The Fabelmans: a movie review by Alex First

Master filmmaker Steven Spielberg’s searing personal memories are illuminated on the big screen in The Fabelmans. Read more

Blueback: a movie review by Alex First

With a strong environmental message, Blueback is a feel-good story about protecting and saving the reef. Read more

Israel’s new government must not abandon Jerusalem

The transfer of the Jerusalem Affairs Ministry to a Haredi party (UTJ) constitutes the abandonment of Jerusalem to non-Zionist hands. In the long run, this will lead to the loss of the capital city. Read more

Israel’s new diaspora minister hits the ground running

The swearing-in on Thursday of Israel’s 37th government elicited a collective sigh of relief from right-wing voters, for whom the nearly two full months that it took Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to forge his coalition felt like an eternity. Read more

A conversation with Ron Dermer provides a blueprint for Israel’s strategy

Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer was sworn in Thursday as strategic affairs minister. Read more

Feintooner

This week’s cartoon: Bombs Away
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Under the radar negotiations on Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine

Israel and Saudi Arabia have reportedly begun US-brokered peace negotiations that will be conducted far away from the media and public gaze. Read more

On the other hand

The Chanukah lights are packed away for another year, and those who may have overdosed on latkes and survived sufganiyot (doughnuts) can now go back to eating healthy food. Read more

A Man Called Otto – a movie review by Alex First

Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks) seems like anything but a nice man. He likes to keep to himself and is curt to the point of rudeness. In fact, he is known for it. Read more

Where the Netanyahu government differs from its predecessor

With the swearing-in of the latest Netanyahu government, Israel will embark on a new course in foreign policy—and just in time. Read more

The religious culture war comes to Israel

At the root of the convulsions over Israel’s new government lies the secular world’s hatred and terror of religion. Read more

2022: The year FUD took off

There were many occasions during 2022 when events in the news almost tricked us into thinking that we were living in an earlier time. Read more

Israel’s historic right-wing government is the democratic will of the voters

Israel inducted a historic right-wing government Thursday, led by three-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu’s return to power and the formation of a strong right-wing government is a tremendous achievement for a nation that has increasingly turned towards the right-wing values of strong security and protecting the Jewish character of the state. Read more

Keep right on to the end of the road

This old song’s opening lines, made famous by the late Harry Lauder, are very relevant as we bid farewell to 2022 and face the uncertainties of 2023. Read more

Sylvester

I only became aware of the controversy surrounding the New Year when I was in Israel as a young man and discovered that the rabbinate was refusing to give kashrut certificates to hotels that held New Year’s Eve parties. Read more

Slava’s Snowshow: A theatre review by Alex First

Vanya Polunin is to clowning what Sir Donald Bradman was to cricket – a genius. Read more

The Possibly True Story of Martin Gardiner: A Historical Novel

Jeffrey Cohen reviews the novel written by Graham Cohen. Read more

Jan-15 11am Melbourne: Remembering Raoul Wallenberg

Melbourne’s Raoul Wallenberg Unit of B’nai B’rith will hold its inaugural Raoul Wallenberg Day on Sunday, 15 January at the St Kilda Town Hall. Read more

Remembering Raoul Wallenberg

Melbourne’s Raoul Wallenberg Unit of B’nai B’rith will hold its inaugural Raoul Wallenberg Day on Sunday, 15 January at the St Kilda Town Hall. Read more

The anti-Bibi resistance is playing with fire

Like the Democrats who went into the streets in their millions the weekend Donald Trump was inaugurated president in January 2017, Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu’s foes clearly intend to act as a “resistance,” rather than a loyal opposition. Read more

La Boheme reaches its 200th performance

Gale Edwards’ enduring and much-loved production of La Bohème will celebrate its 200th performance when it returns to the Sydney Opera House this summer. Read more

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat: a theatre review by Alex First

A new Pharoah has stepped into Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Read more

Shabbat Vayigash: Negotiations

Is there a set formula for negotiations? We see two examples in this week’s reading from the Torah. Read more

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (G): A movie review by Alex First

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is fanciful fun for the whole family. It is lightweight fare that will put a smile on the faces of littlies, their parents and grandparents. Read more

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (PG): a movie review by Alex First

Puss in Boots (the voice of Antonio Banderas) first appeared in Shrek 2 in 2004 before showing up again in a couple of other Shrek sequels and then a standalone film in 2011. Read more

‘Imam of Peace’ committed to fight against Islamist extremism

Former Adelaide resident Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, an Islamic scholar and thinker, has dedicated his life to fighting Islamic extremism. Read more

Netanyahu has his sights set on peace with Riyadh – but is it feasible?

Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that he hopes to bring about “a full, formal peace” with Saudi Arabia, as Israel has done with other Gulf states. Read more

Israeli ‘liberals’ aren’t doing the LGBTQ flag—or democracy—proud

In an Army Radio interview on Monday, MK Yorai Lahav Hertzanu—an openly gay member of outgoing caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid Party—warned that the coalition deals currently being finalised could be deadly for the LGBTQ community. Read more

Palestinians dread what they have wrought

As I scanned the menu at a Japanese restaurant in Philadelphia on Sunday, I overheard the word “Palestinians.” Read more

The Lost King : A movie review by Alex First

Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins) is a quirky, intelligent, divorced mother who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome. Read more

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