Roi Ben-Yehuda is an Israeli writer based in the US. He is a regular contributor to Haaretz and France 24. His work has also been featured in publications such as The Turkish Daily News, Al Jazeera, Middle East Times, Middle-East Online, Publico, The Metropolitan, Common Ground, Jewcy, Jbooks, Tikkun, Zeek, Voices-Unabridged, AllVoices, PresentTense, and The Epoch Times. His articles have been translated into multiple languages including: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Hebrew, Urdu, and Indonesian. The Muslim writer Irshad Manji has called Roi “a rising journalist and public thinker” and has profiled him in May of 2008 as an “agent of moral courage”. Roi holds degrees from New School University and the Jewish Theological Seminary. He is currently a doctoral student at the Institute of Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University.
26 responses so far ↓
Benjamin Bloom // December 10, 2007 at 4:32 pm |
hey Roi. Remember me from AIS? Fascinating website, we need more of this. Hope all’s well. All the best, Benjamin Bloom.
godlessjew // December 10, 2007 at 4:50 pm |
Hi Ben,
I do remember you. Thanks for the kind words. Hope to read your comments here in the future.
Marius van Handel // June 15, 2008 at 1:59 pm |
Roi,
I have read your article about the Neo-Nazi bookstore in Barcelona. This was a difficult article for me. My mother’s entire family, along with 70,000 other Jews, was saved during the war by Franco and the Spanish. Needless to say, I was brought up as a Hispano-phile. Spanish is my second language (OK, after English and Hebrew), taught to me by my parents. Recently, I was in Spain for the first time in my life (age 59). I worked for the European Union for two years, and had to be in both Valencia and Madrid several times.
Spain is so relaxed, laid-back, and non-threatening that I felt perfectly safe walking around with kipa and tsitsit showing–something I would not dare do in my native Netherlands, or in Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, England, or any other place I have ever been in in Europe (maybe excepting Luxembourg or Iceland, but I haven’t been there for so long that I cannot say for sure).
I don’t deny your story at all. I just mean to say that it should not be taken is the only side of Spain. I never noticed the slightest reaction to my obvious Jewishness in my work in Spain. I cannot say the same for any other country in Europe.
Also, Facism has a different meaning in Spain than it does in any other country in the world. The history of Spain is unique in this regard. Spain saw six civil wars in the 19th century. It culminated in the bloodiest civil war up to that time in 1936-1939. By the way, there was enormous Jewish presence (on the wrong side) all outsiders interfering in Spanish internal affairs. I think we have to consider all of these things when looking at naziism and anti-semitism in Spain. Besides, you will agree with me perhaps, that there is less anti-semitism in Spain than any other country in Europe (maybe excepting the Czech republic, Iceland, Luxembourg, or some other postage stamp-sized country)?
Avrum Rosensweig // July 14, 2008 at 3:14 pm |
Nicely written article and I fine desplay of guts. Well done.
treg // July 22, 2008 at 7:11 pm |
Dear Roi,
I read your essay, “Essential things Israelis and Iranians should know about each other” By Trita Parsi and Roi Ben-Yehuda
I would like to add that genetically speaking, Iranians & Jews are one in the same. Please take the time to check out the latest on ethnic genetics. Its an upsetting subject for some: The Japanese did not like to learn they were basically all Koreans.
In Peace & Liberty,
Treg
Daniel E. Levenson // July 25, 2008 at 4:02 pm |
I read your piece on the Haaretz website about the Israeli flag and enjoyed it very much. I’m the publisher of a new US-based online Jewish journal called the New Vilna Review. We’re always looking for new writers, so if you would like to submit something I’d be happy to take a look.
Vivian Margulies // September 2, 2008 at 2:29 am |
I have been living in Nerja, Spain six months of the year for the past ten years.Except for Barcelona and Madrid Spain has not seen Jews since 1492.So there are many different reactions by people when they become aware that I am a Jew. Mostly they do not know what to make of it. They are unaware of Jewish customs and items of clothing such as a kippah and tzitzit.
However, a very good friend and Chairman of the English Dept. at a local high school has warned me and my husband of Spanish antisemitism and has documented some incidenrts. I, personally, have not witnessed antisemitic incidents but anti Israel sentiments are the norm. An art gallery in Málaga openly refused to exhibit Israeli art. ” Freedom for the Palestinians” banners are hung from the rooftops in town.
Punto y coma, a magazine for upper level Spanish students published a photo journal of very sad looking Palestinians – completely w/o context. When I suggested some topics for articles on positive relations between Spaniards and Israelis the editor merely offered that there would be articles in the future about synagogues in Latin America and an article about the film director Daniel Burman. The subjects I suggested both came to my attention through articles by Roi Bet Levi – one on the Spanish architect Calatrava who designed the new bridge around Jerusalem and the other on the Spanish reality tv show filmed at Rambam hospital.
godlessjew // September 2, 2008 at 8:15 am |
Thanks for sharing Vivian.
Bernice Fong // September 23, 2008 at 2:36 pm |
I am living in Nerja and would like to celebrate the Jewish Holidays with any Jews living here. I mentioned this to my Spanish language teacher, and he nodded briefly, then went on talking about Christmas. He never asked me how I celebrated Rosh Hoshana. I thought it was weird. Would appreciate any responses. Thanks.
Matt Check // January 2, 2009 at 1:17 am |
Hi Roi,
I read your article in Haaretz, and found your blog this way. Very interesting stuff. I have an inquiry for you about the name of the operation in Gaza. I never would have realized that “Cast Lead” in Hebrew takes on a whole different association unless I saw it written as a subtitle to an Israeli news clip, “Ben-oferet Yitzukah.” I know this phrase because a few weeks ago, I taught a Bialik Hannukah nursery rhyme to my Hebrew class. I picked the poem because Bialik uses the word “Kirker” for dreidel instead of sivivon which I thought my class would find interesting.
In the poem the teacher brings his student a dreidel that is made of cast lead. (Mori Hevi Kirkar li ben oferet yitzukah) After reading this poem, knowing what the message of Hanukkah means for Jews, the use of this title for a military operation for me was one of those “AHA” moments where something in Israel is comic, tragic, ironic and clever all at the same time.
My question is, “Who picks the name to the military operations? And is it a less clever than I think it is?” It seems like the person that named this one must by a Literature buff, unless the poem is more popular in the public sphere than I realized. (I’m not Israeli)
Anyway…..happy new Year
Matt Check
Brooklyn, New York
Bob Pliskin // January 2, 2009 at 2:04 am |
Hi Roi,
I wonder if we’re related. My mother and father were both Pearlmans, cousins. I know that my mother on occasion spoke of her cousin Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, from Luzhki, in Vitebsk (then Lithuania, now Belarus). I know that he was a Pearlman.
Yours,
Bob Pliskin
White Plains, NY
nymphchild // February 8, 2009 at 9:17 am |
Hi Roi, I found your blog via wordpress.com main page and I am happy I clicked the link. I am sure I will return to read some more. Congratulations on a nice blog. Have a beautiful day. Ciao, Aviva
godlessjew // February 8, 2009 at 1:30 pm |
Thank you Aviva. Looking forward to hear more from you.
Pip // February 8, 2009 at 6:25 pm |
I thought the golem was not such a bad thing… (protecting the community). In Haaretz you turn him into something to avoid…
You wrote: “… an overemphasis on either the self or the other, will leave us – as individuals and nations – a golem of sorts. ”
A+
Asi // March 29, 2009 at 10:47 pm |
Why do you live in NY?
I am absolutely dying to go home but my American wife balks hard at the idea.
What to do?
Aziz Abu Sarah // May 15, 2009 at 5:37 am |
[...] Roi ben Yehuda wrote the following article on the importance of religion in bringing peace. I agree with Roi that religion must be part of the solution. [...]
Jason Gurian // July 12, 2009 at 9:23 pm |
Roi,
I am currently writing a paper on you for my critical reasoning class. We are to type at least one paragraph stating your frame of reference. I have had some difficulties finding out your background. Do you have any suggested websites that I would be able to read. It is due this Friday July 17th, 2009.
Thank you for your assistance.
Jason
Douillet // September 13, 2009 at 10:26 am |
Hi Roi
I m’ president of Alliance the first magazine of the jewish community online (in french
since 1997…
I don’t know if you speak french ? but I speak hebrew but I wish to know if you want to be the contributor of our magazine ?
Our magazine also first on the google with words “magazine juif” and we need someone like you can speak on Israel, about the subject , if you want to be the first contributor le plus agité ….-)
I don’t know the good translate for this term
Thank you and best regards for all your attention
Claudine Douillet
Ori Nir // September 22, 2009 at 2:57 pm |
Roi,
This is Ori Nir with Americans for Peace Now.
Could you please contact me?
onir@peacenow.org
Thanks,
Ori
yeze // September 23, 2009 at 10:11 am |
Hi Roi, your article on Messianic Jews was a great encouragement for me, thank you.
Rosh Pina Project finds support from Israeli writer « The Rosh Pina Project // September 25, 2009 at 3:55 pm |
[...] 25, 2009 in Messianic Jews in the media, wider society Roi Ben-Yehuda, an Israeli writer who regularly contributes to Haaretz and France 24, has kindly linked to the [...]
Rosh Pina Project finds support from Israeli writer | eChurchWebsites Christian Blog covering the news, politics, media, law, religion, science, medical, education, internet, technology and more for the Church // September 26, 2009 at 11:41 am |
[...] Roi Ben-Yehuda, an Israeli writer who regularly contributes to Haaretz and France 24, has kindly linked to the Rosh Pina Project on his blog, where you can read a wide range of his articles on Jewish and Israeli society, and the Middle East conflict. If you have stumbled onto this blog and are not a Christian, get yourself a hot drink, pull up a comfy chair and then tuck into the following article written by one of the best in the business:- All Of Grace by Charles Spurgeon [...]
Shelley // October 12, 2009 at 8:13 pm |
Several Suggestions: 1. Dr. Kenneth Ring, noted authority on NDE, has written an excellent book,’LESSONS FROM THE LIGHT’ about the consequences of every thought, word and action that has caused pain, emotional or physical, on the people who perpetrate such. Those who cause pain to another, will eventually suffer the identical pangs themselves. Translating this book into Hebrew and Arabic would give the inhabitants on both sides an understanding of what they should or should not do to the other.
2. With the cooperation of both sides, identical homes and villages from which the Palestinians fled would be erected, but on ARAB LAND. This would ameliorate the nostalgia of the Palestinans, while safeguarding the demographics of Israel. Extra rooms added for new family members. 3. A Nefesh B’Nefesh like plan to help those Palestinians financially and socially in locatiing countries that will accept them, helping them acclimate to their new surroundings.
Should the Palestinians Accept Israel as a Jewish State? A Constructive Debate. « Aziz Abu Sarah // October 12, 2009 at 9:28 pm |
[...] State? A Constructive Debate. In Haaretz, my fruitful exchange/debate with Israeli writer Roi Ben-Yehuda on whether the Palestinians should accept Israel as a Jewish [...]
Opening The Door Onto a Future « PM // October 12, 2009 at 10:16 pm |
[...] October 12, 2009 at 5:08 pm · Filed under Middle-East, Politics Writers Roi Ben-Yehuda and Aziz Abu Sarah engage into a dialogue, from Haaretz. Their websites are here: Aziz Abu Sarah & Roi Ben-Yehuda [...]
David Pitts // October 18, 2009 at 7:14 pm |
One State Solution To Israel.
Dr. Ben-Yehuda, I am a non jewish american who enjoys studying everything about Israel.
Your discussion with a palestenian on solutions to the Israeli peace process was very good. Let me say this I think the only way to have peace is for a one state solution, ISRAEL no more no lless. Why cant minorities ( ex: druze, christians etc) just live under Israeli rule with full protections and rights. The Koran & Torah recognize Israel’s right to exist. There have been mistakes made on both sides, but I think palestenians and other minorities can live in ISRAEL be Israeli citizens and Israel be a diverse multiethnic country. The Arab states and others need to quit meddling and let Israel after 62 years be one country…