By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — If Israel sought to cripple Hamas, they would have targeted Shifa Hospital last week rather than Ahli Arab Hospital, both in Gaza City. During past conflicts, the Hamas leadership cowered underneath al Shifa to deter Israel from destroying that facility. Unless Hamas moved its headquarters, what did Israel have […]
Anatomy of ‘500’ Murders Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Israel, Opinion
By Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — All my readers know that Israel is undergoing a major assault, which in its first day was the most horrific in Jewish history since the Holocaust. And this in one day! It’s hard for Israelis to get our heads around this existential war, but even more so for
What if New Jersey Were Israel? Read More »
Israel, Opinion, Steve Kramer, USA
By Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — We all have, or should have, concern about the prevalence of Jew-hatred on American college campuses. Previously it was couched in anti-Israel phrases, but lately it’s become blatantly about Jews in general. Frankly, this is the attitude in the U.S. towards Jews in the 1930s, coinciding with local
By Gedaliah Borvick JERUSALEM — A few days after the outbreak of the war, I went into a neighborhood hardware store where two old timers were muttering that things would be different today if only Begin were still prime minister. My goal is not to disparage Netanyahu or any of Israel’s politicians. Rather, I would
If Only We Had Menachem Begin Read More »
Gedaliah Borvick, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Opinion
By Heidi Gantwerk SAN DIEGO — On Tuesday, I, along with Federation Board Chair David Bark, flew to Washington D.C. to gather with more than 200 Federation and partner agency leaders, philanthropists, and many national officials — all in support of Israel. We heard extraordinarily strong words of support from Congressional leadership from both sides
Jewish Federation CEO: My Trip to Washington in Support of Israel Read More »
Heidi Gantwerk, Israel, Opinion, San Diego County, USA
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson 1938 A young couple fled Nazi Germany, found refuge in England and survived the war. Their parents were left behind and murdered. Four years later I was born, thus making them my parents. 1944 V2 rockets fired on London caused the evacuation of children from the city. My two-year old self was
Timeline: Why the War in Israel Feels Like Déjà Vu Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, OpinionBy Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — “Does the whole world hate the Jews?” The question was posed by a self-identified Democrat from Waterbury, Conn., who called into C-Span Saturday morning to confess that he believed white nationalists owned antisemitism in America. With reports of the dreadful Hamas raid dominating the news, the caller said he
Hamas Defenders Can’t Handle the Truth Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Israel, Opinion, USA
The Matzo Chronicles By Karen Galatz RENO, Nevada — I come from a long line of Morton Coarse Kosher Salt users. My mother bought it. My grandmother bought it. My sisters-in-law bought it. Even my non-Jewish mother-in-law bought the salt with the little girl under the umbrella. But lately, I haven’t been able to find
What’s Shakin’ in Your Saltshaker? Read More »
Karen Galatz, Lifestyles, Opinion, Travel and FoodBy Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — More than a week has gone by since the infamous sneak attack by Hamas terrorists from Gaza on October 7. I have reported that Michal and I are doing ok, with no missiles striking Kfar Saba and only a few short periods in our in-house shelter. Well, we
Gaza: The Hellhole Read More »
Israel, Opinion, Steve Kramer
As Morocco rebuilds in the aftermath of a horrifying earthquake that struck High Atlas Mountain ranges last month, this article considers the guiding premises for sustainable societies established in the first chapter of the Torah, “In the Beginning.” [Yossef Ben-Meir]
‘In the Beginning’ in Morocco Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Opinion, Yossef Ben-MeirBy Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — Many times Israel has “won” in Gaza and then soon found itself fighting Hamas again. Deterrence and “mowing the grass” doesn’t defeat Islamic terrorists; you must liquidate them, one way or another. The Islamists who run Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon have a total disregard for the citizens of
Gathering Our Forces Read More »
Israel, Middle East, Opinion, Steve Kramer, USA
By Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — Amid the war in Israel and all the atrocities being committed, it is easy to get depressed. Missiles fired, bombs blasted, homes destroyed, innocents killed. It is beyond atrocious. Horror like this has not been seen since the Yom Kippur War almost 50 years ago. Similar to that attack,
Hope in Times of War Read More »
Israel, Opinion, Teresa_Konopka
By Jacob Kamaras LA JOLLA, California — In San Diego and across the Jewish world, this past Simchat Torah holiday won’t be forgotten anytime soon. While I was on volunteer security duty at Congregation Adat Yeshurun during Shabbat/Shemini Atzeret, bits and pieces of the devastating news in Israel began to emerge. We heard that 100
Editor’s Notebook: Navigating an Unforgettable Sense of Limbo on Simchat Torah Read More »
Israel, Jacob Kamaras, Jewish Religion, Opinion, San Diego County
By Alex Traiman (JNS) Many questions and few answers abound as Israel has suffered its worst homefront attack, and perhaps its worst security and intelligence failing in the past 50 years. Instead of peacefully celebrating the completion of the yearly Torah-reading cycle, Israelis awoke to sirens and explosions on one of the holiest days of
From Yom Kippur to Simchat Torah: What Led to the Attack and What Will Happen Next? Read More »
Israel, Middle East, Opinion, USA