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Akiva ben Avraham

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May 21, 2018, 9:15 PM

The Haredi Defenders of Jerusalem in the 1948 War

Recently, the head of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party again threatened a coalition crisis that could bring down the government and spark early elections if it does not cave in on the exemption controversy for yeshiva students. Deputy...

May 13, 2018, 8:23 AM

Light ’em if you have ’em. Hack ’em if you don’t

In the US Army, we used to have a saying: “Light 'em if you got 'em, bum 'em if you don't.” Obviously, that smoking culture has gone by the wayside. However, thanks to the help of the Jerusalem Post,...

May 5, 2018, 11:27 PM

Worse Than We Thought

We hear so much these days about fake news. As a historian, I can tell you that fake news is based upon fake history. Real news is based upon real history, the history that politicians won't take the time...

May 1, 2018, 11:31 AM

Modified Rapture!

One of my old elderly clients, Jerry Greenberg, was a Gilbert and Sullivan fanatic, especially when we listened to the Mikado. Once you get into the genre, it is quite funny. Indeed, one can see the direct evolutionary descent to...

Apr 29, 2018, 3:10 PM

A Macbeth play in the Knesset

I guess United Torah Judaism party members in the Knesset have read MacBeth, at least Uri Maklev. I didn’t know you quoted that along with the Talmud. Oh, you don’t. Pardon me if I do. An Arutz Sheva headline I...

Apr 25, 2018, 9:29 AM

The wheels of the bus in the shuk go round and round

Many of you will see from my profile information on the blog is that one of my jobs is as a care giver in the city of Jerusalem. Needless to say, my reasons for doing the work are varied....

Apr 24, 2018, 5:05 PM

As we hear about case 1000, 2000, 4000 and God only knows what scandal the prime minister is involved in, is there some validity to Natalie Portman's criticism of uncle Bibi? Admittedly, the infantile actions of Princess Amadala imply...

Apr 24, 2018, 9:37 AM

The Fifth Sunday Salvation

In the wake of the Parkland, FL school shooting, another angry white supremacist male is at the center of controversy. What drives them? I think I know how to find out and provide a possible cure for the malady....

Apr 23, 2018, 8:05 PM

Has the Leopard Changed its Spots? The Real Reason Turkey is Bogged Down in Syria

When I was a young soldier in the US Army in West Germany, I attended an armored unit's organization day. Marder infantry fighting vehicles and Leopard 2 tanks roared along the demonstration field. At that time, the Leopard was...

Apr 23, 2018, 8:08 AM

The Light of Tzvi Yehudah

This is the beginning of a series of posts that I would like to call “the people that make Israel work.” For those of you whose behavior is not Torah positive, observe what Abraham Lincoln called the “better Angels...

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About Me

Akiva ben Avraham is a former community college professor, US Army intelligence analyst and officer, and a caregiver.