Ops & Blogs | The Times of Israel » Ellis Shuman

The Aroma of Tel Aviv’s Coffee House Culture

Ellis Shuman — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:22:56 +0000

Barbara Rogan’s novel Café Nevo transports readers to a coffee house that was trendy before there was a trend. I am writing these lines on my laptop as I sip my morning cappuccino. Like many who work in Ramat Gan’s Bursa district, my day begins with a cup of steaming hot coffee professionally prepared; there [...]

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What War with Iran Could Be Like

Ellis Shuman — Mon, 06 May 2013 05:13:12 +0000

Israel launches a preemptive strike in Joel C. Rosenberg’s new novel, “Damascus Countdown”. The war everyone has feared has begun. Israeli jets bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities. In retaliation, Iranian missiles are launched at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, alongside massive rocket fire from Hezbollah and Hamas. The Arrow and Patriot anti-missile defense systems are put to [...]

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Can an Israeli Author Call Canada Home?

Ellis Shuman — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 05:15:44 +0000

Toronto-based Ayelet Tsabari’s collection of Israeli short stories is up for an international award. Ayelet Tsabari has just published her debut collection of short stories. The Best Place on Earth is “peopled with characters at the crossroads of nationalities, religions and communities: expatriates, travelers, immigrants and locals.” It is most definitely an Israeli book, yet [...]

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The Jerusalem of “The Jerusalem Puzzle”

Ellis Shuman — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 05:17:32 +0000

Irish crime and mystery writer Laurence O’Bryan almost gets the Holy City right. Laurence O’Bryan came to Jerusalem in February 2012 as part of his research writing a sequel to his bestseller, The Istanbul Puzzle. “In Jerusalem you can go to hell or heaven in streets just wide enough for two handcarts to pass,” he [...]

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My granddaughter wants to be a hammer for Purim

Ellis Shuman — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 06:05:30 +0000

My granddaughter wants to be a hammer for Purim. Or an air conditioner. As long as it’s “something scary.” I’m getting scared wondering where she is coming up with these ideas. Okay, let me admit it right from the start. I’m not a big fan of Purim parties. There’s something about everyone dressing up in [...]

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Why kibbutzniks lost their clout

Ellis Shuman — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 06:42:28 +0000

For most of Israel’s history, kibbutz members strongly influenced the country’s political and military leadership. David Ben-Gurion was a member of Kibbutz Sde Boker. Moshe Dayan was born on Kibbutz Degania Alef. Ehud Barak was born on Kibbutz Mishmar HaSharon. “Throughout Israel’s history, kibbutzniks have played a very important part in shaping Israeli society, but [...]

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Shas and Meretz Candidates Shake Hands at Debate

Ellis Shuman — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 10:54:24 +0000

Representatives from the leading parties celebrated Israel’s democracy in a videocasted event. At the Israel Elections 2013 English language debate held at Jerusalem’s Great Synagogue last week, the discussion started out “with Western-style gentility.” Later, when the audience was allowed to ask questions, the atmosphere became volatile, and security guards were needed to remove disruptive [...]

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Where Is Israel Going?

Ellis Shuman — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:02:34 +0000

The only viable option is the two-state solution. Let’s work towards this now! The other day I read a comment posted in response to Alan Elsner’s article “Israel’s diplomatic problem in one word: Settlements” that stated simply: “There should never be a two-state solution.” The poster didn’t offer any additional clues that would explain her [...]

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Why I’m Voting Meretz

Ellis Shuman — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:14:47 +0000

Whatever happened to the hope we had for the future? Meretz is the one party that has stayed true to its principles, and a Palestinian state is in Israel’s interest. There have been a number of heated political discussions around my family’s dinner table in the last few days. “What do you think of Yair [...]

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The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

Ellis Shuman — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 17:57:52 +0000

There are no politics in war. Today, Israelis are all one party in this struggle. Will this unity continue after the ceasefire? Rockets rain down on Israeli cities. A bomb blows up a bus in central Tel Aviv. Civilians and soldiers are killed and wounded. Houses and cars are destroyed. This is war, but as [...]

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The Upside Down Sukkah

Ellis Shuman — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 07:47:44 +0000

When you purchase a sukkah in Israel it’s supposed to be a lifetime investment. The so-called sukkah l’netzach is easily constructed and then stored away after the holiday for future use. How is it, then, that I’ve gone through four or five of the contraptions over the years? The first “ever-lasting” sukkah I bought was [...]

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Into the Mindset of a Suicide Bomber

Ellis Shuman — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 05:47:20 +0000

The novel “The Attack” takes you on a painful and provocative journey, but its Algerian-born author tells a non-judgmental and balanced story. It begins with a suicide bombing. An explosion in a restaurant in central Tel Aviv. At least 17 people are dead, including a group of teenage girls celebrating at a birthday party. Ambulances [...]

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Kill Me Now, a Book Review

Ellis Shuman — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 09:37:46 +0000

It’s easy to fill in the missing location – Israel – but this tale of a middle-aged man’s dating misadventures is universal. The first thing I noticed when reading Kill Me Now! by Lawrence Fisher was that the location of the story was never mentioned. The author, who lives in Tel Aviv, doesn’t state that [...]

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No More Shana Tova Cards in the Mail

Ellis Shuman — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 07:28:23 +0000

How can you decorate your sukkah with Shana Tova greetings received by phone and email? My mobile phone buzzed to announce an incoming text message. “To all the residents of the Mate Yehuda Regional Council: The coming year should be a year of health and success, prosperity, peace, security, and…” The message was cut off, [...]

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Bulgarian Cheese Is Made in Israel

Ellis Shuman — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 05:04:37 +0000

But the mad men of Israeli marketing have yet to come up with a suitable yogurt. I saw a commercial on television the other day depicting some well-known food products and linking them on a map to their countries of origin. One of those items was Bulgarian Cheese and it was displayed against the map [...]

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