By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — It was at dinner in the garden of a well-known analyst of Iran. He’d spent years writing prolifically and astutely about the regime, its progress on nuclear technology, dissidents, U.S. policy, Israeli policy, and the machinations of the P5+1. “What’s the latest on your blog?” we asked. “Italian food,” he replied. “There’s […]
A time to columnize, and a time to realize Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USA
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Living alongside Isaweea is an adventure that provides insights into larger issues about Israel and the Middle East. We’ve been here for 20 years, and have never visited the neighborhood 200 meters to the east. Arab friends have urged us to stay away, for our own good. Twice
Tensions between Jewish and Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Paul Greenberg LA JOLLA, California — Impressionist/impersonator extraordinaire Rich Little, with a repertoire of more than 200 wide-ranging voices and counting, isn’t Jewish but he sure has a Jewish sense of humor. Asked in a recent phone interview from Las Vegas, where he currently resides and where he has lived intermittently for
Little tells how to make a big impression Read More »
Travel and Food
By Carol Davis LOS ANGELES—If there is one show you must see this year, make it War Horse, the 2011 Tony Award winner for Best Play and then some. It is now playing at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles on its national tour for a limited engagement through July 29th. Don’t see it because
Spellbinding ‘War Horse’ at Ahmanson Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
By Lloyd Levy LONDON–Britain appears to be sinking like a stone, in moral and economic terms. The whole structure of the State and public life has been shown to be corrupt and amoral. Our political and business leaders have betrayed their trust, and we fear for the future of our children in these frightening
Britain has lost its moral compass Read More »
Lloyd Levy
To Be A Princess by Nimrod Liram; Gefen Publishing House, 134 pages comprising 10 short stories, ISBN 978-965-229-568-2, $16.95. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO– Anyone whose primary sources of entertainment and information are nightly television shows would perhaps like this short story collection — if only they read in the first place. Each of
Liram’s short stories are perhaps too short Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Since the end of the Second World War, Germany has come a long way in rehabilitating its past legacy of Nazism. Germany has proven itself as a good friend of Israel and the Jewish people. Germany has emerged as one of the most successful democratic countries
Germany’s circumcision decision smacks of Nazism Read More »
International, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — I had occasion to host the just deceased-Yitzhak Shamir, the diminutive and fiery former prime minister of Israel, along with the foreign minister at the time, the late Abba Eban. It was 1983, Shamir was in office, and the two rivals were both featured speakers at the International
Yitzhak Shamir, z”l, took his politics personally Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The theology of Rabbi Shneir Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812) raises some fascinating questions about the nature of creatio ex nihilo—creation out of nothing. How can the theologian refer to God as “nothing,” when God is the totality of all things and infinitely more? He answers that
God is for be-living, not just believing Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Donald H. Harrison CORONADO, California –A student who once was bullied has established what President Theodore Roosevelt might have called a “bully pulpit.” Starting at Coronado High School, spreading to La Jolla High School, and now under consideration at other high schools and colleges in California and Arizona, Voices Against Cruelty, Hatred and
Anti-bullying campaigner wins Tikkun Olam Award Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Cynthia Citron HOLLYWOOD — When you go to see a play by Theresa Rebeck you can generally be assured that it will be a thoroughly enjoyable evening of theater. But not this time. Our House, currently having its west coast premiere at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood, is an over-the-top dramedy about the dumbing-down
‘Our House’ needs some renovation Read More »
Cynthia Citron
By David Brin ENCINITAS, California –Why freedom of the press concerns us all. Nick Cohen of Standing Point Magazine (UK) does a detailed retrospective and appraisal of my book The Transparent Society: Will Technology Make Us Choose Between Privacy and Freedom? He examines how far we have gone in the directions that I discussed, suggested….
The Internet Age is bringing privacy to an end Read More »
Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–There are some general lessons about politics in the current maneuverings of Israeli politicians around the issues of drafting ultra-Orthodox and Arabs. In Hebrew, the terms rhyme — חרדים וערבים– Haredim and Aravim. The issues differ more than they overlap. Lesson #1 is the distance between politics and policy, or between politics
Integrating ultra-Orthodox and Arabs into the Israeli mainstream Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By David Bedein JERUSALEM–Covering the 1988 elections on special contract for the New York Times,Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, all three bureau chiefs would ask at the end of each day for a report of what Shamir said each day on the campaign trail. There was never much to report, because Shamir’s messages were
Yitzhak Shamir, 96, was man of few words Read More »
Middle East