The War between Good and Evil

Frederic Legrand-Comeo/shutterstock.com “We are facing a third world war against humanity and this is what brings us all together. This is a war, as I’ve said repeatedly, within Islam.” [Groups such as IS] expose themselves daily as savage outlaws of religion, devoid of humanity, respecting no laws and no boundaries…It’s clearly a fight between good

Hiking the “Salad Trail”

Recently, our Bridges for Peace family of volunteers spent two fun-filled days exploring a bit of southern Israel. “The Salad Trail,” one of the sites on our itinerary immediately grabbed my attention. I love to hike but adding the word “salad” to the mix left me pondering just what type of trail this might be?

Intercepting the Missiles of Toxic Tongue Syndrome

January 7, 2016

In July and August of 2014, almost four thousand missiles were fired by the terrorist group Hamas at Israeli civilian communities. It was a relentless barrage. One of the enemy’s objectives was to paralyze the country. But during those months, Israel not only defended itself in a war called Operation Protective Edge, it continued to

“To Life!” Guide to a Jewish Wedding

To life, l’chaim, l’chaim, L’chaim, l’chaim, to life, It takes a wedding to make us say, “Let’s live another day,” Drink l’chaim, to life! “To Life!” is a song from the quintessential Jewish musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” where the people of Anatevka rejoice over the upcoming wedding of Tevye’s daughter. From time immemorial, weddings

Smart Home Revolution

Two Israeli Arabs and two graduates of the Israeli security services have teamed up in a start-up company that can turn your home into a safe “smart home”—control and monitor your entire home, all from your smart phone. The “smart home” is the latest in technology. A smart home allows you to run electrical appliances

Wild Emmer Wheat Genome

A joint team from NRGene and Tel Aviv University has completed the mapping of the wild Emmer wheat genome in just one month, giving a significant boost to global research into crop improvement, improving global wheat yields and helping combat the world food crisis. Wild Emmer, the progenitor of today’s durum and bread wheat varieties,

Immune Cells that Fight Obesity

We tend to think of the immune system as guarding us against bacteria, viruses and other foreign invaders, but this system has other surprising roles. Weizmann Institute researchers have now identified a small subtype of immune cells that appears to prevent metabolic syndrome: obesity, high blood pressure and high levels of blood sugar and cholesterol.

Enemies of Enemies Are Not Always Friends: Iran Still Major Threat Despite Fighting ISIS

Last fall, in a span of just three weeks, ISIS (ISIL) claimed major attacks on three different enemies: Russia, Hezbollah, and the West. From bombing a Russian airliner, to a suicide bombing of a Hezbollah area in Lebanon, to the Paris attacks, ISIS managed to become the global Public Enemy Number One. Opinion pieces and

Living Out Loud in the Face of Terror

Over the last months of 2015, Israel found itself in the grip of the worst terror onslaught since the dreadful days of the Second Intifada (uprising) when Palestinian suicide bombers turned civilian buses and restaurants into raging infernos. International media has dubbed it the “The Knife Intifada,” while Palestinians proudly refer to it as “The

Pushing Back Time

Fava seeds found at site A joint study by researchers of the Weizmann Institute and the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) examined fava seeds (broad beans) found in archaeological excavations in recent years at Neolithic sites in the Galilee in northern Israel. Seeds found at the prehistoric sites show that the inhabitants’ diet at the time

Fortress of Antiochus Ephiphanes

Some years back, the ruler of a superpower set up headquarters in Jerusalem. Near the Temple courts he constructed a massive fortress. From its ramparts, he held Jewish rebels at bay, launching spears and slinging metal slugs emblazoned with symbols and inscriptions representing favorite deities. Determined to convert the Jews, and if not to squash

Jerusalem’s Palestinians Prefer Israeli Citizenship

Israel is no stranger to being fingered as the world’s arch human rights villain. Yet despite the dire picture of apartheid practices, segregation and abuse painted by news headlines and international bodies, the testimony of those living in the Jewish state speaks of a different reality. According to a recent poll, the majority of Jerusalem’s

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