Torah portion is Ki Tetse (Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19); Haftorah is Isaiah 54:1-10. By Irv Jacobs, M.D. LA JOLLA, California — These brief poetic lines extracted from the book of Isaiah are attributed to Isaiah II, which scholars consider to be multiple writers. The entire text is a metaphor, with four metaphors and two similes contained […]
Haftorah Reading for August 21, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
By Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO — It takes a true optimist to rebel against society. First, you must really believe that you’re right and the world around you is wrong. Then you convince yourself and others that change is possible, that marches, chants, signs and sit-ins will actually make a difference. The alignment of
HAIR Raises the Spirit of Optimism Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Just over a week ago, while en route to Paris on our way home to Israel, we stopped to take a brief look at the famous city of Orleans, one of France’s foremost historical sites, and associated indelibly with Joan of Arc, a.k.a. the Maid of Orleans. Due
By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — In the Famous-Last-Words department: “The likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely.” The “highly unlikely” happened on Sunday as a dozen Taliban fighters garbed in native dress gathered around a desk in the presidential palace in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul.
The ‘Highly Unlikely’ Happened in Afghanistan. Now What? Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA
(JNS) Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Morocco is working on agreements with two Israeli universities so far to promote academic collaboration. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem penned an understanding with the institution on Aug. 10, and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is expected to sign on by mid-October. These partnerships establish a framework for
Israeli Universities to Partner with Moroccan Tech School for Joint Research, Degrees Read More »
Middle East
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. This week’s parasha, literally meaning, “When you go out…” opens with a description of facing war with enemies. Maimonides tells us that more than seventy mitzvot, 74 if I counted correctly, spring from this week’s Torah portion, from weights and measures and collecting debts in a righteous way, to proper
Parashat Ki Teitzei: Refining Our Soul Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By Israel Kasnett (JNS) As Israel observes the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, it’s difficult to forget the capitulation of the Iraqi army to ISIS in 2014 or the EUBAM observers who fled as Hamas seized power in the Gaza Strip in 2007, not to mention visions of the United States fleeing Saigon in
After US Withdrawal From Afghanistan, Implications for Israel Look Grimmer Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Dmitriy Shapiro (JNS) Despite international pressure to veto the bill, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a bill passed by the Polish legislature on Aug. 14 that would prevent individuals with property seized by either the Nazis during World War II or the post-War Communist government from having it returned. The bill effectively ends the
Will Polish Anti-Restitution Law Permanently Harm Ties with Israel, Jewish Community? Read More »
International, Middle East
Published by DPA A massive forest fire west of Jerusalem has been extinguished after almost three days, a spokesman for Israeli Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev confirmed on Wednesday morning. The fire broke out Sunday and continued to spread despite intensive efforts by the fire brigade and the use of firefighting aircraft. According to media
Forest fire near Jerusalem extinguished after almost three days Read More »
Middle East
Published by Reuters TEL AVIV (Reuters) – A third dose of Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine was found to be 86% effective in people aged over 60, an Israeli healthcare provider said on Wednesday, citing initial results from a study of thousands of members. Israeli HMO Maccabi, which covers around a quarter of the country’s 9.3 million
Third Pfizer dose 86% effective in over 60s, Israeli HMO says Read More »
USA
By Laurie Baron, Ph.D SAN DIEGO — Donald Trump castigated Joe Biden for abandoning Afghans who helped U.S. forces: “I would never have done such a thing. It’s un-Kurd of.” Most Americans were appalled by the photograph of over six hundred Afghans sitting on the floor of a C-17 Globemaster III except for the owners
Satire: Reactions to Afghanistan Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Published by Reuters By Nichola Groom (Reuters) -U.S. officials for the first time on Monday declared an official water shortage for the massive Lake Mead reservoir, triggering supply cuts to parts of the drought-stricken Southwest, as 10 Western governors appealed for federal drought disaster aid. The shortage will reduce water apportionments to Arizona, Nevada and
U.S. declares first Western reservoir water shortage, triggering cuts Read More »
USA
(JNS) Israel’s economy grew by 15.4 percent in the second quarter of this year compared with the previous quarter, according to an estimate by the Central Bureau of Statistics. Most of the growth was due to car imports. The jump came as a result of the removal of coronavirus restrictions that caused the contraction of
Car Imports Fuel 15.4 Percent Growth for Israeli Economy in Second Quarter of 2021 Read More »
Business & Finance, Middle East
By Jonathan S. Tobin (JNS) For those old enough to remember the images of the last days of South Vietnam, recent events in Afghanistan are shockingly familiar. In each case, a flawed American ally facing a determined foe quickly collapsed once both sides to the conflict realized that the United States wouldn’t lift a finger
The Cost of Disgrace in Afghanistan is Not Cheap Read More »
USA