Stories from Quick Reads and Hebrew
Poetry Project Bridges Language and Cultural Barriers between Arabic and Hebrew Speakers in Israel
The Two Project is a new collaboration between Israeli Jews and Arabs to connect the two cultures through the language of poetry.
VIDEO: Is the IDF Glorifying Its Air Bombings of Gaza?
Israeli blogger Elizabeth Tsurkov challenges the IDF to make an English version of a video it had released in Hebrew, which she describes as “glorifying air bombings of Gaza.” She tweets: Hey, @IDFSpokesperson, why didn't you make an English version of this snazzy video glorifying air bombings of Gaza? http://t.co/R651aWr0uC...
Spain: Catalonia's “Declaration of Sovereignty” Translated into 36 Languages
On January 23, 2013, amid rising tensions with the Spanish government, the regional parliament of Catalonia approved by majority vote a Declaration of Sovereignty [ca] — seen widely as a prelude to a referendum on independence, expected to be held by 2014. Thanks to a diverse team of collaborators, the online...
Israel: Beyond ‘us’ and ‘them,’ Lihi Yona is an Arab Jew
Israeli woman Lihi Yona, a Moroccan Jew descendent, reclaims her Arab roots and complicates local identity politics on a bus ride to Jordan to attend a Lebanese band performance. The Hebrew version is followed by an English one: I am an Arab Jew.
Israel: J14hackers build SMS-Twitter Gateway for Protests
The hacker collective J14hackers put together an SMS-Twitter gateway which enables easy content publishing from a local phone to Twitter. Users in Israel can send an SMS from their phones to 052-5635053, and the content of their message will be posted on the @J14Mobile Twitter account.
Israel: A Music Video Celebrating Egypt's New Freedom
A group of Israeli indie musicians have gathered to create a song, entitled Children of Liberty, expressing their support of the Egyptian people's newly acquired freedom, and have a “toast” to new neighbors, human rights and equality in both countries.
Brazil: Brazilian President in Israeli TV Video-Joke
Brazillian netcitizens react to Israeli Latma TV video mocking President Lula da Silva. Hellington from Full ideas blog believes [pt] that the video only shows the ignorance of the world concerning Brazil, though he agrees with the idea that the Brazilian President shouldn't meddle with Iran and other sensitive issues....
Israel: Demonstrations Outside Prison Where Flotilla Passengers Held
Joseph Dana posts a video of demonstrators waving Turkish and Palestinian flags in front of the prison in Beer-Sheva, Israel, where the passengers of the flotilla were being housed until deportation. Video is in Arabic and Hebrew with no subtitles, but you can still get a sense of the action.
Palestine/West Bank: Peace Protesters use Avatar Movie Visuals
Recent protest against land appropriation of the West Bank village of Bil'in included Palestinian and Israeli activists masked as Na'vi characters from the controversial Avatar movie, which they consider anti-imperialist. Video clips posted by NGO “Friends of Freedom and Justice – Bilin” show Israeli Defense Forces using tear gas and...
Israel: Reflections on Patience
Savta Dotty reflects on savlanut, the Hebrew word for “patience” and how her view of it changed over her lifetime.
Israel: Exploring Hebrew's Latin Roots
BaLashon (On the Tongue) explores the Hebrew term kalgas קלגס, meaning soldier. He discovers Latin roots: “Caliga- Roman sandals, secured with nails (which made quite a bit of noise)- were apparently frightening enough to give their name to the Roman soldiers.”
Israel: When Translations Go Wrong
Literal translations aren't always your best bet when moving between Hebrew and English, explains How to Be Israeli. She writes that the movie title “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” which is Biblical in tone in the native English, is translated in Hebrew as “Achi, Efo Atah?” which sounds a lot...
Palestine: Gaza Doctor Remembers His Daughters
Dr Izeldeen Abuelaish, who lost three daughters and his niece when the Israeli military shelled his house in Gaza in January, has set up a website in their memory.
Israel: Arab and Jew Represent Israel at Eurovision Contest
Israeli Arab Mira Awad and Israeli Jew Avinoam Nini will represent Israel in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest with “There Must Be Another Way,” sung in Hebrew and Arabic. Awad's performance will be the first time an Israeli Arab has represented Israel in the Eurovision contest. Daniel Lubetsky of the...
Israel: LivniBoy Gives ObamaGirl a Run For Her Money
Check out LivniBoy, Israel's answer to ObamaGirl. His YouTube video, “Love Song to Tzipi Livni,” has received over 6,350 views this week alone. Tzipi Livni is the Kadima Party candidate for prime minister in the upcoming winter elections. You'll be able to enjoy the feel of the video even if...
Israel: Traffic Awareness for Muslims
From Israel, Not a Fish writes about a traffic course for non-Jewish residents in Israel – aimed at reducing road accidents. A total of 250 Muslim clergymen attended a day of lectures on child safety, accident prevention and the Muslim belief in fate versus personal responsibility. Since the beginning of...
Israel: Welcoming New Immigrants
Jacob Richman of Good News From Israel reports on the nation's newest North American immigrants (olim, in Hebrew): “There were 217 olim on the flight including 50 singles… 28 families with 98 children (98 – wow!). The youngest oleh in the group is 3 months old and the oldest oleh...
Israel: The Israeli failure and the Lebanese Radicalization
“The prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hezbollah is a forlorn expression of the failed second Lebanon war and the lack of firm policy in the Israeli government. We follow all the norms of international law while the other side educates to kill,” writes Zvi Mazel [he].
Israel: Respect from Arabs
From Israel, Yael notes that there is a silver lining to each cloud. She adds: “Among Arab nations, the fact that we are going after Olmert for his corrupt behaviour is winning us a great deal of respect. They are looking at us and saying ‘hey! this is a model...