Democracy and Religion Clash in Israel…Again
By Niv Elis and Sophie Taylor
The latest clash of liberalism and religion in Israel accentuates the difficult dilemma of how a democracy deals with the illiberal...
Israel’s Katrina
By Gabriel Weinstein
After last week’s forest fire, the Carmel region in Northern Israel’s once emerald forests and fields have become a barren prairie of charred...
Charity vs. Tzedakah: Restoring Justice to Giving
By Daniel Kieval
The "season of giving," for better and for worse, is upon us. The bestowing of gifts upon friends and family for Hanukkah and...
Maccabeats Suffer “Wardrobe Malfunction”
By Doni Kandel
The Yeshiva University Maccabeats, the university’s a capella group that has taken the United States by storm, received one of their first ugly...
Stop Screaming, and Start Talking
By Lily Hoffman Simon
Imagine the following: on one side of the room, there is a group advocating for Palestinian liberation. Facing them is a group...
An Ancient Synagogue in Damascus
By Samantha Sisskind
If you go to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City in Damascus, Syria, you’ll find hardly any obvious traces of Jewish life. ...
Desires of the Flesh and Spirit
By Steven Philp
Following a handful of screenings in the United States and Canada, the critically acclaimed Israeli film Eyes Wide Open was released on DVD...
Recipe: Sumac or Za’atar Latkes
Both sumac and za’atar (hyssop) were biblical spices, the former used to impart a lemony flavor to food, and the latter to season almost anything....
Sufganiyot Muffins from Modern Domestic
by Jenna Huntsberger
Hanukkah started Wednesday, which means it’s time to dust off your favorite Hannukah recipes. Because Hannukah celebrates the miracle of the oil, the holiday...
The Seeds of the Future
By Daniel Kieval
In the insightful children's book Noah’s Wife, which provides a modern-day expansion of the Biblical story of Noah, the title character Naamah goes...
The Secret History of Hanukkah
By Gabriel Weinstein
Students in Hebrew schools and Jewish day schools learn that Hanukkah is the celebration of the Maccabees’ improbable military triumph and the miraculous...
The Heart of the Jewish People
By Doni Kandel
Living in the Old City of Jerusalem for eighteen months was enough for me. While I'm eternally appreciative of Jerusalem, it is loud...