Israel, Jewish pride

Ancient Lantern Found in Jerusalem—Right in Time for Chanuka

Lantern found in Ir David (City of David, Jerusalem)

Chanuka is a time of light and miracles, so perhaps it should be no surprise that archaeologists just found a 2000-year-old lantern from the Hasmonean period in the City of David, in Jerusalem. The candle holder, preserved in its entirety, dates back to the Second Temple era. According to Israel Hayom, Antiquities Authority Director of …

Quality of Jewish Life

Old Joe, Poor Joe, Broke His Foot While Playing with His Dog

Joe Biden

Joe Biden, presumptive president-elect, broke his foot while playing with his dog, add injury to insult. Why insult? Because it’s become a sport to make fun of Biden’s speech issues (which are legion, and which suggest brain injury and dementia), and broken foot is one more sign of frailty and aging. Compare this to the …

antisemitism

Tlaib, Lamont Hill, and Beinart in JVP Antisemitism Panel or: The Monkeys in Charge of the Zoo

Rashida Tlaib, Marc Lamont Hill, and Peter Beinart

Everyone already knows that the organization known as the Jewish Voice for Peace is neither Jewish nor a voice for peace. The name is a smokescreen for anti-Israel and antisemitic agitation for which this organization is (in)famous. But now, the JVP has topped even itself with an event featuring a panel on antisemitism led by …

American Jewry, Israel

Trump Rules that Dual Citizens Born in Jerusalem can List Israel as Birth Country

american passport and stamp

Menachem Zivotofsky, age 18, just became the first U.S. citizen born in Jerusalem, to be permitted to list on his passport, his country of birth as “Israel.” So ends a lengthy saga that began when the young man was born, in 2002. Before this past Friday, American born in Jerusalem could not show Israel as …

Israel, Terror

Saeb Erekat’s Organs are Failing

Saeb Erekat 2014

Chief “Palestinian” Negotiator Saeb Erekat is on a ventilator in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem and his organs are failing. He’s got COVID-19, and he’s got it bad. Erekat is a lung transplant recipient, so was especially vulnerable to a more serious case. The family has been called to say goodbye. Mature people can understand why …

American Jewry, antisemitism, Freedom of religion, Quality of Jewish Life

San Diego Rabbi and Williamsburg Man Attacked in the Same Week

Williamsburg antisemitic attack October 15 2020 screenshot

Tree of Life was a surprising attack, but now it seems Jews are attacked weekly, and sometimes daily. The latest antisemitic attacks are on a rabbi in San Diego, just outside his synagogue on October 10, and five days later, a man dressed in “Orthodox garb” in Williamsburg. It certainly isn’t helping the situation when …

Israel, Terror

Arson Forces Evacuation of Northern Israelis on Eve of Holiday

Fires in Haifa Israel

Over 5,000 Israelis were forced to leave their homes on Friday morning as fire threatened to engulf the North. While the fires continued to burn, many residents were able to return home on Saturday morning. The hot, dry weather is one factor in the blaze, but Arab arson is a widespread grassroots means of protesting …

Conservative Movement

Who Won the First 2020 Presidential Debate?

biden trump boxing match symbolizes first debate

President Trump and Joe Biden faced off in the first presidential debate and the results were, er, interesting. The two interrupted each other unceasingly, and the moderator, Chris Wallace, made clear he was biased against Donald Trump. It was noisy and it was boring. Just two old men fighting on TV. Surprisingly, Joe Biden made …