At first glance, 26-year-old Dudi Petimer may seem like just another guy with a penchant for oldies and a throwback Elvis hairdo. Equipped with an 18,000-strong vinyl collection and endless knowledge of Israeli musical history, Petimer has taken responsibility for preserving the remnants of a culture that never quite made it into the mainstream. By Khen Elmaleh It's difficult for me to remember the first time I encountered the name Dudi Petimer during my wanderings on YouTube. What is certain is that since then, I've seen the name many times, to the point that it has become an inseparable part of my search…

The sea is vast, which is probably why I seldom meet people I know when I go in to take a swim. Another reason is that the sea wets people's hair and I don't recognize them quite as easily. A few days ago two wet-haired people called my name. It happened among the Hawaiian-sized waves of Alma Beach, north of Jaffa's promenade. They turned out to be my two friends Orna and Loren. We chatted about what's new and I told them I have a new baby: "The Round Trip," my new book, and the first ebook to be published by…

Muhammed Assaf's victory on 'Arab Idol' should be a reminder to Israelis that there is nothing to fear. On the contrary, when it comes to our Arab neighbors, there is plenty to be proud of. By Noam Shaul I only discovered Mohammed Assaf, a contestant on the "Arab Idol" reality show and resident of Khan Younis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip about a month ago. Last Saturday, Assaf won the competition after hard work that was visibly accompanied by the support and veneration of much of the Arab world. I happened upon him after a friend of mine posted…