Sorrow and Hope

Life in Israel

Tzedakah

In the book of Deuteronomy, there is a forewarning that there will always be poor people among us, a notion which is repeated in the Gospels. Christianity and Judaism share a common thread of generosity towards those who are less fortunate—and also a desire to see the world repaired through acts of justice, generosity and

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The “Political Wing” Myth: Why Hamas and Hezbollah Change Strategy, Not Philosophy

In 2006, hope reigned on the Palestinian streets. The populist Hamas movement had won legislative elections against their political rival Fatah (leading secular Palestinian political party), and some in the West wanted to believe that the victory could mold the terrorists into statesmen. In less than 18 months, that hope was dashed as Hamas waged

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Israel: A Safe Space

“Is Israel safe?” “Do you feel safe there?” “Are you ever afraid?” These are the questions friends and family ask—from the day I announced I was moving to Jerusalem and all throughout the past three years of living in Israel. In describing what they think of Israel, most people who have never set foot in

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The Dark Side of the Web: The Battle against Anti-Semitism on Social Media

The coronavirus has instigated a new world in which much of daily life is done online: work, shopping, fellowship and for some, voicing hate. Amid real concern about transparency and double standards, the treatment of Jews and Israel online remains a disturbing sore spot even as tech giants such as Twitter and Facebook try to

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Israeli Apartheid? No Way!

For many South Africans, every discussion of apartheid is akin to tearing open an old wound. It was a time in their history when a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination was implemented, creating a societal divide that to this day has not been overcome. Based on a strict legislative framework, the government at

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Methuselah: The Story of the World’s Oldest Date Palm Tree

It was an exceptionally hot day in September when a small group of scientists gathered together in the heart of the Arava Desert. One by one they began to carefully harvest the luscious fruit of a date palm tree. But this was no ordinary date palm tree, for it had been pollinated by a tree

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Chagall’s Legacy in Israel

In the beautiful Judean Hills, there is a place of healing called Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, overlooking the village where John the Baptist was born. Since opening its doors in the early 1960s, Hadassah has been celebrated for its medical advances and patient care. In 2005, the hospital won the coveted Nobel Peace Prize for

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Denying a History

The history of the Land of Israel and the Jewish people are inextricably linked. You can hardly relate the narrative of the one without telling the story of the other. The connection was first established millennia ago when Abraham followed the call of the Almighty to a Land God would later pledge to the father

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Through the Streets of History

Journeying along the streets of Jerusalem is like paging through an encyclopedia filled with a rich and vibrant history. Jerusalem does not have regular street names like Maple, Magnolia or Main. Rather, at every turn, the events and people who were influential in the history of the Jewish people or in the creation of the

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Life Above All Else

On October 18, a new patient arrived at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center coronavirus ward in critical condition. Saeb Erekat—chief Palestinian negotiator, right hand to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the man hailed as the public face of the Palestinian people—had tested positive for COVID-19 days earlier. The disease quickly ravaged Erekat, who suffered from

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