This essay covers: Jacob’s anxious strategy for meeting Esau after 20+ years; Jacob’s wrestling with an ‘angel’; the circumcision and double-dealing against the Schechemites by Jacob’s sons. I have chosen three passages, for comparison, via the Internet, with writings attributed to ancient Israel’s neighbors. [Irv Jacobs, MD]
Comparing Torah (VaYishlah) with Ancient Practices Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
Jews are now examining every Biden appointee with an eye towards rooting out anyone who is anti-Israel. The prickliest among us attack people if their views are simply different, as in those unhappy with the choice of Tony Blinken as Secretary of State because he supports a two-state solution (as does his boss), opposed sanctioning Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and spoke at the J Street conference. Of greater concern are appointees who appear genuinely anti-Israel. One who has already drawn attention is Reema Dodin, a Palestinian American appointed as Biden’s deputy director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs. In 2002, she said that Palestinian “suicide bombers were the last resort of a desperate people” and was involved in protests calling on the California University system to divest from Israel. She also complained that Palestinians were portrayed as “villains in the media” when they were “suffering” and “oppressed.” [Mitchell Bard]
Sometimes, we Jews can be oversensitive Read More »
Middle East, USA
Did you know there are horses in San Diego County with roots that can be traced back directly back to the Vikings? They are Icelandic horses and their ancestors were perfect for crossing the oceans on Viking boats as the horses were short–about 12-14 hands-, calm, and sure-footed. Icelandic horses today are not very different from their predecessors and Iceland has been careful to keep it that way. [Mimi Pollack]
Mimi’s Ark: Icelandic Horses in Encinitas Read More »
International, Lifestyles, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, The World We Share, USA
Now that Joe Biden is the acknowledged President-Elect, we as Jews have a moral obligation, to pray for his success as we did for our outgoing President, Donald Trump. This is the Jewish way. [Ezra Friedlander]
Jewish Trump supporters should now pray for Biden Read More »
Jewish History, USA
President Obama viewed Israel as a colonial force, an outsider, occupying Arab-Muslim lands. And that perspective colored his foreign policy.That is not President-elect Biden’s perspective. He is not going to rush off to Cairo and make a big-splash speech. Israel and the Middle East will not be a top priority for action by a Biden
Why Joe Biden’s Middle East and Israel policy is not Obama’s Read More »
Middle East, USA
Lebanon’s president said Wednesday he wants maritime border talks with Israel to succeed and that disagreements during the last round of negotiations can be resolved based on international law.President Michel Aoun spoke during a meeting with John Desrocher, the US mediator for the negotiations, who was in Beirut for discussions with Lebanese leaders.The fourth round
Lebanon’s president expresses hope for Israel border talks Read More »
Middle East
According to the Book of the Calendar Controversy, found in the Cairo Genizah in the early twentieth century, Aaron Ben Meir, a highly esteemed scholar and Head of the Jewish community living in Muslim-occupied Israel, challenged, in A.M. 4682 (921 CE), Babylonian Jewry’s power to construct the Jewish calendar by declaring on the Mount of Olives that the months of Heshvan and Kislev would be defective (both having 29 days), and as a result, Passover 4682 will fall on Sunday, contradicting the pronouncement of the Babylonian Sanhedrin whose calendar said the months of Heshvan and Kislev will be full (both having 30 days) and Passover falling on Tuesday, two days later. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]
The Great Jewish Calendar Controversy Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish History, Jewish Religion
Recently I had an opportunity to brief a group of European diplomats and journalists on a variety of conflicts, with a focus on the Middle East. During the Q&A I was asked which of the region’s conflicts Biden should tackle first. Without much hesitation I said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not only because it is over seven decades old, but because it is an increasingly intractable, explosive, and destabilizing situation, which reverberates throughout the Mideast, and several regional powers are exploiting it to serve their own national interests, which sadly contributes to its endurance. [Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D]
Biden Could End the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USA
WASHINGTON – US Attorney General Bill Barr said Tuesday that the Justice Department has found no evidence of voter fraud significant enough to reverse Democrat Joe Biden’s defeat of President Donald Trump in the November 3 election.“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the
US attorney general says no evidence of decisive election fraud Read More »
USA
It makes headlines but is ultimately of no moment that Janet Yellen will, when confirmed, become the nation’s first female secretary of the treasury, just as she was the first female chair of the Federal Reserve. Women filling government’s top jobs is inching ever closer to becoming simply the norm.What matters about Yellen — born
Editorial: Madam secretary: In praise of Biden’s choice of Janet Yellen Read More »
USA
Washington (AFP) – The US Justice Department is investigating an alleged bribery scheme involving campaign donations to secure a presidential pardon, a court filing showed Tuesday.The document, which discusses the legality of searching communications and electronic devices of individuals, including attorneys, is highly redacted, with all identifying information blacked out.But it refers to a “secret
US probes ‘bribery’ scheme to seek White House pardon Read More »
USA
With Monday marking only 51-days until President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office, Dr. Scott Atlas, a controversial coronavirus task force member, announced his formal resignation as special adviser to the president.Atlas, a former Fox News contributor with no expertise in infectious disease, joined the Trump administration as a Special Government Employee (SGE) in
Dr. Scott Atlas, Controversial Trump COVID-19 Adviser, Resigns From White House Job Read More »
USA
The Islamic Republic of Iran has freed imprisoned Iranian Jew Mashallah Pesar Kohan, who was detained in 2017 for visiting his family members in Israel.George Haroonian, a prominent Iranian Jewish American, announced Sunday on social media that “Mashallah Pesar Kohan, a Jewish citizen, was released from prison in greater Tehran.”Karmel Melamed, an Iranian-American journalist and
Iran releases Jewish prisoner imprisoned for visiting Israeli family Read More »
Middle East
Lawyers representing the parents of one of the two people gunned down by a right-wing extremist in the German city of Halle last year made emotional pleas in court on Tuesday, as the trial enters its final stretch.”You robbed a mother of her child in the most disgusting and perverse way,” one attorney, representing the
Lawyers give emotional plea for victim of German synagogue attack Read More »
International