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 SABA, Israel — When one needs a specialized test in Israel, which can at times take months for an appointment, there is a quicker option: considering cities farther from home. Searching for less of a wait, we scheduled such a test in Ashdod and saved four weeks. Ashdod is just […]
Quickie Vacation in Israel: Ashdod and the Weizmann House Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, Travel and FoodBy Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — A new governing coalition has been formed by Yair Lapid, whose centrist Yesh Atid (There is a Future) party came in second behind the Likud party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) in the last election. The paperwork proving that Lapid can definitely form a government was handed
Upheaval in Israel’s Government Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerIn 2020 the Trump administration decoupled the Palestinian Authority (PA) from the process of achieving peace elsewhere in the Middle East. It happened when Trump emissary Jared Kushner promulgated the proposal that resulted in the Abraham Accords. The Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco have all signed on to this breakthrough in Middle East diplomacy. This bottom up approach, through non-aggression and enhanced trade, R&D, and tourism, has withstood the latest warfare between jihadist Hamas forces in Gaza and Israel, which “ended” with a pause in hostilities on May 21. [Steve Kramer]
Drive to Rebuild Gaza Means Rebuilding Hamas Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USAIsrael’s battle with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza exceeds one week. It may not end soon. The citizens of Israel most impacted by the daily rocket attacks (3300 and rising) are those who live in the “Gaza envelope,” very close to the Gaza borders, but towns across Israel have also been hit, some many times. Are Israelis physically exhausted, psychologically exhausted, and scared? Yes. Do they want Israel to sign a ceasefire today or tomorrow? No. What Israelis want is a different paradigm in their country, which will lead to a better, more peaceful relationship with the Gazan Arabs. [Steve Kramer]
Responding to the ‘Proportionality’ Argument Against Israel’s Actions in Gaza Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USAHere is my latest update about Operation Guardian of the Wall. Luckily, our city, Kfar Saba, has been spared any damage. But because (3,000) rockets are still being launched into Israel from Gaza, Israelis of all types have had to contend with ethnoreligious rioting in mixed Arab-Jewish towns, even to an actual pogrom in Lod, a city near Ben Gurion Airport, where synagogues, houses, stores, and cars were torched and residents attacked. [Steve Kramer]
Ethnoreligious War in Gaza and Israel Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerHere’s a quick response to those of you who are concerned about what’s going on in Israel right now. Among a number of emails/messages regarding the current warfare in Israel, we received this one from our friend Ann in Arizona. {Steve Kramer]
Israel v Hamas – Again Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerIsrael has held four elections in the last two years. Prime Minister Netanyahu set the stage for this farcical and unprecedented cycle of elections by dissolving his government with the mistaken idea that he could gain more members for his coalition if an election were held sooner rather than later. He couldn’t. [Steve Kramer]
Will Israel Need a 5th Election? Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerIt may be uncomfortable for me to bring this up, but anyone who doesn’t have his or her head in the clouds knows that in the Middle East, the first one to concede in negotiations has already lost. Middle Easterners have a “bazaar” mentality, always asking their opponents to “make an offer,” knowing that doing so rigs the game in favor of those who have patience and wait. [Steve Kramer]
Once Again, Iran is Beating U.S. in Nuclear Negotiations Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USATuvia Tenenbom is an expat Israeli who has lived in Germany and elsewhere for many decades, working as a journalist and author. Holding many academic degrees, Tenenbom is also a playwright, essayist, and the founding artistic director of the Jewish Theater of New York. Tenenbom has a very idiosyncratic style. His sardonic personality goes well with his cherubic appearance, and the reader is soon caught up in Tenenbom’s droll reporting of mundane encounters with people all around the world. His latest book, The Taming of the Jew, features people from Ireland and Britain. The thing is, most of those interviewed either know almost nothing about what they are saying, or are consciously spreading vicious, false narratives [Steve Kramer]
Book Review: ‘The Taming of the Jew’ Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Middle East, Steve KramerA Christian, a Muslim, and a Jew enter a bar. The bartender asks, “Is this a joke?” That’s how I feel after reading a recent Reuters article (3/4/21) entitled, “West scraps plan for IAEA rebuke of Iran.” Evidently Britain, France and Germany scrapped their plan, backed by the US, criticizing Iran for its many, serious actions regarding its nuclear activity. This must mean that the three European countries believe that they will be more successful in reining in Iran by being nice and continuing negotiations than by showing diplomatic strength. [Steve Kramer]
Europeans spineless about confronting Iran Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
To celebrate coming out of our third lockdown we recently went to Jerusalem for an urban exploration. We drove to our friends’ apartment, only the third time in a year we’ve been to Israel’s capital. Before our tour, we had lunch with Sarah Lynn (formerly of Ventnor, NJ) and her husband Ami, a Persian-born Israeli who once taught at Margate’s Hebrew Academy and later was the rabbi of Binghamton NY’s Orthodox synagogue. Among other things, Ami is a registered guide. He wanted to take us to Hanevi’im Street. We were his “guinea pigs” for leading a tour there. (Steve Kramer)
The Street of the Prophets Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, Travel and FoodIsrael recently announced its fourth election in two years, following three dysfunctional governments in a row. Unlike in the US, if the state budget is not passed within a certain amount of time (it wasn’t), the government falls. This is but one way of several that the government can dissolve itself before its 4-year term finishes. [Steve Kramer]
Israel’s Rapid Fire 4th Election Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerWe just received a note from a dear friend and longtime reader. She wrote: I know you once told me Hanukkah is a minor holiday in Israel but, so, just in case you feel like lighting a menorah, enjoy! Wishing you as much joy as is possible at this moment in time. Stay well and safe. My reply: For sure we’re lighting candles and celebrating the holiday. I’ll clarify my previous comment: Minor doesn’t mean Hanukkah isn’t celebrated here. It’s minor only in the sense that the story of the Maccabees isn’t mentioned in the Bible. Here it isn’t among the most holy holidays. Presents are exchanged mostly around Rosh Hashanah or Passover, not so much during this holiday. Fried foods, such as doughnuts and potato pancakes (latkes) are a big thing. Hanukkah “gelt” (money) is often the gift of choice, along with chocolate “coins” and plain or fancy dreidels for games. … [Steve Kramer]
How Hanukkah Is Regarded in Israel Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Steve KramerIn the recent election, American-Israelis voted 70%-30% for President Trump, the converse of how American Jews voted. That tells you Israelis value the president’s accomplishments abroad, feats which are not high priority for most Jews in the US. Under Trump, the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem, quit the Iran nuclear deal, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, declared that Israeli “settlements” beyond the 1949 Armistice lines are not illegal, endorsed, in principle, an Israeli annexation of up to 30% of the West Bank, and brokered normalization agreements with three Arab states under the Abraham Accords Peace Agreement. All of these accomplishments deal with reality in the Middle East, not some tired, fanciful panacea about the necessity for a State of Palestine to allow peace in the Middle East. [Steve Kramer]
Trump is a good friend of Israel. We’ll see about Biden Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA