Diverse reactions to a Jewish newspaper’s article on Rashida Tlaib prove that Jews are — contrary to what many anti-Semites believe — human.
Like many regular readers of the Jewish News, I recently came across what later turned out to be a controversial interview with Rep. Rashida Tlaib published on their website.
Not for a single moment did it cross my mind while reading it that the mere decision to interview her was — in and of its own — problematic, let alone “outrageous” or “shameful,” as some readers suggested.
In fact, the more polarizing a topic is — I naively thought — the more important it is to put it on the table, examine it from all possible angles and let unpleasant…
No matter where you come from in the world, your country must have some form of remembrance culture. It can be manifested in anything from national celebrations to monuments commemorating events or people of historical importance.
But if you’ve ever spent time in Germany, you may have noticed that Germans treat differently than many other nations do — for obvious reasons. It’s the various ways in which Germans handle this past that isn’t always easy to comprehend.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. The German flag is embarrassing for many
It’s safe to say that if your country won…
I’m sorry to break this to you, but people are exactly as shallow as you think they are.
If you’ve ever spent time in the vibrant Israeli city of Tel Aviv, you must have noticed that it has quite liberal, artsy, LGBTQ-friendly vibes to it.
Its gay parade is one of the most applauded in the world, more often than not cafes are open 24/7, beaches are packed with tourists from across the globe, and the general feeling is that you have arrived in a left-wing haven.
Only that somehow, even if you don’t get a sense of it while strolling around the city that never sleeps, Israel has elected strictly right-wing, conservative, many a time religious governments…
Have you ever walked on the bicycle lane? Put a refundable bottle into a regular bin? Asked a bus driver how much the ride costs? In Germany, these mistakes might earn you a good scold.
Have you ever been on a bus or a train with a passenger who thinks it’s a great idea to have an extremely loud fight over the phone right there and now? Or while driving a car, have you ever been startled by a person crossing on a red light just in front of you — and to add insult to injury, they’re walking really slowly?
Obviously you’re not alone, and the list of annoying actions done by humans — whether they are just rude or even illegal — goes on and on. …
You may have noticed, Germans have a tendency to weave English words into their sentences and even change their accent accordingly. Here’s how to fit into the conversation like a pro.
The concept of “Denglish” — a hybrid of German and English which makes use of anglicisms and pseudo-anglicisms — is so ingrained in the German culture that the term was actually coined in the language as early as 1965.
In fact, Denglish even has its own Wikipedia entry in 11 languages, including Korean, Russian and Japanese, so clearly the existence of this peculiar linguistic phenomenon has made its way around the world. But wait, there’s a twist.
Not only does Denglish include words borrowed from English — like “Show,” “Lifestyle” or “Download” — you’ll also find a series of unique…
I was spending some quality time in Israel’s warm south when the push notifications poured in. A race against time began.
Back in the good old days of early March, when Israel only had 15 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, Israelis were much more cautious about the outbreak than anyone else. Ben-Gurion Airport was already empty, the train to Haifa even emptier, and even the brave who headed outside made sure to cover their faces.
I, however, was adventurous enough to visit an old friend living in Kibbutz Erez, located near the Gaza border and 100 miles away from my hometown. …
Dozens of world leaders gathered in Jerusalem to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. But amid rising anti-Semitism in Europe and the US, Israelis were hoping the event wouldn’t just be symbolic.
Around 200,000 Holocaust survivors are still alive in Israel today. On Thursday, some of them took center stage at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem alongside the likes of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prince Charles.
They came to the World Holocaust Forum to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Those who could, walked around the hallways of Yad Vashem, talking to anyone who was willing to hear their stories — and people listened intensely, with great interest mixed with sorrow.
“I’ve…
When the breaking news from Halle started to pour in Wednesday afternoon, the Jewish community around the world was still in the midst of commemorating the holiest day of the year in Judaism, .
Equipped with a rifle, ammunition and other military gear, the 27-year-old gunman tried to break into a synagogue in the eastern German city and shoot as many Jews as he could during prayers. The shooter, a far-rightist, had every intention to commit a memorable massacre with a “worldwide effect,” according to Germany’s chief federal prosecutor .
His attempts failed thanks to the security measures at the…
Why are Germans so thrilled to get naked? Why is there no A/C here? And why do they think sandals and socks are a legit way to leave the house? Still, after 5 years here, I must admit: they do get at least some things right.
Born and raised in Israel, I found many things about Germany superbly odd when I moved here five years ago. Why is there no air conditioner? Why are Germans so thrilled to get naked? And for the love of everything that is holy, why do they think sandals and socks are a legitimate way to leave the house?
While still grappling with those, there are also several German practices I must admit I was too quick to judge. Here are seven of them that have now become an essential part of my everyday life.
1. Stop everything! …
After an unprecedented repeat election, partial results show that Israel’s two main political rivals have failed to secure a majority once again. This has left voters exhausted and skeptical.
For the second time in five months, Israelis woke up to a dawn of a new, but oh-so-familiar day: The country’s two main political parties are deadlocked once again.
Partial results indicate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party will be edged out by main challenger Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party. Gantz’s center-left party is expected to take 32 seats while Netanyahu’s side will hold 31 seats of the 120 in parliament. But neither has a clear path forward in securing a majority with their alliances to get the 61 seats required to form a coalition.
‘Divided to the…
Dana Regev
Freelance journalist in 🇩🇪 ❖ Migrant coming to steal your jobs ❖ Autumn, hummus, carbs and nerds ❖ Tell me things: http://t.me/Dana_Regev ❖ IG: @dana_regev
