On Sunday afternoon, conservative firebrand Ben Shapiro, an observant Jew, ascended to the Temple Mount to pray with his parents and others. The visit followed his address … more

While I was studying at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheva in the early 2000s, I once discussed the Israeli economy with Avi Bareli, a professor of mine. I commenced a lengthy … more

The audience repeatedly erupted in applause during Ben Shapiro’s address at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Tel Aviv. The thousands of attendees loved the witty … more

The parsha of Matot begins with a passage about vows and oaths and their annulment. It uses vocabulary that was later to be adopted and adapted for Kol Nidrei, the annulment of vows on the eve of … more

It was a typical park bench conversation. I hadn’t seen my friend for quite some time, and we both were delighted when we ran into each other by chance that afternoon. We shook hands and … more

In 1986, an Israeli fighter-plane was shot down over Lebanon; the pilot and navigator, safely ejected from the burning plane, found themselves trapped behind enemy lines. In one of the most … more

Parashat Matos begins with the topic of hafarat nedarim (revocation of vows) by a father on behalf of his daughter, and by a husband for his wife. The general outlines of this mitzvah were … more

Iran thrust its way back into the news cycle last week as President Joe Biden embarked on a four-day tour of the Middle East beginning in Israel, but arguably, the most significant event to … more

Palestinian NGOs take a hypocritical approach towards children’s rights. On the one hand, they claim to champion those rights and allegations of their abuse feature prominently in NGO campaigns … more

Maayan Kitron hands me a weird-looking yellow fruit wrapped in a cocoon. Gently, I open the papery husk and take a sweet bite of this golden berry whose flavor has been compared … more