It’s the perfect moment in which to re-examine Zionism afresh–and not only because of the recent spate of fighting between Israel and Gaza, the controversy surrounding the SJP national conference held some weeks ago here at UCLA, or the fact…
United we stand; and why we’ll never fall
As I made myself some tea and schmoozed at the coffee station after Shabbat lunch this week, I heard a surprising announcement. “Let’s take a moment of silence to honor the people we lost in today’s tragedy.” I waited for…
History of Hypocrisy in UN Attitudes Toward Zionism
From Ha’Am’s Winter Print Edition, “The Divide” There were 33 countries in favor of United Nations Resolution 181(II), which called for the partition of Palestine into independent Arab and Jewish states. At the time of the resolution, 56 countries were…
The zionist imperative of Passover
This week we celebrate the festival of Passover. If asked on the spot what the point of the holiday is, you would probably respond “to commemorate the redemption from Egyptian bondage.” This interaction is reenacted on the Seder night: The…
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…
Israel in the Media – Two Brief Reviews
Stepping into the fray of a debate about the Middle East is always a nerve-racking experience. Tensions run high, and well-meant words can easily be misconstrued. Despite this, I would like to pass comment on two articles relating to Israel…
J Street Director Comes to UCLA
On Monday, J Street U at UCLA kicked off the quarter with a discussion with Jeremy Ben-Ami — former presidential adviser and president of J Street. The presentation consisted of a summary of J Street’s policies and a Q&A session with students,…