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Jun 5, 2026, 6:45 PM

Israel Cannot Pay Its Way Out of the Reserve Crisis

Financial incentives may ease the burden of reserve duty, but they cannot replace a shared sense of responsibility. A few days ago, Yinon Magal published a post that quickly went viral: “Good morning, Yinon. This morning we received another reserve...

Jonathan Muskat

Jun 4, 2026, 10:45 PM

When We Decide the Law No Longer Applies

The disturbing attack this week on Justice Noam Sohlberg's home in Alon Shvut should concern every Israeli and every Jew, regardless of political or religious affiliation. Dozens of draft protesters gathered outside his home, shattered windows, broke flowerpots, smashed...

Jun 4, 2026, 3:15 PM

Where do you live, Meira Sohlberg?

After a group of ultra-Orthodox “rioters” vandalized the home of High Court Justice Noam Sohlberg and his wife Meira in the Alon Shvut settlement in Gush Etzion on Wednesday night, Meira spoke to reporters about her shock. “How can Jews...

Jun 4, 2026, 2:35 PM

We Ignored It When It Targeted Politicians. That Was a Mistake.

For years, attacks on politicians and their families were dismissed as part of the political game. That was a mistake. What began with the targeting of elected officials is now spreading to other pillars of Israeli society: senior IDF officers,...

Jun 3, 2026, 1:38 PM

Kosher-certified draft dodgers

Why do the draft-dodgers in this new Ayin Tova Cartoon proudly display kosher certifications? It is as if being an IDF draft evader has become a new type of identity, and wearing that is like a badge of honor! There...

Jun 3, 2026, 4:04 AM

The Incentive Problem: An Economic Lever in the Haredi Draft Crisis

Israel's post-October 7 manpower shortage cannot be solved by waiting for Haredi enlistment to rise organically. The current system actively subsidizes non-service while asking a shrinking group of reservists to shoulder an ever-growing burden. Bennett's proposal seeks to reverse...

Sam Lehman-Wilzig

May 29, 2026, 7:01 AM

Israel’s Haredim: 50 Shades of Black

OK, so the headline here is slightly exaggerated. Israel’s ultra-Orthodox might come in “only” 10-20 different varieties, not 50. However, given that many non-Haredi Israelis view them monolithically (a perception probably more prevalent in the Diaspora), it is important...

Marc J. Rosenstein

May 29, 2026, 7:00 AM

The Jewish Power Blog: The Power of Authenticity

We keep telling ourselves and anyone who will listen that Judaism and Zionism are somehow the same thing. However, a century ago that was by no means intuitively obvious, as tens of thousands of Jews were sure that Herzl’s...

Elkana Bar Eitan

May 1, 2026, 8:19 PM

In a Hummer in Lebanon, I saw the future of the Jewish People

IDF troops of the 769th 'Hiram' Brigade operate in southern Lebanon, in a handout photo issued by the military on April 6, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

Young diaspora yeshiva students are risking their lives without abandoning Torah — their choice throws a painful question back at the Haredi world

Sam Lehman-Wilzig

May 1, 2026, 7:06 AM

Israel and the World: Radical Conservatism vs. Static Liberalism

Do you consider yourself a conservative? Or perhaps a liberal? In either case, think again – you’ve probably got it wrong. Israel seems to be going along with numerous other democratic countries in rendering our classic ideologies topsy-turvy. Whether this...

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