Me in the middle of a sea of Indians. I had never seen so many Indians together in one place but that is because I haven’t been to India. Yet. Some 8000 Indians gathered in Tel Aviv’s exhibition grounds (according to the Indian Embassy in Israel). Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India invited the entire … More India and Israel: this is a love story
A piece of paper with writing on it brought the complexities of my grandfather’s personality, rushing back to me, from beyond the grave. I don’t believe he placed much importance on what he wrote. How could he know that his words, so clearly would make him vivid to me, once more? I can see him … More Thoughts from my grandfather…
Israel is something you have to experience in order to truly understand. This land is both less and much more than people tend to assume. These are some of the things I learned living in Israel: In Israel, I learned that “no” means “maybe.” Rules are for the boring. There always is a better way, … More Things I learned in Israel
I wrote this August 28, 2003. 14 years later, the sadness has not changed…. I once knew a boy. He was a beautiful boy. Charismatic and charming and a tiny bit naughty, he was very appealing. So often I find myself saying, “once” and “was”, speaking about people in the past tense. Thinking about people … More The Boy I Once Knew
On April 24th Israelis will commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. This is not the same date as the International Holocaust Memorial Day. This date was chosen to emphasize the place of the Holocaust in the story of the Jewish people. We do this by first celebrating Passover. One week later, we mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Exactly … More The Holocaust, miracles and revenge
Can you imagine living in exile? Knowing that, although you have lived all your life in one place, as have your parents and maybe even grandparents, you belong to a different land? The Jewish people lived in exile for centuries. Their religion and traditions did not allow them to forget… Maybe, most of all, it … More New Year of the Trees: a love story between a people and their land
How many people stop to consider what life is like, after the terror attack is over? Very often lives are changed, forever. The murder of Dafna Meir was one of the more horrifying attacks Israel experienced last year. How many people stopped to consider Renana afterwards? What will her life be like? Eldest of Dafna … More Life after terror: Light for Renana Meir
Sneakers put out to dry. Wet and full of sand, they looked tired. My heart almost burst to see them. They tell a story people who live elsewhere wouldn’t recognize but most Israelis would. Those who don’t have this story in their own home know the story well. Across political affiliations and religious denominations, it … More Zionism looks like a dirty pair of sneakers
Whoever would have thought that manger scenes and mall Santas could become a topic of contention in America? That saying “Merry Christmas” is becoming taboo in some circles? Wow. I spent the first decade and a half of my life in America. Most of my neighbors were Christian, not Jewish. They put up Christmas lights … More My Jewish perspective on the “War on Christmas”
24 year old Rabbi Yerachmiel Levin, decided to donate a kidney to someone he doesn’t know. He wanted to save a life in honor of his father Rabbi Kalman Levin whose life was stolen away by a terrorist who murdered him while he was praying in the Har Nof synagogue. The man who received his kidney … More You didn’t just save me, you saved my entire family
Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story 