More in ‘technology’

What’s behind Israel’s tremendous success in the tech sector? In their book Start-Up Nation, which came out yesterday, Dan Senor, a former foreign policy adviser to President George W. Bush, and Saul Singer, a Jerusalem Post columnist, argue that a culture of innovation has grown from the relatively non-hierarchical structure of the IDF—unusual among militaries. ...

After months of delay, Al-Watania, the West Bank’s second cell-phone carrier, began its operations this week, offering its customers the latest in telephone technology. And while the company’s customers won’t be able to pick up their new flip phones and call Israel—bureaucratic restrictions and mutual resentments make communications between the Jewish state and its Palestinian ...

• The results of an online poll have been tallied, and the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia has the top 18 American Jews for its “Only in America Gallery”; honorees include Sandy Koufax, Emma Lazarus, and Estee Lauder. [JTA]
• Technology may have marred a once placid holiday in Israel, but pictures show ...

As Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is almost upon us, now is the time for soulful reflections. Here’s mine: a hardened technophile with a doctorate in video games, an obsessive geek whose home is a mausoleum of machinery, I can recall few moments more peaceful than the Yom Kippur observances of my childhood in ...

After frolicking in a Victoria’s Secret commercial in 2004, Bob Dylan has announced yet another unexpected commercial collaboration, telling listeners of his weekly radio show that he was in negotiations with several car companies to become the voice of their GPS systems. “Left at the next street,” the raspy-voiced Dylan continued, imagining his new gig. ...

Is Twitter an evil Israeli plot to stir worldwide unrest? Depends who you ask. According to the Jerusalem Post, an anonymous writer posting to the Charting Stocks website charged that “right-wing Israeli interests are engaged in an all-out Twitter attack with hopes of delegitimizing the Iranian election and causing instability within Iran.” The author went ...

Can’t remember the right blessing for the right food? No need to worry any longer. The Jewish Learning Group has introduced the Say-A-Blessing keychain. Conveniently pocket-sized—and including a free LED flashlight!—this handy device will recite the appropriate blessing for up to six different types of food when you press the button most resembling that food. ...

Our plan to install Virtual PC on our Mac computer—so that our son Erez could learn his bar mitzvah portion on a Windows-only program called Trope Trainer—reduced our hired Mac consultant to shudders of disgust. “Please don’t do this,” he pleaded. “It may work but it will ruin everything.” It was as if we’d asked ...

All due respect to God, but when it comes to human celebration I’ve had to conclude that His rituals were mostly invented by caterers. In particular, I suspect that a pastry chef, not divine will, is behind the bizarre candle-lighting ceremony that is now de rigueur at bar mitzvah celebrations, whether high- or lowbrow, in ...