I guess I need to start by saying that while I am a supporter of Israel, I am not a supporter of its current government and in particular how it has conducted itself in Gaza. I must also say that Hamas and its supporters are aberrant. They are both religious fanatics but also scum. How … Continue reading
Category Archives: World Situation
Israel and Palestine: A Personal Proposal
I’ve lived in Israel twice in my life—first in the seventies, then again from 2015 to 2023. Back in the seventies, I lived just a few miles from the West Bank. I could cross over freely. The men who built our garden came from Gaza. Life felt complicated, yes, but also connected. In my most … Continue reading
Israel and the Future of the Jewish People Part II
The history of the Jewish people before the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel around 1000 BCE, under King David, is not fully understood. What we do know is that the ancestors of the Jewish nation lived in Canaan. The Kingdom of Israel was their first independent state. Over time, the land was conquered repeatedly—first … Continue reading
Israel and the Future of the Jewish People: Part I
I am deeply saddened and concerned about what has been happening in Israel, especially since October 7, 2023. But it did not begin that day. For years, Israel has been shifting steadily to the right, particularly under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu. Ironically, had Arab citizens of Israel voted at the same rate as Jewish … Continue reading
News fatigue
The Dangers of Disengagement – Germany 1933 / USA 2025 Many Americans, including myself, find ourselves tuning out the news—or perhaps more accurately, running away from it. I can’t believe what is happening in the USA. The administration is far worse than I expected, and I thought I had expected the worst. Even writing this … Continue reading
Strong Man or Smart Man
The weak man wears the amor of ego. Deborah and I spent a few days with the mountain gorillas of Rwanda, in 2018. It was an amazing experience which also included a profound realization which sadly has come true; the power of the Alpha Male. I witnessed how the alpha male used force to dominate … Continue reading
A Week in Tel Aviv – What I Learned
We left Israel, where we had been living for eight years, for a trip to Europe on October 3, 2023, stopping first for five days in Bodrum, Turkey. It was there that I heard the news of October 7th. Like so many, I was stunned. We decided to continue our trip in Europe and return … Continue reading
Lebanon, a Country I Will Never be Able to Visit
As I approach 80 years, I often think of the countries I will never visit. Since the age of 18 in 1963, when I became a Merchant Seaman and sailed around Asia, I have traveled worldwide, and I am still doing that. Fortunately, I am very healthy and have the financial means to travel. Since … Continue reading
Yossi Elaz 1947-2024
Yossi Elaz (left and Israel Brill (right). Rehovot Israel aroundd 1978. Me at that time Sadly, I am writing once more about a dear friend, Yossi Elza) who passed away a few days ago. The number of such occasions is accelerating, I am afraid. I moved to Israel for the first time in 1974, fifty … Continue reading
Why does Iran want to destroy Israel
To understand situation in Israel now, one has to understand the role of Iran. Most people know that Iran is the center of all the terrorist activities directed at Israel by its proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Some of the terrorist actions originating from the West Bank do not have a direct … Continue reading