Gone Fishing...back soon.

What's Worth Reading - Several to ponder ...

Ruth's Conversion Would Be Rejected Today

On the eve of Shavuot, a reminder of how far Israel's Chief Rabbinate has come from the spirit of the festival.

https://garyrosenblatt.substack.com/p/ruths-conversion-would-be-rejected?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

‘Times’ reporter goes inside Israel’s identity crisis, 75 years in the making

Isabel Kershner, in a new book chronicling Israel's many divisions, crisscrosses the country in search of who the Israeli people are today

https://jewishinsider.com/2023/05/new-york-times-isabel-kershner-israel-reporter-book/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Kickoff%20May%2024%202023&utm_content=Daily%20Kickoff%20May%2024%202023+CID_01136805faef3b3eadf966c1ad133e66&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor%20JI&utm_term=Jewish%20Insiders%20Gabby%20Deutch%20reports

Jordan celebrates 77th Independence Day

https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-109/News/Jordan-celebrates-77th-Independence-Day-28837

Looking forward to reading…

The Land of Hope and Fear ISRAEL'S BATTLE FOR ITS INNER SOUL By Isabel Kershner

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/531841/the-land-of-hope-and-fear-by-isabel-kershner/

 

For those who couldn’t or wouldn’t leave…

SA Jewish Board of Deputies calls for end to protests at Jewish places of worship

https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/sa-jewish-board-of-deputies-calls-for-end-to-protests-at-jewish-places-of-worship/

 

Imagine a world where Trump is a footnote….

Tim Scott, co-founder of the Black-Jewish caucus, enters 2024 presidential race

Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, reportedly committed $50 million to support the campaign

https://forward.com/news/547958/tim-scott-senate-black-jewish-president/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ForwardingtheNews_6883875

 

Meanwhile, in Palestine ….

Birzeit University elections start today

https://alquds.com/en/posts/72999

 

A post-Zionist Haaretz take ….

Six Basic Facts About the Nakba Everyone Should Know

A few weeks ago, Israel celebrated its 75th Independence Day. On May 15, Nakba Day was observed, with the UN commemorating it for the first time. Several facts need to be understood in order to grasp the lasting significance of its anniversary

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-05-18/ty-article-magazine/.premium/six-basic-facts-about-the-nakba-everyone-should-know/00000188-2e5d-d6e4-ab9d-eefdb0fe0000

Not a parody…

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey: Clearly women can have a penis

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lib-dem-leader-ed-davey-clearly-women-can-have-a-penis-msdjv07jd

The Netanyahu-Haredi-Hardal government passes a budget in its own image...

"הגרוע וההרסני בתולדות המדינה": התגובות במערכת הפוליטית על העברת חוק התקציב

לאחר אישורו הסופי של התקציב הדו-שנתי בירך ראש הממשלה נתניהו בחשבון הטוויטר שלו: "תודה רבה לכולכם", והוסיף תמונה של חברי הקואליציה סביב שולחן הממשלה • באופוזיציה גינו את העברת החוק ותקפו בחריפות את הממשלה • "יום עצוב למדינת ישראל", כתב יו"ר המחנה הממלכתי גנץ

https://www.mako.co.il/news-politics/2023_q2/Article-38d292bc1db4881027.htm?sCh=31750a2610f26110&pId=173113802

Nota bene - I am not endorsing the editorial slant of any of these articles; Some I agree with, others maybe not. I am saying they are worth knowing about.  Your recommendations for WHAT'S WORTH KNOWING are welcome.  ej5@nyu.edu

WHAT'S WORTH KNOWING...

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התקציב שהממשלה מעלה היום הוא הרסני. אין בו שום בשורה, אין בו רפורמה שתשפר את מצב המשק, אין מנועי צמיחה, אין מאבק ביוקר המחיה, יש רק סחטנות אינסופית. אנחנו נתנגד לתקציב הזה, ונעבוד קשה כדי לחזור מהר לשלטון. כי צריך יהיה לבטל את כל מה שהם עושים עכשיו לפני שהנזק הופך להיות ממשי.

https://fb.watch/kIqKfFUy_b/

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Paul Simon Confronts Death, Profoundly, on ‘Seven Psalms’

The 81-year-old songwriter ruminates on mortality, faith and meaning in an album that could be a farewell.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/arts/music/paul-simon-seven-psalms-review.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

 

City Planning Council Approves Expansion of East Jerusalem Settlement

Plan includes construction of 100 residential units and 275 hotel rooms in Nof Zion, a settlement inside an Arab neighborhood

 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-03-06/ty-article/.premium/city-planning-council-approves-expansion-of-east-jerusalem-settlement/00000186-b31a-d24e-af96-f3da8ad00000

 

Destructive Middle East Rituals (Hard Questions, Tough Answers- May 22, 2023)

https://peacenow.org/entry.php?id=41632&eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=7b24310f-6286-468e-a634-5273a7ab34c2

 

Bibi Advocates ‘Unique Two-State Solution’

One for charedim and one for the rest of Israel; massive concessions to coalition revealed.

https://garyrosenblatt.substack.com/p/bibi-advocates-unique-two-state-solution?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Cardiff: Two teenage boys killed in crash before Ely riot

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-65677472

Nota bene - I am not endorsing the editorial slant of any of these articles; Some I agree with, others maybe not. I am saying they are worth knowing about.  Your recommendations for WHAT'S WORTH KNOWING are welcome.  ej5@nyu.edu

WHAT'S WORTH KNOWING...

 

On the way up to the Temple Mount, Likud is becoming Otzma Yehudit

Most ruling party members have always shunned visits to the holy site, both for security and religious reasons, but a new breed of Likud MKs are following the lead of the far-right

https://www.timesofisrael.com/on-the-way-up-to-the-temple-mount-likud-is-becoming-otzma-yehudit/

Majority of U.S. Twitter users say they’ve taken a break from the platform in the past year

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/05/17/majority-of-us-twitter-users-say-theyve-taken-a-break-from-the-platform-in-the-past-year/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=6195bed327-Weekly_5-20-23&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-6195bed327-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

 

The slow cracking of Greg the Egg

How the No. 1 boy of ‘Succession’ fans turned into just another Disgusting Brother

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/05/18/greg-succession-hbo-nicholas-braun/

 

Foreign Bodies: Pandemics, Vaccines and the Health of Nations by Simon Schama review – scientists to the rescue

The historian offers up lessons from past pandemics in an indictment of modern leaders’ response to Covid

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/may/19/foreign-bodies-pandemics-vaccines-and-the-health-of-nations-by-simon-schama-review-scientists-to-the-rescue?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

Orwell: The New Life by DJ Taylor review — the Etonian poser who wanted to be famous

George Orwell put his career before his dying wife, his little boy and his friends. Will Lloyd on a selfish genius

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/orwell-by-dj-taylor-review-r27nxw39p

 

Nota bene - I am not endorsing the editorial slant of any of these articles; Some I agree with, others maybe not. I am saying they are worth knowing about.  Your recommendations for WHAT'S WORTH KNOWING are welcome.  ej5@nyu.edu

WHAT'S WORTH KNOWING...

  

גזענות, שנאה ואלימות: במצעד הדגלים לא נרשמו אירועים חריגים

גם השנה צעדו אלפי נערים משולהבים מישיבות ומכינות קדם צבאיות דרך הרובע המוסלמי, קראו קריאות גזעניות וחיפשו — וגם מצאו — עם מי לריב. במשטרה בוודאי יסכמו את היום כהצלחה

https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/politics/2023-05-18/ty-article/.premium/00000188-3043-d805-a7c9-f9cb4f680000

 

Unanswered Questions About Trump and Russia

I have no reason to doubt the Durham report, but it’s still curious that Trump treated Putin so gently.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/unanswered-questions-about-trump-and-russia-helsinki-durham-report-fbi-10ce5fdb?mod=panda_wsj_author_alert

 

The Strange Career of Shlomo Sand: Polemicist Masquerading as Historian

https://israel-academia-monitor.com/2023/05/18/the-strange-career-of-shlomo-sand-polemicist-masquerading-as-historian/

 

South Africa Tries to ignore arrest warrant for Putin

Tensions high after US intelligence claims weapons were sent to Russia

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/south-africa-russia-weapons-putin-2t7fjpb5z

 

Former FBI employees accuse bureau of ‘weaponization’ against conservatives

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-former-fbi-employees-accuse-bureau-of-weaponization-against-conservatives

 

Nota bene - I am not endorsing the editorial slant of any of these articles; I am saying they are worth knowing about.  Your recommendations for WHAT'S WORTH KNOWING are welcome.  ej5@nyu.edu