By J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida –Jews come in many shapes and colors. One of the strangest is the Karaites, founded in the 7th century by a charismatic Jew named Anan Ben David. He totally rejected the holiness of the Talmud and strictly obeyed only the 613 mitzvot found in the Torah. The Karaite […]
The mysteries of the Cairo codex Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish ReligionBy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — I received a letter from a young Israeli who says she met me in Israel two years ago. I have no memory of her, which is a sign of old age. The key paragraphs in her long letter are as follows: “I am an Israeli but like
Words of comfort for a frightened Israeli woman Read More »
Middle EastBy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — On the Presidents Day weekend I flew to Virginia to attend the funeral of my kid brother, Leon, who had died at 96. The obituary in the Washington Post said that he had died peacefully but reluctantly in the arms of his partner, Alice. “He wanted to live
Thoughts at the funeral of a 96-year-old younger brother Read More »
Obituaries & memorialsBy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida– My father, Jacob “Yankel” Lurie and my mother, Ida “Hayele” Lurie, made aliya from Brooklyn to Haifa in 1929 a few months before the crash on Wall Street. My father, the owner of several ready-to-wear women’s fashion stores, was 54. My mother at 50 had brought up six sons and
Agudat Israel and the yeshiva that was never built Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastEditor’s Note: We wish to extend a heart mazal tov to columnist J. Zel Lurie, who celebrated a birthday on December 4th — his 98th! By J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — The time was the spring of 1936. I was a cub reporter on the Palestine Post, which became the Jerusalem Post 12 years
‘Palestine is no picnic’ — A memoir Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastBy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — Dennis Ross, who brought the Israelis and Palestinians together for the first time at Madrid twenty years ago, has resigned as the senior adviser to President Obama on the Middle East and Iran. “The peace process is what he cares most about,” commented Aaron David Miller.
Peace process is ‘Closed for the Season’ Read More »
Middle EastBy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — November 29, 1947 is the name of an important street in Jerusalem. In Hebrew it is called Kaf Tet November. It marks the date when the General Assembly of the United Nations voted by a two-thirds majority to partition the small state of Palestine into two smaller
Siege of Jerusalem 1947-48. A memoir. Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastBy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — Many lovers of Israel were disgusted by the brilliant speeches by the American, Palestinian and Israeli leaders at the United Nations General Asembly. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in eloquenant addreses to erase 18 years of talks sunce the Oslo Accords were signed
U.N. Mideast speeches were aimed at local audiences Read More »
Middle East, USABy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — I am prejudiced in favor of peaceful Muslims. Mention Muslims to most Americans and they will think of the nineteen young terrorists who committed suicide in a carefully planned attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center which killed almost 3,000 office workers.This terrible tragedy
Politicians muddy the waters in Muslim purchase of coat factory Read More »
Middle EastBy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — Thirty or forty years ago, at a time when women were beginning to break out of the traditional female occupations of teaching and nursing, a book promoter had a cute idea. She would ask a writer to query high school seniors on their career ambitions and publish
Are Arab nurses taking over in Israel? Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education