By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel–Been there, done that. Why was Israel not affected by the global economic crisis to the same extent as some other countries, specifically the US and the UK? It was probably due to a number of factors. In the 1980s, due to a combination of ideological rigidity and economic […]
How Israel avoided the global economic meltdown Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –Arms control, a vestige of the Cold War, is back. Negotiations to determine the future size and shape of the American and Russian arsenals have been concluded and a new accord will be signed Thursday in Prague. How fitting to sign in the Czech Republic, stripped of a planned
Is U.S. rushing into bad deal with Russians Read More »
USABy Yvonne Greenberg and Paul Greenberg SAN DIEGO–The premise of the San Diego Repertory Theatre’s new play, Weekend With Picasso, is that Pablo Picasso must produce six paintings and three vases over the weekend at his villa in France for a wealthy American client. But what the play really attempts to do is give the audience
What led to the Rep's 'Weekend With Picasso'? Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The news was not good when Barack Obama opened his newspapers upon returning to work from his Easter holiday (assuming that the American president had a holiday, beyond a family photo-op at church). From Afghanistan: There are no good options on the horizon, many analysts say, for reining in Mr. Karzai or
Obama facing diplomatic reverses all over the world Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–Editor’s Note: When U.S.-Israel relations hit a rough patch, there are those who quickly blame Israel for America’s difficulties abroad. Israel has outrageously been blamed for endangering American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, and erroneously been blamed for preventing the formation of an Arab coalition to work with the US to contain
Retired U.S. flag officers speak up for Israel Read More »
Middle East, USABy Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA–Rachel Corrie took a stand for what she thought was a righteous cause. Maybe it was. If Corrie had a significant concern, her response was not only self-destructive but also ineffective, a danger to others, a disruption of military operations and utter disregard for the rules of her host country.
Revisiting the Rachel Corrie case Read More »
Middle East, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– According to Israeli media commenting on the by now annual PR gimmick called The White House Seder, President Obama suffers from multiple personality disorder. He has been cast in the role of each of the four sons of the Hagadah. He’s wise. By putting pressure on Israel he’s winning the hearts
Obama watchers compare him to each of the four sons at a seder Read More »
Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–This is the season sacred to both Jews and Christians. Passover and Easter are arguably the formative events of both communities. To this skeptic, there is no chance that the Easter story of resurrection is historically accurate. There may have been some historical incidents behind the biblical story of the Exodus, but
Something of a holiday lull descends over Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, DC (Press Release) – U.S. Congressman Bob Filner recently joined his colleagues on a letter to the House Appropriations Committee calling for text in the Fiscal Year 2010 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations bill that would block aid to Saudi Arabia. “I don’t understand why we are giving aid to Saudi Arabia when
Filner denounces aid proposal for Saudi Arabia Read More »
USA
By Gary Rotto SAN DIEGO–I picked up my brisket for my Seder and little didn’t realize that I would be in good company. While the White House chef was not in the Kosher section at Ralphs, apparently the First Cook had a brisket ordered for the first night of Passover. According to the White House, brisket
President Obama continues new White House seder tradition Read More »
USA
Heidi Schreck and Deirdre O’Connell (Craig Schwartz photo) By Cynthia Citron CULVER CITY, California – The Wake is a play with a lot of p’s in it: politics, philosophy, polemics, passion, and pathos. And enough plot for two plays. In fact, “The Wake” is two plays. One is the love story: boy loves girl, girl thinks she loves boy, girl loves girl, boy waits it out,
Stay awake for 'The Wake' Read More »
Cynthia Citron, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO— It has taken awhile to read the books presented to me by family members for Chanukah, but as it turned out, my grandson Shor’s selection of Feingold: A New Democratic Party couldn’t have been more timely. As I finished reading the biography written by Sanford D. Horwitt, I
Feingold biography a timely resource Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–One of the arguments against electing Shimon Peres as President of the State of Israel was that he wouldn’t be above the fray, as is expected of a titular Head of State, but deep in it. However, after the embarrassment of his predecessor having to leave office before his time was
Shimon Peres speaks out on Jerusalem crisis Read More »
Middle East, USAJERUSALEM–It’s too early to panic, I hope. President Obama returned to his sweeping demand that Israel stop construction in post-1967 neighborhoods of Jerusalem, extend the construction freeze in settlements outside of Jerusalem beyond the ten months agreed, and take other steps to bring the Palestinians to negotiations. Comments at a high tone have come from
U.S-Israel rift may cool over Passover holiday Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA