Let’s hope Obama won’t be a friend of Israel, writes Gideon Levy in a recent Ha’aretz editorial. Now before you get your knickers in a knot, read on:
When we say that someone is a “friend of Israel” we mean a friend of the occupation, a believer in Israel’s self-armament, a fan of its language of [...]
Archive for the ‘Israel’ Category
Obama, Don’t Be a Friend of Israel!
Posted in Elections 2008, Israel, Palestine, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East on November 10, 2008 | 6 Comments »
A Different Kind of Coalition?
Posted in Israel, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East on October 27, 2008 | 4 Comments »
The news out of Israel: in recent weeks Tzipi Livni had been trying to form a new coalition but has now decided to call for new elections after refusing to bow to the Shas party’s preconditions (which included a demand to never divide Jerusalem). Much to say about all of this of course. Those of [...]
How to Talk to the Enemy
Posted in Anti-Semitism, Interfaith, Iran, Israel, Politics, Religion on October 19, 2008 | No Comments »
What would you say to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad if you had the chance? My friend and colleague Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb had this extraordinary opportunity last month at an Iftaar dinner in which Ahmadinejad met with several religious peace groups during his visit to the US. Rabbi Gottlieb was among the few Jews to attend the dinner, [...]
Understanding Iran, Facing our Fears: A Sermon for Yom Kippur
Posted in Global Activism, High Holidays, Interfaith, Iran, Israel, Peace, Politics, Religion, Sermons on October 10, 2008 | 2 Comments »
At Yom Kippur services yesterday, I announced to my congregation that I will be traveling to Iran on an interfaith peace delegation next month. I devoted the majority of my remarks to our current conflict with Iran, and why I have been so deeply frustrated with our government’s and the Jewish community’s response to this [...]
Stay Tuned for McCain’s Courageous Mideast Peace Plan…
Posted in Elections 2008, Israel, Palestine, Peace on September 23, 2008 | No Comments »
Hoping against hope that a McCain administration would take the lead in the Mideast peace process? Don’t even bother. At a weekend retreat hosted by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, two McCain advisers indicated that a McCain presidency would have more pressing foreign policy matters to attend to. According to a recent JTA [...]
The Iran Circus Comes to Town
Posted in Iran, Israel, Politics, Politics/Middle East, War on September 21, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Get ready for an unbelievable din when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad comes to town next week.
For its part, the Jewish community is contributing its share to the political noise making with all the brouhaha over Sarah Palin’s invitation (and subsequent disinvitation) from a Jewish community protest against Iran on Monday. Tellingly, through all of the Jewish coverage [...]
Arab-Israeli Cultural Correspondence
Posted in Art, Israel, Palestine on September 17, 2008 | No Comments »
The first exhibit of Arab-Israeli art to appear in Israel has just opened at the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem. Entitled “Correspondence,” it features the art of 13 Arab-Israeli artists who explore the cultural tensions inherent experienced by Palestinian citizens of Israel.
According to the Mayer’s description of the exhibit:
“Correspondence” attempts to reveal [...]
A Tale of Love and Hope
Posted in Books, Coexistence, Israel, Peace, Terrorism on September 8, 2008 | No Comments »
A hopeful gesture in response to tragedy: the family of an Arab man killed in a terror attack has made a contribution toward the Arabic translation of Amos Oz’s memoir, “A Tale of Love and Darkness” to further the cause of coexistence.
In 2004 George Khoury (right), an Israeli Arab student, was shot while running in [...]
Shanah Tovah From the Geneva Initiative
Posted in Coexistence, High Holidays, Israel, Palestine, Peace on September 2, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Today was Rosh Hodesh (the beginning of the month) of Elul: the month of soul introspection that precedes the Jewish New Year. Apropos of the season, I thought I’d share this remarkable new year’s greeting: a clip of the Palestinian partners of the Geneva Initiative wishing their Jewish friends a Shanah [...]
“From Somewhere in the Mediterranean…”
Posted in Israel, Palestine, Peace, People You Should Know About on August 28, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Abie Nathan has died and the Jewish world has lost a truly original voice for peace. He was and will remain one of my big, big heroes. Boy do we need him more than ever.
How do I even begin? Born in Persia; grew up in India; volunteers as a fighter pilot during Israel’s 1948 War [...]
