Religion

Grapevine, April 24, 2026: Israel loves Milei!

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

|ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
Alon Ohel (right) accompanied by his brother, Ron.
These are also days of great light.

Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim: Love your neighbor as yourself

The days between Pesach and Shavuot invite reflection, as Rabbi Akiva teaches that loving others is central to receiving the Torah.

|ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
People watch the military airshow as part of Israel's 75th Independence Day celebrations, in Saker Park, Jerusalem, April 26, 2023.

Israel must be more than just the nation-state of the Jewish people - opinion

Beyond security, Israel must serve as an anchor for Jewish identity, culture, and global engagement.

|ByBEN MOLLOV, SHMUEL SANDLER
A Border Police officer conducting operations, May 2025.

Families protest after four Border Police soldiers disciplined for having barbecue on Shabbat

“My daughter feels she was treated like she was nothing,” one of the soldiers' fathers said. “Even if there was a breach of orders, where is the proportionality?"

|ByEFRAT FORSHER

From the October 7 massacre to Operation Roaring Lion, Jews endure, thrive this Passover - opinion

Jewish survival, defiance, and hope shine as Passover 2026 is observed in a world of challenges.

MARCH 25, 2026ByMICAH HALPERN
The aftermath of an Iranian missile hit on an Arad apartment building, March 21, 2026.

Zionism still defines the Jewish nation today - opinion

Abandoning the term “Zionism” hands victory to Israel’s critics and undermines Jewish identity, history, and the ongoing mission of the Jewish state.

MARCH 24, 2026ByGIL TROY
American Jews [Illustrative]

Western Wall debate must not overshadow prayer, unity during times of war - opinion

Prayer at the Kotel should remain sacred, guiding Jews through crises rather than fueling division.

MARCH 24, 2026ByYAAKOV MENKEN, JONATHAN GUTTENTAG
A general view of Jerusalem's Old City shows the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in the foreground and the Dome of the Rock, located on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in the background June 24, 2019

Israel needs leadership that can unify the nation without weakening its democracy - opinion

Amid deep divisions and post-October 7 trauma, Israel faces a leadership test: unity, trust, and governance must come before politics.

MARCH 22, 2026BySHMUEL LEGESSE
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett seen in an illustrative

Exploring identity through art at Jerusalem's Museum on the Seam

Two exhibitions at the Museum on the Seam proffer an emotional reality check of the lay of our land.

MARCH 22, 2026ByBARRY DAVIS
Four young Palestinian women in Israel making their way through mainstream Israeli society.

Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel: Bringing the Exodus to life, visually - review

Experience the Exodus like never before with this graphic novel Haggadah, which makes the story immediate, visual, and unforgettable.

MARCH 22, 2026ByNOAH ROTHSTEIN
Haggadah

Az Nashir Haggadah: Women’s voices on the path to redemption - review

A Haggadah that blends tradition, contemporary Israeli reality, and women’s voices for a living redemption.

MARCH 22, 2026ByRIVKAH LAMBERT ADLER
Prophet Miriam plays the tambourine as she dances and sings with the women as they leave Egypt. A Camden Press poster of a wood carving by the Brothers Dalziel after a mid-19th-century illustration by Edward Poynter.

Shas fills local rabbi posts with loyalists, sidelining community choice - opinion

Shas moves quickly to fill rabbinic vacancies, sidelining candidates who fit their cities.

MARCH 21, 2026BySHUKI FRIEDMAN
Head of Shas party Aryeh Deri and Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef visit at the scene of suspected arson and vandalism at a Jerusalem synagogue which is often frequented by Rabbi Yosef, June 8, 2025.

This month in Jewish history: From Exodus to modern Israel, and many birthdays

A highly abridged monthly version of Dust & Stars.

MARCH 21, 2026BySTEVEN DRUCKER
Happy Birthday to: Yigael Yadin (3rd R), Israeli delegation member to armistice talks in Rhodes, 1949, with Yitzhak Rabin {R);

From exile to nationhood: The enduring story of Am Yisrael

Passover marks more than freedom; it forged Jewish nationhood and a lasting identity that endured exile and returned as a living people in its land.

MARCH 21, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN
Millions of Jews who do not live in Israel shape their Jewish identity through their connection to this land.