SHAVUOT 2022. THE TEMPLE MOUNT CALLED TO ME. I don’t often go to Jerusalem. It’s a long drive, 3 hours in each direction (depending on the time of day). It isn’t easy to get there in time for the very limited hours Jews are permitted to ascend the Temple Mount. It wasn’t convenient or practical … More Hiding my Jewish identity on the Temple Mount
It is heartbreaking to get requests from Jews abroad for video proof to back up the police statement regarding the violence at the funeral of Shireen Abu-Akleh. It is heartbreaking because I understand the desperate desire to appease the anger of those accusing Israel of sadistic, oppressive behavior: “We aren’t evil, don’t hate us. Here’s … More Israel’s handling of the death of Shireen Abu-Akleh
A masterpiece of storytelling, writing, and cinematography, the “Vikings” series enthralled me. I cannot imagine being able to write a sweeping saga so well. The characters are well-rounded and complex – as human beings are. The society portrayed is very different than what we are familiar with and yet, it is presented in a way … More Vikings, Jews, and the God of Progress
Every time there is a terror attack my mind (and heart) race down the same path. It is a horrible path because it is so familiar. And because it does not end. Living elsewhere, the news of horror is theoretical. In Israel, the news is a visceral punch in the gut that generates an immediate … More Questions Israelis ask when there is a terror attack
Today Israel is that different country. Not the progressive, cosmopolitan land. Not the country where people post pictures of coffee shops, bars, malls, and office buildings to show that “we’re just like everywhere else.” Today we are the strange and mysterious Land of the Jews. The place where things are NOT like anywhere else in … More Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and the other Israel
Over the years I have learned to smell propaganda. Being an Israeli means being under constant attack – both overt and covert. We are threatened with physical violence, terrorism, and war. We are also threatened by more sophisticated and elegant methods such as lawfare (using the court system as a weapon of war) and media … More Morality propaganda: Ukrainian refugees, Israel, and money
As a Jewish child, growing up in America, I was so privileged, I didn’t even realize I was privileged. We lived in the inner city of Detroit, and we weren’t rich but I was privileged. I knew that as a child, my mother got beaten up by Christian kids because “Jews killed Jesus” but that … More Jewish American Privilege
I work in a privately owned Israeli company founded by immigrants from Ukraine. Half the employees are Ukrainian-born Israelis. The others are from Russia (barring a handful of Israeli-born Israelis). Many of the faces I see throughout the day are drawn and weary. People worried sick about elderly parents who did not make Aliyah. Worried … More Russia – Ukraine war: abuse of Holocaust memory and other politically incorrect thoughts
Wisdom is knowing what we don’t know. When I made Aliyah I discovered that although I am Jewish and was raised in a Zionist household, I knew nothing about Israel. Nothing. That was a painful discovery. I was 13 and the culture shock was enormous. It took me years to reorient myself and be able … More Walk in the Land of Israel
I have lived in Israel long enough that it is only my American friends who remind me that the holiday called “Thanksgiving” exists. I have much that I am thankful for but my thoughts don’t exactly fit into the template of warm and fuzzy holiday musings. I am thankful I was born in America in … More Thanksgiving in Israel
Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story 