Israel’s Memorial day – a day for remembering all those from our defense forces who have died defending the country, and all those who have died at the hands of terrorists.  It is a day of national mourning.  Just about …

  I would like to pick up on the two topics I wrote about before Shabbat: accusations of Israel as “apartheid” and the debate about Israel as a Jewish state vs. democratic state. These subjects may overlap, but they are separate issues. As to apartheid.  Warren Goldstein, chief rabbi of …

    Shabbat starts late at this season, which allows me the time to do a post – but even so, Shabbat is Shabbat and this will be brief. The nine-month negotiating deadline of April 29 came and went with no resolution of the issues, and no promise of an …

                A day of remembering the heroes and the martyrs here in Israel.  Heroes, too, because there were those who resisted.   As the years go, and more of the survivors are gone, the act of remembering with immediacy becomes more difficult.  Yet …

  April 27, 2014: Throwing Up My Hands. How much can one write about the moribund “peace process”?  (Please read through, as I move to another very important subject.) There is only one piece of good news regarding the “peace process”: Netanyahu and the Security Cabinet came through. After a prolonged …

Written and submitted by Arlene Kushner.   April 23, 2014: More on Freedom Or lack thereof. Before I get to the more current news, I want to back-track just a bit.  Stay with me: see where I am going. As you may recall, at the end of March, we were expected …

  April 22, 2014: Zeman Herutenu The Time of our Freedom. Another term for the Pesach Holiday which is just completing (last night here in Israel, tonight outside of Israel).  As I picked up news over the holiday that gave me a knot of considerable dimensions in my stomach, I knew …

  Preparing for the Pesach holiday, just a day away now.  Beginning to turn away from everyday happenings, to focus on ultimate questions, family, and the ritual of Seder.   I will not be posting again before the holiday starts on Monday night.  And I do not know that I will …

Written and submitted by Arlene Kushner. Has our government finally learned?  No matter what efforts we make, no matter the concessions – in the end it is Israel that faces accusations when things go wrong.  The lesson here is that we should stop trying and refrain from further concessions. What …

  The “peace process” is dead, but Kerry refuses to sign the death certificate.  Pathetically, he hovers over the diplomatic corpse as if he can invigorate it with new life.  He’s pushed on before when the situation seemed grim from his perspective. But this time I believe the situation is …

  I have no intention here of reviewing matters in the sort of detail I offered yesterday.  It is not necessary, in any event. I’m seeing much the same as I did yesterday: Inherently contradictory comments from Kerry regarding his continued faith in the “peace process” that prompts him to …

The current situation regarding “peace negotiations” has evolved into one beyond imagining.  I do not use the term “evolved” to suggest progress to a higher state, I assure you. What is more, everything is in almost hour-to-hour flux.  And so, while I hope to send this out today, I advise …

Written and submitted by Arlene Kushner.   I had intended to write last night – the night when that last batch of Palestinian Arab terrorists was scheduled for release – to say that we had a temporary reprieve.  It was clear even before last night that they were not going …

We are almost to that day [March 29th, late at night] when either the final batch of pre-Oslo Arab prisoners will be released, or our government will announce that they are not being released… There is a reasonable chance that the latter situation will prevail.  And, in any event, as …

There is no end to the challenges we are facing here, but I believe I am seeing greater resilience on the part of Israelis – in both official and unofficial positions – with regard to dealing with them.  Let this be a trend that continues and grows. Occurrences described below …

Before I get to the nonsense, which increases daily, I note with sadness the untimely passing yesterday of commentator, writer, and author Barry Rubin, who served as director of GLORIA (Global Research in International Affairs).  He succumbed after a long battle with cancer, at the age of 64.  Enormously astute …

Submitted and written by Arlene Kushner. No Time to Spare: Talking about Israel’s Legal Grounds If the Israeli building in Judea and Samaria destroys the peace process, then, Lars Faaborg-Andersen, the EU ambassador to Israel, declared just days ago, “Naturally, the blame will be put squarely on Israel’s doorstep.” Naturally: …

Submitted and written by Arlene Kushner. January 26, 2014: Legal Grounds. These are the legal grounds Israel has in Judea and Samaria – charges by the international community not withstanding.  It is what I – and my co-chair on this effort, Jeff Daube, head of the Israel office of ZOA – …

Written and Submitted by Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple. MARRYING ON TUESDAY Question.  Why is it considered good to get married on a Tuesday? Answer.  The Creation story has the constant refrain that when God saw what He had made, He said it was good. On the third day, however, He …

  Motzei Shabbat (After Shabbat) From multiple sources I am picking up considerable concern regarding the broad implications — diplomatic and security — with regard to any relinquishment by Israel of full control of the Jordan Valley. Apologies that this map says “West Bank” and not, properly, Judea and Samaria.  …