I have friends, people I deeply admire, whose sons are hostages in Gaza – and will be left behind by this terrorist release deal with no assurance that they will ever be released. I have friends who are worried that the terrorists who tried to murder them will be released. And they might even be … More My thoughts on the terrorist release deal
Why the Holiday of Holidays in Haifa is a problem In December Haifa celebrates the “holiday of holidays”, a festival marking Hannukah, Christmas, and the Muslim holiday Eid Al-Adha. A celebration of multiculturalism, Jews, Muslims, and Christians living together peacefully. The historic German quarter with the Bahai Temple at the top of the road is … More The Holiday of Holidays in Haifa is a lot of fun. And a big problem
Sirens throughout the day, but not here. It was a beautiful Saturday (November 16th) and we were trying to enjoy the wonderful weather, lovely people, interesting things – although we knew that others were not. I was hearing the sirens and interceptions in the distance. Israelis closer to the border with Lebanon were hearing sirens … More Missile in Haifa – “just” property damage
On October 13th, I had a very interesting day. Too interesting. By the end of the day, I felt like I had been steam-rolled and it took me 24 hours to bring myself back to normal. Of course, our normal here in Israel, particularly in the north, isn’t normal at all. Our day began with … More Stress poisoning and bombs in northern Israel
Listening to Ronen Shoval describe his October 7th morning, I was stunned by how profoundly it crystalized the divide between Israeli and American Jews. Ronen Shoval is the founder of Im Tirtzu and is currently the Dean of the Tikvah Fund and head of the Argaman Institute. On October 7th he was in America because he is … More Couldn’t you hear them calling?
What would King Herod the Great think if he could see the Judeans of 2024 pouring into the Roman amphitheater he built, in the city he named after Caesar? Herod ruled over Judea for the Romans from 37–4 BCE. He was one of the last Jewish kings before the Romans sent the Jewish people into … More From King Herod to the Judeans of 2024
On October 7th, Israel was invaded by Gaza. They raped, tortured, and burned our families alive. In the north, Hezbollah (who is Iran, not Lebanon where they are based) began pummeling Israel with missiles. Israeli communities in the south near Gaza and the north near Hezbollah were evacuated. It was and still is too dangerous … More The American DON’T
I stood where he stood, trying to imagine what it was like. How he made the decisions he made. How he felt. I couldn’t. Aner Shapira deliberately placed himself between the murderous terrorists outside and some 30 people, friends, and strangers. Knowingly, mindfully, he chose to be their shield against death. How do you make … More A candle against the darkness of Hamas
The Hamas massacre happened because many people did not take Hamas at their word. Although Hamas openly declared their intentions and goals and followed up consistently with actions, many people in Israel and around the world pretended they did not see, did not know. It was easier. Less scary. Long before the Hamas massacre of … More 048 is the writing on the wall
The battlefield of Gaza is unequal. The IDF is stronger, better equipped, and well-trained. And yet Hamas has the advantage. They have knowledge of the terrain that we do not. They know where the openings to their terror tunnels are, where there are weapons caches, and what is booby-trapped. And from what we are hearing, … More Hamas has the advantage
Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story 