Latest posts by Maya Norton from May, 2008
Israel: Holy Land Rehab? Amy Winehouse Rumor Debunked
Rumors that Jewish English singer Amy Winehouse, famous for her song, “Rehab,” will be attending a second bout of drug rehabilitation in Israel have been denied by her handlers. Simply Jews, IsraelityBites, and Jewlicious have the story.
Israel: Diplomatic Relations Don't Extend to Soccer Field
“I guess the Egyptians would rather quit than fight,” remarks Israel Matzav's Carl in Jerusalem. “An Egyptian soccer team which included diplomats from the country who are stationed in Rome decided to boycott a soccer tournament after a lottery determined that they would play an Israeli soccer team consisting of...
Israel: How Well Do You Know Jerusalem?
How well do you know your Jerusalem trivia? Jacob Richman of Good News from Israel puts your knowledge to the test in preparation for Jerusalem Day, which will be celebrated this year on June 2nd.
Israel: Making Peace from the Ground Up
“They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more,” says the Bible. Prof. Alon Tal of Ben-Gurion University and Dr. Muhammad Said Al-Hmaida of Bir Zeit University have taken matters into their...
Israel: Shekels Friendly to the Blind
“Israeli currency has been accessible to the blind since 1975,” reflects Josh of Blogs of Zion, responding to a US federal court cases arguing that American money discriminates against the blind. Unlike US dollars, Israeli paper money has raised vertical and horizontal lines that help blind people differentiate between bills.
Israel: Crop Graffiti Celebrates Israel's 60th Birthday
“I am a man of the land and deeply connected to this country. The field is my canvas, and my tools are the paintbrush,” says Israeli farmer Peter Viner, who grew his fields to read “Israel at 60″ in honor of the country's 60th anniversary. “Apparently, no-one’s ever done this...
Israel: Going Green with Gore
Former Vice President Al Gore added his name to the list of political luminaries visiting Israel in recent months. Gore joined the Board of Governors celebrations at Tel Aviv University this week to accept the $1 million Dan David Prize for environmental activism.
Israel: Tel Aviv Transport Goes Hybrid
Green cabs are coming to Tel Aviv, says Isrealli, who writes that “the Tel Aviv Municipality and the Israeli Taxi Drivers Association have agreed on a plan to transition much of the city’s taxi fleet to hybrid cars.”
Israel: Religious Communities Object to “Sex” in Advertising
“[Blank] in the City?” An Israeli media company is protesting advertising promoting the release of the new “Sex and the City” movie, claiming the word “sex” is offensive and should be removed. “You really don’t know whether to get angry or just laugh at the ridiculousness of this whole thing,”...
Israel: We Have No iPhones Today
“Apple finally sells the iPhone in the Middle East but not in Israel. Who cares?” asks Ouriel Ohayon. “On average [every] 1/3 person I meet has an iPhone here… Well done Steve Jobs!”
Palestine: Mass Exodus from Gaza?
“50,000 Arabs have left Gaza since last June,” writes Carl in Jerusalem. “In April, I reported that some 80% of Gaza residents want to leave, but this is the first time that the ‘Palestinian Authority’ admits it.” Bethlehem Conference organizer Hassan Abu Libdeh commented: “There is a Palestinian brain drain...
Israel: 1000 Days Since the Gaza Strip's Evacuation
Jameel at The Muquata reflects that it has been 1,000 days since Israeli citizens and military forces left Gaza as an occupying force. “The blatant callousness of the Israeli government and of Disengagement supporters who do not spend every second of their days trying to help the solve the refugee...
Israel: “Survivor” Strikes a National Chord
Over 46% of Jewish Israeli households tuned in to watch the finale of the reality T.V. show “Survivor,” says Jameel of The Muquata. That's approximately 1.3 million people.
Egypt: A Taxi Driver's Words of Wisdom
Israeli-American blogger Daniel Lubetsky, traveling in Egypt, interviews his taxi driver on leading figures in the Middle East. “I asked him to rank people or countries, thumbs up or thumbs down. Here were his rankings on 24 questions from Bush to Ahmadinejad, from Olmert to Nasrallah, from Bin Laden to...
Israel: New World Record for Biggest Hummus Plate
Weighing in at 400 kilos (880 pounds) on a plate that was 4 meters (4.35 yards) in diameter, Hummus Tzabar became the Guinness Book of World Record's official title holder for the biggest plate of hummus served at last week's Independence Day celebrations. The experts at Hummus101 report that Israelis...
Israel: Bush's Final Presidential Visit
On the heels of its 60th birthday celebrations, President Bush visited Israel this week, marking his second and last presidential visit to the Middle Eastern state. Maya Norton tunes into the Israeli blogosphere to bring us the latest reactions.
