Israel Elections to be Held November 1

Yair Lapid is now Israel’s prime minister, a position he will hold as interim leader until Israelis head back to the ballot boxes on November 1 for the fifth time in three and a half years. After multiple delays, Israel’s Knesset (Parliament) voted to dissolve itself on June 30 in a 92–0 vote, as the

Russia: Masters of the Skies on Israel’s Northern Border

The Russian invasion of Ukraine occurred to a soundtrack of international condemnation. Yet Israel did not join the chorus of outrage. Instead, Jerusalem avoided taking sides, toeing a diplomatic tightrope between the two warring nations. The impartiality didn’t come easily. Every now and then, a slip of the tongue from a minister or high-ranking official

The Containment Controversy

Security threats are a certainty in Israel. Every area of society is impacted by the ongoing existence of very real enemies—both inside and outside the nation’s borders—who make no secret of their intention to use whatever means necessary to de-Judaize the Jewish state and rid the neighborhood of Jews. Some say this has, by necessity,

Likes, Hearts and Thumbs Up for the Kill

On an otherwise run-of-the-mill late winter afternoon in March, a terrorist went on a stabbing spree in the desert city of Beersheva. When Mohammad Ghaleb Abu al-Qi’an’s bloody work was finally halted by an armed bus driver’s bullet, he left a grisly trail of four Israelis dead and two wounded, making it Israel’s deadliest terror

Israel’s Obsession with Pomegranates

As the early varieties of Israeli pomegranates begin blooming in August, it’s easy to see that these sweet, beautiful treats are a staple in the Jewish state. Pomegranates are everywhere: stocked in market shelves, freshly squeezed at juice stands and served on dinner tables both as a beautiful decoration and a sweet addition to the

Druze—Loyal Friends

Unlike the melting pot of America, the State of Israel can be compared to a mosaic. Even its Jewish majority contains a dazzling number of expressions of Judaism that can often be identified by the clothing worn or the type of kippah (yarmulke) on a man’s head. Hidden among the many mosaic pieces, we can

Studying the Weekly Torah Portion in Israel

Do you have any habits or spiritual disciplines that you have maintained over many years in your life? My spiritual life has been greatly deepened and enriched by studying the weekly Torah (Gen.–Deut.) portion (Parashat HaShavua). Each year, the worldwide Jewish community reads through the first five books of the Bible—the Pentateuch—together. Every week, they

The Quirks of Israel—Tours to the Promised Land

From the pen of Peter Fast, national director of Bridges for Peace Canada and the future CEO of Bridges for Peace International, comes the third installment of an exciting new series entitled the Quirks of Israel. Join Peter on a journey through the wonderfully peculiar culture, traditions, heritage and daily life of this singular nation

Chicken Shawarma

Shawarma features high on the list of Israel’s favorite fast foods—and for good reason. This meal-on-the-go features juicy morsels of meat stuffed into a warm pita or flatbread, topped with crispy French fries, salad and sauces to taste, making for the perfect marriage of flavors and textures. You’ll find a stand or a shop selling

Bark or Bite

Nearly 90 years ago, a raving madman dedicated to the demise of European Jewry came to power in Germany. Adolf Hitler made no secret of his intense dislike for the Jewish people. In fact, he used nearly every platform at his disposal to broadcast his belief that the Jews were to blame for the ills

Israel Turns to Food Tech to Win Hearts, Minds and Stomachs

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan hosted dozens of ambassadors from around the world for a celebration featuring some of Israel’s contributions to the world of food technology. The event was attended by about 250 people, including the Good Food Institute and several Israeli food-tech companies. Guests sampled products such as poached eggs,

Israeli Surgeons Print an Ear to Correct Boy’s Deformity

Israeli doctors 3D-printed an ear and attached it to a 6-year-old boy born with microtia, a deformity that stops the development of a baby’s ear in the womb, usually during the first trimester of pregnancy. Using a 3D printer, staff from the plastic surgery department at Galilee Medical Center in Nahariyya created a synthetic prosthesis

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