Israel
Seeking the Peace of Jerusalem—or a Piece of Jerusalem?Thursday, January 17, 2013 by Moshe Sokolow | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Archeology has become a full-fledged battlefield in the dispute over who has the superior claim to Jerusalem: Jews or Muslims.
Which Land Is Our Land?Wednesday, January 16, 2013 by The Editors | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
After David Ben-Gurion urged young American Jews to make aliyah, the American Jewish Committee responded by resolving to "forcefully discourage Israeli propaganda for immigration from America."
If I Forget Thee?Tuesday, January 15, 2013 by Allan Arkush | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
As a recent seminar at New York's Mechon Hadar testified, throughout Jewish tradition, everyone—even the anti-Zionists—recognizes that the Land of Israel has more sanctity than any other place. But what follows from that?
When Prayers for Rain are AnsweredFriday, January 11, 2013 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Israel is, in most minds, an arid land bereft of water, not cursed with its superabundance. But a look at geography and history suggests otherwise.
2012: A Year in BooksWednesday, January 2, 2013 by D. G. Myers | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Books are dying—everyone says so—but you couldn’t prove it by the Jews. 2012 was a very good year for Jewish books: here are the best 40.
Justice in a Gray WorldMonday, December 31, 2012 by Robert Nicholson | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
The Law In These Parts, a new documentary that places the blame for Palestinian woes on Israel's military lawyers, exhibits scant awareness of history—and limited knowledge of law.
Partition, Then and NowTuesday, December 11, 2012 by Allan Arkush | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Since the beginning of the Zionist project, the partition of the land into two states has never found enthusiastic support among either Jews or Arabs.
A Meditation on Maoz ZurMonday, December 10, 2012 by Ismar Schorsch | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
In this 1988 essay, Ismar Schorsch writes that the much maligned final stanza of Maoz Zur, which calls for divine retribution against Israel’s enemies, illustrates a distinction between redemption within history and the ultimate redemption, which must come from without.
I’ve Got Friends in Low-lying Places . . .Thursday, December 6, 2012 by Moshe Sokolow | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
It would be tragic if Israel were to lose the vote of any of its few reliable supporters at the UN, but that is just what might happen over the next few years—not due to any political intrigue but on account of global warming.
The Sigd Festival Comes Home to JerusalemWednesday, December 5, 2012 by Shai Afsai | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
On the Sigd, Ethiopian Jews would walk to a mountaintop and pray to return to Jerusalem. Now they are in Jerusalem, and the Sigd is a national holiday in Israel.
Editors' Picks
Israel's New Rules Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom. For 20 years, Israel has avoided attacking Hizballah's Syrian supply line for fear of retaliation from Damascus. Last weekend's strikes show that the rules of the game have changed.
Herzl's New Judaism Daphne Netanyahu, Jerusalem Post. "Zionism is our return to Judaism," wrote Theodor Herzl, "which must occur before we can return to the Land of the Jews."
UNESCO's New Plan , New York Sun. Is a new role for UNESCO in Jerusalem's Old City a ploy to win back American funding—and has the White House been involved from the start?
Scotland's New Gospel Archbishop Cranmer, Cranmer. "If God makes a promise to Jews, it's a metaphor. If He makes a promise to Christians, it's literal except where it refers to the Jews and Israel."
Psychological Warfare Mark Stout, GovStud. Engineers have accused Israel's missile defense system, Iron Dome, of far lower interception rates than the IDF claims. But its real success might not be physical, but psychological.
The Rav and the Rabbinate Jeffrey Saks, Jerusalem Post. Asked why he had considered, and rejected, standing to be Israel's chief rabbi, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik explained: "In my great naiveté, I dreamed of being able to democratize the rabbinate in Israel."
Is Israel the New Saudi Arabia? Karl Vick, Time. High-quality oil shale under exploration south of Jerusalem, coupled with offshore gas reserves already under development, could turn Israel into an energy giant.
How Powerful Are the Chief Rabbis? Haviv Rettig Gur, Times of Israel. Foreign Policy may believe Israel's chief rabbis number among the world's 500 most powerful people, but "there are certainly more influential rabbis in the Jewish world—and even in Israel."
Going Nuclear Michael Segall, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Iran already has the technological capacity to produce one nuclear bomb—it is just waiting for the right moment to "break out."
Of States and Settlements Max Singer, Begin-Sadat Center. Instead of opposing the Levy Report, which affirms Israel's right to settle in the West Bank, advocates of a two-state solution should support it—because "the question of legality is separate from that of prudence."