I'm on WFDU, Teaneck, Sunday morning, April 20.

To all you early risers in New Jersey and New York, I’ll be on WFDU, Fairleigh Dickinson University, 89.1, Teaneck, N.J at 6 am Sunday morning, April 20, discussing the Ukrainian crisis and my historical novel, “Klara’s Journey,”, a story of “betrayal, high drama and love,” (Marion Street Press) on the public affairs program, ”Digest” Program with Carl J. Kraus.  //amzn.to/13Sp769 Also . ebook formats, nook, ipad, Kobo, etc Check out my blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :  

Incredible India

Travelers off to Cochin (Kochi) in Kerala, India,  to experience the wonderful Jewish heritage of India should know that  Kerala has bagged the "Best Green Destination" prize at India's Best Awards for 2013. Kerala also picked up the "Best Indian State" prize at the awards presented by the Travel + Leisure South Asia magazine for the world's top tourism and travel destinations and services. I found certainly this  to be true when I researched “The Scattered Tribe, Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond,”  a travel narrative published by Globe Pequot Press, http://amzn.to/J3Z47T  Also an ebook. Check out my blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :  

NATO warns

 Nato has warned Russia that further intervention in Ukraine would be a "historic mistake" with grave consequences. When Klara Rasputnis left Odessa in 1917 and headed to Moscow where she boarded the Trans-Siberian r.r., Ukraine was also in turmoil. Only then it was war, the beginning of the Russian Civil War. Let's hope cooler heads prevail. "Klara's Journey," an historical novel of "betrayal, high drama and love." Available wherever books are sold. : //amzn.to/13Sp769 ,as well as an ebook formats, nook, ipad, Kobo, etc.

Some Ukrainian Jews emigrating to Israel

Nearly 400 new immigrants arrived in Israel from Ukraine during the first three months of 2014, compared to about 200 in the same period a year ago, according to JNS..org news service.  100 of them were from Odessa, home to about 30,000 Jews and the city from whence Klara Rasputnis emigrated back in 1917. In researching “Klara’s Journey,” I found she confronted  threadbare armies, famished beggars, violent protesters and her own hunger. Today, those Jews from Odessa can return to a Jewish homeland. “The immigrants’ choice to come to Israel on the eve of Passover and build their home and their children’s future has symbolic meaning,” Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky said.  “Klara’s Journey,” an historical novel. Available wherever books are sold. : //amzn.to/13Sp769 ,as well as an ebook formats, nook, ipad, Kobo, etc.

 

On California Radio

TUNE IN CALIFORNIA: “Klara’s Journey,” an historical novel, as well as the Russia Ukraine crisis, will be the topic of my interview on the Walt Shaw public affairs show between 6 am and 7 am, PT, Sunday morning, 4/5,  KHTK, KNCI, KYMX, FSFM and KZZO in the Sacramento, CA area. “Klara’s Journey,” (Marion Street Press)  “a story of betrayal, high drama and love,” is available wherever books are sold: //amzn.to/13Sp769 as well as an ebook formats, nook, ipad, Kobo, etc. Check out my blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :  

 

"The Effect of Sanctions on Russia?"

The Effect of Sanctions:

“Let's cut right to the chase about Russian behavior and the efficacy of any economic sanctions: Anyone who believes these sanctions will bring Russia to its knees understands little about Russian history. Remember, this is a country that in the past 100 years:

1.       Suffered the greatest military losses in World War I

2.       Had a revolution and bloody civil war before the Bolsheviks finally consolidated power

3.       Endured the horrors of collectivization and Stalin's engineered famine in Ukraine

4.       Endured Stalin's reign of terror

5.       Suffered the greatest losses known for one country in any war during World War II

6.       Endured the expenses of the Cold War and the economic stagnation produced by 45 years of Communism

7.       Suffered 10 years of kleptocracy and the loss of an empire following the collapse of the Soviet Union

They are going to rethink the annexation of Crimea because we're canceling a G8 meeting and putting a few miscreants on a persona non grata list? Get serious. When Ukrainians do to Russians what Afghans have done to everyone over their history, Russia will change -- and not one minute before.” Wrote Howard Simons.