Tag Archives: Israel

Curb Your Enthusiasm, Week 3 in Review

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Sonia Brand-Fisher

SONIA BRAND-FISHER Larry David: Social Assassin. A title given with pride, by Jeff, and received with pride, by Larry who has earned this distinction for his weekly schtick associated with being unapologetically audacious and disturbingly direct. I love it. I love him. “Curb Your Enthusiasm”‘s Episode 3 of Season 8 made use of what Larry is infamous for, and got to the core of what he tries to accomplish with every new episode of “Curb.” He is asked by multiple people to be a social hit man, and to kill the personal quirks of his friends with little mercy, and little tact. In an episode called “Palestinian Chicken,” the filters drop and the gloves come off as Larry tackles his identity, his loyalties, and a ravenous anti-Semite bombshell.

HOWARD MEGDAL: This episode will stay in the pantheon, among the first that people will recall when they talk of what they loved most about Curb Your Enthusiasm. Continue reading →

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Direct Talks

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Jessica Bader

JESSICA BADER: When the latest phase of the Middle East peace process (direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority) kicked off last week, the default reaction seemed to be one of hoping something good would result but doubting that it would. The failures and obstacles of previous iterations of the peace process were referred to over and over, and the assumption that this round of talks was doomed to a similar fate pervaded. Yet I couldn’t help but see things a little bit differently. When I looked at the peace process, I saw…health care reform?

JEREMY FUGLEBERG: The talks are doomed. Or are they? Continue reading →

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Flotilla and American Jews

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Howard Megdal

HOWARD MEGDAL: There will come a time, soon, when progressive Jewish leaders in the United States will realize that unilateral support for Israel doesn’t do them any favors in the Jewish community. Moreover, Israel appears to make it ever harder to provide qualified support. And this is coming from a Zionist who knows all too well about the dangers Jews face if they lack a homeland, to use the Helen Thomas Plan.

JESSICA BADER: As a progressive Jew, the past week and a half has just made me want to bang my head against the nearest wall. I expect the neocon chest-thumping from the McCains and Liebermans and Palins of the world, but the all-too-familiar spectacle of bad behavior by the Israeli government leading to politicians who I deeply admire on pretty much every other issue falling all over themselves to issue statements so at odds with their world view on pretty much everything else doesn’t get any easier to swallow. Continue reading →

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