Don’t let the term “Jewish state” fool you into thinking that Israel is a homogenous nation. After 2,000 years in exile, spread across the globe, the Jewish people have returned to their ancient homeland—bringing their Diaspora (outside Israel) cultures, languages, holidays and traditions with them. Population and Demographics This tiny country boasts a population of
Continue Reading »I stood on the tarmac at Ben Gurion airport with Israeli officials and numerous journalists as we anxiously awaited the arrival of 180 new Ethiopian immigrants. Also present were members of Israel’s Ethiopian community, who were eager to see family that they hadn’t seen in years. The flight was the first of several slated to
Continue Reading »In June, two nations announced their intentions to move their official offices to Jerusalem. Liberia, a country in West Africa, announced it would open an official office in Jerusalem that will serve as a precursor to a full-fledged embassy in the future. Suriname, a South American country, announced it would open an embassy in Jerusalem.
Continue Reading »On September 1, 1967, the member states of the Arab League cemented a decision to retain Israel in the role of sworn enemy with the now infamous Khartoum Resolution. The resolution summarized the attitudes of Israel’s Arab neighbors in what became known as the “Three No’s:” “no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no
Continue Reading »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
Continue Reading »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,
Continue Reading »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
Continue Reading »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
Continue Reading »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
Continue Reading »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
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