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.
By Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — According to britannica.com, nationalism is, “… an ideology based on the premise that the individual’s loyalty and devotion to the nation-state surpass other individual or group interests … it [is] one of the great, if not the greatest, single determining factors of modern history.” Zionism, the need of […]
A brief history of Zionism Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — American Jews are wondering what’s happened to Israel and why is it straying so far from its original principles, especially as evinced by the recently-passed Nation-State Law of the Jewish People. I wondered whether to write about this law and whether Jews in America even knew about it.
Why is Israel losing American Jews? Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer JERUSALEM — Michal and I eagerly look forward to the Jerusalem Film Festival, held every summer in Israel’s capital. This year was no exception. When possible, we try to book an extended stay in this unique city, to see many films and to enjoy the cool nights with which Jerusalem is blessed.
Rating Jerusalem Film Festival entries Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Steve Kramer YECHIAM, Israel — There’s no end to adventures in Israel, despite it’s relatively small size. The regions of the country are tremendously varied, from the 9,200-foot high Mt. Hermon, to the many valleys nestled between mountains and hills, to the hundreds of miles of beaches at sea level, to the Dead Sea,
Haganah learned an important lesson in Western Galilee Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — Michal and I went up to Jerusalem the other day. The weather was perfect, incredibly bright and sunny, hot but breezy, with the promise of a cool night – so typical of Jerusalem’s summer time. We left our apartment here in Kfar Sava after lunch, the better
Youth visiting Israel experience and believe Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — Zev Jabotinsky’s 1923 essay “Iron Wall” is the inspiration for the Israel Victory Project. So said Daniel Pipes, founder of the Middle East Forum (meforum.org) at a recent event in Jerusalem. Pipes told the audience that the most recent polls report that 70% of Israeli Jewish adults want
Israel should pursue total victory Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
By Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel —Rabbi Ken Spiro’s new book, Destiny, successfully guides the reader through the central themes of Judaism: the impact of Jewish values on civilization, Jewish determination, the disproportionate impact of the Jewish people, anti-Semitism and its message, the Jewish vision of history and conception of time, and [even] mankind’s ultimate
Rabbi- historian examines the destiny of the Jews Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Isael — Imagine that Mexico was one of America’s worst enemies. Imagine that Mexico was an undemocratic country that was ruled by terrorists who adhered to a 1-man, 1-vote, 1-time policy and refused to allow new elections. Imagine that Mexico’s rulers educated its youngsters to hate America and everything it
More aid to Gaza is harmful to Israel Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — Many American Jews are unaware of the extent of antisemitism on college campuses, or the destructive force of the BDS movement. Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions is the most well-known tool of the delegitimization campaign. It is composed of a loosely organized group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals who pressure
BDS successes show anti- Semitism alive in USA Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — In the May 10, 2018 issue of Newsweek, an article by Yardena Schwartz was headlined “More Israelis Are Moving to the U.S.–and Staying for Good.” Schwartz is a well known, respected journalist, but this article seems to have a chip on its shoulder. It reminds me of the
Newsweek article overblown about Israeli emigration Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — Aaron Burr is glacial; Alexander Hamilton is overwrought; King George has skinny legs and a hilarious voice; Eliza Schuyler (Hamilton’s deceived wife) is heartbroken and enraged. The unprecedented and prize-winning musical, Hamilton has been touring far and wide—I finally had the chance to see and hear it here
‘Hamilton’ reflects traditional U.S. values Read More »
Steve Kramer, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USABy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — It’s done. U.S. President Donald Trump announced (5/8/18) that the US is withdrawing from the JCPOA (aka Iran deal) and that drastic sanctions on Iran will be reimposed. In the run up to the inauguration of the deal in 2015, then President Barack Obama promised that the
Trump’s Iran decision: An Israeli view Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — “Will Europe’s Jews stop wearing kippahs [skullcaps]? Most already have,” was the lead article in the Times of Israel internet newspaper on April 26. (timesofisrael.com) Unfortunately, it’s not hard to believe the above statement. Times have certainly changed since the 1950s, when as a youngster I first learned about
By Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — One thing Michal and I love about Israel is the relative lack of political correctness. Yet, it exists. A perfect example is the timely question asked by a young girl to her mother, Times of Israel blogger Sarah Tuttle-Singer: “Is ‘Hatikvah’ a racist song?” Sarah replied, “Wow, what
P.C. comes to Israel Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA