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 — These days I feel like Alice in Anti-Wonderland, where what seemed impossible yesterday is now happening before my very eyes. I would say “Curiouser and Curiouser” if I could, but I feel more like saying “Awfuller and Awfuller.” Each candidate for a ministerial post in the government […]
Should Israelis Laugh or Cry? Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, OpinionBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — When life seems bleak, music, literature, and art provide us with consolation. Thus, it came about that we were able to attend two musical events in one week. What a feast! And what a difference. The first was an intimate evening provided by our friends and neighbours
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Israel’s fifth general election in four years has just taken place, and the decision appears to be clear. Israel has moved to the right. The parties which espouse limiting the rule of law as delineated by the country’s founding fathers, as well as the practice of restricting fiscal
What Lies Ahead in Israel Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Middle East, OpinionBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — The concert season in Jerusalem resumed this past week, and it was like meeting old friends, In fact, we did actually meet old friends. The first concert of the season of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra found us sitting in the packed Henry Crown auditorium of the Jerusalem Theatre.
The Sound of Music Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Music, Dance, and Visual ArtsBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — For a number of technical reasons we decided to hold our family celebration marking a milestone birthday in the neighbouring island of Cyprus. Family members came from various parts of Israel and the world, a hotel in the seaside resort of Ayia Napa was chosen and the dates
Our Friendly Neighbor Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Middle East, Travel and FoodBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — During the last few years, I have been spending part of the summer in France, supposedly to avoid the summer heat of Israel. That has come to be something of a joke, as the summers in France have been as hot as — or even hotter than —
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Attracted by the intriguing title, I read “The Revenge of the Elders of Zion” in its ebook version on my phone, and as I tend to read books on my phone only when I’m waiting to see the doctor or dentist, it took me rather a long time
The Intrigue of ‘The Revenge of the Elders of Zion’ Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-VansonBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — I suppose the etymology of the two phrases (Holy Days and Holidays) is the same, but their significance in this day and age is very different. Holidays are a time for enjoying oneself, whether relaxing on a beach or trekking up a mountain, whichever suits your taste. Holy
Holy Days and Holidays Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, OpinionThe first thing that hits you as the plane starts the descent towards the airport in Israel is the difference in the colors on the ground. If you have just left one of the countries of Europe, as we did, there is a noticeable difference in the shades of green that you perceive. The brilliant emerald green of the fields of rural France (or Germany or England or wherever), even in the summer of 2022 when temperatures rose to unprecedented heights and there were restrictions on water usage, remained in one’s visual memory, only to be erased (or at least put in the shade) by the greys, browns and dusty dark greens of the Holy Land. And, of course, the ever-present white of the stone buildings. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Au Revoir to France, Shalom to Israel Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Lifestyles, Travel and Food
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — My family’s association with soprano Ilona Domnitch goes back many years, to the 1980s, when my parents moved to Israel and were active in the activities of B’nai B’rith there. One of the projects which that organisation undertook at the time was to help new immigrants from Russia
An Unbeatable Experience Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, OpinionBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — What kind of people do we want as our leaders? Is it unreasonable to expect the individuals who govern our country and determine our fate, at least to some extent, to be honest, righteous and upstanding? The sad reality seems to be that decent, honest individuals are not
Integrity? Who Needs Integrity? Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Middle East, Opinion, USA
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — A few years ago, after I stopped being a translator, became a writer and had several novels under my belt, I finally allowed myself to apply for membership of the IAWE – the Israel Association of Writers in English. I was overjoyed when I was accepted and allowed
A Plethora of Poets Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-VansonBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Oh, no! Not another election, I cried when I heard the news on the radio. Once again, after enjoying an uplifting symphony concert we get into the car, turn the radio on to catch up on the day’s news and are hit with the devastating information that since
Here We Go Again: Another Election in Israel? Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, Opinion
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel —The novel Silbermann by Jacques de Lacretelle, which I read in French, was first published in 1922 It describes the life of a French schoolboy and his relations with a Jewish classmate. The general atmosphere in the school is one of rigid discipline and, as is often the case
A Prescient Account of Life in Pre-War France Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson