By Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California –What the heck is the Hurva, and what is its current role in Israel-Palestinian and Israel-US tensions? The Hurva (“ruin” or “wreck” in Hebrew) has become a target for the Palestinian campaign to denigrate Israel’s Jewish heritage, and the Obama administration is cooperating. Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu is trying to […]
Havya heard of the Hurva? Read More »
Middle East
By Lloyd Levy LONDON–They say that “turkeys don’t vote for Thanksgiving”- how wrong they are. It was hard to believe at the time of the Election, that the vast majority of Jews in USA voted for Barack Obama as President. Well (to mix a metaphor) the birds have come home to roost, and their support
Why did American Jews vote for Obama? Read More »
Lloyd Levy, Middle East, USA
Last in a series By Donald H. Harrison MANTA, Ecuador—There’s a San Diego feel about this city near the equator. The same tuna companies – Van Camp, Bumblebee—that once made San Diego their homes now have canneries here. Although it recently closed, a U.S. Air Force base here that monitored possible drug traffickers in nearby
Boom times in Manta reminiscent of San Diego last century Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
Seventh in a series By Donald H. Harrison ABOARD MS ROTTERDAM – Not really conscious that I was doing so, I turned this Holland America cruise ship into a digital Noah’s Ark while voyaging from Lima, Peru, to San Diego, USA. In port after port, I photographed whatever seemed interesting that crossed in front of
Compiling a digital menagerie on Holland America cruise Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego Calendar
Sixth in a Series By Donald H. Harrison ABOARD MS ROTTERDAM—From the earliest days of the conquest of Latin America to the years of liberation, our cruise ship sped us through some of the most dramatic moments in Spanish colonial history. For us, a recent voyage aboard MS Rotterdam began in Callao, the port serving
Cruising through Latin American history Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego Calendar, USA
Fifth in a series By Donald H. Harrison ABOARD MS ROTTERDAM—The first cruise ship joke I ever heard was about the captain of the famous large ocean liner who had the unusual custom of retreating to his cabin at exactly 12 noon every day, opening his desk drawer, looking at something therein, mumbling to
Fourth in a series By Donald H. Harrison ABOARD MS ROTTERDAM—In the National Yiddish Theatre in New York, he starred in the title role in the musical based on Isaac Bashevis Singer’s Gimpel Tam (Gimpel the Fool). In a touring national children’s theatre production, he played Mudge, a big, joyful, sloppy dog based on the
Versatile Adam Shapiro plays many roles during cruise ship gig Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonThird in a series By Donald H. Harrison ABOARD M.S. ROTTERDAM—Two men on being introduced to each other automatically shook hands. “Ooops, sorry about that” said the first one. “Yes, “ said the second, “force of habit, it seems.” They walked to a nearby hand sanitizer on board the cruise ship MS Rotterdam and squirted
Fighting a stubborn virus at sea Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
Lifeboat maneuvers to floating object in Pacific during recovery operation. Photos: Donald H. Harrison ___________________________________________________ By Donald H. Harrison -Second in a series– ABOARD MS ROTTERDAM –Recovering the body of a man who threw himself overboard and avoiding a possible tsunami in the wake of a large Chilean earthquake were unscheduled and unforgettable events during
‘Man Overboard!’– Drama aboard MS Rotterdam not to be forgotten Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
_____________________________________________________________________________________ First in a series By Donald H. Harrison LIMA, Peru—Were it not for cruise ships like the one we embarked upon here in the wee hours of Monday, Feb. 22, I believe I’d be ready to consign my leisure travel to the lazy boy chair in front of the television in my home. I’d
Devotion: A Memoir by Dani Shapiro, Harper , 2009, ISBN 978-0-06-162834-4, 245 pages, $24.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Successful though she may be as an author, Dani Shapiro has had a difficult emotional life. The parent whom she admired was killed in a car crash following his seizure behind the wheel. The parent with
‘Devotion’ is a journey through emotional trauma Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonWASHINGTON, D.C. (February 17, 2010) — The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), Wednesday called on President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to repudiate remarks by Rep. Brian Baird (Democrat, Washington) calling for U.S. intervention to break the Israeli “blockade” of Gaza. We find Rep. Baird’s comment disturbing and troubling on many levels. According to
RJC denounces congressman's comments calling for Berlin-style airlift to Gaza Read More »
Middle East, USA
SIGNERS–Clockwise, they are Barbara Sherman, Steve Morris, Alon Schuster and Aharale Rothstein {Ulla Hadar photo} By Ulla Hadar SHA’AR HANEGEV, Israel — With tractors due to roll onto the property the next day to begin construction of the Sha’ar Hanegev Educational Village, representatives of the municipality, school administration and the United Jewish Federation of
Ceremonies mark beginning of construction of Sha'ar Hanegev's protected school Read More »
Middle East, San Diego CalendarBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–An Orthodox rabbi appeared on a prime time television news program to explain his rationale as one of numerous rabbis who signed a statement reiterating that sexual relations between men was a violation of the Torah, but indicating that homosexuals should be welcome in the community of believers. They should be allowed
Orthodox in Israel struggle with allegations of sexual abuse by Rabbi Elon Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East