Israel seeking to substitute personalities for foreign policy initiatives

By Rabbi Dow Marmur  JERUSALEM — Mimouna is a colorful tradition that North African Jews brought to Israel. It celebrates the end of the festival of Passover. Activities include much public jollification and eating of post-Pesach dishes made from recipes from the old country. It has also become an occasion for Israeli right-wing politicians (who […]

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Middle East

Obama facing diplomatic reverses all over the world

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The news was not good when Barack Obama opened his newspapers upon returning to work from his Easter holiday (assuming that the American president had a holiday, beyond a family photo-op at church). From Afghanistan: There are no good options on the horizon, many analysts say, for reining in Mr. Karzai or

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Retired U.S. flag officers speak up for Israel

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–Editor’s Note:  When U.S.-Israel relations hit a rough patch, there are those who quickly blame Israel for America’s difficulties abroad. Israel has outrageously been blamed for endangering American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, and erroneously been blamed for preventing the formation of an Arab coalition to work with the US to contain

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Middle East, USA

Salam Fayyad: The moderate face of the Palestinian Authority

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister of the Palestine Authority, appears to be a decent and wise man. Along with Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Authority, Saeb Erekat, prominent negotiator, and Sari Nuseiba, one-time minister in the Palestine Authority and more often President of al-Quds University, they are Palestinians who assert national interests, but have

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

'The Psychic' sees laughs in your future

By Cynthia Citron BURBANK, California–A writer with severe writer’s block posts a sign in the window of his basement apartment.  It announces that he will perform a psychic reading for $25.  And so begins Sam Bobrick’s delightfully farcical new comedy The Psychic, now having its world premiere at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank.  Jeffrey Cannata is Adam Webster, the psychic, but he provides a hint

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Cynthia Citron

Workshop held for those in danger of losing homes

BONITA, California (Press Release) – In an effort to help San Diegans hardest hit by the home foreclosure crisis, Assemblymember Marty Block (Democrat, San Diego) convened a workshop March 31 at the Bonita-Sunnyside Library to advocate for the region’s fair share of $700 million in newly available federal funding to assist those directly at risk in the

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Travel and Food

How to Find Love Online

By Steve Hofstetter NEW YORK — The main benefit of dating websites is that they’re incredibly targeted. You can search for exactly what you’re looking for. It’s like a giant game of red rover. “Red rover, Red rover. Would Jewish women 25-35 who like baseball and don’t smoke come over.” Of course, to find exactly

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Travel and Food

Obama watchers compare him to each of the four sons at a seder

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– According to Israeli media commenting on the by now annual PR gimmick called The White House Seder, President Obama suffers from multiple personality disorder. He has been cast in the role of each of the four sons of the Hagadah. He’s wise. By putting pressure on Israel he’s winning the hearts

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Middle East, USA

Something of a holiday lull descends over Israel

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–This is the season sacred to both Jews and Christians. Passover and Easter are arguably the formative events of both communities. To this skeptic, there is no chance that the Easter story of resurrection is historically accurate. There may have been some historical incidents behind the biblical story of the Exodus, but

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA