Dorothea Shefer-Vanson is a freelance journalist based in Mevasseret Zion, Israel.
Her published works, available on Amazon, include:
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Jewish and Israeli history is replete with both tragic and joyful events, and in fact the life of a Jew living in Israel is something of a roller-coaster existence, taking us from the depths of sorrow one day to the sublime heights of joy the next, whether it’s […]
An emotional roller coaster during Israel’s holidays Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Like most – if not all – of my friends, I was disappointed by the outcome of Israel’s recent general election. Perhaps I was not quite as disappointed as some of them, as I had been expecting a result along the lines of what actually transpired. I still
Status quo voters will have themselves to blame Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Wandering through the stalls of the Jerusalem International Book Fair held a few weeks ago my eye fell upon a display entitled ‘Lavi Publications,’ where copies of just one or two volumes in Hebrew were on display. The modestly dressed elderly lady in attendance at the stall was eager
A treasure of Iranian history at a Jerusalem book stall Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson JERUSALEM — The visit to Israel of friends from abroad provided us with the opportunity to walk through the Old City of Jerusalem and show them just a few of the tourist attractions in which that relatively small area abounds. One of our visitors had been to Israel several times in the last
Walking visitors through the Old City of Jerusalem Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — And so once again, only two years after the previous election, Israel’s long-suffering population has been thrown into the maelstrom of another election campaign. Though perhaps “maelstrom” is too strong a term to describe the boredom and drudgery of being exposed to another round of groupings and regroupings
Israel elections again? How depressing! Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson GUERET, France — Life is full of strange coincidences. I first encountered the story of Charlotte Salomon about twenty years ago, when an exhibition of her work, a series of paintings with captions describing her life and entitled ‘Life? Or Theatre?’ was held at the Royal Academy in London. It made a
‘Charlotte’ tells story of perished German Jewish girl Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish HistoryBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson LONDON–Spending a few days in London in January reminded me of the little ditty below by Robert Louis Stevenson, and although I now have the benefit of electric light, there’s no getting away from the long, dark nights, the late rising and early setting sun — if you manage to get a
She’ll take London for culture, Jerusalem for weather Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson ZIKHRON YA’AKOV, Israel –The tragic and sudden death in a traffic accident of our daughter’s father-in-law, Eli Goldstein, brought an abrupt and untimely stop to the life of a man who was born on the land and worked the land throughout his life. His funeral, which was attended by what seemed to
Eli Goldstein, Israeli grower, z”l Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Are we going to have to cut ourselves off from the news and other media, in order to hold on to our mental equanimity? This week has been particularly hard for consumers of the news media, like myself. Many people thought that the evil that threatened the world had
Islamic terrorism strikes not only in Israel Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — I wanted to see for myself. Day and night we are bombarded with news, views and opinions about what is happening in the ‘Territories,’ whether defined as ‘occupied’ or by their ancient geographical designation, ‘Judea and Samaria.’ So a few weeks ago, when things seemed relatively quiet, I
Qalqiliya, mon amour Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Founded in 1997 by Shuki Levinger, a social worker, and Yael Shilo, a textile artist who was trying to find a way to ensure the future of her special-needs stepson, Kishorit is today a thriving community situated in the pastoral hills of Galilee. It provides a safe haven as
Kishorit: A kibbutz for residents with special needs Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel –On 9th November 2014, on the very same day that Berliners and others were celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the fall of the wall that had divided their city in two, Jews were marking the seventy-sixth anniversary of the night on which Nazis all over Germany destroyed and vandalized
What terror unchecked can lead to Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — The organization known as Machsom Watch has been in existence for over ten years. Since its first tentative steps as a small group of humanitarian feminists who wanted to protect the human and civil rights of Palestinians it has grown in numbers, is less radically feminist, but is
Palestinians and Israeli check points Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastMEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Between Gaza and Berlin Those two place names signify so many different views, concepts and even worlds, seeming to encapsulate the distinct worldviews that are so much a part of our life, here in Israel. In a local and very provincial sense these are the names of two roads in Rechavia, the Jerusalem
‘Between Gaza and Berlin’ prompts one to reflect Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East