The recent uptick of interethnic violence in Israel is likely to benefit Avigdor Lieberman, one of the biggest losers of the last elections. Lieberman is the head of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, whose base is the large number of…
Off Campus
Shabbat 3000: this year’s Shabbos Project in Los Angeles
Observance of the Sabbath, also known as Shabbat (שבת in Hebrew), is one of the most well-known, yet least understood, commandments of the Torah. Non-observers might think of Shabbat of a day of full restrictions and limitations; however, it is…
“Allegedly”: the latest rage in media bias against Israel
Every day my heart falls as I see yet another article about attacks in Israel. As if to add insult to injury, these articles are usually titled something like this Boston Globe article, “4 Palestinians shot dead in latest violence,…
Peace of Art
Last Thursday afternoon, I had to ward my house from cops. Apparently the good Samaritans on frat row, or perhaps passersby, were concerned and decided to let someone know that four “vandals” (as some people had assumed) were parked in…
A conversation with Ethiopian actor and activist, Shai Fredo
Picture this: it’s 1984, you are eight years old, and you have just taken a year-long journey to a new country. Everything in this land is different. You cannot speak the language, you do not understand the culture, you are…
As Israel stands alone, her people stand strong
Every morning, after snoozing all of my three consecutive alarms, my eyes finally adjust and open long enough for me to begin the first step of my morning routine, a step that often sets the tone for the rest of…
Old mosaic, new eyes: Israel in 3D with the Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies
Two weeks ago I wrote an article about Jerusalem, its vibrant energy, and the stubborn distance between its different groups. I ended with a suggestion, a hope, and a recycled Lennon lyric: let us recognize that despite the differences, we…
A New Kind of Israel Advocacy
Illustration by Rivka Cohen _______________ The end of the year marks an unexpected beginning for our Jewish community: a new pro-Israel group. Students Supporting Israel has been growing internationally since 2012, recently embarking on a chapter here at UCLA. The…
Senate Concurrent Resolution 35 and anti-Semitism
Despite its increasing presence and impact on college campuses, anti-Semitism’s definition has become inexplicably blurred and political. The Senate Concurrent Resolution 35 was proposed this March urging University of California campuses to condemn anti-Semitism and racism. Responses have varied; however,…
All in the same: a walk through four quarters in “Jerusalem 3D”
My Mother’s Day was spent visiting the mother of all lands, Eretz Israel. After a short drive to the California Science Center in downtown, my family and I were graced with a long line for the sold out screening of…