We must acknowledge the fact that there is tension between these two defining characteristics of our state. This tension cannot be resolved in one fell swoop. Extended efforts and a process of maturation over generations is necessary in order to arrive at interpretations that will reduce the areas of conflict and smooth out the rough edges, rather than sharpening and…

Jewish tradition, however, teaches us the opposite: “Do not rely on miracles.” While it is convenient to believe in miracles and to be led blindly by others, to a destination that is not of our own choosing, Judaism demands that we rely on ourselves, accept responsibility, and act autonomously. The time since the Exodus has been an extended transition from…

This paper calls on the Government of Israel to take action to strengthen the Jewish identity, bonds to Israel and connections with Jewish communities, of Israeli emigrants abroad. To read the recommendations: Strengthening Jewish-Israeli Identity of Israelis abroad

John Demjanjuk is dead. The man who was sentenced to death by an Israeli district court, but was later acquitted by the Supreme Court, died of natural causes at a ripe old age. Thirty years of legal proceedings in three countries have ended, more or less, with a whimper. Most of the Israeli public suspects that Demjanjuk was indeed “Ivan…

At first, the Court’s adamant refusal to get involved stemmed from its belief that the matter lacked justiciability and was beyond its authority. Later, when the nature of the Court shifted, its refusal became more hesitant and its rhetoric hinted at the possibility of intervention. Next, the Knesset enacted the Tal Law, which exempted full-time yeshiva students from military service.…

Haredim avoid the army for good reason. They fear that exposing young men who have been cloistered behind the “walls of holiness” to military service, with its high levels of adrenaline, will change their identity. Replacing the thrill of mastering a Talmudic question with the thrill of storming a building, firearm in hand, at an impressionable age when external influences…

Dr. Dov Maimon’s speech on the Jews in France in 2030 at the CRIF National Convention, November 20, 2011. To read the full text: The Jews of France in 2030

JPPI took the initiative to create a baser of interaction and cooperation between the most significant leaders of programs advancing Jewish identity and education, focusing on the best points of intervention along the Jewish life cycle. The first meeting took place on December 14 in New York, and it will be followed by a series of interviews and brainstormings with…

Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern is Vice President of the Israel Democracy Institute and a member of the Faculty of Law at Bar-Ilan University. This article was originally published in Hebrew in Yedioth Ahronoth on November 10, 2011.