Ilan Bloch, at The Blogs

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Jul 26, 2023, 3:13 PM

I don’t want Jewish unity

The Arch of Titus. (Wikipedia)

Israel doesn't need me to shake hands with those whose views I abhor (though I do it). Israel needs moral governance that leads by example

Oct 4, 2021, 8:08 PM

Israelis don’t wake up thinking about the conflict

Too many times I have heard Israel educators, program administrators and presenters at professional development sessions say that Israel is not only about the Arab-Israeli conflict. They exhorted their audience to remember to forget the Palestinians, telling us that...

Sep 29, 2021, 1:20 PM

Not just ‘good Arabs’

Image taken from Wikipedia

Real education involves confronting difficult narratives, being exposed to challenging ideologies and being ready to really hear the Other

Jul 18, 2021, 8:47 PM

Sinat chinam (baseless hatred) is alive and well

Jerusalem was destroyed on account of Kamtza and bar Kamtza. There was a certain man whose friend was named Kamtza and whose enemy was named bar Kamtza. He once made a large feast and said to his servant: Go bring me Kamtza. The servant...

Jul 5, 2021, 9:51 AM

They’re embarrassed and ashamed

Some American Jewish progressives are embarrassed by and ashamed of Israel. They see many of the actions of successive Israeli governments during the last decade as immoral and simply impossible to justify or accept. They are disgusted that Kahanists...

Jun 23, 2021, 4:21 PM

The end of an era: goodbye to Netanyahu

Last week we bade farewell (and some might say good riddance!) to our longest serving prime minister. Dubbed “King Bibi,” “Israel’s magician,” and “Mr. Security” by many pundits, I want to take a moment to examine this last epithet....

Feb 2, 2021, 5:24 PM

Israel education and January 6 at the Capitol

The guide stood with her group on the lawn facing the Capitol building. After speaking about the structure, its architecture and its history, she turned to the events of January 6, 2021. She told her tour group members that...

Nov 27, 2020, 5:16 PM

They are not straying lambs

Many, if not most, engaged American Jews suffer from cognitive dissonance. On the one hand they are committed to human rights and liberalism and on the other they are committed to Zionism and the State of Israel. I do...

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About Me

Ilan Bloch is a licensed Israel tour guide and teacher.