In a previous post I pointed out that media discussion about that portion of Israel that was once occupied by Jordan seems to assume that history started in 1967. There’s another aspect to this. people (and institutions, like the UN and EU) tend to also forget that resolutions that call for negotiations between Israel and … More In Need of an Eye Doctor
Housing prices in Israel, where we live, have risen by a large percentage this past year. It’s probably not just a local phenomenon. The COVID pandemic has resulted in prices for materials going up. Also labor costs have risen. The de facto failure of the Palestinian Authority to implement any unified vaccination program means that … More The Best Nest
This week the section called Lech Lecha ( literally: Go to/for yourself) is read in Jewish Synagogues. For those of you who might not be familiar with the Old Testament, It’s the third section from the start and deals with the Lord telling Abraham to leave his former home and go to Canaan. Canaan, of … More An Inner Voice
This past week we had the first rain of the winter season. It came a few days early. Normally, Jews pray for rain in the holy land after then of the current holiday season. The more reverent even wait a couple of extra weeks so that individuals who came on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem would … More The First Rain
The question is asked because f the way the media seem to be treating the latest terror attacks by Hamas against Israel. The justification Hamas gives for their actions is not important. I have no difficulty in listening to their complaints. But I cannot abide them using ANY complaint as a justification for indiscriminate violent … More When Does “Even-Handed” Become Pro-Terrorism?
It appears that Israel will finally get a new government. The representatives of the anti-Netanyahu sentiment that has so divided the country for the past 2 years got their act together and made a broad coalition that crosses a lot of ideological boundaries. It’s the first time, ever, that an Arab political party is in … More Changing of the Guard
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin took an unprecedented step in publicly telling all the politicians vying for places in a new government that it is time they served the people instead of expecting the people to serve them. Of course, he’s absolutely correct. Israel has been without a functioning government for a long time. The people … More It’s a Loooong Wait.
We moved from Haifa to our little village (now a small town) just a little over 40 years ago. We didn’t think of ourselves as pioneers. That’s what new immigrants to Israel were back in 1880. We were just moving to a new home. We were going to a real house, with indoor plumbing, running … More Being a Pioneer 40 Years Ago
The Easter and Passover holidays have now passed. The New York Times tells us that the Biden administration is having meaningful talks with the Iranian regime over the nuclear weapons issue. And in Israel, there is still no sign of agreement on a new government coalition. The one item that I feel stands out in … More Winds of War?
Today is the day the heads of the various parties elected to the new Knesset bring their recommendations for who should be asked to form a new coalition government to the Israeli President. The President, traditionally, then asks the individual with the most recommendations to try to form a government. This time around it’s more … More The Wheels of Democracy Turn Slowly
Wetherhorn 