Unveiling the contours and contrasts of an ever-changing Middle East landscape
Reliable reportage and insightful commentary on the Middle East by seasoned journalists from the region and beyond
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Beautiful People Beautiful Country
For the first time in history, Israel hosts the Miss Universe pageant, taking place TODAY – 12 December – in Eilat on the Red Sea. Lay of the Land trusts the contestants will return to their countries inspired by the achievements and beauty of the Holy Land and the warm hospitality of its people.
Articles
(1)
A South African Lunch at Israel’s Reichman University
It left much to chew on!
By David E. Kaplan

Built on an IDEA of one man – its inspirational founder Uriel Reichman – Reichman University is about promoting new IDEAS for a rapidly changing world. A lunch gathering serving good SA cuisine – “boerewors” – proved another good IDEA for the ever-increasing number of South African students at Reichman University.
A South African Lunch at Israel’s Reichman University
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(2)
Tefillin against Terror
Jews around the world honour the memory of Eli Kay by doing good deeds in his name
By Michael Kransdorff

When 25-year-old Eli Kay – an immigrant from South Africa – was gunned down by a Hamas-affiliated terrorist in Jerusalem on his way to pray at the Western Wall with his Tefillin in his hand, it was that “Tefillin” that was retrieved from the murder scene that set in motion a way to honour Eli and share his legacy.
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(3)
Respect for Freedoms
Israel scores high on Freedom House Global Score
By Bev Goldman

As authoritarian actors grow bolder and democracies around the world are undermined from within, most illuminating is the 2020 report on Israel by the independent Washington DC based organization, Freedom House that tracks global trends of political rights and civil liberties. Analyzing the core components of Israeli society, the Jewish State scores high, a shining example to ALL its enemies, NONE of whom are ranked as “free countries”.
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LOTL Co-founders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche
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While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).