The Ghost of Herut: Einstein on Israel, 70 Years Ago

Albert Einstein, along with other Jewish luminaries, including Hannah Arendt, published a letter in the New York Times on December 4, 1948. That was only a few months after Israel had declared its independence and as hundreds of Palestinian villages were being actively demolished after their inhabitants were expelled. The letter denounced Israel’s newly-founded Herut party.

Life in the Central Havana barrio spills out on the sidewalks and streets. Photo credit: Daniel Winthrop

Views from a Changing Cuba as Raúl Castro Steps Down

As Cuban President Raúl Castro stepped down from office today, Cuba is expected to enter a period of dramatic change. Eager to witness the final days of the nearly six decades of Castro rule in Cuba, my son and I recently visited the island nation. We were provided a view of a communist country marked by profound continuities and changes in Cuban culture, the arts, and technology.

Photo: Garet Bleir

Stories of Resistance: Indigenous Nations Unite Against Mining in Arizona

Indigenous nations have accused the Canyon Mine mining company of desecrating land, medicine, and water surrounding Red Butte in Arizona, just six miles from the Grand Canyon and from land held sacred by the Havasupai Tribe. In response, a four day Havasupai Prayer Gathering invited other native nations to come together beneath Red Butte for ancestral ceremonies, inter-tribal gatherings, entertainment, direct action training, and speakers. Participants spoke of past and current illegal land grabs, religious and cultural oppression, spiritual guidance, and stories of resistance.