The Jerusalem Post Magazine
Nobel prize winners, biochemists, and the Baba Sali
Shvat 1, 2883 (878 BCE): King Saul, the first king of Israel, and his sons were killed during a war on Mount Gilboa. He had been anointed by the prophet Samuel. At first, he achieved great military success against Israel’s hostile neighbors. As the...
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40 years ago: January 9, 1986
With echoes of legendary spy Eli Cohen: A tiny item tells of a Syrian man executed in Damascus for sharing security secrets with Israel. Cohen had been hanged there almost 21 years earlier.
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Broken dreams
Ham Sarun always dreamed of being a teacher. Growing up in the Prey Veng province of eastern Cambodia, on the east bank of the Mekong River, life was quiet and provincial. Sarun grew up in a village where agriculture was the family’s main source of...
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A spy chief’s adventure into the shadows
There are still many things about former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen that The Jerusalem Post cannot reveal. But after he published his book in September – The Sword of Freedom – bringing the world much deeper into his personal world and history, the Post...
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20 years ago: December 19, 2005
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana warns that the Palestinian Authority will jeopardize funds it is receiving if Hamas – ‘a faction that won’t renounce violence and recognize an Israeli state’ – joins the PA parliament. Today, Israel and the EU...
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COLUMNIST CLARIFIES STANCE ON HAREDIM
Regarding “Astonishing selfishness” (Letters, December 5), in which Efraim Cohen wrote in response to “In defense of haredim” (November 28), the writer of the article, Nathan Lopes Cardozo, replies: British author Sydney Smith is reported to have...
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ASTONISHING SELFISHNESS
In extolling the haredi yeshiva ethos (“In defense of haredim,” November 28), Nathan Lopes Cardozo boasts that his yeshiva experience was “a world unto itself,” where “one no longer knew in which century one lived.” How, then, does he explain Rashi (a...
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The Galilee is still not on the Western aliyah map
If the idea was to mention only cities, Safed is certainly a viable option, even nicknamed as the “Capital of the Galilee,” and in fact, has a sizable English-speaking immigrant population. I realize that the vast majority of Anglo/Western immigrants...
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Rami Kleinstein: Israel’s piano man
For any new immigrant to Israel who has felt like a fish out of water, it’s an inspirational story. An eight-year-old boy is dragged by his parents on aliyah from his home in Long Island, New York, forced to learn Hebrew in a new school with...
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‘My faith is what’s propelled me here’
When Patricia Heaton first stepped onto a treadmill in a West Hollywood gym decades ago, she had no way of knowing that a brief glance at her neighbor would plant a seed that would years later lead her to Israel. The elderly woman beside her had...
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Use your resources
The Aliyah and Integration Ministry and other programs provide help. Here are a few links to help you get started. – Jewish Agency for Israel: The primary government-linked body for global aliyah. It offers eligibility checks, document guidance, and...
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Expanding Israel’s borders
The haftarah for parashat “Noah,” taken from Isaiah 54, opens with a call that reverberates across generations. “Enlarge the place of your tent,” declares the prophet, “and let them stretch forth the curtains of your dwellings; do not hold back;...
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Did Hamas have a secret army on Oct. 7?
One of the lessons of modern warfare proven once again in the current war is that the element of surprise is the key to success. When Israel has surprised its enemies, the Jewish state has emerged victorious. Examples include destroying the Egyptian...
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Ohavei Asaf: Honoring Asaf Hamami
The story of Col. Assaf Hamami can be told in three acts. The first is the story of a boy who lived and breathed the IDF from his earliest days, becoming a legend in the army for his dedication to his work and to the soldiers under his command. The...
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30 years ago: September 19, 1995
Just as proponents of peace awaited a signature (or at least initials) on an Israel-PLO agreement, we petition God for His signature on our placement in the Book of Life. On that note, the ‘Magazine’ wishes you and yours a happy, healthy, and blessed...
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ISRAEL’S DESTINY
Reading Michael Freund’s excellent arguments for Israel to annex Judea and Samaria (“Annexation: A defining moment for Israel,” September 5), I was reminded of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 and the ultimately unfulfilled hopes that accompanied...
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Lessons from a long life
When I was young, I probably thought that the good life – la dolce vita – meant wearing Prada and Gucci, and living in a villa with an ocean view. These are the benefits of wealth, but it has never been proven that money buys happiness. Life is a...
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40 years ago: August 29, 1985
Parents were on the edge of their seats: Should they sharpen their children’s pencils and send theČ oă to school, or would ‘hofesh hagadol’ be extended?
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Becoming misinformation
Nobody “gets” misinformation like Israelis. There’s a certain dark comedy to scrolling through your morning news feed and seeing your entire country portrayed as either cartoon villains or tragic heroes, depending on how the algorithm has decided to...
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A matchmaker’s story
There are likely as many reasons to make aliyah as there are olim, whether fleeing the Russia-Ukraine war, escaping antisemitism, or driven by pure Zionist conviction. But some immigrants take the ultimate leap of faith, rebuilding their lives in...
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A price too high
Each week I have a conversation with a London-based friend. The conversation begins with my friend expressing concern for me and my family as to what is happening here in Israel, with my immediate response conveying my disquiet about the unprecedented...
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Airovation Technologies Awarded Top Honor in 2025 Hebrew University
AirovationIrovation Technologies was awarded the prestigious 2025 Asper Prize for “The Hebrew University Rising Startup”, winning the esteemed Asper Prize along with a NIS 100,000 award. The prize, part of a competition launched by ASPERHUJI Innovate,...
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Miracle acids and antibiotics
While new history unfolds daily, catch up on the old… July 18, 1947: The Exodus, a ship with 4,500 Holocaust survivors on board, tried to get past the British blockade of pre-state Israel. British soldiers boarded the ship, killing three Jews and...
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Bountiful birthdays
Tammuz 15, 5503 (1743): Yahrzeit of Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar of Jerusalem, Torah scholar and mystic, known as Ohr HaChaim, the title of his biblical commentary. He was born in Morocco and earned his livelihood as a silversmith. Many stories are told of...
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Remembering Yoni
r 45&7&/ %36$,&3 July 4, 1976: Israeli commandos, in a daring raid under the command of Lt.-Col. Yonatan Netanyahu (brother of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu), rescued 256 Jewish hostages from an Air France plane held by Palestinian and German...
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Happy birthday, Mel Brooks!
June 27, 1967: Israel adopted a Basic Law to protect all holy places. As stated: “The Holy Places shall be protected from desecration and any other violation and from anything likely to violate the freedom of access of the members of the different...
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A LIFELONG COLLABORATION
Amazing Drapes has collaborated with Ashley Wilde Group for over twenty years, supplying innovative blinds and drapes. Partnering with renowned brands like Laura Ashley, Cath Kidston, Orla Kiely, and others, they have consistently been at the forefront...
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Going my way?
June 13, 2013: Waze was acquired by Google for a reported $1.1 billion. Waze was founded by three Israelis in 2008. The company developed a geographical navigation application program that provides turn-by-turn information and user-submitted travel...
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Lost and found
Our grandson Naveh lost his tefillin two years ago. They were a prized possession, ordered from a scribe whom he had met early in his bar mitzvah preparation process and had given them to Naveh with a blessing before his bar mitzvah. A religious boy,...
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Coke, parking, and the long game of parenting
Of my kids, I’m very proud. I’m proud of their life choices, proud of what they are doing, proud of what they’ve become. Even if I weren’t, I wouldn’t write about it. But I am. Deeply so. There is, however, one small area where they – or at least a...
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Departing, love, and triumph
In his new book, Judaism: A Love Story, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin quotes the speaker at his elementary school graduation, who in turn quoted the famous parable of the great Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan. “Life is like a postcard. You begin to...
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20 years ago: May 16, 2005
Bad romance, reported by future ‘Jerusalem Post’ editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz.
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Ten days in April
Dear Diaspora colleague, On Tuesday afternoon, an organization called Yad L’Banim held its annual ceremony in Jerusalem to begin Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars (Yom Hazikaron). Yad L’Banim is an organization of bereaved Israeli...
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A LIFELONG COLLABORATION
Amazing Drapes has collaborated with Ashley Wilde Group for over twenty years, supplying innovative blinds and drapes. Partnering with renowned brands like Laura Ashley, Cath Kidston, Orla Kiely, and others, they have consistently been at the forefront...
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Enter Zionist Revisionism
April 25, 1920: The San Remo Resolution was adopted at the international meeting of the Allied Supreme Council, allocating League of Nations mandates for the administration of three then-undefined Ottoman territories: “Palestine”, “Syria” and...
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Looking back on 30 years
Iknow Passover is coming when Rosalyn, my wife, announces, on Purim, “No matzah until the Seder.” Although I’ll miss my matzah pizza for 30 days, her announcement sets in motion another awareness, that of the approaching yahrzeit of our daughter Alisa,...
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Connecting with the Diaspora: Ono’s global vision
‘Looking ahead to the Israel of 2035 or 2040, how do I educate Israelis to start talking to one another?” asks Ranan Hartman, CEO of Ono Academic College. Hartman, who founded Ono Academic College three decades ago at age 26, has changed the face of...
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From Toronto to Jerusalem
Not many people would voluntarily pack up for reserve duty while battling a terminal illness, but Zvi Eliezer Muller Gabler was not the kind of person who would allow his diagnosis to prevent him from living his life. Whether it was military service,...
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Hebrew University homecoming
r 45&7&/ %36$,&3 March 28, 1939: Birthday of Dov Frohman, Israeli electrical engineer who was the former vice president of Intel Israel, and inventor of the first non-volatile semiconductor memory that was both erasable and reprogrammable. Intel...
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Influencer for inclusion
Ar +0"/*& ."3(6-*&4 t just 25 years old, Brandon Farbstein has already left a remarkable imprint on the world. Born with a rare form of dwarfism, much of his life was shaped by the way he was treated. He knew he was different and quickly learned that...
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Tattooed Jews
Tattooed Jews r 3*7,") -".#&35 "%-&3 Would you tattoo? For Jews born before the 1980s, tattoos have historically carried a stigma. Associated with criminals, bikers, and sailors, tattoos were not a thing most self-respecting Jews would choose to...
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40 years ago: March 7, 1985
Nothing has changed: We all hope for good weather for Purim celebrations! In Jerusalem, residents are gearing up for an especially festive three days of merrymaking, which concludes with Shushan Purim.
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UNITING A POLARIZED ISRAEL
Addressing the social crisis from the bottom up, with the Fourth Quarter movement
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Birth of Novocaine
● STEVEN DRUCKER Shvat 23, 2572 (1188 BCE): Armies of the tribes of Israel converged upon the tribe of Binyamin in the aftermath of the “Concubine at Givah” incident in a war that nearly brought about the extinction of the entire tribe (as related in...
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Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Romantic Getaway
InterContinental David Tel Aviv invites couples to indulge in an unforgettable Valentine’s Day experience with a luxurious romantic Shabbat getaway. Designed for a perfect celebration of love, the package includes a Friday checkin on February 14th and...
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30 years ago: Feb. 7, 1995
Blink and you’ll miss it (small box near bottom R): Cyanide in Ashkelon?!
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Babies, blood tests, and Bob Dylan
To paraphrase that 1982 disco hit by the Weather Girls: It’s raining babies! Hallelujah! It’s raining babies! Amen. And indeed, it is. A month and a half after The Youngest’s wife gave birth to their first daughter, Skippy’s wife gave birth to their...
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Youth aliyah: Rescuing, resettling
Tevet 24, 5573 (1812): Yahrzeit of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (the “Alter Rebbe”), a student of the Maggid of Mezritch, founder of the Chabad Hassidic movement and author of the Tanya, the basic work of Lubavitch Hassidism, which provided...
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Vying for influence
With just three days to go until Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States, experts are steeped in uncertainty as to how Trump’s appointees to the top diplomatic roles will be vying for influence over long-term Middle East...
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Testimony to a tragedy in motion
They say that war and destruction, particularly on a grand scale, are the most photogenic of topics. If I had any doubt about that, it was immediately dispelled as I entered this year’s “Local Testimony” exhibition, curated by Anat Saragusti, at the...
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Names of grandchildren: The last great mystery
The Keinon family, like so many others in the land, is in the throes of its own little post-Oct. 7 baby boom. The Youngest’s wife gave birth to a baby girl a month ago, Skippy’s wife is due any day now, and my gut tells me we’re in for more such news...
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Hanukkah, the Jews, and the nature of antisemitism
It must have been an extraordinary experience when the kohanim in the days of the Hasmoneans suddenly realized that a tiny amount of oil that should have lasted for only one day would last for eight days. They probably did not realize this at the...
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A LIFELONG COLLABORATION
Amazing Drapes has collaborated with Ashley Wilde Group for over twenty years, supplying innovative blinds and drapes. Partnering with renowned brands like Laura Ashley, Cath Kidston, Orla Kiely, and others, they have consistently been at the forefront...
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40 years ago: Dec. 13, 1984
Legendary Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek is hard at work, securing the stadium completed in the early 1990s in the Malha neighborhood. Today, Teddy Stadium is home to two football clubs: Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Jerusalem
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Israel’s rental apartments: The hard truth
Like any relationship in life, renting an apartment can be intimate and if you don’t know the rules of engagement, there’s a lot of room for… error. In places like Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, little supply and strong demand creates a competitive dynamic for...
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Israel created – and attacked
Nov. 29, 1947: The United Nations voted 33 to 13 with 10 abstentions in favor of the establishment of the State of Israel as the national homeland for the Jewish people. The day after the UN vote, the Israeli War of Independence began as Arabs attacked...
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The piano
In the wreckage of a missile-struck apartment in Kiryat Shmona, where walls have crumbled and the roof opens to the sky, a piano remains standing. Dust-covered and scratched, it seems out of place amidst the silence and destruction. But for Avital, the...
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Amazing Drapes
Joe Stepsky, director and founder of Amazing Drapes, has been serving customers and helping them select just the right curtains for almost 60 years, bringing European style into Israeli homes. Joe’s father owned a domestic textile shop in London and at...
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Mother Rachel watches from above
Nov. 8, 1948: The first census by the government of Israel was taken, totaling 712,000 Jews and 68,000 Arabs. Nov. 9, 1938: A massive Nazi pogrom, which later became known as Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass), took place throughout Germany and...
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US elections & Israel’s future
The 2024 US presidential election is just days away, and the winner will be one of the most powerful and influential people on Earth. It is no exaggeration to say Israel heavily depends on its close relationship with the US for support internationally...
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THE LAST NAZI HUNTER
In early September, an innocuous Facebook message was posted on social media stating, “After 38 years as director of the Israel office of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and 13 years during which I was responsible for Eastern European Affairs as well, I...
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Tivuch Shelly Real Estate: Celebrating 40 Years of Legacy and Growth
As we usher in the New Year, Tivuch Shelly Real Estate reflects on a remarkable legacy that spans over 40 years of shaping Israel’s housing market. Our story is intertwined with the thousands of clients who have trusted us to find homes and build...
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We must dance again on Simchat Torah
It is the question on everyone’s mind, one fraught with emotion, uncertainty, and no small amount of dread. Simchat Torah, the day of rejoicing for the sacred law given to us at Sinai, is quickly approaching. It is traditionally marked with vibrant...
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October 7, one year on
Kfir. Hersh. Na’ama. Avigail. Noa. Ariel. Shani. Aner. A year ago, most of us didn’t know any of these names. Now they, and many others, are our family. We mourn their loss, wake up in the middle of the night worrying about them, and, in the best...
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Semitic cells: Happy birthday, Aaron Ciechanover
Elul 24, 5693 (1933): Yahrzeit of Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, revered author of over 30 works on Jewish ethics and laws, including Chafetz Chaim (“he who desires life”) and Mishna Berurah; founder of the Yeshiva of Radin, Talmudist, and moralist....
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