Israel

What is a Jew?

י״ד באב ה׳תש״ע (Sunday 25 July 2010)

In response to my post on 9 Av, Will S. asked why non-religious Jews choose to remain Jewish by choice: Is it just shared experience, and/or sense of high degree of persecution by outsiders, that inculcates the sense of “we’re a people” in secularist Jews, making them want to live amongst their own rather than [...]

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Israel is a Police State

י׳ באב ה׳תש״ע (Wednesday 21 July 2010)

Israeli propaganda would have you believe that Israel is a liberal western democracy. Though it’s true that Israel is a democracy – much to our detriment – this society is not western, and there is very little about life here that’s liberal. Israeli citizens are required to carry identification and explain who they are and [...]

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9 Av

ח׳ באב ה׳תש״ע (Monday 19 July 2010)

Today is a calamitous day in Jewish history, when we observe the destruction of both Temples, by the Babylonians and Romans respectively. It’s not a holiday the observance of which is mandated in the Torah, so I consider it entirely optional to participate in the public mourning. Nevertheless, I am always surprised and disappointed how [...]

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Do Not Free Gilad Shalit

כ״ב בתמוז ה׳תש״ע (Sunday 4 July 2010)

I expressed some cynicism and negativity last year about a possible deal to free Gilad Shalit. I stand by that sentiment now that a bunch of loopy Shalit demonstrators are marching around the country. For my readers from weird places like Albania and Canada, Gilad Shalit is an Israeli soldier who was serving near near [...]

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Male Birth Control Pill

י״ג בתמוז ה׳תש״ע (Friday 25 June 2010)

A birth control pill for men is finally getting closer. I don’t know whether to be surprised that it’s going to come out of Israel, but Haaretz is reporting that Bar Ilan University researchers are working on it and expect it to be on the market in five years. This is great news for me. [...]

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Hashish Shortage

ט׳ בתמוז ה׳תש״ע (Monday 21 June 2010)

I haven’t been able to buy hash in half a year. I ran out of my last batch of brownies a few months ago. Everyone is talking about this bullshit crackdown they’re doing – raids on the border and in the Sinai, and busts on people who are growing it at home. I used to [...]

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