Tag: Religious
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A Prayer for Yom Kippur
Thank you for letting us reach this day. Thank you for giving us another year to Be Better and Do Better May we recognize our thoughts and feelings to be the fantasies of our perceptions Let us remember that if we don’t like what we think or feel, we have the power to change those…
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Israeli and Palestinian Women Build Peace Using Photography to See the “Other”
I hope you are staying safe, wearing masks, washing your hands, and not feeling too isolated. I know for me it feels like we are living in a Twilight Zone episode and I did not like watching those back then, let alone living in one. There is something that does not feel quite real about…
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What is Anti-Semitism? Let’s Be Clear―It’s Hating Jews
Anti-Semitism is the discrimination against, prejudice or hostility toward Jews. Why didn’t they just call it Jew-hatred―no need for interpretation. Perhaps that is the point, let’s whisper amongst ourselves, with a knowing wink. Wilhelm Marr, known as the Father of modern anti-Semitism popularized the term and was a German agitator and publicist, who merely needed…
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An American Pastor Builds Bridges of Peace between Israelis and Palestinians
With the passing of John Lewis, great men are on my mind and I thought that this was a good time to speak about some of them that I know and respect deeply. In May I wrote an update on my favorite Peacemakers in Israel, Roots/Shorashim/Judur. I first met Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger and Ali Abu…
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A Love Letter to Israel on our Sixth Anniversary
Happy Sixth Year Anniversary Israel! This is a very personal anniversary between you and me. You may not remember me, but I’ll never forget you! Being Jewish, keeping you in my thoughts would have been true even before our fateful trip. As we Jews say in Psalm 137, “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let…
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Israelis and Palestinians: Peace Cannot be Achieved Without First Addressing Their Humanity Part I
The world finally is waking up to the realization of the pervasive scourge of racism and its negative impact on society. Asking the victim, rather than the perpetrator seems to have yielded more honest results. Finally, it appears that significant action to address the problem is beginning. Unfortunately, after years of hatred there are elements…
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Celebrating Yom Ha’Atzmaut—Israel Independence Day
Today is Yom Ha’Atzmaut, which is Israel Independence Day. Whether this is cause for celebration or suffering is a matter of perception—whose side are you on? It’s complicated. The Palestinians call the day, “The Naqba” (The Catastrophe). For Jews and especially Israelis, since 1948 Israel Independence Day is a hard-earned, happy day. Jews throughout the…
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Les Hajnal, Holocaust Survivor—Won! Part I
For the dead and the living, we must bear witness. Elie Wiesel Note: Dear reader, I’ve written this article in two parts. Why? I felt it would be disrespectful to leave any part out of this courageous Holocaust survivor’s story that he took the time to share and it’s an account that deserves to be…
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The Palestinian Answer to the U.S. Peace Plan is Continued Terrorist Attacks
Yes, I do have the Corona Virus on my mind and my heart aches for the suffering and loss of life here in the United States and throughout the world. It is scary, period. But taking a break from the incessant news broadcast predicting unimaginable deaths, my mind wandered to Israel and I thought about…
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American Jews are Feeling the Fear and Pain of Israelis
American Jews are feeling some of the fear and pain of Israelis. What do I mean? Alarmingly, Jews are being attacked in the United States and also around the world, with increased violence and frequency. This is something Israelis have dealt with for years. The public is becoming more aware as the attacks are receiving…
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2020 Happy New Year and Decade!
Happy New Year! Shabbat Shalom! This is the first shabbat of the new year and decade. What big plans do you have? What is it that you have always wanted to do or work on, that hasn’t been on your To-Do list until now? Why not begin the decade making those choices? Are the wishes…
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May You Be Blessed with a Peace-filled Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving! As the year is ending, many of us take time to think about our life. How we are grateful for family and friends (family we choose), having a roof over our heads, the freedom to worship as we want—the list goes on and on—the fact that we have so many gifts to be…
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The Dizzying Dance of Missile Attacks Against Israel
The news is so sad. Just after a few days of escalated fighting with hundreds of Palestinian missiles raining down on Israel, then come the Iranian missiles from Syria attacking the Golan Heights. Does Israel just take it? No, they fight back. Could you live like that? I know I couldn’t, but if you talk…
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Run, Hide, Fight! Defending Jews from Anti-Semitic Terrorism is The New Mantra
I thought I’d start my blog with a lesson from our next generation. Young Jewish women who I don’t know, yet make me proud. They were standing up both for themselves, and us. A lesson in anti-Semitism is presented by three Jewish young ladies trying to make a difference with a TEDx talk. Our next…
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May You Have a Peace-filled Year! Lucy Aharish Shows Her Way By Living Her Truth…
I’d like to wish everyone Happy New Year and G’mar Fatima Tova (May You Be Sealed in the Book of Life)! As you know, since our unique, terror-laden trip in Israel, the subject of my book, “Blasted from Complacency” a Journey from Terror to Transformation in Israel,” Peace (I capitalize Peace because it’s so important)…