Barak Hullman, at The Blogs

Mar 3, 2022, 6:19 PM

I recently had a conversation with Professor Ruth Wisse, formerly of Harvard University and currently with the Tikvah Fund. For a few years now I’ve been creating two podcasts, the first is The Chassidic Story Project and the second...

Feb 3, 2022, 12:02 AM

American Jews did not see Whoopi Goldberg coming

Whoopi Goldberg offended many American Jews by saying “The Holocaust isn’t about race,” but rather about “man’s inhumanity to man.” The problem is not what Whoopi said, it’s how the Jews of America didn’t see this coming. Anyone willing to...

Feb 1, 2021, 9:21 PM

Those Blasted Haredim!

Ultra orthodox jewish man attend the funeral of late Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, spiritual leader of the Mir Yeshiva, on January 31, 2021, in Jerusalem. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Why do some Haredim not “follow the rules”? Why don’t they wear masks? Why don’t they stay home and shut down the shuls and yeshivas? Some people blame "the Haredim" for the continued spread of Corona in Israel. Just...

Apr 27, 2020, 9:57 PM

Is Chabad Now Anti-Zionist?

A few years ago, at our Friday night meal, one of my teenage daughters asked me, “Tatti, what are we?” Our other kids all looked at me attentively waiting for an answer. I understood the question. I’m a baal teshuva...

Feb 27, 2020, 12:08 AM

The IDF Has One Purpose: Win Wars

I made aliyah in 1995 and served in a combat unit. I came here as a committed Zionist and was enthusiatically drafted into the IDF. It was the “People’s Army.” There were Jews from all around the world including...

Jul 24, 2018, 10:35 AM

Israel Is The Lighthouse for American Jewry

The increasing irrelevance of American Jewry--who is now more dependent than ever on Israel as a core aspect of its Jewish identity--is causing the divergence between the two communities. The fact that American Jews need Israel much more than Israel...

Apr 9, 2018, 4:43 PM

Khaybar vs Kishinev

Since at least the Hebron massacre of Jews by Arabs in 1929 we have been witnessing the clash between Khaybar vs Kishinev. We see it every time a Palestinian tries to murder a Jew, when the Palestinians in Gaza...

Jun 26, 2017, 6:16 PM

It’s Not About the Kotel

Recently the government decided not to create a new egalitarian section at the Kotel. As a result the Reform movement said it was a “slap in the face” and David Horovitz of the Times of Israel said it sends...

May 23, 2017, 2:37 PM

Featured Post

President Trump, Here’s Why There’s No Peace Yet

A young supporter of Islamic Jihad holds a picture of group members killed in clashes with Israeli forces, during a rally marking the 13th anniversary of the Second Intifada, in the Jabaliya Refugee Camp, northern Gaza Strip, on Thursday (photo credit: AP/Adel Hana)

Palestinians simply don’t want a state beside Israel, they one in place of Israel

Mar 27, 2017, 5:49 PM

What Is “If Not Now” Protesting?

Sitting in Jerusalem I watched in amazement at the anti-Israel protests at AIPAC led by American-Jews. What exactly are you protesting? The group calls themselves "If Not Now." It's a quote from Rabbi Hillel HaZaken, one of the greatest rabbis that ever lived....

About Me

Barak Hullman studied for a PhD in Islamic History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (MA at Princeton). He made aliyah from South Florida in 1995. He lives in Jerusalem, Israel with his wife and their 7 children (all born in Jerusalem). Barak is the author of two books, Figure It Out When You Get There: A Memoir of Stories About Living Life First and Watching How Everything Else Falls Into Place and A Shtikel Sholom: A Student, His Mentor and Their Unconventional Conversations, available at bit.ly/barakhullman. He has two podcasts, Jewish People & Ideas: Conversations with Jewish Thought Leaders (guests have included Yossi Klein Halevi, Michael Oren, Natan Sharansky, Daniel Gordis and others) at jewishpeopleideas.com and The Chassidic Story Project at hasidicstory.com. Learn more by going to barakhullman.com.

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