It was the summer of 2007 when I took my sons to Israel to see the Land, and spend precious time with family and friends. One outing was to an olive press in Shilo. People were busy working in all phases of this lively operation and a tour guide greeted us and proceeded to educate us. more

A new hour-long documentary, “The J Street Challenge,” is a powerful, must-see film for anyone with even a casual interest in Israel. It was produced and released by Americans for Peace and Tolerance, a multi-ethnic organization promoting tolerance in communities across the nation. more

Beyond the tables of neatly stacked wine glasses, the soft stream of reds and whites became subtly audible as the crimson glow of another wintry sunset faded behind Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan. In its eighth year, the Kosher Food & Wine Experience has again surpassed even the expectations of the event’s organizers, who have been challenged to keep up with its demand and popularity. more

#Rethink2014 is one of the more creative Twitter hashtags I’ve recently encountered. Launched by students opposing the hatefest otherwise known as “Israeli Apartheid Week” (IAW), the hashtag is designed for incorporation into tweets that explain why this ghastly annual event is a series of calumnies and lies from beginning to end. more

I first learned of the burial place of Mordechai and Esther from an Iranian immigrant with whom I worked back in 1996. “Robbie” would tell me many stories about his family’s brave escape from Iran to America in the early 1980s, occasionally shedding a tear when speaking about his relatives and friends who were left behind in a country so hateful to the few remaining Jews. more

After 35 years of providing a full range of seforim, from the esoteric to the familiar, Rabbi Yecheskel Kaminsky will shutter his Kitov Hebrew Books and Gifts after Passover. more

While Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters has in recent years acted as a de facto frontman for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, urging fellow artists not to perform in Israel, Shuki Weiss Promotion and Production Ltd. for nearly 35 years has brought the biggest names in entertainment to the Jewish state for historic live shows. more

The first rule for news about Israel, is ask questions. According to a Jerusalem Post story published on Monday, Mattot Arim and Professors for a Strong Israel, two groups that oppose a two state solution are claiming that Benjamin Netanyahu raised the issue of recognizing Israel as a Jewish State as a tactical trick to force Israel into territorial concessions. more

That there is widespread anxiety over the Obama administration’s Middle East policies is hardly a secret. It is not the so-called “Israel Lobby” that is the ultimate authority for Washington’s stance in the region, it is presidents and their appointees who make policies. And under Obama, the U.S. has pushed policies that directly clash with the long-established positions of pro-Israel groups. more