Events
Settling for StatehoodMonday, September 19, 2011 by Diana Muir Appelbaum | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
The 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly has just begun. Unless a diplomatic miracle happens, that body will soon be asked to approve what amounts to a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood. Palestinian spokesmen say they had no choice but to make their end run around serious negotiations with Israel.
Building JerusalemFriday, September 16, 2011 by Hadassah Levy | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
On the edge of Route 1 as that thoroughfare runs through eastern Jerusalem lies an Arab neighborhood by the name of Sheikh Jarrah. In one section of the neighborhood, an Israeli flag waves and Jews walk back and forth to the tomb of Simon the Just, who served as high priest in the Second Temple.
Israel’s Isolation ProblemThursday, September 15, 2011 by Elliot Jager | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Aryeh Golan, the morning news anchor for Israeli public radio, summed up the feelings of Israelis on Sunday when he said, "In Turkey the government is against us, in Egypt the mob is against us, and at the UN the majority is against us."
Spying for ZionTuesday, September 13, 2011 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Spying goes on everywhere, all the time, 24/7. But the way spying is treated—when it is discovered, when it is publicized, when spies are arrested, tried, and jailed—is highly variable, especially in the United States. The timing is almost never a matter of chance.
Mysteries of the MenorahThursday, September 8, 2011 by Meir Soloveichik | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
On the eve of Tisha b'Av, 2011, archeologists revealed artifacts newly unearthed from the great Jewish revolt against Rome (67–70 C.E.), including coins minted by the rebels and a stone incised with a sketch of the Temple menorah. But what is the menorah, and what does it symbolize?
Demonizing Glenn BeckFriday, August 26, 2011 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Few American public figures equal Glenn Beck in his ability to inspire loathing from his enemies and affection from his admirers. Beck was in Israel this past week for a series of public events—in effect, revival meetings. He called the tour "Restoring Courage."
Get Ready for Durban IIIOn September 22, one month from today, world bodies will gather at the UN General Assembly in New York on the 10th anniversary of the UN World Conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa.
Islamism and Western ArtFriday, August 19, 2011 by Aryeh Tepper | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Osama bin Laden will forever be remembered spending his last days like a common shlub: sitting on the floor, wrapped in a blanket, remote control in hand, watching TV. Unlike most other shlubs, however, bin Laden just happened to be contemplating his own image on the boob tube.
What’s Behind Israel’s Middle-Class Revolt?Wednesday, August 17, 2011 by Ran Baratz | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Amid the flood of press comments about the "middle-class" protests that have been roiling the Israeli scene over the past weeks, a particularly cheerful note was struck by the American political philosopher Michael Walzer.
Israel and the AntipodesMonday, August 15, 2011 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
During the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, a boulder smashed into a car, killing 23-year-old Israeli Ofer Mizrahi. The death toll from that earthquake was 181, including two Israelis besides Mizrahi.
Editors' Picks
A Nation Mourns Jerusalem Post. At the funeral of the four victims of the Toulouse shooting, Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin said that those who terrorize Jews "do not distinguish between Jews in Israel or in France . . . They know very well that we are all brothers."
Building Bauhaus Elizabeth Zach, New York Times. As the Bauhaus school of architecture fell afoul of Nazi aesthetic diktats, its adherents were left looking for new pastures in which to build—and many found them in Mandate Palestine.
Proxy War Jonathan Schanzer, Foreign Policy. Although Israelis have come to expect rocket attacks from Gaza, this time the perpetrators are not Hamas agents but Iranian proxies. And however the conflict develops, Tehran will come out on top.
Defending Defense Mitch Ginsburg, Times of Israel. When Amir Peretz commissioned a missile defense system five years ago, he faced blanket opposition from the IDF, who saw attack as the best form of defense. But none doubt Iron Dome now.
Settling a Legacy Chaim Levinson, Yair Ettinger, Haaretz. As the settler movement is divided over whether to follow Zvi Yehuda Kook's theoretical refusal to cede land or his practical compromises, the young are gradually deserting religious Zionism for Hasidism.
Behind the Times Josh Nathan-Kazis, Forward. Entering a crowded field of English-language publications in Israel, the founders of the Times of Israel hope that their unapologetic defense of the Jewish state will set their paper apart.
Courting Change Mati Wagner, Times of Israel. As chief justice of the Israeli Supreme Court, Dorit Beinisch brought the judiciary into the thick of public debate. Her successor, Asher Grunis, will favor a new era of judicial restraint.
Chained Melody Uri Zer Aviv, Haaretz. In its heyday, the Mizrahi Orchestra numbered 36 musicians, who uniquely preserved Jewish music from the Babylonian Diaspora. But amid financial woes, its future looks bleak.
Tiptoeing Around the Tal Law Jerusalem Post. In responding to the ruling that the law which exempted Haredim from military service is unconstitutional, Netanyahu must resist the political temptation to force Haredim to serve.
The Lost Left Michael C. Kotzin, New Republic. The eyewitness accounts of late Mandate Palestine by the journalist I. F. Stone recall a time when the Left was capable of sympathizing with Palestinians without attempting to delegitimize Israel.