‘One Voice’ activists urges Palestinians, Israelis to jointly demand peace

LONDON (Press Release)–Foreign Affairs Shadow Minister Stephen Twigg joined OneVoice on Monday for an event at the House of Commons to explore whether people power has been the missing element in delivering a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. Parliamentarians and concerned citizens alike packed the Wilson Room, at Portcullis House, to firsthand witness the

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Middle East

A letter to teens

By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — The years have turned over and suddenly you are fifteen and eighteen years old—a young man with a 4G phone and a young woman with a car.  You have never known anything but wireless and mobility. You are living in interesting times, dear children. You have seen our

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Travel and Food

A bissel this, A bissel that … San Diego Jewish news and chatter

(Col. 22, Feb. 28, 2011) Compiled by Donald H. Harrison Simchas When Allison Ogul became a bat mitzvah over the weekend at Tifereth Israel Synagogue, the congregation led by Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal welcomed many non-Jewish visitors, including relatives of her mother, Sharon Wilson-Ogul.  They also came from the staff of the San Diego Union-Tribune, where

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David Ogul, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Conference of President appeals to Castro in behalf of Alan Gross

NEW YORK (WJC)–The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP) has sent a letter to Cuban President Raúl Castro appealing for the release of Jewish aid worker Alan Gross, 61, who has been held in a Cuban jail since December 2009 and now charged with “crimes against the state.” His trial is to

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Travel and Food

Two from every Scottish secondary school to visit Auschwitz

EDINBURGH, Scotland (WJC)–Education Minister Angela Constance announced the Scottish Government would pay to ensure two students from every secondary school could take part in the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, which is run by the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET). The four-part course involves a day-trip to Auschwitz. Pupils are given a tour of the death camp

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Travel and Food

Middle East turmoil shows shortcomings of international law

  By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Among the lessons we can tentatively parse from the current commotion in Muslim countries are possible clarifications about the murky overlap between international law and international politics. Notice the extreme lack of certainty, suitable for any discussion of international law and politics. Much more than domestic law in well ordered countries,

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Short stories portray down-and-outers and the wealthy of Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv Stories by Ashley Rindsberg; Midnight Oil Publishing, 2010; ISBN 978-0-615-42243-5; 159 pages, $14.95.   By Donald H. Harrison   SAN DIEGO – This is a surprising book.  It begins with six sketches of down-and-outers, people living on the margins of Tel Aviv society, but finishes with a longer story, a near novella, following

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Donald H. Harrison

With Middle East in tumult, now is not the time to press Israelis and Palestiniana

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM _- The best that Israeli policymakers can do in the context of what is happening in the region is to say little and to do virtually nothing. And the best that interested outsiders can do is to avoid dreaming that this is the time for Israel and Palestine to negotiate seriously

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

‘Mike’ Klarfeld, husband of Councilwoman Marti Emerald, dies at 83

SAN  DIEGO — The office of San Diego City Councilwoman Marti Emerald has announced the death of her husband, S. Myron “Mike”  Klarfeld, at the age of 83 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease.  A news release from the councilwoman said that Klarfeld, an attorney, pilot and motorcyclist, died in Emerald’s arms on February

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San Diego Calendar, San Diego County

Persecution of Christians Begins in ‘Democratic’ Egypt

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Once the revolution began, Egypt’s Christians knew precisely what to expect. It isn’t that the regime of Husni Mubarak protected them so well from Muslim wrath. On the contrary, it was reluctant to prosecute Muslims who attacked and killed or wounded Christians as well as damaged or destroyed churches.

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Middle East