Celebrating a first year: the best of The Times of Israel

Recently The Times of Israel celebrated its first birthday. Since it was launched in February 2012 by veteran journalist David Horovitz, it has gone from strength to strength.

Happy first birthday to the Times of Israel!

I have been writing for it since May last year, and can honestly say that it has been a privilege to do so. The quality of journalism is outstanding. Fellow bloggers include  settler activists, rabbis, current and former MKs, Nazi hunters, Hasbara experts and serving members of the IDF to name but a few. This has resulted in an unparalleled pool of expertise on a breadth of subjects, which in turn creates a never-ending stream of outstanding articles.

Below, in no particular order, are my favourite fifteen op-eds and blogs from The Times of Israel’s first year:

1. How Lori Silberman Brauner discovered her inner-Sephardi in Teaneck, New Jersey
2. Life for Zahava Englard with a son serving in an infantry unit on the border with Syria
3. How Rabbi Dov Lipman MK of Yesh Atid slammed Shas’ anti-Russian racism during their pre-election campaign
4. How Sarah Tuttle-Singer fell in love with Israel, leading her to eventually make Aliyah
5. The 64 things comedian Benji Lovitt loves about Israel
6. How Julie Gray discovered the magic of Shabbat
7. What Marc Goldberg: an IDF reservist did when he almost went into Gaza in November 2012
8. How a family evacuated from Gush Qatif in 2005 laid down roots farming olives in the Negev
9. How the “Israeli Tea Party” allowed Yesh Atid to do so well in the recent elections
10. How service in the Paratroopers Brigade bought together two soldiers from completely opposite backgrounds, both in life and death
11. What losing a friend from the army means to Asher Zeiger
12. Reflections from Rabbi Shmuley Boteach on a trip to Rwanda’s killing fields
13. Varda Epstein’s delicious roast chicken and potatoes recipe
14. Rabbi Dov Lipman’s open letter to Yitzhak Rabin’s granddaughter 
15. Lori Silberman Brauner on an unexpected friendship formed in a pizza parlour on Emeq Refa’im

So now, go read and enjoy. I wish this remarkable project all the best of luck in its second year. Onwards and upwards, and from strength to strength.