Colonization vs. Decolonization
Historical Patterns of Conquest and Return in the Middle East The narrative of colonization and decolonization has become central to contemporary geopolitical discourse, yet its application to Middle Eastern history reveals complex patterns that challenge simplified frameworks. Understanding the historical trajectory of Islamic expansion from Arabia through the Middle East and into Europe, contrasted with…
The Voice That Calls: Jewish Awakening in Our Time
Imagine being awakened at 4 AM by a voice calling you to something urgent, something that cannot wait for a…
To Occupy or Not To Occupy Gaza
The morning of October 7, 2023, marked a watershed moment in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas militants breached the Gaza-Israel…
The Miracle of Persistence: Lessons from a People Who Refuse to Disappear
In an age when entire civilizations have risen and fallen, when empires have crumbled to dust and languages have vanished…
The Modern Erev Rav: When Jewish Identity Becomes a Shield for Betrayal
At a time when Jewish unity, Ahavat Hinam vs. Sin’at Hinam (baseless love vs. baseless hatred), and acceptance of Klal…
Teens across Israel and in Jewish communities throughout America participate in transformative encounters that shape their Jewish identity, their relationship with peoplehood, their relationship with Israel and their overall worldview. Yet despite the profound impact these cross-cultural meetings can have, a significant asymmetry exists in how these young people are prepared for their encounters with…
Today’s rising antisemitism follows familiar patterns previous generations would recognize. What’s different is the ending. For the first time in two millennia, Jews facing persecution don’t need to find another exile—they can go home. From Wandering to Coming Home Is a mass jewish migration on the horizon? Throughout history, Jewish communities have lived with an…
We’ve all heard the advice: “fake it till you make it.” It rolls off the tongue with the confidence of conventional wisdom, promising that pretending to be something we’re not will eventually transform us into that very thing. But here’s a radical question worth considering: Why fake it at all? Why not simply be you?…
History is unfolding before our eyes. We are witnessing the emergence of a fundamentally transformed Middle East, with Israel ascending as the region’s dominant power. Still engaged in a multi-front battle for survival and now in direct conflict with Iran, Israel is pioneering a new era of regional dynamics. While global diplomatic strategies have traditionally…
This is the calling of our time. We must reimagine our identity not just as Jews in diaspora but as members of the global People of Israel – Am Yisrael. We must acknowledge that the challenges facing Israel are challenges facing us all. We must strengthen our connections to our heritage, our homeland, and each other. Like salmon swimming upstream against the current, we have always defied easy paths. Today’s struggles, both external threats and internal divisions, require the same determination and courage that have sustained us throughout our history.
A Global Zionist Citizenship
My hope is that we as a collective awaken, focus on what binds us rather than what separates us, and leapfrog Zionism into an era Herzl and our ancestors could only dream of. Moving forward will require us to let go of the past – not forgetting our past – but willing to move forward from it and into a globalized perception of self, a global Zionist citizenship.
As no longer a people scattered in exile, but as a nation among nations, we must see ourselves through a global prism. Only then will we be successful in reclaiming, redefining, and re-educating Zionism, our destiny, succeeding in the delivery of l’dor va’dor, from generation to generation.
The intersection where we stand offers a choice: fragmentation vs unity, despair vs hope, retreat vs engagement. By choosing to strengthen our collective identity, by prioritizing Tikun Israel, and by practicing ahavat chinam, we can ensure that Am Yisrael’s journey continues for generations to come.
The better days ahead aren’t guaranteed—they require our commitment, our action, and our belief that we, the People of Israel, will not only survive this historical moment but emerge from it stronger and more united than before.
Am Yisrael Chai is not just a slogan, it is a way of life
The current state of Israel education often emphasizes advocacy over education, creating a reactive rather than proactive approach. This paper argues for evolving Israel experiential learning to incorporate diverse opinions, create spaces for dialogue, and offer shared experiences that advance both universal and particularly Jewish values.