Si Frumkin appeared on a number of TV and radio shows and has contributed articles to countless magazines and newspapers. Si Frumkin taught a number of college level courses on Eastern Europe, Jewish history, and the Middle East. In Los Angeles Si Frumkin worked closely with Zev Yaroslavsky who was SCCSJ executive director for 5 years and who headed the Calif. Students for Soviet Jews before being elected to L.A. City Council, and in 1995 to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
Si Frumkin is currently the associate editor and columnist for the California-based Russian-language weekly 'Panorama', as well as a free-lance contributor to a number of national and international publications Si Frumkin founded the Southern California Council for Soviet Jews - an independent activist organization
Si Frumkin publishes Graffiti for Intellectuals - a biweekely newsletter. Contact Si Frumkin Join Our Forum Articles from other authors Change Language
Welcome to Si Frumkin web site! Los Angeles Panorama. Si Frumkin lives now in Los Angeles Si Frumkin is a member of the Board of Directors of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews. Si Frumkin had been appointed to the L.A. City Human Relations Commission in 1993, and in 2002 to the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Board.

The articles presented here were written by Si Frumkin during the last year or so. These articles are written in English but are then lovingly, respectfully and accurately translated to Russian by his bonus wife, Ella, (see “Three Hats and a Bonus” of May 2006 article). Some of these articles can be found in the “Graffiti” page, others are only on this page. There is no prize for determining which is which except for the ability to read both the Russian and English versions if you happen to be bilingual and thus having double the pleasure and double the fun (like in the Doublemint chewing gum commercial). 

MARCH 2009 - "YOU CAN EXHALE NOW!" - Did you feel the breeze as the world exhaled? Did you hear the incredulous laughter as the "New Team" fell apart? I did.

FEBRUARY 2009 - WHEN FRANCE WAS ISRAEL'S GREATEST FRIEND - Mon nom est Bond. Jean-Jacques Bond! A true account of the times when the French spied for Israel and vice-versa.

FEBRUARY 2009 - CHAVEZ FOREVER- OR MAYBE NOT - On February 15 Venezuela will - or will not - make Chavez its President-For-Life. Thos is a very important issue for the U.S. that has not been noticed by our media. In any case, he will still be clowning around at least until 2013.

JANUARY 2009 - THE SECRET MONEY IN YOUR WALLET - You already are getting a stimulus bonus but no one is mentioning it. Is it because it isn't coming directly to your wallet without being filtered and diminished by Washington? Hmm...

DECEMBER 2008 - FIGHTING THE ROBOTS - There are those among us who would reason with a killer robot hoping to change its mind. I think that powerful explosive would be more useful than reason.

December 2008 - THE STATE OF FEAR ON CALIFORNIA'S BORDER - What comes to mind when you look at an article headlined "State of Fear"? North Korea? Zimbabwe? Darfur? Well, no. As far as the New York Times is concerned it is right on California's and Nevada's borders.

NOVEMBER 2008 - MEMO TO THE NEW PRESIDENT - Is Israel really at the heart of the Middle East conflict, should the new President be concerned with other aspects of this troubled region and what the White House should have learned in the last 10 years. The conclusion of a "Commentary" article with an introduction by Si Frumkin.

NOVEMBER 2008 - WHEN MOSES WAS IN EGYPT LAND... - An unexpected presentation to an unexpected audience.

NOVEMBER 2008 - THE OTHER 6-DAY WAR - The international web of conspiracies and plots leads to a peace built (maybe) on Haifa organges.

NOVEMBER 2008 - THE GOOD NOOSE AND THE BAD NOOSE - How do we classify effigies? Is racism like homophobia, sexism and ageism? Is it OK to lynch women and old folk? Who decides what code words may be ignored?

OCTOBER 2008 - ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS CHARITY PUZZLE - Are all politicians stingy with their own money? Do they get more stingy when they get out of politics? And is Joe Biden a secret French agnostic who hides the fact that he is only 35 years old? And what's the story with McCain - does he have to prove that he is old, religious and American? Read all about it! Read about it all!

October 2008 - THE INEXPRIENCED PRESIDENT - How soon they forget! One of our greatest presidents was totally inexperienced in foreign affairs and - according to his many critics - in just about everything else.

October 2008 - O CANADA, O CANADA - The first installment of our trip to Eastern Canada with more to follow in the future.

August 2008 - THE SECRET ORGANIZATION THAT ISN'T SECRET - No, it isn't the Illuminati, the Masons, the Trilateral Commission, the Elders of Zion, the Knights of this and that or any of those other mythical, secret and sinister bodies. This one really exists, has a website, proudly explains its goals, names its leaders and controls policy within one of today's superpowers that hates America and doesn't hide it. It proves again that sometimes the best place to hide is in plain view!

August 2008 - THE EMPEROBAMA GARMENT - Hans Christian Anderson wrote the story about the emperor who had no clothes on and no one noticed. We are now observing a phenomenon of popular support for a man whom no one really knows, who doesn't say what be believes in and probably doesn't know it himself, who speaks in meaningless platitudes and makes vague promises that mean nothing and can be changed without notice or regret. He declames beautifully the texts that were written for him but stammers when forced to speak without a script. He is a beautiful illusion and Americans admire his shining garment that isn't really there.

Июль 2008, ВИЛЛА В ДЖУНГЛЯХ - Необычное интервью с необычным ученым потверждающим что Израилю мир не нужен.

MAY 2008 - I HATE IT WHEN WOMEN CRY! - But this was a happy occasion and they were tears of joy and love.

March 2008 - HOW I SPENT THREE WEEKS AT AN ARMY BASE 15 YEARS AGO - PART 5 - I wrote about Gaza 15 years ago and it sounds like I did it yesterday.

March 2008 - IT HAPPENED 38 YEARS AGO TO ZEV AND ME - How we became experts on the Tangguts people. Who? Well, the ones with facial hair, who played the lute and raised yaks and camels.

Sterns

March 2008 - "YOU ARE NO LONGER ALONE!" HE SAID - A meeting with an extraordinary Christian Zionist pastor who made me cry.

February 2008 - HOW I SPENT THREE WEEKS ON AN ISRAELI MILITARY BASE - PART 4 - I hoped to become the Israeli Kilroy, maybe have a street named after me, but it wasn't to be....

February 2008 - THE 12 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CANDIDATES - How to get to the White House by using common sense - too simple by far...

February 2008 - 3 WEEKS IN ISRAEL 15 YEARS AGO - Part 3 - Secrets, shmeekrets - not if you're cute!

January 2008 - THREE WEEKS IN ISRAEL 15 YEARS AGO - PART 2 - Powdered eggs, broken tanks and stolen uniforms - continuing saga of work on a Israeli army base.

January 2008 - THREE WEEKS IN ISRAEL 15 YEARS AGO - Memories of a good friend and of three weeks that should have been horrible but weren't

December 2007 - HAPPY NEWS FOR A HAPPY YEAR! - Yes, I too found it hard to believe but it is true - the bad news isn't all that bad and it is getting better!

Декабрь 2007 - ХОРОШИЕ НОВОСТИ К НОВОМУ ГОДУ - Трудно поверить, но это правда!

Декабрь 2007 - СВИНЬЯ В СТАЛИНСКОМ ОГОРОДЕ - Мсье Карр был прав: "Чем больше изменений, тем меньше перемен". 

Декабрь 2007 - НЕЗАМЕЧЕННОЕ ПОСЛЕДСТВИЕ - Даже если Иран приостановил свою ядерную программу в 2003 году, то это было сделано по незамеченной причине о которой раши СМИ не пишут.

December 2007 - STRANGELY IGNORED CONSEQUENCE -  The Iranians supposedly stopped the nuclear weapon program in 2003. Is there are a reason they picked that year and why doesn't anyone notice the significance?

December 2007 - THE UNHOLY TRINITY - Millions were displaced from Beijing to make room for the Olympics and improve the environment. Will Beijing join Berlin and Moscow in disgrace? Will Putin's Sochi host Olympics in 2014?

Декабрь 2007 - НЕ ОЧЕНЬ СВЯТАЯ ТРОИЦА - Вы думаете, МОК  понял, что Олимпийские игры не должны проходить в странах с репрессивными диктатурами? Очевидно, нет.

December 2007 - THE MYSTERIOUSLY MISPLACED BILLIONS - A tale of crime and punishment? Well, not really. A lot crime and hardly any punishment...

Декабрь 2007 - ТАИНСТВЕННО ИСЧЕЗНУВШИЕ МИЛЛИАРДЫ - Преступление и наказание? Или только преступление?

November 2007 - TWO QUESTIONS AND A PREDICTION - What does the American War of Independence have in common with the scarcity of Turkish and Iranian suicide bombers? And what do they have in common with the Lebanese presidential crisis? Actually, quite a bit...

Ноябрь 2007 - ДВА ВОПРОСА И ОДНО ПРЕДСКАЗАНИЕ   - Зачем американские колонисты воевали с Англией? Почему так мало турков и иранцев среди международных террористов?  А будет ли грaжданская воина в Ливане?

November 2007 - SWINE FOR STALIN'S GARDEN - Stalin thought it was funny, clever and worth repeating - and so it was, again and again. Now Putin agrees with Uncle Joe. I still don't think that it's especially funny, clever or even polite.

Ноябрь 2007 - МАГИСТРАЛЬНЫЙ ПУТЬ МЕЖДУ ОКЕАНАМИ - ПАНАМА ЧАСТЬ 3 - Как строился канал,  как ловили комаров, как он безцеремонно открылся.

Ноябрь 2007 - ХОРОШИЕ, НО БЕЗОТВЕТНЫЕ ВОПРОСЫ - Почему я не люблю организацию которая никого не представляет?

Oктябрь 2007 - VIVA PANAMA LIBRE! - Kак американец и француз создали независимую республику за 50 миллионов долларов.

Октябрь 2007 - СМЕРТЬ ОТ РУКИ ВРАЧЕЙ - Запрещенные английские слова и врачи с недостатками. 

October 2007 - VIVA PANAMA LIBRE! - Part 2 - Little known history of a proud - sometimes funny - human accomplishment that was helped along by a postage stamp, assasination of a czar and the man after whom the Teddy bear was named.

September 2007 - A MAN, A PLAN, A CANAL - PANAMA. - Part 1

Сентябрь 2007 - ПОЧЕМУ ЕВРЕИ НЕ ПОХОЖЫ НА АРАФАТА?
- Кто меншинство в Америке и как перестать им быть?

August 2007 - PROPHETIC PYRAMIDS - A follow-up (with diagrams) to the "Youth Bulge" explanation of what has endangered humanity for centuries and is threatening all of us again. And no, it isn't Global Warming!

Август 2007 - ПРОРОЧЕСКИЕ ДИАГРАММЫ - Добавочная информация о страшном цунами молодежи которое хочет - и может - нас уничтожить (cм. графики выше).

August 2007 - THE LAWYER, THE BUMPKIN AND THE COWBOY.
- misreading the vox populi cliché and the Gallup poll.

August 2007 - HEBREW WITH A CHINESE ACCENT.
- Is assimilation a dirty word?

August 2007 - SOME EMPIRE WE ARE.
- If America is an imperialist power, why are Canada and Mexico independent?

July 2007 - OPEN LETTER TO GEORGE CLOONEY
- How will good intentions produce good results? French soldiers would be more effective than your speeches at the U.N. and they are there to be used!

July 2007 - LITHUANIAN TOLERANCE IN 3 ACTS
- They get nervous when reminded of what had been done and who can blame them?

Lithuanian Tolerance

July 2007 - SACRED SOUNDS ON THE HOLLYWOOD FREEWAY
- I cried happy tears during the rush hour - but that was 40 years ago...

July 2007 - THE CURSE OF THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
- The censorship we no longer notice or object to.

June 2007 - CONTINENT OF LOSERS - PART 1
- A German professor who is a historian and a respected authority on rise and fall of societies and on genocide explains the reasons we are in the mess we are in.

June 2007 - CONTINENT OF LOSERS - PART 2
- Continuing from part 2 with an investigation of religion, ideology and immigration in the creation of violence and what might be done about it - no easy recipes and little hope but quite a bit of common sense and much to think about and argue over.

June 2007 - MY THREE WATCHES
- A priceless watch from an unexpected safe-cracker 65 years ago!

June 2007 - A LETTER FROM A GEORGIAN PRISON
He transcribes books into Braille, dreams of faraway lands and waiths for your letters.

Май 2007 - ДРУГОЙ ХОЛОКОСТ
"...советская стража перевела их через границу и передала немцам. В 7 часов вечера нацисты объявили им. что те из них, кто не сумеет перебраться на собственный риск через реку, на советскую территорию до 6 часов утра следующего дня, будут расстреляны'"

May 2007 - THE SHARED HOLOCAUST
A little known tragedy: caught - and dying - between the Soviet and German borders.

Май 2007 - ПУТЕВОДИТЕЛЬ ПО ПАЛЕСТИНЕ
"Лошади и ослы, нанимаемые туристами, совершенно смирны, так что ими могут пользоваться без страха даже не умеющие ездить верхом. Туристы возраста выше среднего, не умеющие ездить верхом, должны предпочитать осла лошади".

PalestineMAp

PaelstineGuidebook

May 2007 - MIDDLE AGED TOURIST ON A DONKEY
Tel Aviv is a section of Jaffa with just 70 houses, but all of them have running water. The roads are perfectly safe but you may want to carry a gun for self confidence - even if you never fired one. The middle aged and worried are advised to ride a donkey, not a horse.

April 2007 - OCCUPATION? OPPRESSION? LOOK AGAIN!
All about the wisdom of Saudi king Abdullah, Palestianin authority's finance minister Fayeed, the Israeli goose and the slughtered cow.

April 2007 - SOME ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS
The International Red Cross wasn't much help to Jews - including myself and Jewish GIs in W.W.II - and it still isn't. But now it has a Jewish symbol - a square with its point down that doesn't resemble the Star of David.

Апрель 2007 - ЕВРЕЙСКИЙ ГЕНИЙ
Интересно - правда что евреи умные? А если да, так почему?

April 2007 - JEWISH GENIUS
My condensation of a fascinating article from "Commentary" that responds to the question, "Are Jews smarter? And why?"

Апрель 2007 - ОККУПАЦИЯ? ПРИТЕСНЕНИЕ?
Мудрость или глупость короля Абдуллы, министра Файида, Эйнштеина, израильской курицы и убитой коровы.

Март 2007, А ЧТО ОТВЕТ?
Иногда шутки бывают серьезными. Вот три примера...

March 2007,  ИСТИННЫЕ ДРУЗЬЯ ИЗРАИЛЯ
Надо избавится от предрассудков и помочь нашим настоящим друзьям помочь Израилю. 

February 2007, ПРОСТИТЕ МЕНЯ, ТОВАРИЩ ЛЕНИН!
Если быть честным до конца, я задолжал Ленину извинение

February 2007, CORPORATIONS WE LOVE TO HATE
Don't believe everything you read - I did and I'm sorry.

January 2007, SI'S SWAN SONG - OR IS IT?
Celebrating 15 golden years in a golden land.
Январь 2007, МОЯ ЛЕБЕДИНАЯ ПЕСНЯ
Правнуки танцуют и Фрумкин поет.

January 2007, MYTHS, LEGENDS AND REALITY
What we believe is often wrong!
Январь 2007, ЛЕГЕНДЫ, МИФЫ И ДЕИСТВИТЕЛЬНОСТЬ. Спор с неоспоримой историей.

January 2007, BLESS THE HUDDLED MASSES. They came, they went, they stayed - and God blessed America!
Январь 2007, БЛАГОСЛОВЕНИЕ АМЕРИКИ.
Их не впускали, но они приезжали, уезжали, оставались - и Бог благословил Америку!

January 2007, THE MORE IT CHANGES, THE MORE ETC., ETC., ETC.... When Lenin was right and the capitalists are still selling rope to the Russians.
Январь 2007, ВСЕ ТЕЧЕТ, НО ПО ЧЬИМ ТРУБОПРОВОДАМ?
Манипуляции Путина по отношению к иностранным инвесторам в нефтегазовую промышленность России.


Si Frumkin publishes Graffiti for Intellectuals - a biweekely newsletter.
home of Si Frumkin website In 1989 Si Frumkin participated in the first-ever Union of Councils meeting in the Soviet Union, visited several cities, and met hundreds of Soviet Jewish activists.
Si Frumkin Newsletters Si Frumkin co-founded and served as president of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews that became the largest independent Soviet Jewry organization with over 100,000 members in more than 40 cities.
Si Frumkin Publications
Si Frumkin Biography
Si Frumkin and other authors
Contact the Family of Si Frumkin
In Memoriam of Si Frumkin
Video about Si Frumkin
Candlelight Walk for the Soviet Jews in Los Angeles in December 1969.
Si Frumkin has been very involved in legislation and campaigns dealing with restitution to Holocaust survivors worldwide