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Oct 19, 2026, 12:16 AM

When the Promised Land Has a Famine

Some days I wonder whether I'm doing something wrong. Not because anything terrible has happened, but because life seems harder than I expected. The bills keep coming, the house needs repairs, work brings new challenges, and just when I...

Shulamit S. Magnus

Oct 18, 2026, 6:49 PM

Women. Eyes. Smile.

At the bus stop. A woman wearing a baseball cap is on her phone speaking loudly. I am generally unhappy when people do this, sometimes even conduct such conversations on speaker, and before I pay attention that it's Arabic, turn around...

Eliezer Avraham

Oct 18, 2026, 9:56 AM

The Return on America’s Investment in Israel

AI generated image

The debate often focuses on what America gives. The real story is what America gains: economic strength, technological leadership, industrial capacity, and strategic advantage. The Story Most Americans Have Been Told As Americans face rising debt, economic uncertainty, and growing demands...

Oct 18, 2026, 9:54 AM

18 not-so-serious questions about the meaning of life in Israel

What are those ugly fruits? (courtesy)

After 15 months here, I still need to learn many things, like whether the parakeets on my street are indigenous to Israel or colonizers - and does anyone like amba?

Oct 17, 2026, 4:44 PM

Shared Responsibility Without Forced Uniformity

One of the most difficult questions facing a democratic society is whether equal citizenship requires people to fulfill their obligations in identical ways. The answer cannot always be yes, because citizens differ in their circumstances, abilities, religious commitments, and...

Raphael Cohen-Almagor

Oct 17, 2026, 11:22 AM

Most Consequential Elections in Israeli History

Gadi Eizenkot , former Israeli minister without portfolio and the 21st Chief of General Staff of the Israeli army, speaks during the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University in Herzliya on June 24, 2024. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP via Getty Images)

I was invited to talk on this topic and explained why the 2026 elections are, indeed, the most consequential elections in Israeli history. The Future of Israeli Democracy The elections may be viewed as a referendum on the balance...

Lisa M. Pollack

Oct 15, 2026, 10:42 PM

Neve Hanna: Books. Bread. Brighter Futures.

Neve Hanna Children's Home, Israel.
Photo: AFNH staff. March 2025.

Learning Today. Building Brighter Futures. Two different classrooms. One shared purpose. At Neve Hanna Children's Home, education isn't limited to the classroom. Some of life's most important lessons are learned by doing—discovering new abilities, developing practical skills, taking responsibility, and gaining the...

Oct 15, 2026, 7:46 PM

Flipping the Pyramid: From Draft Exemptions to Actual Enlistment

Flipping the Pyramid: From Draft Exemptions to Actual Enlistment Israel needs to put those who serve first, bring the Haredim into meaningful military service and give reservists their lives back. I am an Orthodox Jew, a husband, a father of four...

Oct 14, 2026, 9:18 PM

Before you vote, ask the hard questions

English-speaking olim confront Israel's future

Oct 14, 2026, 8:16 PM

Understanding the Ultra-Orthodox Struggle in a Secular Age

In the World but Not of It During my travels in Israel, I had the opportunity to meet with an ultra-Orthodox rabbi. As a Christian who has spent considerable time studying Judaism, participating in Jewish religious life, and thinking about...

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