Steve Kramer

Steve Kramer

Steve Kramer grew up in Atlantic City, graduated from Johns Hopkins in 1967, adopted the hippie lifestyle until 1973, then joined the family business for 15 years. Steve moved to Israel from Margate, NJ in 1991 with his family. He has written more than 1100 articles about Israel and Jews since making Aliyah. Steve and his wife Michal live in Kfar Saba.

Israel should begin implementing Trump Plan

Yes, this new plan visualizes a future State of Palestine in the Jewish homeland. But it’s highly unlikely that the PLO would agree to such a weak “state,” thereby enabling Israel to enlarge its territory within the four-year time frame allotted to the Palestinian Authority. (Consequences from establishing an Arab state, or not, are beyond the scope of this article.) Like Ben-Gurion and his cohorts, Netanyahu and the interim government, or a newly-elected government following the Israeli March 2 election, should grab this opportunity and build on it despite its imperfections. [Steve Kramer]

Israel should begin implementing Trump Plan Read More »

Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

Why I love Brexit

The European Union is a group of countries which seemingly have a collective hatred of Israel, and by extension, the Israelis – 75% of whom are Jewish. (What else do we expect from the continent that brought us the Holocaust?) Not every country in the EU is vehement about their distaste for our Jewish country, but their collective decisions, by consensus, are testament to it. I love Brexit because it weakens the EU and will probably lead to a further lessening of its power. Thankfully, Boris Johnson soundly defeated Jeremy Corbyn in the latest UK elections, enabling the EU to begin leaving the EU imminently. [Steve Kramer]

Why I love Brexit Read More »

International, Middle East, Steve Kramer

Israelis celebrate Soleimani’s death

It wasn’t Israel that accomplished the eradication of the world’s most dangerous terrorist, far more dangerous than an Osama Bin Laden (Al Qaida) or Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (ISIS). It was the US government. Surprisingly for Israelis, the news wasn’t universally celebrated in the US. Not only were the President’s motives and the legality of his order immediately questioned, but the whole idea of violent elimination of a politically active global terrorist was raised by his political opponents. [Steve Kramer]

Israelis celebrate Soleimani’s death Read More »

Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

On those reactions critical of Trump’s Executive Order

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects people from discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance – but it left a loophole by not mentioning religion. As such, Jews and supporters of Israel were not protected. On December 11, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order which includes Jews under existing Title VI protections against increasingly rampant campus aggression. [Steve Kramer]

On those reactions critical of Trump’s Executive Order Read More »

Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Steve Kramer, USA

Flash: Israel is Jewish – duh! 

It’s taken a long time, but finally the US has recognized the obvious fact that Jewish communities everywhere in Israel do not violate international law. The Washington Post, which is one of many media outlets that is unfriendly to Israel, verified this fact in its reporting of Secretary of State Pompeo’s pronouncement on November 18, 2019. To wit: “… the Trump administration had determined that Israel’s West Bank settlements do not violate international law.” [Steve Kramer]

Flash: Israel is Jewish – duh!  Read More »

Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

Touring the Israeli coast and Hula Nature Reserve

On a recent beautiful autumn morning we left for a short two-day holiday with friends. Our plans included the Hula Lake bird sanctuary and the Old City in Acre (called Akko in Israel). But since our friends hadn’t eaten yet, we decided to enjoy a breakfast break on our way north at the fabulous Herodian/Crusader ruins in Caesarea National Park. [Steve Kramer]

Touring the Israeli coast and Hula Nature Reserve Read More »

Middle East, Steve Kramer, Travel and Food

With friends like J Street …

Why is it that some Jewish Americans, including J Streeters, think they know better than Israelis what will bring peace between Jews and Palestinian Arabs? It’s some sort of hubris. Israelis, by a wide margin, recognize that leaving Gaza was a huge mistake, resulting in thousands of attacks on Israelis in the south of our country (primarily but not exclusively) by terrorists allied with Iran. Why then should Israelis even contemplate allowing a similar but more existential situation in the center of Israel adjacent to our major population centers? [Steve Kramer]

With friends like J Street … Read More »

Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

New Mexico’s Crypto-Jews subject of informative tour

When Jordi was just ten years old, his grandfather said, “This is how we butcher a chicken,” as he demonstrated the kosher slaughtering method. Jordi’s grandfather thereby revealed that the family was Jewish, a startling surprise for a young boy in the 1990s living in Spain, whose family was ostensibly Roman Catholic like everybody else. This revelation, that they were Crypto-Jews (secret Jews), had a profound effect on Jordi, who eventually became the first rabbi in 500 years to be ordained in Spain.

New Mexico’s Crypto-Jews subject of informative tour Read More »

International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Steve Kramer, Travel and Food, USA

Victoria, what you’ve ‘learned’ in college about Israel is not true

I learned how Israeli forces slaughtered over 30 children in a protest for Palestinian rights. I read about the closure of the Gaza Strip, and how Palestinians have to apply to work or seek specialty medical care in Israel, and oftentimes have their application denied. And in one night of reeducating myself, I became a pro-Palestinian Jew.

S: Congratulations, another self-hating Jew – and in only one night, without ever visiting the area. Israel hasn’t slaughtered over 30 children. The IDF is second to none in restricting its soldiers’ behavior towards non-combatants. It’s the Palestinian Arabs who don’t hesitate to push their children in front of them, instead of putting themselves in front of the kids for their protection. The parents also allow, even encourage, their teenagers to participate in dangerous riots at the border. This is totally immoral. 

Victoria, what you’ve ‘learned’ in college about Israel is not true Read More »

International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Steve Kramer, USA

Wash. Post wrong on Israel’s defense against Iran

By Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — The Washington Post, no friend of Israel, devoted an editorial this August 27th to Israel’s supposed warmongering (active defense) against Iran. It’s true that Israel has been very proactive in its own defense in the last few month, attacking Iranian attempts to move its firepower closer to Israel’s

Wash. Post wrong on Israel’s defense against Iran Read More »

International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

Washington Post columnist Milbank misreads Omar

By Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — Just a week after writing critically about an article by a well-known journalist in an influential publication, I again feel the necessity to respond to the utter nonsense that these prominent “experts” espouse to their large readerships. Both Dana Milbank and Peter Beinart are Jewish. What “liberal” attitudes

Washington Post columnist Milbank misreads Omar Read More »

Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA