Attack by Hamas on Sh'mini Atzeret, 10/7/2023
We grieve, once again, for those who were murdered by Hamas in a savage attack on Israel. As of this moment, more than 700 Israeli...
Jews, Judeans, and Jerusalem: Masquerading Academics - Blog #10
Today I saw a story about an Israeli journalist, who studies in the US, and has a Russian passport. That in itself was intriguing. The...
Israel: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Blog #9
Obviously, I love Israel, the national embodiment of the Jewish people. No other place on earth provides the cultural atmosphere --...
It Never Rains in Southern California... Blog #8
I remember the song, though not the performer, composer, or lyricist: “Seems it never rains in Southern California … But girl, don’t they...
Celebrating Shavu'ot in Israel - Blog #7
Of the three festival holydays Shavu’ot is strikingly different. It is a 1-day holiday in Israel, whereas Pesach and Succot last for a...
Jewish Cultural Life in Israel -- Blog #6
Most Israelis self-identify as not Dati -- not religious. But what that means is highly imprecise and to understand we have to dig a bit...