Sarah Breger
It’s one of the more unsavory parts of the Bible. Lot, after the destruction of Sodom, is seduced by his two daughters, who think they are the world’s sole survivors.
With publication of the second and final volume of his monumental biography of Saul Bellow, Zachary Leader, a professor of English literature at the University of Roehampton in London, has completed a decade-long immersion in Bellow’s life and letters.
Seriously, for a White House struggling to shake off criticism of being too hospitable to extremists and anti-Semites on the margins of its support base, the Trump administration’s reluctance to fill the of anti-Semitism envoy is starting to raise concerns.
The Anti-Semitism Monitor reports anti-Semitic incidents around the world by country and date on a weekly basis.
So on the eve of another round of Israeli elections, in which a “right” is supposedly battling a “left,” we have to ponder two options. The first is to agree that most of what Israelis argue about is either relatively unimportant (should we pass a nationality law?) or strictly tribal (do you belong to this or that segment of the population?), or just personal (do you approve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu?). The second option is to change the definition of our political camps and what they mean. Do not contrast the small, vocal and largely irrelevant minority of people who still call themselves a left with the majority—because it skews the real political picture. Do not even call it a left—it’s confusing. Do not pretend the major debate in Israel is about the peace process—because it’s not. What is it about then? Hmmm. Good question.
Jeffrey Herf
No one doubts that Donald Trump’s approach to immigration is two parts bombast, two parts cruelty and two parts fear. Other than a general antagonism to immigration, illegal or legal, from non-Nordic countries, he offers no serious or comprehensive plan to solve the real and continuing problems at our borders. Unfortunately, many Democrats have largely given up on any effort to do so either.
Anis Modi
Almost two months have passed since Avigdor Liberman resigned as Defense Minister in early November, leaving the Likud-led coalition with a narrow, difficult-to-manage majority in the Knesset.
Did Donald Trump expect that his decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria—a decision made spontaneously following his phone call with Turkish president Erdogan—would create such a stir?
It was a rainy day in Arad, one of the driest places on earth. I was on my first trip to Israel since becoming editor of Moment. It was February of 2008. A friend insisted I needed to meet Amos Oz (1960-2018). Amos was the soul of Israel, he said.
Ellen Wexler
As the end of 2018 nears, take a look back at Moment’s most-read stories this year.
