Daniel Polisar, at The Blogs

Apr 22, 2026, 12:16 AM

Celebrating the Lives that Weren’t Lost: A Reflection on Israel’s Memorial Day

As part of observing Israel’s Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers, I went to an open house this afternoon hosted by Chaya Skoury to honor the memory of her son Amir. After twelve years serving in the IDF, culminating in...

Mar 29, 2026, 11:46 PM

The Roar and the Heart of the Israeli Lion

When I heard that Israel had named its operation against Iran Sha’agat Ha’ari, “The Lion’s Roar,” I immediately thought of Winston Churchill’s iconic use of that phrase at a November 1954 ceremony in Parliament marking his 80th birthday. After...

Mar 6, 2026, 8:01 PM

Israel’s Reservists: More Unsung and More Heroic Than Ever

Israel’s air force and intelligence services, working in tandem with their American counterparts, have dealt a series of devastating blows to Iran in the last week. For good reason, many people following the fighting, whatever their views on the...

Aug 29, 2025, 12:47 AM

‘When Will You Stop Donating Gear to IDF Soldiers?’

In October 2023, when I first began raising money to buy essential gear for front-line Israeli soldiers, the main question people asked was, “Where do I send the funds?” Nearly two years later, after generous contributors have given over...

Jul 30, 2025, 6:32 PM

Featured Post

Still wondering if the IDF has a gear shortage?

Soldiers fresh out of training are sent into Gaza with helmets that are older than they are and not designed for today's battle conditions

Jan 7, 2025, 3:13 AM

The War’s Not Over and IDF Soldiers Still Need Our Help

After Hamas’s atrocities of October 7 plunged Israel into war, my wife and I worked with generous friends and with parents of soldiers in the units in which our three sons were serving to secure the essential gear the...

Oct 27, 2024, 10:21 PM

Simchat Torah, Terror, Tears, and Resilience

On the morning of last October 7th, which coincided with the festival of Simchat Torah, most Israelis became aware something was wrong when they heard the air raid sirens triggered by rockets Hamas fired at the country’s population centers,...

Oct 7, 2024, 12:43 AM

Featured Post

‘I love the IDF with a fierce and profound love’

Soldiers in the IDF Golani Brigade hold a swearing-in ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on February 6, 2020. (Israel Defense Forces)

I've always respected Israel's army, but David Ben-Gurion's emotion-packed praise seemed over the top – until now

About Me

Dr. Daniel Polisar is executive vice president and a faculty member at Shalem College in Jerusalem. He teaches and writes on Middle Eastern politics, Zionist and Israeli history, and rhetoric. Since October 2023, his three sons have been deployed with their IDF combat units and he has been leading an initiative to provide essential gear for Israeli soldiers. Polisar and his teammates, reserve officers in the IDF, are currently raising $1 million to purchase reconnaissance drones, surveillance cameras, helmets, vests and plates, protective eyewear, and quality earplugs for reservists and regular soldiers stationed in Lebanon. Polisar can be reached at dpolisar@shalem.ac.il or via WhatsApp at +972-50-795-9474.

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