the subtleties of the Hebrew language. Hillel, from his
Joseph showed early signs of true leadership Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Steve Karras Much has been made of Matisyahu since he took clippers to his dangling beard and side-curls, 86’d the black fedora, and shockingly emerged from his Hasidic outer shell one year ago. Recent photos of the international hip hop reggae sensation now reveal a clean shaven, hip rocker, looking more like he came
Matisyahu tells of his music’s origins, new directions Read More »
Travel and Food
By Isaac Yetiv, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — This time, Hamas launched 1,500 rockets that killed six Jews and injured many more, and Israel retaliated. And, as usual, this deadly exchange of fire ended with a “ceasefire,” mediated by some do-gooders, that allows the terrorists to replenish their arsenals with more advanced longer- ranged missiles,
Gaza cease fire made no military sense Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — A.B. Yehoshua, the renowned Israeli novelist, playwright, and thinker, fiercely independent and deeply rooted in the marrow of Jerusalem, wrote an article Monday for the Op-ed page of Ha’aretz. He declared that the time has come for Israel to talk with Hamas—something whispered about by many people on
Novelist Yehoshua says Israel should negotiate with Hamas Read More »
Middle EastSAN DIEGO — The Journal of San Diego History has added San Diego Jewish World publisher Donald H. Harrison to its editorial board, the Journal’s co-editors, Drs. Molly McClain and Iris Engstrand, have announced. Harrison, author of a biography of San Diego pioneer Louis Rose and numerous articles on San Diego Jewish history, “will provide
Harrison named to Journal of San Diego History editorial board Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego CountyJerusalem mayor: No city regulated by the U.S. president (JNS.org) Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat expressed support on Monday for the Israeli government’s plan to build 3,000 additional housing units in the E1 section between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim, Israel Hayom reported. The decision came as a response to the recent upgrade of Palestinian status at
JNS news briefs: December 4, 2012 Read More »
InternationalHarvard students receive club invitations excluding Jews, welcoming ‘coloreds’ (JNS.org) Harvard University students received flyers from a supposed “Harvard’s Newest Final Club” explicitly stating that Jews should not apply but “coloreds” are welcome to do so. The flyer invited students to an introductory club event, listing three virtues: “inclusion,” with the footnote of “Jews need not
JNS news briefs: December 3, 2012 Read More »
International
By Danny Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan– There aren’t many delicatessens in Taiwan, and the word “deli” has not yet been translated into Chinese. So when news reached me here the other day that the Stage Deli in Manhattan was closing — after 75 years in business — I paid attention. You see, whenever I get
Deli envy in tasty Taiwan Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks is a classic story of a family that opens with a great celebration of wealth and success and proceeds to its downfall. From what we are hearing from reliable sources, that is the model likely to develop after Mahmoud Abbas’ celebrations for achieving Palestinian statehood from the
As P.A. celebrates ‘statehood,’ its assets dwindle Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Carol Davis CHULA VISTA, California—As a romantic, (I readily admit it) I welcome a good love story with a happy ending. Somehow or other though, sitting through Jane Austen’s last novel “Persuasion”, as adapted for the stage by Jon Jory and now in a World Premiere production at OnStage Playhouse, the thought came to
‘Persuasion’ not always persuasive Read More »
Carol Davis, San Diego County, The ArtsBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Scarcely a day after the UN General Assembly voted to name Palestine a state, and Israeli officials said they would not mete out a punishment for their neighbor’s chutzpah, the punishment came. The government approved construction of 3,000 housing units in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and made reference to
What are Israel’s motives in announcing E-1 construction? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East