Back in Akko last week, I stayed in a wonderful new place called Arabesque: An Arts and Residency Center. It's located in an Ottoman building restored and renovated by the writer and translator Evan Fallenberg and his son Micah. It's open for short- and long-term stays (with a great breakfast!) and as a retreat for writers. There's also a large room where Evan plans hosting literary, artistic, musical and culinary events. It's definitely the place to stay in Akko - so check i

A couple of weeks ago, while guiding at the magnificent Tunisian Synagogue in the magnificent Akko, I was sorry to learn that Tzion Badush, one of the founders of the synagogue and head of the Tunisian community in Akko, had passed away late last year. I remember meeting Tzion for the first time a few years ago, and unfortunately only being able to understand snippets of his lengthy explanations about the synagogue's extraordinary mosaics and the history of the community. Lat