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Articles by David Roytenberg
Jews appeased the 'woke' Left - and it backfired.
Future of Jewish is the ultimate newsletter by and for people passionate about Judaism and Israel. Subscribe to better understand and become smarter about the Jewish world. This is a guest essay by David Roytenberg, a former writer for the Canadian Jewish News. You can also listen to the podcast version of this essay on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, YouTube, and Spotify. Recently, we started reading a book we’ve had on our shelf for a while — “Woke Antisemitism” by David L. Bernstein.
Will Zionists be Silenced at the TDSB? - David I. Roytenberg
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Will Zionists be Silenced at the TDSB?
On June 19, 2024, Toronto Jews rallied outside the headquarters of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) in advance of a meeting scheduled for the evening. The meeting was set to approve the board’s new antiracism policy including new language to address “Anti Palestinian Racism”. The new policy was presented at a Board meeting on June 5, at which a number of delegations spoke in favour of the measure.
IDF Kills the Enemy, World Loses its Mind
On Wednesday, the story was everywhere. Israel bombs school in Gaza. Thirty three dead according to Hamas, mostly women and children. According to this CNN story, which was accessed for this article on June 7 in the afternoon, the death toll was 40 “and could rise”. While the CNN report includes Israel’s statement that they targeted “20 or 30 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants”, it also includes the following quotation: “We were asleep here, (and) we suddenly saw rockets falling.
Hillel Neuer Fights On
While this article was being prepared for publication (originally published May 24) we got the sickening news that the International Court of Justice at the Hague had ordered Israel to stop its offensive in Rafah. The Canadian government urged Israel to comply. I am relieved to report that Israel will not be following that advice. We will have much more to say on this subject in the coming days. Wishing everyone who observes, a restful and meaningful Shabbat.
What About Whataboutism?
We learned as I was writing this that the bodies of three Israelis taken on October 7 have been returned to Israel by a special forces operation in Gaza. I am full of admiration for the bravery and skill of the IDF fighters who completed this difficult mission. May the memories of the murdered captives be only for a blessing to those who loved them and the whole people of Israel. * * * Recently, when pointing out that Israel was being treated unfairly in the media I was accused of “whataboutism”.
Encampments and the Corruption of Language
When I was a kid, I got up every morning at 6AM and brought in the newspaper. Kids went to bed early in those days. From the time I learned how to read, I would get up before my parents and read the news of the day. My critical thinking skills developed more slowly than my reading skills. I would show off what I knew by repeating what I’d read in the newspaper to my father.
Reporting on the Rapporteurs (Part 2) - David I. Roytenberg
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Blood Libel - David I. Roytenberg
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When Paroah's Heart Hardens
Last week we read the parashah called Va’era. This portion tells the well known story of Moses approaching Pharoah, and asking for better treatment for his people, who are being oppressed by the Egyptians. When Pharoah refuses, plagues of increasing severity are inflicted on the land of Egypt. A central part of the story is Pharoah’s vacillating reaction to the plagues. When a plague is raging, Pharoah seems willing to compromise.
Genocide Again
Today Thursday January 11, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) began hearing a complaint brought by the Republic of South Africa against the State of Israel alleging that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. On Friday, Israel will present its defense. Malaysia and the Kingdom of Jordan are also supporting the complaint lodged by South Africa.
Genocide Again
On Thursday January 11, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will begin hearing a complaint brought by the Republic of South Africa against the State of Israel alleging that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. On Friday, Israel will present its defense. Malaysia and the Kingdom of Jordan are also supporting the complaint lodged by South Africa. Image: International Court of Justice at the Hague.
Peace and Security - David I. Roytenberg
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Humanitarian Aid
According to Ynet, yesterday a young boy was killed by Hamas “police” in Rafah. He was part of a crowd trying to stop a truck full of humanitarian aid that was being stolen by Hamas for its own purposes. Perhaps because the boy was a member of a prominent Gaza family, or perhaps because people are starting to believe the Hamas regime may really be ending, the reaction was angry and public.
Canada Joins the UN Mob - David I. Roytenberg
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A Just War
As we enter the 9th week of the Shmini Atzeret war in Israel, we have gotten used to weekly demonstrations in Ottawa and around the world in which Israel is accused of genocide and all sorts of war crimes. These accusations are false, but they are repeated so often that many people think that Israel’s guilt is an established fact.
There's Nothing New About Hamas Media Restrictions
On Tuesday August 9, the Associated Press reported that the Hamas authorities in Gaza had issued sweeping new restrictions on journalists reporting from the territory. Journalists were reportedly instructed not to write that rockets fired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad had fallen short and killed residents of Gaza, including several children. Furthermore, they were expected to blame Israel for the fighting, in the stories they wrote reporting on the hostilities.
Warriors and Wanderers: Lessons from Mattot Massei
Parashah Mattot Massei D’var Torah July 30, 2022 In the diaspora this past Shabbat, we read both Parashah Mattot and Parashah Massei, and are now back in sync with the folks in Israel who read Massei alone. This is a slightly extended and polished version of the d’var I delivered this past Shabbat morning at Kehillat Beth Israel Ottawa. Shabbat Shalom! This week’s parashah, Mattot-Massei brings us to the end of the Torah’s account of Israel’s journey in the wilderness.
Warriors and Wanderers: Lessons from Mattot Massei - David I. Roytenberg
Parashah Mattot Massei D’var Torah July 30, 2022 In the diaspora this past Shabbat, we read both Parashah Mattot and Parashah Massei, and are now back in sync with the folks in Israel who read Massei alone. This is a slightly extended and polished version of the d’var I delivered this past Shabbat morning at Kehillat Beth Israel Ottawa. Shabbat Shalom! This week’s parashah, Mattot-Massei brings us to the end of the Torah’s account of Israel’s journey in the wilderness.
Response to Jewish Faculty in Canada Against IHRA
Apr 18, 2021, 8:26 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Recently 140 Canadian Jewish academics published a letter on line opposing the adoption of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.
Being Jewish Today: Presenting a vision of Judaism for our time
Being Jewish Today is the product of decades of reflection by a leading Jewish theologian. The author is a past leader of the Reform movement in Great Britain who has dedicated his life to thinking and teaching about Judaism. He is a professor of Jewish Theology at Leo Baeck College, London and has for many years been a leader in interfaith dialog with Muslims and Christians.
Beginning of a new era in Israeli-Arab relations?
Mar 3, 2021, 12:08 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. On January 13, 2021, a rather unusual event took place in the predominantly Israeli Arab city of Nazareth.
Roytenberg: Joint list playing a historic role in Israeli politics
(Amos Ben Gershon/GPO photo) Who are the members of the Joint List? Is it possible for them to participate constructively in Israel’s political system? Is it unthinkable, as Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted, that any Israeli government should include them or depend on their support in the Knesset? The Joint list is an alliance of four Arab led parties in Israel.
Roytenberg: Has the proposed peace plan made any difference?
On Jan. 28, the Trump administration unveiled its peace proposal for Israel and Palestine, the so-called “deal of the century.” Reaction from the Palestinians was quick and predictable. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas rejected the deal out of hand as he had said, for months, that he would. The PA had refused to have anything to do with the consultations that led to the deal.Hamas responded by launching balloon- borne bombs into Israel.
Roytenberg: Register to vote in the World Zionist Congress elections
Israeli ballot box (WIKI COMMONS PHOTO) The year 2020 is an election year. I’m not writing about the American election, but about an election that should be of interest to Jews all over the world. In the coming months, elections will be held for the 38th World Zionist Congress (WZC). The Congress will meet in Jerusalem in November, bringing together representatives of Jewish communities in Israel, the United States, Canada and many other countries.
Roytenberg: Good news for Jews on both sides of the pond
British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn at the No More War event in Parliament Square. (Flickr photo - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ ) On Dec. 12, Jeremy Corbyn announced his decision to resign from the leadership of the U.K. Labour party. Corbyn had just led his party to its worst showing in a British election in over half a century. For many British Jews, the result must have come as a relief.
Roytenberg: Lending a helping hand to the Jews of Tanzania
Arusha, Tanzania (Wikimedia photo) On Nov. 9, Shabbat Lech Lecha, a group of Jews assembled for prayer. The words and music were familiar, but the setting was unusual for many of those who gathered that morning, as a lot of the congregants were far from home. I was part of a group of Canadians and Americans who travelled to Arusha, Tanzania. We were there to pray with the tiny Jewish community of that city and to conduct a full Torah service – something the locals hadn’t witnessed in decades.
Roytenberg: A state forged in fire
Leo Marcus with David Ben-Gurion The tumultuous political wrangling and seeming inability to form a governing coalition following the recent Israeli election may seem like a problem, but the Jewish state has a history of forging positive change through heated disagreement. As Shabtai Teveth recounted in his book, The Burning Ground, in British-ruled Palestine in 1920, the Histadrut (the General Organization of Workers in Israel) was established by several Labour Zionist organizations.
Roytenberg: Jews, Democrats, Trump and divided loyalties
Loyalty is an important trait in any person. We value loyal friends and colleagues. We feel loyalty to family, friends and country, to our community and to ideas and values that in turn shape our political loyalties. For most Jews, loyalty to the State of Israel is important.
Roytenberg: A shelter for the children of Ashkelon
The city of Ashkelon is home to 155,000 people. They live 13 kilometres from the northern border of the Gaza Strip. In March, the city was bombarded by rockets, as part of a day-long barrage of southern Israel out of Gaza. One man was killed and several injured. Residents of Ashkelon have 30 seconds from the time they hear a siren to find shelter. There are 220 synagogues in the city. Kehillat Netzach Israel (KNI) is the only Masorti synagogue.
Roytenberg: Is Jordan Palestine?
A view of the Sea of Galilee. (Wikimedia Commons photo) Recently, my friend, Fred Maroun, a staunch defender of Israel, published a blog post in the Times of Israel, headlined, Israel’s Ambiguity in Judea and Samaria Comes at a High Cost. In the article, he points out that while Israel has been winning its wars on the ground, it has been losing the propaganda war.
Roytenberg: Palestinians must learn about their complicity in the Holocaust
On May 10, a Yahoo-hosted podcast called Skullduggery released an interview with freshman Democratic Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.In that interview, she discussed her position in support of a “one state solution” to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Her comments ignited a firestorm of reaction in social media.
Roytenberg: Houses of worship in the crosshairs
A view of the Chabad congregation in Poway, Ca. (Google Street View) On April 28, a 19-year-old gunman walked into a synagogue in Poway, Calif., with a semiautomatic weapon and killed a woman. He also injured the rabbi, another congregant and a young girl. The killer posted a manifesto online expressing hatred for Jews and admiration for the attack on Muslims at prayer in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15, which killed 50 people.
Roytenberg: Inside the minds of our enemies
Ali Abunimah (Wikimedia Commons photo - Northampton Community Television - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en) On March 11, I attended a lecture given by Ali Abunimah. He was in Ottawa at the invitation of the Ottawa Forum for Israel Palestine (OFIP). Abunimah was born in the United States and educated in the United Kingdom. His parents were originally from Palestine. He is the founder of the Electronic Intifada, an implacably anti-Israel news website that was started in 2001.
Roytenberg: The importance of hasbarah
(Amos Ben Gershon/GPO photo) In the spring of 1975, towards the end of a nine-month stay in Israel, I attended a two-day seminar on hasbarah. The seminar brought together 20 North Americans who had completed high school and were attending year-long programs in the Holy Land. Hasbarah was a new term to me, but when I discovered what it was about, I wanted to learn more. I came away with a collection of literature, pamphlets and posters designed to help make Israel’s case to the world.
Book Review: An inside view of history, current issues by former Israeli prime minister
You are here: Home > Featured > Book Review: An inside view of history, current issues by former Israeli prime minister My Country, My Life: Fighting for Israel, Searching for Peace By Ehud Barak St. Martin’s Press 496 pages Ehud Barak’s memoir, My Country, My Life: Fighting for Israel, Searching for Peace, is an interesting and well written account of the life of one of the central figures of Israel’s history, from the early years of the State to the present day.
Israel's political shakeup
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90 Photo) Israelis are heading to the polls on April 9. In my last column, I gave a summary of the Israeli political parties that held seats in the last Knesset, an overview of some of their policies and their standing when the legislature was dissolved in early January. In the few weeks since then, the Israeli political landscape has shifted extensively.
An idiot's guide to the Israeli election
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Alex Kolomoisky/POOL photo) Israelis will be heading to the polls on April 9. Given that the Israeli political system can seem perplexing to many foreign observers, it can be useful to review what all the different parties stand for. Before its dissolution, the governing coalition consisted of five parties. The largest was Likud, which won 30 seats in the 2015 election.
Roytenberg: The making of the modern Middle East
United Nations flag (WIKI COMMONS PHOTO) We recently marked the 71st anniversary of the UN partition vote, which was decided on Nov. 29, 1947. The partition resolution constituted a statement of support by the international community for Jewish aspirations to self-government. The vote was not unanimous, but 33 of the 56 members of the UN General Assembly voted in favour, with 13 opposed and 10 abstentions.
Roytenberg: Stop blaming your fellow Jews
(Pixabay photo) On Nov. 3, I attended a solidarity Shabbat at my synagogue, Kehillat Beth Israel, in Ottawa. The attendance exceeded all expectations, as members showed up by the hundreds. They were there to pray and to seek community at a time of sorrow. It was a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the Oct. 27 massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and it was intended to show that the terrorist will not prevent Jews from assembling for prayer.
Roytenberg: Checkmate - how Iran is closing in on the Jewish state
After seven long and bloody years, the Syrian Civil War appears to be ending. Despite the hopes of the original peaceful Syrian protesters – who dared to demand an end to torture, more political rights and the right to freedom of assembly – the war is ending with Syrian President Bashar Assad still firmly in power. This outcome is not what conventional wisdom foresaw five years ago.
Roytenberg: Standing up for Israel in the new year
The haftarah for Parashat Nitzavim, which was read on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, is a particularly beautiful expression of the Jewish vision of redemption, which has always been indissolubly linked to the Land of Israel. The words of the prophet Isaiah are like a trumpet call to us across the millenniums: “For the sake of Zion, I will not be silent.
An attack on Israel's minorities
On July 19, the Knesset passed a bill by a vote of 62 to 55, with two abstentions, called Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People. The reaction to this measure has caused deep divisions between the Israeli government and the opposition parties, Jews and Arabs, the Diaspora and Israel, and religious and secular Jews.
Book Review: Israeli author reaches out across the wall
Book Review: Israeli author reaches out across the wall By David Roytenberg: August 9, 2018 Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor By Yossi Klein Halevi Harper Collins 224 pages To read Yossi Klein Halevi’s Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor is to explore in depth the greatest concern preoccupying the Jewish people in our time. The relationship of the Jewish People to the State of Israel is constantly under scrutiny, as is every action taken by Israel’s government and armed forces.
Roytenberg: Enjoying summer, as hellfire rains down from above
It’s a beautiful weekend in Ottawa: warm, sunny and breezy. It’s a pleasure to set work aside for a couple of days and enjoy the company of family and friends. But while I often take such things for granted, this weekend I find myself appreciating every moment, keenly aware of the peace and security that makes it possible to enjoy such a carefree weekend. This morning, I heard from someone I met over four decades ago in Israel.
The embassy move should not be controversial
On May 14, the United States inaugurated its new embassy in Jerusalem. A large group of dignitaries attended and listened as speakers celebrated the historic day when the U.S. officially recognized the fact that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. For 70 years, the United States and most of the rest of the world has refused to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Why Jews should celebrate Shabbat T’kumah
On the Shabbat that falls between Yom ha-Shoah and Yom ha-Atzmaut, an increasing number of Jews are starting to mark Shabbat T’kumah, a relatively new idea to commemorate the resurrection of Israel. Shabbat T’kumah marks the time between our commemoration of the enormous catastrophe of the Holocaust and our celebration of the enormous achievement of the rebirth of Jewish independence in the Land of Israel.
Reflections on a day at Limmud Ottawa
We have begun to prepare our home for the celebration of Passover with a big gathering of our clan from all over the world. Although this is a time-consuming task, I took a day off to attend the annual Limmud festival here in Ottawa. I went to events and had conversations that left me contemplating the Jewish past, present and future. Limmud is a manifestation of the richness and diversity of Jewish life in Ottawa, and in over 40 other locations around the world.
How to have a joyous Adar in tragic, uncertain times
The rabbis of the Talmud tell us that as we enter the Hebrew month of Adar we are to increase our joy. It is challenging this year to do that, as I contemplate the 17 innocents slaughtered recently at a high school in Florida, where an angry young man found it easy to obtain a weapon of war. The national response to this calamity falls to a U.S. president whose fitness for office is doubted by many and whose loyalty to the institutions and the country he is sworn to defend is in question.
Remembering the death of our heroes; The Lamed Heh - The Canadian Jewish News
In 2018, the 70th year since the founding of the State of Israel, there will be many anniversaries of events, both terrible and inspiring, that we should take the time to recall. I’m writing this on the evening of Jan. 16. Today is the 70th anniversary of the deaths of the heroes known as The Lamed Heh (The 35). In 1927, Yemenite Jews founded a community called Migdal Eder on land between Hebron and Bethlehem. The land was purchased in 1925 by Zikhron David, a private Jewish land holding company.
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