The Blogs | The Marketplace of Ideas

Open Search form

Apply for a Blog

Ruby and Hagit Chen (center), the parents of slain IDF soldier Itay Chen, attend an event at the State Department honoring the US citizens killed on October 7, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (right), October 14 2026. (Courtesy)

Ruby Chen

What Washington expects from Israel’s next government

While in the US capital to honor my son’s memory, I heard a clear message: Israel must change course, rebuild regional trust, and restore American public support

Olives aplenty. (All photos courtesy of the author)

Susannah Schild

The worst deal I make every year for the oldest harvest in the land

After last year’s poor olive yield, we were somehow certain this year would be plentiful. And so we hunted (and hunted) for the best trees for our oil

Michael Herman speaks at a campus rally. (Courtesy of Aaron Herman)

Aaron Herman

A person should own the algorithm: Watching ‘The Social Reckoning’ with my son

My 8th grader joined social media to fight antisemitism. When we saw the new film about Facebook, I discovered he understands something Mark Zuckerberg has forgotten

What are those ugly fruits? (courtesy)

Mark P Cohen

18 not-so-serious questions about the meaning of life in Israel

After 15 months here, I still need to learn many things, like whether the parakeets on my street are indigenous to Israel or colonizers – and does anyone like amba?

Screenshot

Sarah Tuttle-Singer

My son’s backpack was shot and that wasn’t even the craziest part of the story

What are the odds that a missing schoolbag, a police operation, and an entirely unnecessary decorative giraffe would land me in that exact checkout line?

(Starting Over Sanctuary via Facebook)

Sharon Cohen

When animals save people

Stand beside a donkey (or a sheep) and you’ll breathe differently – and that’s just one way structured time with animals helps heal soldiers’ trauma (Noah)

Omer Shem Tov. (social media)

Erica Brown

Invest in love: An evening with Omer Shem Tov

When the former hostage sets rage aside, he teaches the rest of us to refocus on the best of humanity and to internalize expectations of goodness

See all Featured Posts

Blogs topics

Latest posts

Oct 19, 2026, 7:43 PM

Is Paris Burning?

As Germany’s defeat in World War II became inevitable, Adolf Hitler, true to his scorched-earth brutality and determination to destroy his enemies, ordered Paris burned to the ground rather than surrendered intact. The chilling question he asked his underlings...

Hande Gençünal

Oct 19, 2026, 7:41 PM

On the withdrawal of the Infinite and the space that love leaves behind When you set a compass on a sheet of paper, the sharp point goes in first. The circle comes later. Yet the whole measure of the circle,...

Douglas F. Williamson

Oct 19, 2026, 7:36 PM

Why I’m reading the Torah for leadership lessons

What this series is, and why I’m writing it. Torah interpretations through the Bridge6 leadership model This is the third week of a series I’m writing here on Times of Israel, reading the weekly Torah portion for what it says about...

Richard Diamond

Oct 19, 2026, 7:35 PM

The Calf Is Always Being Cast: How Conversations Become Idols

image by Gemini

An idol is what remains of an idea after its conversation has been taken away. A novel thought arrives as an argument, full of qualifications and unresolved tensions. Followers then build on it selectively, curate what suits them, and simplify...

Janet Bond Brill

Oct 19, 2026, 7:31 PM

The Last Złoty

The Judenrat had promised work in Lublin. Papa and Shlomo, his eldest son, would earn wages, and the wages would send food home to Miła Street. The two left the Warsaw Ghetto together. No money came back. No food....

Oct 19, 2026, 7:27 PM

How Mayor Mamdani’s Big Lie Endangers Civilians, Including Palestinians

Rewarding Israel's restraint with the lie of "genocide" threatens civilians by discouraging the IDF and other armies from implementing protective measures not required by the laws of war. Mayor Mamdani should stop pushing the Big Lie, if not for...

Oct 19, 2026, 7:14 PM

Wherever the Doors Open

Cue the Nefesh b’Nefesh soundtrack…Aliyah has been a dream! How did we not do this sooner?? But also, living in Israel can be quite the interesting experience… Let me walk you through a typical day to explain: I’m fortunate to live...

Yitzhak Irving Kalet

Oct 19, 2026, 7:12 PM

Yesterday, probably the worst President in American history told the citizens of Israel-me-to vote for probably the worst Premier in Israeli history in our elections next week! I know that there are of course many in both Israel and in...

Tony D. Senatore

Oct 19, 2026, 7:09 PM

Who is Neville Roy Singham?

I watched Fox News yesterday and learned about Neville Roy Singham, a tech billionaire living in China who has reportedly poured money into left-wing activist organizations whose messaging has, in some cases, aligned with the interests of the Chinese...

Oct 19, 2026, 6:52 PM

The War on Israel Comes Home to France

The destruction of public buildings and the desecration of republican symbols expose a growing crisis at the intersection of anti-Israel militancy, antisemitism and the erosion of France's national identity. There was a time when a mob storming a government building,...

Load more