Gary Epstein, at The Blogs

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Sep 25, 2024, 2:21 PM

Shoes and Other Weapons

In 1986, an American minister and author named Robert Fulghum wrote a best seller called All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten. I never read the book because I actually attended kindergarten myself and had presumably...

Sep 20, 2024, 5:32 PM

Compromise is overrated: Give war a chance

'The Judgement of Solomon,' by Raffaello Sanzio, in 1518 or 1519). (Wikimedia Commons)

Trying to please all of the people all of the time leaves everyone grumpy, where decisive victory, which Israel needs, would pave the way for the future

Sep 19, 2024, 4:45 PM

Dreams Of A Palestinian Utopia–Part II

In Part I of this essay, I set forth elements of the current situation in the Middle East that have militated against a solution to the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Intransigence on both sides has actually intensified, as each gesture...

Sep 17, 2024, 8:36 PM

Dreams of a Palestinian Utopia–Part I

Imagine, if you will, the most naive, trusting, innocent, credulous, gullible, unsophisticated participant in the Columbia encampment. Not the hardened, corrupt, amoral political anarchists or activists who are at the black epicenter of the movement, but a true believer,...

Sep 13, 2024, 6:09 PM

A word to the wise is sufficient

The words of the title are the English equivalent of one of my father’s (a”h) favorite aphorisms. "Dai Lakhkima Birmiza" is an Aramaic formula of Talmudic origin meaning that when one addresses a sophisticated audience, he need not elaborate:...

Sep 11, 2024, 5:34 PM

Punishing All the Guilty

I gratefully acknowledge the advice and counsel of my friend, Mark Goldfeder, Director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center. The views expressed herein are the opinions of the author, and any errors are his (that is, mine) alone. I had...

Sep 10, 2024, 6:14 PM

Our Ancestors’ Vineyard

The Bible is replete with dramatic confrontations: God’s engagement with Adam after the first sin, and Cain, after the second; the battle of words and wills between Moses and Pharaoh; left-handed Ehud and obese King Eglon; Samuel and Saul...

Sep 4, 2024, 2:07 AM

I am weary and old. Exhausted. Fatigued. Bone-tired. Drained. Fed up. Exasperated. In despair. Also prolix and repetitive and redundant, but those are matters for another day. How many times can I try to explain that self-defense is not aggression? That...

Sep 2, 2024, 8:48 AM

At War With Evil

We are a nation at war. We are a nation in mourning. We are a nation divided by an evil enemy. We innocently and naively allowed ourselves to believe that the force of a mother’s love and dedication could not...

Sep 1, 2024, 11:04 AM

I am in the midst of an arduous process–writing a blog proposing a comprehensive solution to the Israel/Palestine issue– but I am putting it aside for the moment because Ehud Olmert might have preempted me, by beating me to...

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About Me

Gary Epstein is a retired teacher and lawyer residing in Modi'in, Israel. He was formerly the Head of the Global Corporate and Securities Department of Greenberg Traurig, a global law firm with an office in Tel Aviv, which he founded and of which he was the first Managing Partner. He and his wife Ahuva are blessed with18 grandchildren, ka"h, all of whom he believes are well above average. He currently does nothing. He believes he does it well.

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