OP-ED: A plea to fellow journalists – help the people understand

Published in The Seventh Eye, Israel’s only independent magazine devoted to Journalism, the Media, Freedom of Speech and Transparency. Can be found here. A Hebrew version of this story is available here Quick: What’s the crisis at Hadassah hospital’s pediatric oncology department all about? Admit it, you’re stumped. You’ve seen the pictures of the cancer-stricken children, heard about the doctors resigning … Read More

In about face, Israel freezes Western Wall mixed prayer plan

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli government froze a long-overdue plan Sunday to open a mixed-gender prayer area at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, a major policy reversal that infuriated the liberal streams of Judaism that represent most Jews in the United States. Israel had approved the plan in January 2016 to officially recognize the special prayer area at the Western Wall — … Read More

Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis: NFL’s been cagey on concussions

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis says the NFL has taken advantage of its players by not sharing with them all the information it had about the risk of concussions. After viewing an innovation expo in Jerusalem that included a presentation from ElMindA, an Israeli neuro-technology company that can help the NFL diagnose concussions, Bettis said … Read More

Montana, Brown and Staubach give Israeli football huge boost

RAMAT HASHARON, Israel (AP) — Some of the greatest NFL players of all time descended on a converted soccer field outside Tel Aviv to watch local youths scrimmage in a big boost for the burgeoning sport of American football in Israel. Joe Montana, Jim Brown, Roger Staubach and Mike Singletary were among the 18 members of the Pro Football Hall … Read More

Israel’s in love with its homegrown Wonder Woman Gal Gadot

JERUSALEM (AP) — For a country that takes pride in even the smallest successes of its international celebrities, the debut of Wonder Woman has sparked an Israeli lovefest for homegrown hero Gal Gadot. A huge billboard overlooking Tel Aviv’s main highway is tagged with a provincial “we love you” greeting, her Hebrew-accented appearances in the international media are reported upon … Read More

50 years later – Voices from the 1967 war

Yitzhak Ifat – Paratrooper from famous photo The iconic photo of three young battle-worn faces gazing up in wonder at Jerusalem’s Western Wall captured perhaps Israel’s most triumphant moment. The 1967 lightning-quick triumph over Egypt, Jordan and Syria that tripled the area Israel controlled represented the Jewish nation’s newfound strength and an emotional return to its biblical roots _ and the … Read More

ONE MEAL – All Food is Israeli Food

Published in Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Magazine  [url href=”https://www.aronheller.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/OneMeal-Israel.pdf” content=”See magazine layout” target=external] HOLON, Israel _ Roni Ben-David sometimes is brought to tears by his wife’s cooking. Particularly on Fridays, when Yafa cooks the Sabbath dinner for the family, three generations strong. It can feel like the world joined on one table. “This is the taste of a Friday night,” says … Read More

Trump wraps up Middle East visit

President Donald Trump on Tuesday pushed for elusive peace between Israel and the Palestinians, calling on both sides to put aside the “pain and disagreements of the past”. The AP’s Aron Heller reports from Jerusalem. [url href=”https://www.aronheller.com/articles/trumps-yad-vashem-visit-highlights-mixed-holocaust-record/”] [url href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAy4tIoTjTE” content=”Watch the Video” target=external]

Trump’s Yad Vashem visit highlights mixed Holocaust record

JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump paid a short visit to Israel’s national Holocaust memorial on Tuesday, calling the Nazi extermination of 6 million Jews “the most savage crime against God and his children” during the most sensitive stop on his two-day visit to Israel. Trump had come under criticism in some quarters for planning just a brief half-hour stop … Read More

Trump Receives Warm Welcome in Israel

President Donald Trump wrapped up the first day of his historic stop in Israel Monday, where he visited the Western Wall and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The AP’s Aron Heller reports from Jerusalem that Trump was treated like “a rock star.” [url href=”https://www.aronheller.com/articles/trumps-yad-vashem-visit-highlights-mixed-holocaust-record/”] [url href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2V0mWogf5o” content=”Watch the Video” target=external]

Jerusalem mayor: City’s diverse residents ‘all my children’

JERUSALEM (AP) — Fifty years after Israel conquered east Jerusalem, the city’s mayor says the upcoming anniversary is a time to celebrate, despite the deep rifts and occasional bursts of violence that disrupt daily life in the volatile city. But like other prominent politicians of the hard-line Likud Party, Nir Barkat says Jerusalem must remain united under Israeli control, rejects … Read More

Israeli barrier: Defensive measure or illegal land grab?

JERUSALEM _ In many ways, Israel is at the forefront of the wall as defense barrier doctrine. It built a 250-kilometer (150-mile) structure that has halted an influx of African migrants across the Egyptian border, as well as a high-tech fence separating the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip from Israel and Syria from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights in the north. But its … Read More

Jewish war veterans bemoan stalling of Israel’s WWII museum

LATRUN, Israel (AP) — Two years after Israel’s prime minister vowed to complete the establishment of a museum honoring Jewish World War II veterans, funds have dried up and an abandoned construction site is all that remains of the grand project. The story of the 1.5 million Jews who fought the Nazis — and the 250,000 who died in battle … Read More

Artwork Nazis stole in WWII returning to Jewish owner’s heir

JERUSALEM (AP) — Against an empty white wall in a nondescript Jerusalem law office hangs an impressionist work of art that encapsulates 80 years of tragedy, conflict, mystery and redemption. Max Liebermann’s “Basket Weavers” is set to return to the American heirs of its original Jewish owner after it was confiscated by the Nazis, jockeyed by an unscrupulous German art … Read More

Israel prepares for next war with Hezbollah in mock village

ELYAKIM MILITARY BASE, Israel (AP) — Between a collection of concrete buildings with Arabic graffiti that are designed to simulate a typical Lebanese village, dozens of Israeli officers are gearing up for their next battle with Hezbollah guerrillas. It’s a mission the Israeli military has focused on intensely in the decade since it fought an inconclusive month-long war with the … Read More