By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –President Obama’s speech on the end of combat operations in Iraq was a strange muddle of domestic policy, blaming our recession on borrowing for the war (although according to the Congressional Budget Office, seven years of the Iraq war cost less than one year of the Obama Administration’s stimulus package) […]
Iran: the elephant in Iraq's living room Read More »
Shoshana BryenBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C–When Congress withheld U.S. military assistance to the Beirut government after Lebanese Army Forces (LAF) fired into Israel, Iran announced that it would pick up the slack. Tehran already supplies Hezbollah through Syria – a process improved, according to European sources, by a new Iranian agreement with Turkey not to block
The Obama Administration miscalculates in Lebanon Read More »
Shoshana Bryen
By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO–Bridge Records, a new label, has produced some adventurous recordings. In 2007, the company introduced a collection of songs by Sefan Wolpe (1902-1972), an unheralded genius whose lyrics were in German, Yiddish, Hebrew and English. There followed other Wolpe albums such as a children’s puppet show tale, Lazy Andy Ant. Additional
New CD captures cello and piano performance true to Beethoven's genius Read More »
Eileen Wingard
By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — The Catholic Church has over 10,000 saints and “beati,” or blessed on the roster. Does it really make a difference if there is one more? The answer is probably not for most rank-and-file Catholics. They already have three saints per day from among whom they can choose for
Should Pope Pius XII Become a Saint? Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdDBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — As I was still wondering who I was early this morning, I heard the 6 o’clock news report that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef had used his weekly sermon to curse the Palestinians and wish an early death for their leaders. “Abu Mazan and all the other evil ones should perish. May
Israelis jockey and make speeches as new peace talks approach Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
Six Million Crucifixions: How Christians Teachings About Jews Paved the Road to the Holocaust by Gabriel Wilensky, Qwerty Publishers, San Diego, CA. ISBN 978-0-984-33467-4, ©2010, $27.95, p. 309, plus appendices. Available in Kindle edition By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California–Twenty-two of the highest ranking Nazi Party officials were tried from November 20, 1945 to October 1,
Was the Holocaust the legacy of the Church's teachings? Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdDBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The issue of Islam touches a problem with ancient lineage that appears in modern societies that pride themselves on diversity, and suffer from conflicts with people who are both outsiders and insiders. Josephus describes the civil war between Judeans who identified with the culture of the Romans, and those who rejected any
Commentary: Transnational loyalties have affected many religious groups Read More »
Ira SharkanskyBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — When I first moved to Israel, some forty years ago, there was one supermarket in Jerusalem, and perhaps a few more in Tel Aviv. My housekeeping requirements as a student were not very great, and I seem to remember my forays to the supermarket as rare occasions, requiring
Going to market in Jerusalem is a gender issue Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM– The Ground Zero Mosque as its opponents call it, or Cordoba House according to its promoters, has become a mirror of politics in the United States and elsewhere, and not always the best of those politics. Bottom feeders in New York see strong opposition as their best road to a nomination.
Words of controversy: It's 'Ground Zero Mosque' to some, 'Cordoba House' to others Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES–If you’ve always wanted to be in a play, you’ll get your big chance on September 3rd, when Director Charlie Mount brings Clifford Odets’ stirring Waiting for Lefty to the stage of Theatre West. As an engaged member of the audience you’ll be expected to whoop and holler appropriately as the
Audience becomes part of the action in 'Waiting for Lefty' Read More »
Cynthia CitronEDISON, New Jersey. (Press Release)–Rabbi Bernhard Rosenberg, pulpit rabbi at Congregation Beth El here, is tired of counting swastikas and hearing antisemitic cat calls when he heads home from synagogue. It happened to him again on Friday night August 20th on Route 27, where Jew-baiting by local teens has become trendy over the last year.
Rabbi seeks help from other clergy in stopping hate Read More »
Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Jewish Religion, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–While the big news of the day is the impending start of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, to open with a blessing by Barack Obama, the news that has held Israel in its grip for two weeks is a document purported to influence the selection of the next commander of the IDF. The document became
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –The announcement has been made that Prime Minister Netanyahu and Abu Mazen will come to Washington for “face to face negotiations.” It is worth remembering that precisely 10 years ago President Clinton invited then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat to a summit at Camp David. Mr. Barak was bringing
Peace talks 10 years ago led to an Intifada Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –It isn’t exactly Iran’s Bushehr reactor that is making people really nervous this week, and it isn’t exactly the Russians. It is the understanding that no matter what the United States and the West say about Iran with nuclear technology, Iran is moving toward the acquisition of nuclear weapons technology
Commentary: Some important concerns about Russia-Iran nuclear power cooperation Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA