On October 7th, the invaders came, intent on destroying Jewish life.Killing wasn’t enough. They wanted to torture and humiliate. To steal our joy and our future. They thought that if they brought the Holocaust to Israel, they could break us.And they did bring the Holocaust to Israel – with fire, slaughter, and even plans to … More How the Jews became more Jew-y
This sign stands in the traffic circle at the entrance to our neighborhood. It reads: “The community of the French Carmel bows its head in mourning for Sergeant First Class (Res.) Benyamin Asulin, of blessed memory, who fell in battle.” The shiva for Benny Asulin is over, and already there are other soldiers to bury. … More What do you say to a mother with a broken heart?
The families came quietly, unsure of what to expect. Their eyes widened in astonishment, seeing how many people they had never met had come together, just to say: You are not alone. We were attending an unveiling ceremony for a memorial built to honor their children: Capt. Sahar Saudian, Sgt. Binyamin Gavriel Yonah, and Sgt. Nativ Kuzaro, … More Unveiling a Memorial, Discovering Hope
It was a few months after the invasion when a visiting American politician asked me how much October 7th affected the people of Israel. I tried to explain what it’s like to live in a country with one degree of separation. For anyone coming from a large country like America, it is hard to comprehend … More How much has October 7th affected the people of Israel?
He stood by the door, slightly bent over as if recovering from a punch to the gut and yet he had a smile on his face, warm words, and a hug for friends and family. I’ve been to many Shiva houses. This is the first time I’ve seen a grief-stricken father greet those who came … More He commands us to smile
Yesterday we learned that the terrorist who smashed Ronen Lubarsky’s head with a slab of marble was arrested. It was Ronen’s friends, from his unit, who made the arrest. The terrorist is named Islam and he comes from a family of Hamas terrorists serving prison sentences for murdering Jews. He served a prison sentence between … More Israel in one image: this is why we do what we do
Israelis are generally friendly, warm and happy to have guests over. You don’t have to call in advance, just show up and knock on the door. But there is also a different kind of knock on the door. One that is never welcome. In fact, it is every family’s nightmare. Last night a family in … More The knock on the door
“We went to pay our respects,” I told my friend. “Kiss them, each and every one” he said. “And tell Ram he shouldn’t be so serious all the time.” I was standing on a beach named after a miracle, looking at the memory of a disaster. “Returnees to Zion”. How many people do you know … More Kiss them, each and every one
George E. Marcia Jr. lied about his age so he could enlist. It’s almost shocking to write the word “lie” in the same sentence as my grandfather’s name because he was the most honest, accurate man I have ever met. My grandfather, my Saba was a stickler for details, a man with the mind of … More My Grandfather Was Semper Fi
Those who should be here and are not. We remember each and every one of them, and pay tribute. To them and to those they have left behind – It is because of them that our nation has a State. Those that were killed in battle, murdered by terrorists, And those that managed to continue … More 23,447 of my brothers and sisters
Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story 