Sorrow and Hope

Dispatch from Jerusalem

Debunking the Popular Social Media Slurs

January 16, 2024

  Israel faces unrelenting criticism born of a prevailing false narrative that casts the Jewish state as the colonizing oppressor and the Palestinians as the colonized oppressed. We offer several examples from the most widespread and influential form of disinformation in modern culture: social media, and more specifically, X, formerly Twitter. We then counter that

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The War of Language

January 16, 2024

  “The first casualty of war is truth.” This phrase has echoed throughout the ages and has been attributed to various sources. In regard to the current situation with the enemies of Israel, I would edit it to say, “Truth is conspicuous by its absence.” Unfortunately, the propensity of Palestinian leadership and their supporters to

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A History of Hate

January 16, 2024

  We’ve heard it again and again. The events of October 7 are indelibly imprinted on the minds of countless people the world over. We’ve read about the atrocities, seen the videos and heard the gut-wrenching testimonies of survivors, released hostages and the families of those who are still in captivity. And we wonder, is

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Jewish Values and Ethics in War

January 16, 2024

  We often hear Israeli leaders claim that the Israel Defense Force (IDF) is an ethical, moral army, motivated by Jewish values, while Israel’s enemy is far different. What do they mean? According to the Oxford Dictionary, ethics is defined as “moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity.” Values are

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Beauty Amid Devastation

January 16, 2024

  War is ugly. It destroys lives. It steals away innocence. It highlights the evil of which humanity is capable. October 7, 2023 should have been a day filled with laughter and joy on Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah). But some 2,000 Hamas terrorists shattered the festive morning by storming Israeli communities and homes,

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Halva

January 16, 2024

  Halva is a sweet treat made from tahini or sesame paste. Thought to have originated in ancient Persia, halva has captured the hearts of Israelis and is a sweet treat of choice enjoyed throughout the year. It has become a feature in markets around the country, with Jerusalem’s Mehane Yehuda market boasting a delightful

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Israel, You Are Not Alone

November 9, 2023

  Saturday morning, October 7. It’s Shabbat and the streets of Jerusalem are the kind of quiet you find only on Saturdays in the Promised Land. We are on our way out,  heading to the Dead Sea to show a friend from Namibia the white desert of Judea. But then the air raid siren screams.

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Israel, We Are with You!

November 9, 2023

We bid farewell to 2023 and step into 2024 in the shadow of the October 7 massacre. So instead of general wishes of love and joy, the Bridges for Peace volunteers want to use this opportunity to tell Israel in their own words that whatever comes, whatever happens—good or bad—we are with you. “It is

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Jewish–Christian Relations in Israel: Reason for Concern?

November 9, 2023

Christians around the world have been alarmed at news of recent anti-Christian actions in Israel. A number of incidents are at the heart of the concerns. In September last year, Jordanian King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein stood in the United Nations General Assembly and said that Christianity is under attack in Jerusalem. In March, Knesset

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The Right to Exist?

November 9, 2023

The nation of Israel is often misunderstood and misrepresented in the global media—many times deliberately. For example, when speaking of Israel’s efforts to bring an end to a deadly wave of terror attacks in Judea and Samaria, Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir made the comment, “The right to life precedes freedom of movement.” The

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