Sorrow and Hope

Dispatch from Jerusalem

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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Chesed, One Paw at a Time: Israeli Guide Dogs Offer Sight to the Blind

  In a small community in central Israel, something momentous is about to happen: a mother golden retriever is ready to give birth to a litter of puppies. For dog-lovers everywhere, the birth of puppies is always eventful, but these particular puppies are destined for greatness—they will be raised solely as guide dogs for the

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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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Sweet and Tangy Grapefruit Cake

The prophet Isaiah said: “Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit” (Isa. 27:6 NIV). Spend only an hour in the Jerusalem shuk (outdoor market) and you will see this prophecy fulfilled as you smell and taste the hundreds of different fruits and vegetables grown in the Promised Land. Among these,

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Third Time’s a Charm? Israel Heads to the Polls—Again

The stroke of midnight on December 11 sealed a fate that Israelis had dreaded. With every avenue for a majority government—and the prime minister to lead it—exhausted, the short-lived 22nd Knesset (Parliament) officially dissolved, sending Israel to the polls for the third consecutive round of national elections in one year, a first in the modern

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Israeli Discovery Nips Mosquito Problem in the Bud

It’s enough to drive you up the wall. Right before nodding off, you hear it: the unmistakable whine, evidence of a miniature pest on a mission to bite and suck your blood. Mosquitos are universally reviled—not only for their propensity to turn a good night’s sleep into a mosquito hunt or for marking their victims

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The Next Generation of Reconnaissance Drones

Thanks to year-long joint research between the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Israeli weapons manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the first tiny handheld drones are now operational in Israel. These state-of-the-art drones, which are no bigger than 7.8 inches (20 cm) in size, can be used in a multitude of tasks, such as

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Israeli Discovery Could Revolutionize Chemotherapy

It is a feeling that many who receive a cancer diagnosis can identify with: heartbreak and fear, followed by hopes that chemotherapy will save the day. Unfortunately for many patients, chemo’s painful side effects cause them to stop treatment prematurely. Now, a research team headed by Professor Alexander Binshtok, head of the Pain Plasticity Research

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