When people think of visiting Israel, few consider going to Hebron. The city is depicted as contentious, dangerous and unpleasant. It is associated with “Occupation,” poverty and apartheid. Who would want to go there? Even most Israelis don’t consider Hebron a place they would want to visit, much less live. This reality ironic, considering the … More The Hebrews of Hebron
Love is something that is hard to explain in words but easy to recognize when you feel it. The media coverage of Bon Jovi in Israel underscores the paradox. While there were reports about the band defying BDS pressure to come and play in Israel and the subsequent successful, fun and charming performance, no report … More Bon Jovi in Israel: We will love you, always
This is not so much a review of the book “The Rage Less Traveled: A Memoir of Surviving a Machete Attack,” it’s more a summary of my experience reading it and why I believe this is a must read for everyone, including those not specifically interested in Israel. Choosing to read the book I didn’t … More The Rage Less Traveled: PTSD and rainbows
There are many misconceptions about the Temple Mount, the Kotel and the Al Aqsa mosque. Confusion and even much conflict can be dispelled when the facts are made clear! Here are 8 things you need to know about the holiest site on earth for the Jewish people: 1. What is the holiest site on earth … More 8 things you need to know about the Kotel and the Temple Mount
The Eurovision is one of the largest events in the world. Larger than the Super Bowl, the Eurovision brings together 200 million viewers every year. The Olympics and the World Cup are the only events that have more viewers. Bottom line is – even if you have never heard of the Eurovision, it’s HUGE. Last … More 3 Israeli values that made the Eurovision fabulous
Israel is one of the most misunderstood, misrepresented and maligned countries on earth. The question is, why? Jew hate? Or because our “hasbara” is terrible? In pro-Israel circles either (or both) of these are go-to explanations however neither are enough to explain the dissonance between Israeli reality and the concepts different people have about Israel … More Cracking the Israel Culture Code
There are two kinds of people who hate strong Jews: your run-of-the-mill Jew haters (classical antisemites) and colonized Jews. 2000 years of living as unwelcome guests in other people’s lands have taken a toll on the Jewish People. Putting your head down, being quiet in the face of abuse and minimizing signs of Jewishness have … More The freedom of the Jews
