The most attractive bookshop I found in Cairo for English (and other European language ) books is Diwan. It is in the upper middle class district of Zamalek. The shop is very attractive with a wide range of books in English, CDs and a small cafe. An island of Western culture and modernity in Cairo
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Diwan bookshop in Cairo
The most attractive bookshop I found in Cairo for English (and other European language ) books is Diwan. It is in the upper middle class district of Zamalek. The shop is very attractive with a wide range of books in English, CDs and a small cafe. An island of Western culture and modernity in Cairo
Address: 159,26th of July st.Zamalek Phone: +202- 7362578
The most attractive bookshop I found in Cairo for English (and other European language ) books is Diwan. It is in the upper middle class district of Zamalek. The shop is very attractive with a wide range of books in English, CDs and a small cafe. An island of Western culture and modernity in Cairo
Friday, February 17, 2006
Visit to Israel of the Dalai Lama
Once again the Dalai Lama is visiting Israel and it seems to be creating a huge buzz. Even though I have only briefly looked at the television news and the newspapers in the last few days, the amount of attention that is giving to this man's visit seems amazing.
I admit that my connection to the Buddhist peace camp in Israel in these last few years, mostly through the Middleway NGO www.middleway.org does increase my interest in and awareness of this remarkable man. Even (or maybe especially) in a cynical society, it seems that he touches some parts that rational and emotional argument do not reach.
A friend of mine in Jerusalem was due to participate in a meeting yesterday with the Dalai Lama which was "sold out" ahead of time. Apparently, the last time he came to Israel a few years ago he filled the Cinerama in Tel Aviv - quite a large hall.
The buzz that I feel exists around his current visit leads me to think that, beneath the layer of self-confidence that so many Jewish Israelis profess, there is deep yearning for a saviour, a Messiah. The religious are literally waiting for a Messiah, for some it maybe was the Lubavitcher Rabbi Meyer Schneerson founder of the Chabad movement www.chabad.org who died a few years ago. Us "secular" Jews will not admit that we seek salvation. The disappearance of our father figure Ariel Sharon and the victory of the Hamas in the recent Palestinian elections do not add to our inner peace.
For more about the Dalai Lama, see
http://www.tibet.com/DL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama
http://www.dalailama.com
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Friday, January 16, 2004
It's strange how some suicide bomb attacks get to to you more than others. The day before yesterday, a religious Palestinian mother of 2 infants Reem Salah Riashi (22) exploded a bomb around her waist at a security checkpoint between the Gaza strip and the Israeli- managed Erez industrial zone. In addition to killing herself, she killed 3 Israeli soldiers serving at the checkpoint and a civilian Israeli security guard.
For a report of the attack see http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/383217.html and for a report "The sick,crying terrorist" on how this will affect the lives of Palestinians seeking work in Israel, see http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/383711.html
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the "spriitual" leader of the Hamas religious extreme Palestinian organisation, announced with pride that this was the first time the male-dominated Hamas had sent a "shahida" (woman sucide bomber) to a deadly mission against Israelis.
It is not the first time that women suicide bombers have killed Israelis. But recently our faith in human (and womanly) compassion is called ever more into question. No longer the raging hormones of angry young men but more and more recently fathers, professionals and now a mother. OK, so the Palestinians are angry, many leave miserable lives, tens of thousands have had family members killed and injured in the El-Aksa Intifada but these kind of attacks serve no useful purpose.
It may be a more Western (rather than Arab) orientation to think that one's actions must have an aim that fulfill a useful purpose rather than just venting rage and hate. From the point of view of the Hamas which seems to be opposed to any kind of agreement or rapproachement with Israel, maybe it does serve a purpose. It will yet further harden the increasingly hardening hearts of Israelis and it will result in harsher, less compassionate attitudes by Israeli soldiers at the checkpoints.
More later.....
For a report of the attack see http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/383217.html and for a report "The sick,crying terrorist" on how this will affect the lives of Palestinians seeking work in Israel, see http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/383711.html
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the "spriitual" leader of the Hamas religious extreme Palestinian organisation, announced with pride that this was the first time the male-dominated Hamas had sent a "shahida" (woman sucide bomber) to a deadly mission against Israelis.
It is not the first time that women suicide bombers have killed Israelis. But recently our faith in human (and womanly) compassion is called ever more into question. No longer the raging hormones of angry young men but more and more recently fathers, professionals and now a mother. OK, so the Palestinians are angry, many leave miserable lives, tens of thousands have had family members killed and injured in the El-Aksa Intifada but these kind of attacks serve no useful purpose.
It may be a more Western (rather than Arab) orientation to think that one's actions must have an aim that fulfill a useful purpose rather than just venting rage and hate. From the point of view of the Hamas which seems to be opposed to any kind of agreement or rapproachement with Israel, maybe it does serve a purpose. It will yet further harden the increasingly hardening hearts of Israelis and it will result in harsher, less compassionate attitudes by Israeli soldiers at the checkpoints.
More later.....
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