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Still Life Photo Exhibit Destroyed by Hamas Is Restored—Mostly
“I think for most of us, we’re looking for stability or safety. But life isn’t stable and a surprise is always coming. That’s what makes life, the movement of things.”
Seven Modern Additions to the Seder Plate
In recent years, a number of new Passover items have been adopted—or at least proposed—to include in and around the traditional seder plate.
REGISTER: The New World of Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism on Campus with Sarah Breger, Sharon Nazarian and Amy E. Schwartz
Join Moment editor Sarah Breger for a conversation with Dr. Sharon Nazarian, former ADL Senior Vice President in International Affairs, and an academic at UCLA, about the impact Anti-Zionism and antisemitism is having on academia and the implications it will have for Jewish life on campus in the future.
Antisemitism and Iranian Influence in the Americas
Iran foments antisemitism directly and through proxies in many places—including in far-away Latin America.
Israel, Iran and the Dangers of a Wider War with Aaron David Miller, Robin Wright, and Robert Siegel
Join Middle East Analyst Aaron David Miller, Foreign Policy Analyst and Journalist Robin Wright and Moment Contributor Robert Siegel for a conversation about Iran’s long-term motives, Israel’s options, U.S. strategy, Arab reactions, the geopolitical ramifications and more.
Jeff Michaels: Concerned About America’s Economy
“We have spending that is essentially recession or depression-level spending, and neither administration has seemed willing to address those issues.”
Introducing the 2024 Jewish Political Voices Project
Although otherwise diverse, our 2024 JPVP participants share a deep anxiety over the future of the Jewish people at home and abroad.
Jaclyn Best: Walking on Eggshells Over Palestine
“Because of my experience living in Israel and learning from my Palestinian friends, I am definitely a lot more sympathetic than maybe the majority of the American Jewish population.”
Chesky Blau: Leaning Away From a Democratic Vote
“I don’t think Hamas would have attacked if Trump had been president. And if they did, the conflict would have been over by now.”
The U.S. Constitution: Pragmatism versus Textualism on the Supreme Court with Justice Stephen Breyer and Robert Siegel
Join Justice Stephen Breyer for a conversation about why pragmatism matters and the consequences of textualism in Supreme Court decisions such as Dobbs and Bruen.
Susan Rupright: May Not Vote for President
“I think [both candidates are] lousy. I may not vote for president. I would not vote for Joe Biden. I also don’t think I can vote for Donald Trump.”
Jeff Solomon: October 7 Increased his Support of Biden
“[October 7] reconfirmed the belief I had before October 7—that I was for Biden. And I think Biden has done extraordinarily well since October 7.”
Josh Mandelbaum: Continued Support for Biden
“I think President Biden has been a strong supporter of Israel and certainly has during the response to the October 7 attacks.”
Leah Kiser: Concerned About Women’s Rights
“Some of those very far-right-wing Christians really are imagining women in the United States having roughly the same rights as women in Afghanistan or Iran.”
Ushi Teitelbaum: Longing for Economic Stability
“I want to be able to afford my car, my grocery bill, my rent … Since Joe Biden became president, the economy has been pretty wild.”
Diana Leygerman: Against Censorship in Schools
“When teachers can’t have discussions that help children develop critical thinking, that affects all students and the future of our workforce and country.”
Abby Schachter: Wanting More College Involvement in Society
“I work on a college campus, so I am very concerned about the role that the campus or institutions of higher education are supposed to play in our society and how much they’re failing at that mission.”
Meirav Solomon: Biden is the Only Moral Answer
“I’ll still be voting for Biden because there’s no other candidate I can actually morally and ethically vote for given the state of the world.”
Aaron Weissman: Fighting for Democracy
“Are we going to revert to some sort of authoritarian, strong-man-proto-monarchy ideal, which some of the Republicans seem to want?”
David Guttenberg: Becoming a Zionist
“I absolutely never considered myself a Zionist. I kind of do now. Because of the antisemitism and attacks on Israel.”
Deborah Pardes: Becoming a One-Issue Jewish Voter
“I didn’t ever want to become a one-issue voter, but as a Jew, I feel like I’m becoming one, and it’s tragic.”
Don Cohen: More Security is Needed for Jews
“We need more security for the Jewish community and other minority communities and for all people … I think the relationship between the security of Israel and the security of our American Jewish community are linked.”
Nina Stanley: “This could be our last election”
“I believe that if Trump is elected—and many of the Republicans are saying this too—this could be our last election.”
Deb Kolodny: Recognizing a Climate Catastrophe
“We also need to talk about climate refugees … Because at this point, disaster isn’t just coming. Disaster is here.”
Adam Witkov: Saddened by the Lack of Jewish Support
It doesn’t shock me, but it saddens me that a lot of Jewish individuals who were donors or supporters of progressive causes are not extending similar recognition or support when Jews in Israel faced the aftermath of October 7.
Eva R. Cohen: There is a Lack of Empathy for Israel
“I guess there’s a certain feeling of maybe a lack of empathy or a lack of appreciation for the gravity of [October 7]. It was an attack on civilians, and many are not drawing a clear moral line there.”
Iran Tests the U.S.-Israel Alliance
Iran’s April 13 attack on Israel will go down as one of the brightest moments of the American-Israeli alliance.
Talk of the Table | The Versatile, Vengeful, Volatile Onion
A short history on how onions are used for Jewish cooking and the health benefits of onions of all varieties.
Book Review | An Ancient Book Illuminates Our Troubled Times
The first time I found myself in synagogue for the chanting of the Book of Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes—typically read by Ashkenazi Jews during the Shabbat of Sukkot, the fall harvest festival—my first astonished thought was that I’d wandered into the wrong room, or at least picked up the wrong book.
Book Review | Ukraine’s Zelensky, Warts and All
The rise of Volodymyr Zelensky from comic improv-artist-turned-movie-star, to wealthy producer, to wartime leader of a besieged Ukraine is improbable enough to invite hyperbole.
David Wolkinson: Prioritizing National Security
“I just can’t imagine that a presidential candidate [Trump] could think so foolishly about foreign policy.”
Connecting Jewish Identity with Jewish Values with Donniel Hartman and Sarah Breger
Are these two types of Jewish identity pulling in opposite directions today? Are there issues, such as Israel-Palestine, where they feel incompatible? Who are Jews today and who do we want to be? A wide-ranging conversation with Donniel Hartman.
Letter From Dearborn | Scenes From the Heart of Arab America
“There’s nowhere else in America quite like Dearborn, and nowhere else quite as American,” Jacob Forman observes.
Opinion | At Israeli Seders, Pick Your Pharaoh
This Passover, before or after reading the Haggadah, many Israeli Jews are likely to mention a casual but common Hebrew phrase: “We got past Pharaoh, we will get past this too.”
Jewish Word | Doikayt: The Jewish Left Is Here
Embraced by 1940s Bundists opposed to Zionism, the Yiddish word for “hereness” is being popularized by progressive American Jews.
Opinion Interview with Daniel Klaidman | Are Threats Eroding Our Politics?
Daniel Klaidman, coauthor of “Find me the Votes”, discusses the violent threats received by Georgia officials following the 2020 election.
Visual Moment | Depicting Devastation
Walking into the room in New York’s Jewish Museum where Israeli artist Zoya Cherkassky’s darkly vivid and intense drawings, “The 7 October 2023 Series,” were on display, one felt a visceral sense of assault.
B’Ivrit | Israeli Media Covers Anniversary of a Half-Year at War
With trust in the government, military and other institutions at an all-time low, the Israeli media has stepped in to provide Israelis with a common narrative.
Moment Debate | Should UNRWA be shut down?
We have a tremendous humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and only UNRWA has the capacity and the wherewithal to implement an effective response, not just today but probably for a year or more.
From the Newsletter | Israel Is Not the Same: Notes From a Recent Trip
Israelis are alternately depressed, angry, reserved and mourning. For the most part, they don’t seem to be able to contemplate the suffering that Gazans face.
Interview | Non-Orthodox Conversion in Israel
“If the state of Israel ends the legalization of non-Orthodox conversions, my life’s work would be ended,” says Rabbi Galia Sadan.
Explainer | Will Israel Draft ‘Those Who Toil in Torah’?
For the first time in Israeli history, Haredi parties may no longer be able to act as kingmaker for whoever is willing to exempt them from the draft and fund their yeshivot.
From the Editor | How Nuance Can Save Us
Since October 7, the American Jewish conversation seems to have become stuck in an infinite loop that circles between fear for the Jewish future and finger-pointing in all directions.
Opinion | Carrying Navalny’s Torch
With the death of Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Kara-Murza—the crusading and imprisoned Russian journalist—is now the public face of dissent and most prominent democratic opponent of Vladimir Putin’s dictatorship.
Opinion | Israel’s Elusive ‘Day After’
What will happen on the “day after” the war in Gaza ends is one of the things (there are a few) over which the U.S. administration and the Israeli government are having a dispute.
Esther Coopersmith
For the Love of Judaism with Shai Held and Amy E. Schwartz
Join Shai Held for a conversation about why he believes that “love belongs as much to Judaism as it does to Christianity.”
Wisdom Project | Joseph Werk, 97
Joseph Werk shares his story of escaping Poland during WWII and his involvement with the IDF’s volunteer service Sar-El.
Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste
By noon, less than three hours after the exchange began, Washington and Jerusalem were in full crisis mode.
Beyond Greening: Jewish Responses to Climate Emergency
American Jewish responses to this existential threat include a spate of new books, fresh efforts to organize grassroots Jewish climate activists and increased attention to climate within the Jewish environmental movement.
Is a Two-State Solution for Israelis and Palestinians Still Possible? with Aaron David Miller, Ghaith al-Omari and Robert Siegel
Once the Israel-Hamas War ends, is a two-state solution with Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side by side in two countries still possible? What would it take now for both sides to agree to two states?
Israel’s Internal War
Female, Funny and Fabulous with Felicia Madison, Ellen Sugarman and Jennifer Bardi
A conversation about becoming a comedianshow being Jewish intersects with their comedy and how older women are finding laughter in their second act in life.
What Do Students Want? Plus: UK Antisemitism and America’s Golden Age
Is London burning? Are students safe? And is the golden age of American Jews really ending?
Interview | Franklin Foer on the Golden Age of American Jews
“I realized I needed to dig in and understand exactly what’s happening in the country.“
The Israeli Diaspora Finds A Voice
Moment critic-at-large Carlin Romano reviews the three-part novel series “The Hebrew Teacher” by Maya Arad.
How to Remember: Holocaust Literature From Survivors’ Accounts to 3G
A survey of Holocaust Literature across different generations—from Elie Wiesel to Art Spiegelman to Julie Orringer.
From 1975 | “Remembering,” by Elie Wiesel
“In those days and nights of destiny, the solitude of the Jewish people was matched only by God’s.” – Read this archived article by Elie Wiesel from 1975.
In Israel and Beyond, Hostages Freed by Hamas Share Their Stories
Every person personally afflicted by October 7 has a unique narrative to share.
Analysis | After October 7, Holocaust Literature Will Never Be the Same
Generations of Jewish writers have reckoned with the Holocaust: Now there’s a new trauma to contend with.
It’s not a Conspiracy: The Jewish and Black Origins of the Skinhead Movement with Jacob Kornbluth, Eric K. Ward, Pan Nesbitt and Nadine Epstein
Jewish and Black origins of the Skinhead movement, how punk activists like Ward and Nesbitt successfully pushed back against white nationalists and neo-Nazis to save the subculture.
Is Chuck Schumer Playing Bad Cop for Biden?
In a world full of bad news, Netanyahu can make lemonade from the lemons handed to him by Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer.
Diana Leygerman
Why You Should Stop Being Angry at RBG
Justice Ginsburg was a mortal like the rest of us; she didn’t have the gift of hindsight.
Am I The Schmuck?
Let’s face it: we’ve all had moments where somebody thinks we’re being a bit of a schmuck.
B’Ivrit | Haredim, Gaza Coverage, Eurovision
In Israel, testimonies from Gaza only make it to prime-time news if they’re coupled with criticism of Hamas.
The Solar Eclipse Then and Now—the Jewish Perspective
In early April a total eclipse will pass over the United States. Is this a bad omen for the Jewish people?
The Spirituality of Showing Up when it Matters with Sharon Brous and Amy E. Schwartz
Rabbi Brouse talks about the wisdom, relevance and creativity of Jewish practice and community, and the importance of showing up for one another.
From Jewish Rapper to Israel Activist with Kosha Dillz and Joe Alterman
Kosha Dillz, aka Rami Even-Esh, talks about embracing his Jewish identity and how he uses his music to bring together people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Putin and the Killing of Alexei Navalny with Paul Goldberg and Amy E. Schwartz
Paul Goldberg discusses Russian leader Vladimir Putin is far more dangerous than his Soviet predecessors.
Clocks Are Ticking on a Cease-Fire Deal
Moment contributor Nathan Guttman examines the most recent political takes from the Jewish world and beyond.
Wisdom Project | Morris Waitz, 100, Keeps Thinking About Tomorrow
A fortune teller predicted Morris Waitz would die in World War II. Now 100, he says he “beat that by a little bit.”
Audience & Antisemitism: February Round-Up
Kanye, Taylor Swift, Superbowl ads, campus conflicts and more.
Analysis: For South Africans, the ICJ Case is a “Reawakening”
Young South Africans disaffected by electoral politics but eager to see the country punch above its weight feel vindicated by the ICJ case.
What Does Winning Look Like for Israel? with Eetta Prince-Gibson and Sarah Breger
Join Moment Israel Editor Eetta Prince-Gibson for a conversation with Moment Editor Sarah Breger about Israel’s endgame and what lies ahead for Israelis after the war.
Class Dismissed: An Interview with Jewish Studies Professor Jeffrey Blutinger
Jewish Studies Prof. Jeffrey Blutinger’s lecture on solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was shut down after clash with protesters.
A Cooling: Jewish-Muslim Interfaith Work after October 7 and Gaza
URJ president emeritus Eric Yoffie considered contacting his Muslim contacts after October 7, but ultimately chose not to. “I pulled away,” he says.
From 2005 | Breaking the Barrier: A Look at All Peace Radio
A republication of the 2005 article “Breaking the Barrier” about an Israeli and Palestinian radio show—similar to modern peace efforts.
Six Israeli/Palestinian Peace Projects Active Since October 7
A deeper dive into six Israeli and Palestinian peace projects which remain committed to creating lasting peace.
From the Editor’s Desk: A Podcast for Those in Search of Nuance
“From The Yarra River to the Mediterranean Sea” is a podcast that’s part history lesson, part therapy session and also features interviews with various peacebuilders in the region.
Podcasts for Peace: Six Shows That Feature Nuanced Conversations about Israel/Palestine
Many Israelis, Palestinians and Jews abroad are actively working to provide nuanced perspectives to their respective communities—and other listeners.
The Political Is Personal with Letty Cottin Pogrebin and Sarah Breger
Letty Cottin Pogrebin discusses what people can do to channel their feelings of despair, guilt and anger about the Israel-Hamas war and regain a sense of hope.
Can Pro-Israel Democrats Throw Biden a Lifeline?
Moment contributor Nathan Guttman examines the most recent political takes from the Jewish world and beyond.
Opinion | What I Learned from Alexei Navalny
Analysis | The Killing of Navalny and Putin’s Theater of Terror
The killing of Alexei Navalny in an Arctic prison camp last week recalls the darkest aspects of Communist rule in the Stalinist era.
Analysis | What Could Winning This War Look Like?
The slogan adorns highway bridges, supermarkets, walls and fences all over the country—even my taxi receipt.
What Israelis Are Reading
Nathan Guttman provides commentary and analysis on Israeli media in B’Ivrit, Moment’s Hebrew Language Media Roundup. In this first installment, Guttman covers the U.S. presidential campaigns, the question of releasing hostages versus securing an Israeli victory, Israel’s economy and the Superbowl.
A Vision of Decency and Hope: Why James McBride Is Today’s Charles Dickens
Both writers weave intricate yet leisurely plots and present an array of colorful, characters. Above all, they portray a fundamental decency and a hopeful vision.
From Theodor Herzl to David Ben-Gurion: Humanist Zionism Lives on Today with Fania Oz-Salzberger and Sarah Breger
Fania Oz-Salzberger discusses Theodor Herzl’s and David Ben Gurion’s vision of Zionism, what it means to be a humanist Zionist today and shares her concerns about some other Zionist strains.
A Human Lens: Teaching the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Through Film
“Filmmakers know that addressing the conflict can make or break a film, or a career,” says Orr. But done well, the rewards can be worth it.
Q&A | Genocide Scholar Mike Brand on the ICJ Ruling
Will Israel comply with the ICJ’s order to submit a report within a month detailing what it’s doing to follow the Genocide Convention?
Profile | Is Aharon Barak Still Israel’s Most Maverick Judge?
In this heretofore unreleased profile, Jeffrey Rosen discusses Barak’s legacy, detractors and the judge’s opinion on the role of the judiciary and the future of Israeli democracy.
Explainer | Will Turnover at the ICJ Impact the Genocide Trial?
On February 6, four of the ICJ’s fifteen judges left the court, and four new judges joined.
On the Record | Which Israeli Politicians are Being Accused of Incitement of Genocide at the ICJ?
South Africa’s claim brought to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accused Israel of genocidal actions against Gaza. Read the quotes by notable Israeli politicians offered as evidence of incitement of genocide.
Court Issues New Ruling Over Chabad World Headquarters
The legal battles are inflected by religious differences about whether Schneerson was the—or a—Jewish messiah.
The Short Leap from Anti-science to Antisemitism with Peter Hotez and Jennifer Bardi
Dr. Peter J. Hotez join us for a conversation about antiscience and antisemitism, the connections between the “health freedom” movement and the far right, the dangers vaccine scientists face, and what can be done to stop the spread of these conspiracy theories.
From the Newsletter | Is Context Everything?
Ben-Gvir Boldly Puts Bibi—and Biden—in a Bind
Israel Dispatch | The Hostage Dilemma: Is There Really No Price Bibi Will Pay?
The families of the estimated 136 hostages remaining in Gaza are getting mixed signals from Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Ask the Rabbis | Does Jewish Wisdom Offer Help in Coping with Depression?
The prophet Elijah is in a deep depression.
What Three Words Describe Your Judaism?
During Hanukkah, we asked participants on /r/Jewish, a discussion forum on the social media platform Reddit, to describe their Jewish observance in three words and, if they wanted, to expand on what it means to them.
The Conversation
Thanks for the wonderful piece Dan Freedman wrote about his father Alfred Freedman’s role in depathologizing homosexuality in 1973 when he was president of the American Psychiatric Association (“Keepers of the Diagnostic Keys,” November/December 2023).
Red Sea Rebels: Yemen and the Houthis with Michael Knights and Nadine Epstein
Join Michael Knights from The Washington Institute for Near East Policy for a conversation about Yemen, the Houthi rebels and the threat they pose for a wider war in the Middle East.
Wisdom Project | Lusia Milch, 92: “Doing Nothing Is Not Acceptable”
Lusia Milch, the spokeswoman for “Lives Eliminated, Dreams Illuminated” discusses her tough survival of the Holocaust and her message for Jews to never give up their fight to eliminate antisemitism.
ICJ Decision Puts Ball in Bibi’s Court: Israel Must Show It’s Complying with International Law
Reactions in Israel to the ICJ decision have ranged from outrage, to a sigh of relief, to a sobering assessment of its broad domestic and international implications.
The Soul of Israel: Lost in Translation with Daniel Gordis and Amy E. Schwartz
Join author Daniel Gordis, creator of the Israel from the Inside blog and podcast for a discussion about what non-Hebrew speakers don’t always get about what’s happening in Israel and share insights into the country’s soul and future.
New French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal is no Stranger to Prejudice
French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Gabriel Attal as France’s new Prime Minister on January 9, 2024. This appointment comes at a time of unrest in France as antisemitism and Islamophobia have both risen since October 7.
Poem | Kaddish for the Living
How A Set of Twins Survived the Holocaust Together with Michael Berenbaum and Marion Ein Lewin
Join Marion Lewin and Holocaust Scholar Michael Berenbaum for a conversation about what they experienced and how they survived, a remarkable story documented in the new book Inseparable: The Hess Twins’ Holocaust Journey through Bergen-Belsen to America by Faris Cassell.
Interview | Laziza Dalil on Teaching Moroccan Jewish Heritage
The vice president and cofounder of the Mimouna Association, which started as a club on her university campus in Morocco, on the importance of shared community.
Memoir | International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the Danish Rescue
Danes from all walks of life stepped up during the Holocaust to save Jews—including my relatives. How is Denmark observing International Holocaust Remembrance Day in the wake of October 7?
Tu B’Shvat: A Birthday for the Trees
Muslim and Arab Voices Against Bigotry
Thoughts from Muslims and Arabs who have been courageously speaking out against antisemitism and the October Hamas attack on Israel.
The Importance of Storytelling in the Black and Jewish Communities with Eric K. Ward, Nadine Epstein, Adam Mansbach and Langston Collin Wilkins
A conversation about the importance of folklore in both the Black and Jewish communities, from the golem and Anansi the Spider to Hip Hop and Jewish Jokes.
Fania Oz-Salzberger Reads ‘A Quick Guide To Zionism In Hard Times’
Who Will Lead the Priestesses?
On the evening of July 20, members of the Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute found an unexpected email from Rabbi Jill Hammer and Taya Mâ Shere in their inboxes.
Will Congress Pressure Israel?
This week, Natan Guttman covers Bernie Sanders’ failed legislation to condition U.S. military aid to Israel, and shares what he heard from Iowa caucus voters last week, including from a woman wearing not one but two Trump hats.
From 2016 | How The Black Lives Matter and Palestinian Movements Converged
Ferguson had the world’s attention, and it wasn’t long before messages of black-Palestinian solidarity reverberated in cities across the country.
Duckworth: Life as a Unity
Q&A | The Israel-Hamas War: Updates and Analysis (Part 3) with Aaron David Miller
“I’m all for cessation of hostilities, but I would argue that it has to be tethered to a quid pro quo,” says Middle East Analyst Aaron David Miller.
Shifting Identities after September 11th and October 7th with Dean Obeidallah and Max Brooks
Dean Obeidallah and Max Brooks discuss how external events force tribal identity and how to deal with it.
Interview: Pink Pancake’s Jewish Drag Journey
The Courage of Eric K. Ward
How a Black punk rocker from Southern California confronted white nationalists, linked anti-Black racism with antisemitism and took the national stage to fight for inclusive democracy.
Tel Aviv Dispatch | A Beloved Bookstore in the Before and After
Halper’s Books, a favorite literary haunt for international celebrities and local authors alike, and its iconic owner Yosef Halper adjust to a post-October 7 world.
From the Editor | Must We Harden Our Hearts?
More than seven million Jews and seven million Arabs live in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. No matter how much one side or the other wishes, neither group is going anywhere.
Visual Moment | A Cinematic Window on the Conflict
The devastating October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel and the ensuing war, along with the contradictory and perplexing media accounts of the clash, underscore the necessity for a nuanced understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Black-Jewish Relations: Coming Together to Fight Racism and Antisemitism with Rochelle L. Ford and Nadine Epstein
Join Dr. Rochelle L. Ford, President of Dillard University in New Orleans, for a conversation about why she made the decision to revitalize the university’s National Center for Black-Jewish Relations which was first founded in 1989 and how the two communities can build relationships to fight hate.
Moment Debate | Should Students Be Disciplined for Chanting “From the River to the Sea”?
“I understand the importance of the First Amendment and academic freedom, but even with those rights, there are limitations.”
Opinion | Serious Leadership Means Standing Together
Serious leadership brings complexity and nuance, and demands more information, not less. Our debates must strengthen democracy, not weaken it.
Book Review | She Came, She Sang, She Conquered
Barbra Streisand remains the single most powerful and enduring female Jewish cultural figure of my lifetime, writes Glenn Frankel.
Book Review | When an Adored Villain Gets His Day in Court
What becomes of the national leader deemed guilty, but whose popularity is such that punishing him would risk political upheaval or a “lost cause” movement ? Two books, focused on a historic trial, seek to answer the question.
Opinion | Right Now, The Political Is Personal
The Israel-Hamas war has turned the women’s liberation slogan on its head.
Opinion | Yes, Context Matters
Examining the myths and facts of the campus antisemitism and free speech debate.
Mood | In Israel, October Never Ended
Israel editor Eetta Prince-Gibson weighs in on Israel’s current mood, and the heaviness of feeling stuck in the past.
SNEAK PEEK: 2024 Jewish Political Voices Project
Uncertainties and perils may turn 2024 into an existential election for American Jews.
Opinion | A Quick Guide to Zionism in Hard Times
Or, why in spite of everything I am a humanist Zionist.
Jewish Word | Amalek, Then and Now
Bibi Netanyahu’s invocation of Amalek, an ancient people whom the Israelites were commanded to wipe out, has caused many observers to fear for the inhabitants of Gaza.
Coming Together for an Inspiring Moment Program with Anne Applebaum, Dorit Beinisch, Esther Safran Foer, Lauren Holtzblatt, Dara Horn, Eric K. Ward, Robert Siegel and many others
On Primaries, Caucuses and Hitler Comparisons
“Not all Hitler comparisons are equal,” writes Nathan Guttman in this week’s Jewish Politics and Power newsletter. Guttman looks at the Republican candidates, recent speeches and the political stances on the war in Gaza.
From the Newsletter | A Wise Person Once Said…What Exactly?
“Listening is much more important than speaking.” Participants in Moment’s Wisdom Project, which highlights stories of those lucky enough to have lived long Jewish lives, share their words of wisdom and pieces of advice as the year comes to an end.
Interview | Dr. Zeina Barakat on Palestinian Views of the Holocaust and Reconciliation
Some Palestinians ask, “How can we not compare the Nazi atrocities in the Holocaust to the mass killings of civilians and children in Gaza?
The Israel-Hamas War: Updates and Analysis (Part 3) with Aaron David Miller and Robert Siegel
What’s going on behind the scenes in Israel, Gaza, the U.S., throughout the Middle East and the world? Is the Israel-Hamas war going to come to an end soon, and what constitutes a successful end for Israel? Middle East analyst Aaron David Miller and Moment contributor Robert Siegel , return for another conversation to address these and other pressing questions.
At Fraught Moment, Israel’s High Court Upholds Its Own Powers
Chief Justice Esther Hayut stated that even during wartime, “the court must fulfill its role and decide on the issues brought before it.”
Opinion | Religious Absolutism: Isaac and Ishmael
Devout militants have gained power among both Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims, making the conflict even more intractable.
Ask the Rabbis | What is the Role of the Prophetic Voice in Today’s World?
The Great Arab Revolt and Its Echoes Today
Why do so few of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s historical roots and possible solutions, once actively discussed by both Jews and Arabs, make it into the conversation today?
Four Novels of 2023 That Are More Jewish Than You Thought
2023 was one of those years when we really, really needed our books.
Jewish Politics—A Year in Review
Biden now faces a real possibility of losing the election because of his support for Israel.
From the Newsletter | Degrees of Evil—and Joy—in 2023
It feels as though years of history have happened in 2023, and we’ve needed to “hate and forgive and remember and forget, to arrange and confuse, to eat and digest” with dizzying rapidity.
Moment’s Top Stories of 2023
As we come to the end of this challenging year, Moment takes a look back at the stories that shaped the American Jewish conversation in 2023. From our coverage of Israeli democracy to American politics to the E-Street Band, here are Moment’s most-read stories 2023.
Interview | Between Missile Strikes, Activist Mohammed Dajani is Still Dedicated To Peace
“If you want to talk to me, talk to me about the future, about what is next.”
An Inspirational Conversation with Holocaust Survivor Manfred Lindenbaum
Holocaust survivor Manny Lindenbaum shares his story and important lessons for all of us.
Ye’s New Album ‘Vultures’ Criticized for Antisemitic Lyrics and Art
‘Vultures’ is a collaboration between Ye and Ty Dolla $ign, and visually references the founder of the Neo-Nazi ‘Heathen Front’ movement.
IDF Spotters: ‘The men ignored us, and we all paid dearly’
Sources inside the IDF Spotters Unit and Intelligence’s Unit 8200 shed light on the catastrophic failures that led to October 7.
From the Newsletter | When Psychiatry Made Being Gay OK
How the “Woke” Movement is Undermining its own Goals and Unintentionally Pushing Society to the Right with Susan Neiman and Robert Siegel
American Philosopher Susan Neiman, director of the Einstein Forum in Potsdam, Germany and Moment contributor Robert Siegel, former host of NPR’s All Things Considered, discuss Neiman’s latest book Left is Not Woke and clarify the dangerous confusion surrounding the word and the movement.
Memoir | Seeing Green in Southern Israel
The crisis in the agricultural sector is acute, but inside the avocado trees, my head swims with green, with the bounty of this fruit.
Video Essay | Volunteers Head South to Help Israeli Agriculture
“This is our lifeline. Israel is the only place for Jews to live and if we don’t keep it up and running we don’t have anywhere to go.”
From 2005 | Ask the Rabbis: Should Jewish Children Sing Christmas Carols
American society tries to sell us the idea that Christmas is not a religious holiday because its themes—gift giving, goodwill and peace on earth—are universal. But Christmas is fundamentally religious: It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Christian messiah
Women Speak Out: Confronting War, Rape, and the Rise in Hate: An Interfaith Conversation with Zainab Khan, Shirin Taber, Heidi Basch-Harod and Nadine Epstein
Women Speak Out: Confronting War, Rape, and the Rise in Hate.
Watching ‘Israelism’ from Wesleyan
The film “Israelism” is dedicated to providing viewers with personal experiences of two Zionist Jews from childhood to adulthood in an attempt to display the hostile acts committed by Israel that often go unnoticed by blind Zionist believers.
Stefanik Schools the Ivies
Moment contributor Nathan Guttman explains the intricacies and fallouts of this week’s congressional testimony with university presidents Elizabeth Magill, Claudine Gay and Sally Kornbluth.
‘Deeply Rooted’—Pursuing Reproductive Justice Through Art
“I’ve integrated prayer into these amulets and made them to resemble a pill box, evoking birth control,” says Charlie Schrön. The multimedia exhibition of work by 21 female artists is a powerful rejoinder to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade last spring.
Opinion | For Israel: A Blank Check or Tangled Strings?
The West Bank is such a crazy-quilt of settlements that Palestinian sovereignty there would require evicting tens of thousands of Jews.
Top 10 Jewish Books of 2023
From 1981 | Citizen Lear
The American Way believes, and I share the belief, that the central issue is pluralism, diversity, the freedom to believe and to espouse without being told you’re a good guy or a bad guy.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of December 4, 2023
Synagogue attack in Armenia. Anger over a committee to fight antisemitism in America. Denial of Hamas’ sexual violence against Israeli women in Canada. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of November 20, 2023
Violence at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in the United States. Nazi chants on the metro in Paris, France. Gunfire aimed at a Jewish school in Canada. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of November 6, 2023
A hate-fueled break in in Studio City, California. Antisemitic comments from high-ranking officials in Turkey. Questionable actions from a soccer parent in the United Kingdom. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of October 16, 2023
Elon Musk promotes antisemitic platforms on X. Antisemitic events quadrupled in the United Kingdom since October 7. Graffiti adorns Berlin buildings, but that doesn’t stop Berlin residents from forming a human shield around a Berlin synagogue on October 13. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Wisdom Project | Manny Lindenbaum on the Joy of Making a Difference
My aunt couldn’t stop hugging me. I didn’t remember ever having been hugged in my life. I remember thinking, “This is kind of nice.”
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of September 25, 2023
Terrorism-loving teenagers in England. Faith-based bullying and discrimination at schools in New Zealand. At least 10 bomb threats at synagogues during Rosh Hashanah in the United States. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of September 11, 2023
Swastikas in a peaceful coastal town in Ireland. Questionable hiring choices from a university in Switzerland. Nazis labeled as patriots by officials in Hungary. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of August 28, 2023
A rise of neo-Nazism throughout Brazil. A memorial to Jews at a train station destroyed in Germany, with antisemitic notes left behind. A return of the blood libel myth on a news station in Turkey. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of August 14, 2023
Extreme antisemitism and bullying resulting in schools being sued in Australia. Former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters continues to wear Nazi-like items on stages around the world. Journalist who lied about being Jewish ousted in Germany. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of June 19, 2023
A statue of the antisemitic politician Karl Lueger intentionally tilted to the right in Austria. A children’s party, organized by the mayor, at the site of a Jewish cemetery in Poland. SWAT standoff with a man found to be quite antisemitic in Chicago. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of June 5, 2023
An antisemitic sculpture must remain at a church in Germany. A suspected terrorist attack on Jews making a pilgrimage in Tunisia. Rudy Giuliani mocked Jewish traditions in the United States. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of May 22, 2023
Violence and murder of the Bnei Menashe community in India. Antisemites hijacking a train’s intercom system in Austria. Antisemitic and anti-immigration rally in Victoria, Australia. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of April 10, 2023
Jewish lawmaker threatened and assaulted in Finland. Two arrested for planning attacks on Jewish sites in Greece. Anti-Israel sentiment at a pro-Palestine rally in Brazil. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of March 27, 2023
New coins honoring a man who murdered dozens of Jews in Poland. Four antisemitic journalists suspended in France. 12 annual marches in 10 European countries glorify Nazism. Nazi salutes at a football game against a Jewish school in Turkey. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of March 13, 2023
Threats of murder to Jews at a kibbutz in Israel. Historical revision of the Holocaust on Wikipedia in Poland. Twitter threats towards Jewish representatives in Michigan. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of February 27, 2023
Anne Frank slander in the Netherlands. Holocaust denial in Germany. Attempted bombing of a school in Brazil. A man dubbed the “L Train Nazi” in the United States. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of February 13, 2023
Israeli athlete disqualified from athletic competition for use of Israeli symbols in Indonesia. Antisemitic threats aimed at a German-Jewish football club in Germany. Controversy around rapper Freeze Corleone in France. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Wisdom Project | Gloria Levitas, 92 and counting!
Confidence also comes from the people who trust you; in my case, my parents, friends, bosses, students—they had confidence in me.
A Few Highlights from Moment’s 2023 Gala
From the Newsletter | Stop Drawing Lines in the Sand
Moment Gala 2023: Civil Rights Strategist Eric K. Ward
Watch Moment’s 2023 Gala
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of January 16, 2023
Orthodox teens chased in the United States. A man attacked and screamed at in front of his child in the United Kingdom. Swastikas at a primary school in Australia. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Book Review | Henry Kissinger on Successful Leadership
Henry Kissinger, now 99 years old, has added to his prodigious scholarship a valuable and enjoyable book on the qualities of great leadership.
A View from the Gulf States with Bahraini journalist Ahdeya Al Sayed and Nadine Epstein
Bahraini journalist Ahdeya Al Sayed, editor-in-chief of the Times of Bahrain discusses the history and importance of Bahraini-Israeli relations, antisemitism in the Arab world and how the Israel-Hamas War is viewed in various Gulf States.
How Have 10/7 And The Israel-Hamas War Changed Your Priorities And Activism?
Talk of the Table | The Ever Malleable Marzipan
Strolling with my family through the charming streets of the Jewish Quarter in Toledo, Spain, last May felt like embarking on a journey through time.
Keepers of the Diagnostic Keys
Fifty years ago my father led the psychiatric establishment in declaring that homosexuality was not a mental disorder, changing the tide of how being gay was seen in America.
Spice Box | Nobody Wants a Second Cut
The Conversation
Joe Biden’s New Full-Time Job
The work doesn’t stop, even on Thanksgiving, for President Biden, who stayed in close communication with Middle Eastern leaders over the holiday concerning the release of hostages from Hamas.
Poetry | Reheat, by David Israel Katz
David Israel Katz writes us into spaces that negate sense, and importantly, negate our impulse to try to locate sense.
Opinion | Breaking the Silence on Hamas’s War Crimes Against Women
The October 7 Hamas attack showed that sex crimes are not absent from the modern battlefield.
Continuous Service Guarantee
Tough Talk at Thanksgiving
The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza means that conversations may be especially fraught around the table this year, for multi-generational families of all types and especially for Jewish families.
Book Review | Hollywood Gets the Mamet Treatment
Through all the multiple David Mamets, one personality remains constant: a bold, aggressive, exceedingly confident, superbly well-read, arguably narcissistic provocateur.
Book Review | Revisiting a 1920s Thrill Kill
Jewish Baby Boomers like me grew up hearing about Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold Jr. because they were two intellectually precocious, rich Chicago teenagers who were also Jewish.
Visual Moment | John Singer Sargent: Fashioning Art
Fans, gowns, beaded dress pumps, even a French hat ornament constructed from the stuffed body of a bird-of-paradise, complement the 50 paintings assembled for “Fashioned by Sargent” at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, currently on view through January 15, 2024.
Issue Blast | November/December 2023
Those of us who refuse to either be washed out to sea or retreat inland are in a challenging, sometimes heartbreaking position.
Opinion | What This Jew is Learning From This War
We have been reminded of all these things in the most horrible and heartbreaking way possible. October 7 was the most difficult and poisonous chemotherapy, but it has removed the cancer that was destroying us from within.
Moment Debate | Do Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives Harm Jews?
Opinion| Get Off Twitter Already
In the days following the Hamas massacres in southern Israel, the group’s propaganda videos—including graphic, unedited streams of terrorists firing automatic weapons and the mutilated bodies of victims—proliferated unhindered on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Opinion | Poland’s Democratic Comeback
Poland has a long tradition of bucking political trends.
A Sign of the Times
“Most people don’t think in those terms,” says Goldman; what is more powerful is “a sense that God has chosen the Jews, that God has made promises to the Jews, that those promises still hold and God is still delivering.”
Vivian Silver: 1949-2023
Thousands came together—Arabs and Jews, religious and secular, Bedouin women in heavy black hijabs and hipsters with tattoos and piercings—to mourn the loss of this remarkable woman.
Opinion | When Government Leaves a Void
On the sixteenth day of the war, I found hope in an underground parking garage.
Opinion Interview with Dina Porat | Do Israelis Want Revenge?
As chief historian at Yad Vashem from 2011 to 2021, and now the institution’s senior academic advisor, Dina Porat has the chops—the moral authority, if you will—to poke into dark and troubling corners of the Israeli national psyche.
Interview | The Perilous State of Our World Order
It’s a truism of geopolitics that disorder somewhere breeds disorder elsewhere.
Essay | The Stolen Beam
In South Dakota, Jewish homesteaders made their fortune on land the Lakota Nation once called home. One of their descendants explores what a process of repair and repentance might look like.
Moment’s 2023 Benefit & Awards Gala
Jewish Word | The Twisted Path of the Word ‘Genocide’
Since October 7 and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war, the word genocide has been used liberally by parties on both sides of the conflict.
From the Newsletter | Anne Applebaum, Dorit Beinisch and More!
How to Negotiate with Terrorists and Bring Hostages Home with Ory Slonim and Dan Raviv
Join Orly Slonim, a specialist in negotiating for the release of Israeli prisoners and hostages ,for a conversation about the 230+ hostages taken to Gaza and what strategies might win their release. He also discusses the role Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, as well as the United States, may play in the negotiations.
Photo Essay | The November 14 Pro-Israel Rally in DC
“I’ve been to four marches on the National Mall,” said David Krieger of Florida. “A 1973 Vietnam War protest, the 1987 March for Soviet Jewry, during the Second Intifada in 2002 and today.”
From the Editor | A Dangerous Paradigm Shift—for Everyone
I am always amazed at the power of one violent act to upend the fragile progress of humanity—in particular the painstaking work of constructing peace.
The Spice of Life
Lois and Arden Shenker of Portland, Oregon, have been collecting spice boxes from around the world since 1957, and now have a collection of 34.
Unprecedented Interest in DC March for Israel
Moment Institute Fellow Nathan Guttman explores the week’s most recent political topics in the Jewish world—cease-fires in Israel, public opinion on the Israel-Gaza war, and historical examples that can help us understand what is happening in the world today.
An Inside Look at What’s Happening in the Palestinian Authority Today: A Wide-Ranging Conversation with Ghaith al-Omari and Nadine Epstein
What are the repercussions of the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel and the resulting Israel-Hamas war for the Palestinian Authority? How are PA President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah Party dealing with issues from settler violence to pro Hamas demonstrations, and a populace that only gets its news from Al Jazeera and doesn’t know what really happened on October 7? Why do ties between Israeli and Palestinian security forces remain strong? Will the crisis push the dysfunctional PA to reform? How are Palestinians within Israel reacting? And who should oversee Gaza after the war? Join Ghaith al-Omari
The Rise of Antisemitism since October 7th with Ira N. Forman and Sarah Breger
Join Ira N. Forman, former U.S. State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism for an important conversation about the current state of antisemitism around the globe since October 7th.
From the Newsletter | GOP Debate & the Beer Hall Putsch Centennial
Israel, Hamas, Iran and campus antisemitism all got airing in last night’s GOP debate. And, no, Ramaswamy didn’t call Zelensky a Nazi, but he did come off like a clown.
Opinion | The Campus Conundrum
Antisemitism, like Islamophobia—charges of which have been similarly made by Muslim and Arab students on a number of campuses—should be calculated by actual, violent incidents on campuses, not by unverifiable threats, or perceived feelings of being threatened.
From 1975 | Can Israel Win Another War?
Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch, an Anti-Jewish Pogrom, and the U.S. State Department
The Americans soon forgot the turmoil in the streets of Munich in the fall of 1923. The Jews of Munich did not.
The World Order Under Threat: How Russia, Iran and China Benefit from the Israel-Hamas War with Ilan Berman and Nadine Epstein
Join Ilan Berman, Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council, and Moment Editor-in-Chief Nadine Epstein, for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the world order, the links between Russia, China, Iran and the strategies behind them.
Laughter in a Time of Mourning with MODI
Join Israeli-born, Long Island-raised comedian MODI, for a conversation about the healing power of laughter and how it can bring us together as a community.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of December 19, 2022
Holocaust denial in Canada. Assault of a Haredi man in Israel. An escape from Paris to Scotland to avoid conviction. Read more in this week’s Antisemitism Monitor Newsletter.
Interview | Let’s Say Israel Can Destroy Hamas. Then What?
If you want to end the Israeli Palestinian conflict, you need four things. You give me two of these things and I’ll give you a fighting chance to succeed.
The Anatomy of a Pogrom
As this went on, Russia’s law enforcement authorities stayed out of the way. Riot police showed up 90 minutes after the start of the rampage. Who can blame them for taking their time?
Keeping the Hostages Front and Center
An empty Shabbat table stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on Friday, October 27, as a sober reminder of the plight of some 200 people kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
What Can We Do With Our Anguish? Stay United and Fight
The Israel-Hamas War: Updates and Analysis (Part 2) with Aaron David Miller and Robert Siegel
Aaron David Miller shares his thoughts on the hostage situation, Hamas, Gaza, the West Bank, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, regional and international ramifications, and where he thinks this war is headed in the coming weeks.
The GOP’s Pro-Israel Fest
Moment Institute Fellow Nathan Guttman takes a deep dive into how the Israel-Gaza war is affecting the Republican presidential campaign and how Biden’s response to the violence has shifted since the outbreak of war.
From the Newsletter | New House Speaker, Same George Santos
Now facing 23 federal charges, the New York Representative has made no indication he’ll resign, nor has he been keeping a low profile.
Danger on Israel’s Northern Border: An Interview with Hanin Ghaddar About Hezbollah and the Failed State of Lebanon
A look at the evolution of Hezbollah inside Lebanon’s fractured political system and Iran’s growing influence throughout the Middle East.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of November 21, 2022
An attempted coup in Germany. Murder in the United States. Holocaust denial in Poland. Conspiracy theories around Jewish figures in the COVID-19 pandemic. This is just a sample of the reported antisemitic incidents that took place around the globe during the week of November 21, 2022. Sign up for the Antisemitism Monitor for a bi-weekly report.
From the Newsletter | The Arsenal of Memory
From 2006 | Marked For Life
A tattoo offers a means of protesting against one part of society while conforming to another. A young Israeli put it perfectly when he said, “I want a different tattoo, like everybody else.”
The Israel-Hamas War Through the Eyes of an Israeli Writer with Fania Oz Salzberger and Amy E. Schwartz
Historian and Moment columnist Fania Oz-Salzberger, coauthor of the book Jews and Words with her father Amos Oz, talks about how she and other Israelis are coping with the dramatic upheavals of the past two weeks, her personal experience, her hopes and fears for Israel, and how she processes what she is experiencing and decides what to share in her writing.
Opinion | We Israelis Need Moral Clarity—Not Revenge
No country could be expected to forgo retaliation for attacks on innocent citizens in its own territory. But what are the long-term goals?
How Theater Transforms the World with Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody and Gail Merrifield Papp
Join Merrifield Papp, author of the memoir Public/Private: My Life with Joe Papp at The Public Theater, and longtime friends Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody for a conversation about “how The Public Theater became a transformative beacon for social change and of the couple who created it,” and the Yiddishkeit that bonded Papp, Patinkin and Grody.
Dispatch | Tensions Rise for Palestinians in East Jerusalem
Though rockets have fallen in Palestinian neighborhoods on the outskirts of Jerusalem, public shelters are nearly nonexistent in East Jerusalem.
Antisemitism Monitor | Week of November 14, 2022
Graffiti in Maryland. Bomb threats to synagogues. Bricks thrown through windows and antisemitic fliers distributed. This is just a sample of the reported antisemitic incidents that took place around the globe during the week of November 14, 2022. Sign up for the Antisemitism Monitor for a bi-weekly report.
“Stop All the Killing—Then We’ll Talk!”
Antiwar demonstrators of several faiths rallied near the U.S. Capitol on October 20. The overall call was clear: Cease-fire in Israel and Gaza now.
Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest
Opinion | We Will Never Be the Same
We sat in stunned silence as the Holocaust-like scenario slowly spread through our unwilling consciousness, forced by the incontestable, nightmarish evidence: a paradigm change of all we had depended on and believed about our security.
Son of Hamas Hostage: ‘This fight is about light and dark’
“What has helped me is to see the spirit of the Israeli people. It’s amazing to see the citizens who work together, who leave the arguments they may have had before and stand with you.”
Danger on Israel’s Northern Border: Hezbollah and the Failed State of Lebanon with Hanin Ghaddar and Nadine Epstein
Join former Lebanese journalist Hanin Ghaddar, Friedmann Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy in the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics, for a deep dive into the inner workings of Hezbollah, including its leaders and weapons arsenal, its domination of the Lebanese government and economy, Iran’s role, and what we can expect. In conversation with Moment editor Nadine Epstein.
Opinion | The Arsenal of Memory
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not only a clash of two nationalisms with overlapping claims to territory—it is also a clash of histories, whose wounds resist healing.
European Leaders Largely Back Israel—For Now
The rift lines in Europe, then, are there for all to see and may open up further.
The Cost of Free Land: Jews and the Lakota with Rebecca Clarren and Sarah Breger
Join Clarren, author of the new book “The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance,” for a conversation about the entangled history of her Jewish ancestors’ land and the devastating cycle of loss of Indigenous land, culture, and resources that continues today.
U.S. Offers Mix of Advice and Warning in Full Support of Israel
Washington is trying to outline a general set of principles for Israel to understand, and hopefully follow.
Interview | How Israel’s Allies Are Addressing the War On Campus
“How can Jewish and Israeli students feel safe on campus when it’s considered acceptable to justify or even celebrate the death of Jewish children? “
From the Newsletter | Anything but Normal
Misinformation About the War Abounds Online. Here’s What to Look For.
The presence of misinformation obfuscates the real and horrific images coming from Israel and Gaza on a near-daily basis since Saturday.
Resident of Nir Oz Kibbutz, Whose Son Remains Missing, Recounts Attack
“There doesn’t seem to be much government interest in our fate right now. And sadly, particularly with this government, I’m not surprised. Their priorities lie elsewhere.”
Americans Rally, Rage and Grieve after Attack on Israel
Amidst solemn vigils, sober criticisms, and emboldened protests, some socialists joined celebrations of Hamas horror.
Gaza Timeline: 3300 BCE to the Present
In ancient times, Gaza was a key port city and a hub of religious diversity, with Jews and Christians once living in harmony under Muslim rule.
Q&A | Aaron David Miller: Hamas Incursion a ‘Fundamental Shift’ in Conflict
As Israel scrambles to correct its intelligence failure and restore security, Middle East analyst Aaron David Miller predicts the end of the judicial overhaul and—perhaps—of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Fiction // Berkeh’s Story
Opinion | After Destroying Hamas, Israel Should Offer Control of Gaza to PA
The PA has barely cooperated with Israel in recent years, but with the prospect of a seaport, an operable airport, and huge financial aid from Saudi Arabia, UAE, the EU, and others, Fatah might well say “yes.”
Opinion | Degrees of Evil in Israel’s Calamity
In southern Israel as in Eastern Europe, jubilant killers went from house to house, making sure no Jew remained alive. The people justifying Hamas’s “war of liberation” are the scum of the earth.
Biden Fully Behind Israel as Horrors of Hamas Attack Emerge
Hours after the horrific attacks in Southern Israel, Israelis at all levels of government had already heard directly that the United States had their back.
How Jewish Theater Combats Antisemitism with David Chack, Hayley Finn, Aaron Henne and Jenny Rachel Weiner
A conversation about how Jewish theater can play a role in educating people about antisemitism.
The Israel Hamas-War: Updates and Analysis (Part 1) with Aaron David Miller and Robert Siegel
oin Middle East Analyst Aaron David Miller and Robert Siegel, former host of NPR’s “All Things Considered” and Moment contributor, as they discuss what happened, where things stand and how and when this war might end.
The Israel-Hamas War: Updates and Analysis
Middle East Analyst Aaron David Miller and Moment contributor Robert Siegel discuss the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
From the Newsletter | The Brilliant and Formidable Alice Shalvi
Who’s Challenging George Santos?
New York’s 3rd is America’s third most Jewish congressional district. And Santos’ untruths about his Jewish identity have served as a powerful motivator for people running to replace him.
Playlist | Jewish Punk in Israel and North America
Jewish punk rockers have ranged from Hasidic to vehemently anti-religious, with sounds ranging from mellow post-punk to panicked noise rock.
George Santos, Seeking Re-Election, Still Claims He’s ‘Jew-ish’
Having left a number of messages for Santos I was surprised when, in the midst of the most recent government funding showdown in the House, he actually called me back.
Ecological Judaism with Ellen Bernstein, Natan Margalit and Noah Phillips
Join Rabbi Ellen Bernstein, founder of the first national Jewish environmental organization Shomrei Adamah, and author of the forthcoming book Toward a Holy Ecology: Reading the Song of Songs in the Age of Climate Crisis and Rabbi Natan Margalit, founder of Organic Torah, and author of The Pearl and the Flame: A Journey into Jewish Wisdom and Ecological Thinking for a conversation about “eco-theology” and the radical new ways Jewish leaders are using ancient teachings of Judaism to address today’s environmental and social problems.
Why the Visa Waiver Is Such a Big Deal
Dianne Feinstein (1933-2023): Trailblazer, Legislative Powerhouse, Jewish Woman
She was the longest-serving woman in U.S. Senate history and the first Jewish woman to be sworn in as senator.
The Yom Kippur War and How it Created the Modern Middle East with Uri Kaufman and Dan Raviv
oin Uri Kaufman, author of the new book Eighteen Days in October: The Yom Kippur War and How It Created the Modern Middle East, for a conversation about the war and how it set the stage for future peace negotiations; how the Yom Kippur War gave birth to the religious-Zionist settler movement; and why history has not always been kind to Israel’s first and only female prime minister.
Wisdom Project | Harold Grinspoon Wants You to Discover Your Creative Side
Jews & the Burden of Southern History
Jews were on both sides of the racist Wilmington Massacre of 1898, the only successful coup in United States history.
Fiction // The Kiss
Miami Is Changing—So Are Miami’s Jews
The news that President Carter’s United Nations ambassador, Andrew Young, had met in New York with a PLO representative spread furiously among the mostly Jewish residents of the new high-rise condominiums along southern Florida’s Gold Coast.
Fiction // Two By Four
Wax, Hide, and Gall: Jewish Ancestral Crafts are Making a Comeback in the U.S.
Rachel Binstock says that the 39 melachot are what create the meaning of Shabbat, but it is rare for Jews to practice the original forms of labor during the other 144 hours of the week because modern technologies have made them mostly obsolete.
Interview | Beyond Bagels & Lox
Visual Moment | A Sephardi Silversmith’s Masterwork
A remarkable and rare pair of elaborate silver Torah finials have been jointly acquired by New York’s Jewish Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston.
Talk of the Table | The Locusts Are Coming!
Peering into the jar, I can see the little brown heads, eyes, bodies and wings of about 30 dried locusts.
What is the U.N. doing to Fight Antisemitism? A Wide-Open Conversation with U.N. Special Advisor Alice Wairimu Nderitu and Noah Phillips
Join the undersecretary for a wide-open conversation about why she believes the United Nations should be playing a bigger role in fighting antisemitism and what that looks like; her visit to Auschwitz; and what it’s like to be a mediator.
Musk, UN, Biden and Protests: What to Look for During Netanyahu’s U.S. Trip
From the Newsletter | Shana Tova! Let’s See the Fruits!
Shana Tova in the Mail: A Collector’s Vintage Jewish New Year Cards
Poem | The Hidden
The terebinth tree in the Arava is at least a thousand years old, as was her mother before her.
The Conversation
From the Editor | A Season of Self-Reflection
Every year I look forward to reading submissions to the Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest.
Memoir | Crossing the Krimml Pass
Bricha guides didn’t allow refugees to carry lights, not only to be invisible to border guards but also so they could not see the plunging drop-offs beside the trail.
