Deena Levenstein

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Mar 27, 2025, 2:44 PM

Where I’ve seen crowds of Gazans in the last year and a half

1. Storming the fence into Israel to ransack homes, and rape, torture, mutilate, murder and kidnap Jewish men, women, children and babies (and people of other nationalities who were in the wrong place at the wrong time) 2. Being told...

Apr 2, 2020, 10:04 PM

My Dearest Daveed

Daveed Ehrlich and Deena Levenstein at Tmol Shilshom, Jerusalem, November 2014. Photo by Dana Laura Lavi

A letter to my dear friend Daveed Ehrlich, visionary and co-owner of Tmol Shilshom Cafe in Jerusalem, who passed away last Sunday, March 22nd, 2020. Click here to help Tmol Shilshom keep their doors open. My Dearest Daveed, You’ve passed away....

Feb 15, 2017, 7:45 PM

Times of Israel Presents High-End Israeli Culture in English

"The City," a wildly successful Israeli hip hop opera by Incubator Theater, was performed in English in Jerusalem for the first time this past Tuesday. The stars seemed to be aligned at Masie Theatre; the auditorium filled up with English-speaking...

Mar 24, 2016, 2:26 PM

A Quick Guide to Purim in Jerusalem 2016

Tens of thousands of people take to the streets over the holiday of Purim in Jerusalem. I've shared around 70 events in my map of Purim parties in Jerusalem, but now that people know everything that's going on, the problem is...

Aug 3, 2015, 1:35 PM

The real problem with tolerance in Jerusalem

I think it's dangerous and destructive to talk about violence and tolerance in Jerusalem as though Yishai Schlissel's act is representative of something. What exactly might it represent? Charedim? I don't know about you, but I don't need charedim to say they...

Mar 31, 2015, 12:10 AM

Losing My Religions & Finding Myself in Jerusalem

"Are you religious?" I sat there frozen, with five sets of eyes turned towards me. I had an idea of what he wanted to hear but I didn't know what I wanted to say. I wasn't willing to feed into...

Feb 17, 2015, 10:08 AM

How to find things to do in Jerusalem

Even on nights when you think there's nothing to do in Jerusalem, there is! Here is a list of seven cultural institutions and venues in Jerusalem that offer events such as concerts, plays and lectures on an ongoing basis. I've...

Jan 18, 2015, 1:01 AM

The 36 Dating Questions Jewish Style

So... What work do you do? (And it better be interesting.) How do you like to spend your free time? (We all spend most of it on Facebook - just don't say it out loud.) Romantic comedy or action? (No, you can't...

Jul 26, 2014, 8:27 PM

In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist – a book review

In a time when many of Israel's complications are risen to the surface, it's a blessed distraction to read about other times in Jerusalem. Hence my decision to publish this book review despite the current hardships in Israel. Reading In...

Jul 13, 2014, 10:47 PM

When war is funny

You need to take a shower. But you just know what’s going to happen; you’re going to get into the bathroom, nervously yet bravely undress (it’s all part of being a true Zionist), step into the shower, lather up...

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About Me

Deena is an enthusiastic mother, a passionate assistant director of international relations at the Israel ParaSport Center, and a (blocked) writer who lives in the non-touristy part of Jaffa.