From the beginning of his career, Israeli novelist A.B. Yehoshua has examined the complex relationship between Israeli Jews and Arabs, most notably in his 1964 novella, "Facing the Forests," and his early novel, "The Lover," set in Israel after the 1973 war.
Eight-year-old Sruli Slodowitz from Pico-Robertson likes dressing up as his favorite hero; no, it is not Batman, Superman or even Harry Potter — but Agent Emes, \”an ordinary kid with an extraordinary mission\” who is the 11-year-old protagonist in a new mystery adventure video series for Jewish children.
Boiled potatoes in the first sentence, a beige oil cloth in the second. Yes, friends, we are in the much-feared terrain of émigré lit — a darkly remembered world where wet shoes stuffed with newspaper never quite manage to dry before they\’re put back on again, where widowed aunts eat bologna sandwiches for breakfast as well as lunch and gossipy grandmothers declaim at length about the recalcitrance of their bowel movements.
More than 20 years ago, as I looked over family papers with my late father, I came across a letter referring to my "conversion." Curious, I asked
what that meant. With some self-consciousness, my father first shared with me the fact that I had a Catholic baptism as a 2-year-old child in Vienna, Austria.
On Jan. 14, you could hear the wake-up call sounding for Jews all across America. Perhaps you noticed the article by reporter Elizabeth Bernstein in that morning\’s Wall Street Journal. Perhaps someone e-mailed it to you. Perhaps numerous someones emailed it to you.
As part of the war on terror, it\’s time for the United States to move its embassy to Jerusalem and effectively end the dispute over Israel\’s capital. More than three years ago, Yasser Arafat branded the Palestinian Authority\’s terror campaign against Israel the "Al Aqsa Intifada."
One year ago, Gov. Gray Davis was calling for across-the-board cuts in every state department except the prisons, mass layoffs of workers and huge bites out of most programs for the disadvantaged.
With awards nights very much in season, our organizations hold their own this evening. Two big fat Jewish galas honor (who else?) good ol\’ Hollywood. Head to the 818 for Hillel at Pierce and Valley Colleges\’ \”Comedy Nite 2004: Our Big Fat 40th Anniversary Celebration,\” honoring actress Lainie Kazan (\”My Big Fat Greek Wedding\”).
We were late for the movie because of Shabbat dinner. With fresh sectional challah imported from Zomick\’s bakery in Long Island, N.Y., and kosher Cabernet Sauvignon brought from California, a few other traditional Jews gathered at our bicoastal condo for Friday night dinner just as the Sundance Festival was ticking away its last movies of the 2004 season.
So what\’s with the blood on the doors? In this week\’s Torah portion of Bo, we learn of the final steps leading up to the liberation of Israel from slavery in ancient Egypt.
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