Woody Allen bores into the mystery of the occult and revels in the passion of love in his latest film, Magic in the Moonlight, set mainly on the French Riviera in 1928. A romantic comedy enlivened by scenic backdrops, opulent sets, imaginative costume design, magical tricks, chicanery galore and a great musical score, it’s one […]
Hamas’ Sacrificial Lambs
More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the current war between Israel and Hamas, the third in six years. As the Canadian branch of Amnesty International notes, Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip have borne the brunt of the fighting. While innocent Palestinians die needlessly, their homes and businesses pulverized, Hamas leaders and […]
Gaza: Time For Change
Amid the acrimonious charges and counter-charges they’ve hurled at each other since the war in the Gaza Strip erupted 19 days ago, Israel and its arch enemy, Hamas, concur on one salient point: Neither side wants to return to the status quo ante that prevailed before Israel launched Operation Protective Edge on July 8. What […]
From Hawk To Dove
Shimon Peres, one of the last members of Israel’s founding generation, vacated his position as Israeli president on July 24 after an illustrious six-decade career as a politician, statesman and civil servant. He stepped down as Israel continued to wage its third war against Hamas in six years. Typically, he was in the thick […]
War Sparks Antisemitism
The latest war in the Gaza Strip, the third since 2008 pitting Israel against Hamas, has unleashed a disheartening and disgusting torrent of antisemitism in Europe, where the Holocaust unfolded in all its unprecedented horror. In the Paris suburb of Auilnay-sous-Bois, on July 11, unknown assailants hurled a Molotov cocktail at a synagogue. Two days […]
Inside The New York Times
I‘ve read The New York Times for many years now and consider it a great newspaper. Daniel Schwartz, the author of End Times? Crises and Turmoil at The New York Times (State University of New York Press), concurs. “I believe the Times is still the best and most influential newspaper in the world,” he writes […]
Unique Shopping Mall
It’s a mall with a difference. The Manufactura Center, a sprawling complex of bright red brick buildings in the heart of the Polish city of Lodz, looks a lot like any sleek shopping mall in North America or Europe. Set on 27 hectares at the corner of Zachodnia and Ogrodowa streets, this modern mall has […]
Nuclear Talks Extended
On July 18, two days before the deadline for reaching a permanent agreement on the future of Iran’s controversial nuclear program was due to expire, six major powers and Iran agreed to extend the talks by four months to Nov. 24, matching the day an interim accord was signed in Geneva in 2013. In commenting […]
Israeli Arabs Alienated
The current war waged by Israel against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the third in six years, has again resulted in Israeli Arab protests in various towns and cities, led by the Islamic Movement in Israel, Balad (National Democratic Assembly), and Hadash (Democratic Front for Peace and Equality). Some of the protesters were reported to have waved Palestinian flags […]
Land Ho! is joyous
The classic road picture features two guys who travel to an exotic destination and indulge themselves to the fullest. This is what basically happens in Land Ho!, which unfolds against the backdrop of Iceland’s stark volcanic landscape. The protagonists, Mitch (Early Lynn Nelson) and Colin (Paul Eenhoorn), are brothers-in-law who drifted apart after their respective […]