Shlomo Toren, at The Blogs

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Feb 1, 2024, 8:06 PM

Peace. Just not now

Peace. It should be the easiest sell to the Jewish-Israeli public. Our Prophets preached it, our sages extolled it, and we have verses and verses put to song that we sing. Constantly. Charity, compassion, towards the orphan and widow,...

Jan 27, 2022, 1:07 PM

A tale of snow and fire

It was a tale of Winter. Nothing more. A great snowstorm was approaching Israel. Some of it has already arrived in the far reaches of the North of Israel, where a special soldier (we will call him “H” for this...

Jul 14, 2020, 9:58 PM

The Sons of Korech would sing about COVID-19

First, the good news. The sons of Korach didn't die. The less good? I am unemployed since the end of December and with the COVID-19 restrictions and the economic slowdown, I do not know when I will be back to...

Jul 1, 2020, 1:30 PM

Holes that never heal

Avi Siton (L) and Shmuel Yerushalmi (courtesy)

Do you want to know why so many Israelis oppose a Palestinian state? Just look at our memories of the wave of terror and its terrible toll

Jun 26, 2020, 12:07 AM

Roads and roadblocks to Peace and Prosperity

As a resident of Shiloh, in Judea and Samaria, for the last 25 years, my first reaction to President Donald Trump's plan, PEACE TO PROSPERITY: A Vision to Improve the Lives of the Palestinian and Israeli People, was one of...

Jun 11, 2020, 11:14 PM

Can Caleb speak for the council?

The story of this week's Torah reading: Parshat Shelach is of course well known. Moshe sends 12 "spies" to scout out the Land of Israel. They travel the Land, see its wonders and beauties but they also see that...

May 28, 2020, 11:20 PM

Taking the bus from Shabbat to Saturday

A heavy, embarrassing silence settled over the audience in the large lecture hall of the Civil Engineering Department at the Technion. A fog of puzzlement and, even, amusement, stemming from the subject that the speaker had chosen. Not often...

May 22, 2020, 2:00 PM

When Arab terror is not a burning issue

Arson attempt in Shiloh, May 20, 2020

Sorry to disturb you. I know that the hot issues this week are COVID-19, the oppressive heatwave, and short shorts for high school girls in Israel. Some things just don't make the cut, so the fact that an Arab...

Apr 13, 2020, 2:36 PM

Yes, to remuneration with repatriation

Writing a rebuttal to a "straight" news report in the English language press in Israel on the issue of the Eritrean community in South Tel Aviv is a thankless task. More likely, anything written will be mothballed and buried...

Apr 5, 2020, 1:29 PM

New rules for the ‘rule of law’

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz took to social media on Friday to say that “everybody understands that only a national unity government will save Israel and get it out of the financial hardships waiting around the corner once...

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About Me

Shlomo Toren has been a resident of Israel since 1980, and a transportation planner for the last 25 years. He has done demand modeling for the Jerusalem Light Rail and Road 6. He is married to Neera and lives in Shiloh.