Ben Rathauser, at The Blogs

Apply for a Blog

Sep 13, 2018, 7:04 PM

An Ex-IDF Combat Soldier Returns to the West Bank with Breaking the Silence

Two weeks ago, I participated on a tour to Hebron - a West Bank city that is deeply contested between the roughly 1,000 Israeli settlers and 200,000 Palestinians that live there. The excursion was led by activists from Breaking...

Jul 26, 2018, 1:49 PM

Finding a common language with foreign neighbors

Illustrative. Kid doing chin-ups in the park. (iStock)

The kids don't speak Hebrew, and my Arabic is poor -- shoddy grounds for conversation among neighbors

Apr 1, 2018, 7:17 AM

Post-seder with an Eritrean asylum seeker in South Tel Aviv

Several weeks ago, amid conversation with friends, the issue of the impending deportation of African asylum seekers from Israel was raised. It quickly became clear to me that I knew very little about this matter, and so I decided...

Mar 15, 2018, 8:35 PM

Our Warning Alarm

This past Tuesday, as part of a Home Front Command precautionary drill, two rocket warning sirens were briefly activated throughout Israel. At the time of them both, I was walking on Yerushalaim Avenue, a main boulevard in Jaffa. The...

Dec 7, 2017, 4:47 PM

A Day of Protests: The Clouds Before the Storm?

This past Sunday, I had the privilege to hear Avi Issacharoff, the co-creator of Fauda and a journalist on Palestinian affairs, speak in Jerusalem. Among his many insightful remarks, Issacharoff emphasized the change the West Bank has undergone over...

Oct 24, 2016, 5:06 PM

My Encounter with a Gazan

What caused a recently released Israeli combat soldier to meet face-to-face with a Palestinian from Gaza? I wanted to see for myself. Throughout my childhood and military service I had heard much about the Palestinians. I heard that they hated us...

Aug 12, 2016, 4:47 PM

Education for the People’s Army – An Israeli Victory

Young men and women in Israel continue to demonstrate their commitment to the defense of their nation by serving in the army; with the IDF Chief of Staff’s recent decision, the military has reaffirmed its commitment to the society that serves it

Jun 20, 2016, 7:25 PM

From Southeast Asia to Israel: A Reflection

While traveling in Vietnam, my friend Yonni and I had a life-changing experience. After returning to our hotel after a day of touring the lush countryside, we were invited by a group of six Vietnamese men to sit with...

Oct 22, 2012, 1:46 PM

Gilad Shalit: One Year Later

This past week we traveled as a Garin to Jerusalem for an overnight trip in order to visit many sites before we go into the army. One of the places that we stayed the night at and toured was...

Oct 11, 2012, 6:09 PM

High Holidays in Israel

The High Holidays in Israel are a very special time. Rosh HaShanna and Yom Kippur are a time of celebration, self-reflection, and prayer for Jews all over the world. In Israel, the holidays represent much more; Rosh HaShanna and...

Load more

About Me

Ben Rathauser is the Founder of The Overcomers Project, which is devoted to helping teenagers and young adults overcome their personal hardships this summer in Israel. To learn more about this unique program, reach out via email to ben@overcomersinisrael.com, or call 561-710-9950.