Byliners

Commentary:Ground Zero mosque controversy confronts political correctness

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The issue of the New York City mosque near ground zero has awakened discussion of that big gorilla in the American living room. Despite all the platitudes slung back and forth about religious freedom and the separation of church and state, and the assertion that the problem of terror is not Islam, […]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Commentary: Palestinians, Israelis ever so slowly being pushed by U.S. into direct talks

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM– Israel and Palestine may be inching, crawling, or sidestepping toward direct, face to face negotiations.  We have heard this before. It is a long and contorted road even to the beginning of talks. Neither side appears to be enthusiastic. They are being pushed by the pathetically naive, led by the champion

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Commentary: Sara Netanyahu steps up for immigrant children

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Sara Netanyahu is not one of the most well regarded first ladies of the world. She is known for yelling and throwing things at the household help. She has been the target of civil actions for not paying what is required, and–along with her husband–the subject of police inquiries for fiddling with

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Globe’s ‘Last Romance’ a sweet-heart deal for Ross and Michael

  By Carol Davis   SAN DIEGO– It’s no secret that Marion Ross and Paul Michael are an item. They have been together for 22 years now. But how wonderful is it that, among other things, they can play opposite each other in Joe Dipietro’s  (I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change, co-writer for Tony winning Memphis and

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Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

San Diegans meet poet Gertrude Rubin… and bid her farewell

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—A small crowd gathered in the sanctuary of Temple Emanu-El on Thursday evening, August 12, to meet the poet Gertrude Rubin of Chicago, who was introduced by her daughter and son-in-law, Bonnie and Lawrence Baron. Rabbis Martin Lawson and Lenore Bohm helped make the introductions, with Bohm reading  two of

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Donald H. Harrison

Book review: Combatting jealousy, the monster within us

Benny The Big Shot by Tehilla Deutsch, illustrations by Vitaliy Romanenko, Nanuet, N.Y.: Feldheim Publishers, 2010, 25 pages including glossary, ISBN 978-1-59826-468-5, $12.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — With school soon to go back into session, this is an enjoyable, cautionary, tale about how students must struggle against becoming jealous of each other. 

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Donald H. Harrison

Commentary: Inappropriate for U.S. State Department to send Muslim cleric to Arab countries

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –The State Department has confirmed that Feisal Abdul Rauf – who wants to be the imam of a mosque at Ground Zero – is taking a State Department funded trip to the Middle East to foster “greater understanding” about Islam and Muslim communities in the United States. “He is a

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Shoshana Bryen

Commentary: Welcome action by Congress reexamining aid to Lebanese Armed Forces

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday,  in the wake of the killing of an IDF officer inside Israel by Lebanese Armed Forces personnel, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) announced that Congress would block the disbursement of $100 million in U.S. military aid to Lebanon.  Lowey chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee that authorizes such funds.  Similarly,

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Commentary: A conciliatory Gazan voice emerges

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish appeared on a prime time Israeli news program, speaking in fluent Hebrew, representing the possibility that there might, after all, be a Palestinian Nelson Mandela.  Abuelaish (or Abu al-Aish) is the physician who held appointments in both Gazan and Israeli hospitals, and lost three of his eight

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Daren Scott just right in ‘The 7 Year Itch’ at New Village Arts

By Carol Davis CARLSBAD, California —It’s not unusual to credit Daren Scott with the great photos seen in so many of my reviews. He’s one busy guy with a camera strapped over his shoulder, seen around town at so may theatre companies, clicking away and arranging groups for theatre memories. Lest we forget though, he’s

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Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Resolution on U.S. money for UNRWA makes way through House

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — In January 2010, the Canadian government announced that its aid would be redirected from UNRWA to “specific projects in the Palestinian Authority that will ensure accountability and foster democracy in the PA.”  The total amount of money was the same, but the president of Canada’s Treasury Board said, “It

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen