Month: April 2011

Journey Into Israel

By Nicole Schilit About 12 meters from the end of the bridge stood the fence separating Egypt and Israel. Zebib, 27 years old, born and raised in Eritrea, was alone.  Alone except for the 36 other African refugees who had…

Ethiopia Chokes Refugees

By NICOLE SCHILIT Genet’s soft voice makes it difficult to make out the words she is saying.   The young Eritrean refugee avoids eye contact, and when she speaks she turns toward the empty space in her small one-room home rather…

Just Beside History

By Stephen Schaber My parents hate being bothered by the telephone- the ringing, the holding, the talking. When someone calls they rarely answer it. In fact, the answering machine picks up after two rings. I find it incredibly annoying. They…

Can Afghanistan Police Itself?

BY REBECCA WEXLER NEW YORK—Seeking new ways to speed the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, General Petraeus recently announced a massive expansion of the Afghan Local Police, a community policing initiative touted as the “new way forward” in winning…

Roma On Her Own Terms

BY REBECCA WEXLER NEW YORK—With the exception of the delicate gold rings on nearly all of her fingers, Petra Gelbart does not look stereotypically Roma. Her fair skin and small hazel eyes suggest her father’s Czech and Eastern European roots…

ROTC at Columbia?

BY LAUREN SCHULZ New York – Short black hair, petite build, arms at her side, wearing a pressed white shirt and long skirt, Edith Parks, from the School of Continuing Education, stepped up to the microphone after waiting her turn…