Sorrow and Hope

Current Issues

Jewish Leaders say “Yes” Palestinians “No”

In 1947 the United Nations voted for partition—dividing the Land into Jewish and Arab sections. The Jews, fresh from the horror of the Holocaust, joyously accepted the small truncated state. To their reasoning, something was better than nothing. The Arabs refused. On May 14, 1948, Israel declared statehood and five Arab armies attacked the tiny,

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Jerusalem under Siege

Jerusalem is one of the most amazing cities on earth, constantly in the global public eye and a destination for millions of pilgrims every year. This is interesting, since it is certainly not the most densely populated city, with less than a million people, or even the largest, covering less than 50 miles2 (129 km2).

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Facing Hezbollah: The Next Round against the Party of Allah

The list of those who seek to reduce Israel to a footnote in history is a long one. At present, the top spot on the list as Israel’s most imminent threat goes to Hezbollah—and for good reason. The Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group openly hails Israel’s annihilation as its chief aim, possesses an impressive arsenal of

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Who Are The Kurds?

A Brief Guide to the Main Participants: PKK: Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a communist group formed in Turkey in 1978 that fights for an independent Kurdish state and has been blamed by Turkey for the death of Turkish soldiers and civilians; designated by the US, the EU and other entities as a terrorist group YPG: Kurdish

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Diamonds Are Forever

Long before the creation of the modern State of Israel, the story of the Israeli diamond industry began. Inextricably linked with the story of the Jewish people, the craftsmanship of precious stones can be traced all the way back to the time of Moses, when different types of jewels were used in the breastplate of

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Cycles for Life: Israeli First Responders Ride to the Rescue

A call comes into the command center. There’s been a terror attack in the Old City of Jerusalem. Two people have been stabbed, one critically, and the terrorist is still on the loose. First responders jump into action, and within two minutes, paramedics arrive on the scene to stabilize both victims, armed only with their

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Israel’s President: More Than A Figurehead

In Hebrew, the president of Israel is known as the nasi, which can also be translated in the Bible as “prince.” It’s a fitting title for a role imbued with limited official power but potentially significant influence. While presidents in Israel can never become king like a prince in England, the president holds both ceremonial

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The Valley of Defense: Why Israel Must Control the Jordan Valley

The Jordan River and surrounding valley have been a key part of Israel for millennia—from the parting of the Jordan River for Joshua to the baptism of Jesus (Yeshua) by John the Baptist. In recent decades, it has been key to the defense of the Jewish state. Since Israel captured the Jordan Valley from the

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Israel Champions Women’s Rights in the Middle East

“No Joke,” tweeted Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, “the UN just condemned Israel as the world’s only violator of women’s rights, backed by votes of council members Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Yemen.” Of the 40 countries that condemned Israel in a July 2019 United Nations (UN) resolution, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and

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Operation Sentinel: The Coalition Guarding the World’s Oil Highway

Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines the word sentinel as “a soldier set to guard an army, camp, or other place, from surprise, to observe the approach of danger, and give notice of it.” Is it any wonder that US President Donald Trump chose Operation Sentinel as the name for his Persian Gulf coalition that began earlier

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