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 is 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
Background: Advocates of intersectionality are increasingly, publicly, rejecting Jewish participation in their dialogues and activities. The idea that rejecting Jews based on their Jewish identity is becoming socially acceptable is highly disturbing. Much has been written on this subject, particularly following examples where groups advocating for intersectional solidarity rejected Jewish participation. One of the better-known … More Intersectionality and the Jews
Last weekend we celebrated International Women’s Day. In Israel feminist discourse is probably similar to that of other western countries, with our own unique twist. Our media is full of panels, consisting almost entirely of women, discussing the gender wage gap, the necessity of empowering women in the fields of technology and science and the … More Women’s Day in Israel
Ever since before I remember myself, I’ve had to wear glasses. Blind as a bat (I can actually find my way pretty well in the dark), glasses have been my crutch through life. I had to wear glasses since before anyone figured out that making glasses a fashion accessory would help increase sales. No one … More If you love Desigual fashion you need Ronex glasses
My Facebook feed is full of Ori’s photo. She looks different in the different images but in each, her radiant smile is the same. Ori, “my light” in Hebrew, was obviously a fitting name for this sunny girl. The more we hear about Ori from friends, family and the people she volunteered with helping underprivileged … More Ori Ansbacher: light, freedom and Jewish sovereignty
I recently attended a very pretty funeral and was surprised to discover that it felt wrong to me. Living in Israel has changed my perspective on so many things, it turns out that I have developed a new way of seeing funerals too. A mother of a neighbor died. She had a long good life … More Israeli funeral epiphany
Shira and Amichai Ish-ran are a beautiful young couple. Twenty-one years old, they got married this year. Looking at them, most people would see radiant youth, loving eyes and warm smiles. How many would realize that these are people made from steel? On the last day of Chanukah, Amichai and Shira, 7 months pregnant were … More Meet the Maccabees: My Nation forever, Israel
Jamal Khashoggi became a hot topic in the media when he disappeared on October 2 after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. After days of incessant media coverage, the story suddenly dropped out of the news cycle. Recently it has made a tentative reappearance but the question is – why? Most of us had never … More Jamal Khashoggi: murder and media coverage
There seems to be a lot of confusion about Hanukah – to the point where it appears to be deliberate. Let’s begin with what it’s not about. 1. It’s not a Jewish Christmas In many circles, Hanukah seems to have become an imitation Christmas – a holiday of food, lights, decorations, and gifts. This is … More From the Maccabees to the IDF: 6 things you need to know about Hanukah
Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story 