Passover, the holiday of Jewish liberation and freedom from Egypt, took place about two months ago. But Jacob Ostreicher has given up hope of leaving Bolivia, where he has been under arrest on what actor Sean Penn called “unevidenced prosecution.”…
Off Campus
Toward a more humble Middle East policy: a post-uprising update from Dr. Robert Malley
May 20, 2013 — When told by the student introducing the event that he would be expected to offer his thoughts on the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Dr. Robert Malley retorted that the events to which she referred were…
Fatah outraged over soccer match between young Israeli Jews and Palestinians
Once again, Fatah, the Palestinian political party led by Mahmoud Abbas, has shown that peaceful intentions are not on its agenda. The Jerusalem Post reports that “Mifalot, an organization seeking to promote peaceful coexistence through sports” organized a soccer tournament…
Arming Syrian rebels could threaten Israel’s security
As the death toll continues to climb in Syria’s bloody, two-year-old civil war, concerns over Israel’s security mount as well, over the various embargoes against supplying arms to the rebel forces. As the European Union and other countries are considering…
Israel’s dilemma: how to deal with illegal immigrants
On Sunday, it was reported that more than 300 of Israel’s Saharonim Detention Center detainees refused to return to their individual cells in protest, saying that they are being held illegally, against their will, and that they vehemently demand their…
Prospects for a post-Ahmadinejad Iran: new president, fewer distractions
The 11th Iranian presidential elections, scheduled for June 14, are fast approaching, and as election day draws near, many prospective presidential candidates (they must be approved by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei before they can run) are publicly distancing themselves from…
Silicon Wadi: Israel’s economic future
Chances are, you have heard of Silicon Valley. Often mistakenly attributed to successful entrepreneur Ralph Vaerst, the term “Silicon Valley” refers to a large swath of Bay Area land replete with both large and small technology firms — the growth…
The “Gaza Doctor” Abuelaish: Feminism Will Deliver Peace to the Middle East
As a part of Kehillat Israel’s (a Reconstructionist Congregation in Los Angeles) “Week of Civil Discourse,” put on by the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies at UCLA, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish was invited to speak in Broad Hall…
The Curious Case of Israeli Guns: the NRA’s Faulty Logic
On early Friday morning, an army of several thousand heavily armed law enforcement officials descended upon the tranquil Boston suburb of Watertown in hopes of capturing the elusive second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing, Dzhokar Tsarnaev. Tsarnaev is now in…
Jewish and Christian interfaith dialogue: loving Israel and loving each other
There were 19 people seated around the large oval table on the third floor of Hillel at UCLA. On Friday, April 12, the Berman Library (colloquially dubbed the Zionist Library as a tribute to the content of a multitude of…