Stories about Israel from August, 2009
Israel: Church Photos of Jerusalem
Poet and professor Karen Alkalay-Gut of Tel Aviv Diary features a photographic look at the churches of Jerusalem.
Israel: Advocating Breastfeeding in Public
A Mother in Israel weighs in on breastfeeding in public. “The idea that public breastfeeding should be prohibited because it makes people uncomfortable is as absurd as keeping pregnant women in the house because people might think about how they got that way.”
Israel: Influence of Hippies on Israeli Culture
“Israel's always had a little more than its share of hippie tendencies,” writes My Urban Kvetch's Esther Kustanowitz, “From communal living arrangements (kibbutzim, moshavim, the army) to sandals and other footwear… Plus, unkempt beards, long hair, songs about peace.”
Israel: Celebrating 25 Years of Immigration
Consummate blogger Jacob Richman celebrates 25 years in Israel with a reflective timeline.
Israel: For the Love of Food
With the Jewish High Holidays approaching, food seems to be on everyone's minds. The Jewish blogosphere is ripe with sumptuous tidbits and contemplations about the cultural implications of food, food and identity, and the history and culture of our favorite culinary delights.
Israel: Social Media Advances Jewish Identity
How can social media enhance identity? eJewishPhilanthropy reports: “For a people who have fretted over a loss of identity for generation after generation… innovations like Twitter and Facebook are nothing less than, dare we say, a godsend.”
Israel: When Translations Go Wrong
Literal translations aren't always your best bet when moving between Hebrew and English, explains How to Be Israeli. She writes that the movie title “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” which is Biblical in tone in the native English, is translated in Hebrew as “Achi, Efo Atah?” which sounds a lot...
Israel: Hollywood in the Holy Land
September is a major month for Hollywood in the Holy Land. Israel will welcome Madonna, Leonard Cohen, Faith No More, Julio Iglesias, MGMT, and Dinosaur Jr. Both Madonna and Cohen's shows have sold out their 45,000+ seats. Israelity has the scoop.
Israel: Double Standards?
From Israel, Orly comments on media and online reactions to the bombing of a mosque and the killing of an Al Qaeda-inspired Islamic extremist group in Gaza over the weekend. “I can’t help but shake my head and ask, do these people have amnesia? In December Israel used the same...
Egypt: Blindfolding Lesson
Egyptian Moftasa discusses the impact of blindfolding when used for torture, noting the impact on the perpetrator. “We have to learn from both parties, if we want to understand its results more and perhaps stop people from inflicting it,” he adds.
Israel: Critical Means Self-Hating?
In Israel, Kristin says: “I’m so sick and tired of hearing this phrase “self-hating Jew”. I think that to be critical of one’s homeland is to be a true citizen: this can be done in many ways but if you are willing to strive to better it, how is this...
Israel, Palestine: Free Virtual Computer Conquers Wall
A new Israeli-Palestinian Internet start-up called G.ho.st is taking on Microsoft and Google in the competition to develop a “cloud computing” operating system that allows people to access all their files and software via the Internet.
Israel: LGBT center shooting in Tel-Aviv
It is becoming ever more evident that Saturday's deadly shooting at a Tel Aviv LGBT center was a product of pure hate. Gilad Lotan sums up from reactions from Hebrew blogs.