Ron Jacobsohn talks to Prof. Alan Dershowitz about the Future of Israel
Harvard University professor, Alan Dershowitz, is probably one of the biggest advocates of the State of Israel in the world.
We caught him on his latest visit to Israel to pick his brain about the current situation in the Middle East and the relationship between the American Jewry and Israel, which has taken an interesting twist in the last few years.
Dershowitz claims he feels right at home, when asked about his frequent trips to the Jewish state. During his visit to Israel, Dershowitz met with students and when asked how Israel is doing in the PR arena he proclaimed the country is doing very bad and he would grade it a: c minus!!!
The Jerusalem Film Festival this year will also be the place where The Jewish Martha Stewart, Jamie Geller, is launching her new culinary web series, Joy of Israel, as well as releasing her new cookbook that was already released in the U.S., last week.
Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
We are at the Jerusalem Film Festival where The Jewish Martha Stewart, Jamie Geller, is premiering her new culinary web series, Joy of Israel, as well as launching her new cookbook that was released in the US just last week.
The Food Critic of Ha’aretz in English, Judy Maltz, admits she has not seen a new immigrant to Israel becoming so famous inso little time as Jamie Geller.
Judy Maltz, Food Critic, Ha’aretz:
As you can see, she’s wildly popular; she’s got a whole following here. She is probably one of the most famous, if not the most famous immigrant to move to Israel from United States in recent years and she does live in Beit-Shemesh, which has a very large Anglo-Saxon population, so she had a built-in following as soon as she set foot in the country. I actually spent a day with her in her first week here last year and you know, the neighbors were just coming over every night, bringing her food, they all knew her or of her from America so she’s certainly not a stranger to Israel.
Neil Gellar, Jamie’s husband, is probably her biggest fan in the whole wide world, as he has been by her side from the beginning of her very successful career.
Neil Gellar, Jamie’s Husband:
I knew I was marrying a star but we didn’t know it was going in the food direction. Sometimes, you know, we walk around, it’s hard really to go anywhere and not you know, someone doesn’t stop us to say hello or you know, ask for an e-mail address or twitter account so it’s nice, it’s great to be married to someone who is always happy with what they’re doing, what they do for a living, their profession. A happy wife is a happy husband.
Hundreds of Jamie’s fans showed up for the premiere party of The Joy of Kosher and Jamie, being the most down to earth celebrity, gave everyone the attention they deserved.
Jamie Gellar, Author, The Joy of Kosher:
It’s amazing, it’s the most warmest reception and I remember when we announced the New York book party and everyone in Israel said well what about us and the Cinemateque decided to screen the film and gave us a wonderful opportunity to have a book party here as well, so I’m just so happy to give back and meet everyone and hear, because I love Israel so much, it’s wonderful to celebrate here as well. I love it, usually when I’m cooking; it’s like no make-up, you know, like walking around the house like same stresses as a normal mom, when you forget like, you’re working so hard at what you do all for, the best part is to hug everyone and to meet everyone and see that they receive the book so well.
Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
Jamie is undoubtedly a perfect example of someone who decided to move to Israel and didn’t have to give-up her US career as a result.
For JN1 I am Ron Jacobsohn at the Jerusalem Cinemateque.
It might be a sign of the time, the IDF and the Association for the Wellbeing of Israeli Soldiers are presenting the first ever art exhibit of paintings, sculptures, photographs and digital media all made by IDF soldiers, while in military service. Out of over 200 submissions a few dozen were chosen for this exhibit, which was called: Colors in Rifle Barrels.
Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
It might be a sign of the time, the IDF and the Association for the Wellbeing of Israeli Soldiers is presenting for the first time an art exhibit of paintings, sculptures, photographs and digital media by IDF soldiers. Out of over 200 submissions a few dozen were chosen for this exhibit, which was simple called: Colors in Rifle Barrels.
As chairman of the AWIS, which cares for the welfare of the IDF soldiers, Retired Brigadier-General, Avigdor Kahalani, came up with the idea of the creating the exhibit to show to the world that the Israeli soldiers are not only fierce warriors.
Avigdor Kahalani, Chairman, AWIS:
All my life I was a combat soldier and I fought many wars in our country, and I know that we have in our country many many soldiers that are completely different from their image all over the world, and I thought this is a good opportunity to show the world and the people of Israel that we have soldiers that have a soul and they can create many things.
Retired Brigadier-General, Ehud Gross, who served as the Chairman of the Referee Committee of the exhibiting, explains that his committee did not give any waivers while judging the art of the soldiers.
Ehud Gross, Chairman of the Referee Committee:
I think it’s marvelous and it shows the dual face of the Israelis. As a general, soldiers and citizens and human beings and this is a complex in which you find harmony between the soldier as a human being and between the human being as a soldier or the soldier as an artist which is the utmost expression that you can give to a military man.
Karin Molcho from the IDF’s Border Police, drew a painting of an Ethiopian mother mourning the death of her son. The painting won the Peoples Choice Award through on the special Facebook page that was setup for the exhibition. Karin wants everyone to know that even though she will do everything to keep the citizens of Israel safe, she does also have other fascists to her life.
Karin Molcho, IDF Border Police:
Soldiers are also human, just like everyone else… I’m 25, I don’t wear this uniform all the time, I have my own opinions and I like to go out. It’s like, we’re not robots, you know. So it’s a different side of us like what we do on our daily routine, we also create paintings and draw and I also go out and have fun and I also take care of all the citizens of Israel and try to make them safe, to feel safe.
Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
A panel of professional judges is going to review the various arts pieces at the exhibit and the top five will receive a one-year scholarship to the distinguished Avni Institute of Arts and Design.
For JN1 I am Ron Jacobsohn at Beit Hachayal – The Soldiers Home in Tel-Aviv
The Al Monitor web portal claims to bring the real pulse of the Middle East as it brings together top journalists from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, The PA, Syria and Turkey and publishes their opinions in English from their headquarters in Washington.
As it so many times throughout history, it takes a good idea to catch on to change the course of history. And from the looks of it Jamal Daniel’s idea to create Al Monitor Jamal Daniel is going to be remembered as one of those ideas.
i24news’ Morning Edition with guest host Yael Wissner-Levy for December 20th, 2013
Ron Jacobsohn discusses the race to the Oscars now that the Critics Choice Movie Awards, the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards have announced their nominees, the picture starts to get clearer who might get nominated for the Academy Awards.
