“I never knew my grandfather,” writes Richelle Shem-Tov in the opening line to her ‘My Dear Papa – Letters From A Farm in Africa.’ In truth, her grandfather never knew her as he died in 1922, but it appears the writer knew him well! A retired physiotherapist living with her husband in Tel Aviv, Richelle, […]
Probably the best history lesson one can get of Israel is not in the classroom but walking the streets. While clearly a statement that any responsible parent might raise an eyebrow at – it is nevertheless true! That is provided of course that your “responsible” companion – if not a registered tour guide – is […]
By Jonathan Zausmer Reviewed by Dave Bloom Jonathan Zausmer is a good story teller. Vividly capturing recollections from his childhood in the quant Western Cape coastal village of Hermanus in the fifties and sixties, the author’s style is both “whacky” and charming and will resonate with all South Africans with a special ‘close-to-home’ feeling for former […]
Book Review Reading Solly Kaplinski’s ‘A WORLD OF PAINS’ on the Holocaust, two images of a personal nature came to mind. The first goes back to 2001, when I stood alongside Solly who was Director of the International Relations English Desk at Yad Vashem at the time and laid a wreath on behalf of the […]