Israel

Only infrequently do I make requests to my loyal readers regarding letters to be written. In my last posting, I made such a request.  And now I begin this posting with yet another request. You have undoubtedly heard this saying: All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is …

“Go forth from your country, from the land of your birth and from the home of your father to the land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) Land. God’s first commandment to Avram (who would later become Avraham the father of the Jewish people) was about land. In the …

Thursday is Balfour Day: Marking 100 years since British Foreign Secretary Lord Walter Balfour wrote a letter on behalf of the British government to Lord Walter Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish community, for transmission to the Zionist Federation of Great Britain. “His Majesty’s Government view with favor the …

I have just returned from over a month in Israel with my family over the Jewish Holidays. In my head, I had been planning to write a piece about some reflections I had relating to Israel, Theodore Herzl and whether the Zionist dream had been fulfilled. Whenever we visit Israel …

My friend – who on occasion says to me, “Sometimes you just have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going” – will undoubtedly recognize herself here. When the situation is not to our liking, we must keep going, without despair, heading in the right direction. …

Nothing is more challenging and important to deal with right now than Iran, which is under the control of Islamic radical megalomaniacs bent on hegemony in this region, as well as the destruction of Israel. (Pictured: Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei) Should they – Heaven Forbid! – acquire nuclear weapons, they …

As the experience of 2003 shows, Iran will only abandon its nuclear program if confronted by what it perceives to be a tangible military threat  In a large country with multiple facilities and ample experience in nuclear concealment, violations will be inherently difficult to detect. Devising theoretical models of inspection …

This is a tough world, at best, and sometimes scary and downright insane. We are reassured when there is determination and strength exhibited by our leaders and those who stand with us. And I think every now and then – perversely – we can also be reassured by the way …

President Trump continues to surprise his critics when it comes to the Middle East. He behaves in a more measured way, carrying out most of his administration’s activities behind the scenes and by maintaining different levels of pressure upon parties on all sides. And it should be noted – not …

I had written recently that a unity government between Fatah and Hamas was exceedingly unlikely to happen. I don’t think it has happened, even though a preliminary “reconciliation” agreement between the two parties is now being “celebrated.” There is a good likelihood that this will fall apart, for what was …

Trump: Giving Peace ‘A Shot’ The President of the United States could have worded his failure only just a little worse. He could have ‘taken a stab’ at peace negotiations before not moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her …

Last Wednesday night began the week-long holiday of Sukkot, which is referred to as Z’man Simchatenu – the season of our rejoicing. It is a holiday of many delights, rich in mystic symbolism. A couple of days earlier, I had begun work on a pre-Sukkot posting focused on the joys …

If Rabin had a crystal ball that allowed him to foresee the terrible trauma and tragedy the Oslo Agreements would cause, there is little doubt that he would have never agreed to its signature.  We have come to try and put an end to the hostilities, so that our children, …

As we leave the Jewish calendar year of 5777 behind it is worth remembering that the three large external issues facing Israel remain unchanged and their resolution no clearer than they were at the beginning of 2017. Moreover, to greater and lesser degrees, these depend on President Trump’s positive sentiments, …

Solomon Gavriyah, of Be’er Yaacov, was a Staff Sergeant with the Border Police. Last year, he was wounded in a knife attack but insisted that he wanted to return to duty. Now he is dead, shot Tuesday morning by a terrorist. He was 20 years old. At his funeral, Police …

On the second day of Rosh Hashana, the Haftora (prophetic reading following the Torah reading) is from Jeremiah 31. So said Hashem…’I have loved you with an eternal love, therefore have I extended kindness to you. I shall yet rebuild you and you will be rebuilt…You will yet plant vineyards …

The Hebrew year 5778 is almost upon us now. It’s natural, I think, to want to know what lies ahead. But our tradition tells us that this knowledge lies in Heaven. We pray that that the Almighty will keep us. We pray for strength, and for the wisdom to hold …

It is not a certainty that I will post again before Rosh Hashana, which begins on the eve of next Wednesday, September 20th. And so today I want to send out my wishes to all for a year of blessings – blessings of health, and parnassa, personal fulfillment and love. …

Several flaws in MK Smotrich’s otherwise bold proposal will prevent it from achieving its long-term strategic goal: Sustainable Jewish sovereignty over the entire Land of Israel    … I am not talking here about cruel expulsion or the flooding of countries with penniless refugees. The emigration we are talking about …

There are certain heated and convoluted subjects I prefer to stay away from in my postings because writing about them seems to me not productive, especially when there is so much else to deal with. But I am now witnessing a multi-pronged phenomenon that I have decided I must address, …