Haredim grapple with archaelogy and other sciences

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Haredim and archaeologists in the Holy Land have never been especially fond of each other. Traditionally, they are a little bit like meat and milk. By themselves, each is fine. However, when they get together, they create a combustive chemistry. Whenever an archeological excavation takes place, […]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Orde Wingate’s doctrines still best for fighting insurgents

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — A small group gathered Sunday at nearby Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the life and work of British Maj. Gen. Orde Wingate of blessed memory, who is interred there with the Americans with whom he was flying when his plane crashed in Burma in 1945. Israel and the Jewish

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International, Shoshana Bryen

U.S. reactions to North Korea inform Israel’s decisions about Iran

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Reading news reports can be like reading tea leaves. The combination of different items may mean more than any one of them says explicitly. Yet it is more art than craft. Conclusions may be sounder than received from a seer, but are less than certain. Currently my computer screen is

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Ira Sharkansky, USA

Authors urge unilateral steps by Israel to build peace

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–It’s always refreshing when serious people refuse to give up hope – as a growing number of “peaceniks” in Israel have done – about solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The latest effort comes from three distinguished Israelis: a former admiral, a former peace negotiator and a businessman. I understand the article in

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Middle East

Egypt cancels its agreement to deliver oil to Israel

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Egyptian authorities have cancelled the agreement to supply gas to Israel, which hasn’t been flowing in any event due to repeated sabotage of the pipeline running through the northern Sinai. Various Israeli politicians have expressed the view that this is one more indication of worsening relations between the countries. One

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Ira Sharkansky

Sometimes God’s seeming indifference shocks us to silence

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —In this week’s parsha we read about the death of Aaron’s two sons, who died from an accidental explosion in the Tabernacle. Aaron’s reaction is quite telling–despite the absence of scriptural detail from the narrator. As is often the case with biblical narrative, more is said by

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Are we using the new technology, or vice versa?

By David Brin ENCINITAS, California — A look at how technology enables greater transparency…but not always both ways: Google Goggles… or Project Glass… is finally announced.  See the official preview… and an amusing satire. These futuristic Goggles would project information directly in your field of vision, offering updates on the time, weather, map directions, road

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Science, Medicine, & Education