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Jerusalem & Babylon

Separating Vatican myths from reality

The pope could teach our politicians and rabbis how to separate synagogue, state.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Mar 15, 2013 | 01:48 AM

People watch Pope Francis on a giant screen in St. Peter's square

White smoke at the Vatican, cloudy skies on the horizon for Italian Jews
By Anshel Pfeffer
New pope reaches out to Rome's Jewish community
By The Associated Press | 3

The empty debate on Zionism in Britain

If Zionism still exists, then it is not a creature of committees, federations and six-point platforms – it is the ongoing challenge of building and maintaining a country and society that conforms to the highest global standard.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Mar 7, 2013 | 05:20 PM | 13

The land of no anti-Semitism

Azerbaijan’s Jews enjoy the regime’s support − as long as they support the regime.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Mar 2, 2013 | 10:23 PM | 8

England's Wayne Rooney, left, competes for the ball with Belgium's Eden Hazard

There is nothing disloyal about dual loyalty

Who did I root for when Israel played England in soccer? Who cares. It's democratic values that matter.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Feb 22, 2013 | 01:15 PM | 7

Pope Benedict XVI, right, talks with Yisrael Meir Lau the Chairman of Yad Vashem

What the rabbis should learn from the pope

It’s not right that as decrepitude sets in, despairing acolytes have to hide the dozing senile oracle from view.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Feb 15, 2013 | 02:44 AM | 3

Timerman's betrayal

The Argentine foreign minister is dodging questions about his country's cooperation with Iran and is guarding his government's populist interests.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Feb 8, 2013 | 02:15 AM | 4

The more Israeli voters change, the more they stay the same

Capricious, malleable, but with strong democratic instincts.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Jan 25, 2013 | 02:20 AM

American Jewry’s gift to Israel: Bibi, Bennett and Marzel

If Rabbi Eric Yoffie and his colleagues really want to save Israel from itself, the only way they can achieve this is by exhorting their congregants to make aliyah.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Jan 18, 2013 | 09:28 AM | 13

It’s Jews against Israelis, and the Israelis are losing

A week and a half before the vote, one competition, for the buzzword of the 2013 election campaign, has been won. It is without doubt yehudi - Jewish. Jewish home, Jewish ideals, Jewish people, Jewish state.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Jan 11, 2013 | 01:43 AM | 3

Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett.

Hijacking an entire community

15 years ago, in my early 20s, a charismatic leader with a kippa who had been an officer in elite units and made millions in a start-up company would have been just the person I was looking to vote for.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Jan 4, 2013 | 04:10 AM

Kosher is not just for Christmas

The kashrut mega-industry is becoming the scene of an intriguing culture war within religious Judaism.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Dec 28, 2012 | 01:25 AM

Yona Metzger and Shlomo Amar - Olivier Fitoussi

Who needs a chief rabbi?

The office is that of an anachronistic figurehead - in Britain, which just elected a new one, and in Israel, which will be electing two new ones.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Dec 21, 2012 | 03:51 AM

Ultra-Orthodox men have increasingly been spotted at Likud gatherings.

The unaddressed religious agenda

Devoutly Jewish Knesset candidates are everywhere, but they're avoiding the existential issues.

By Anshel Pfeffer | Dec 14, 2012 | 02:26 AM | 2

Anglo File

Participants in a Hebrew lesson in March 2013.

Tel Aviv alternative ulpan provides Hebrew classes to young, hip crowd

By Andrew Esensten | 03:20 PM

Pleasure Hunting

The kibbutznik-turned-entrepreneur who serves kubbeh to New Yorkers

Visitors to the restaurant sit around a common tables and eat the semolina dumplings stuffed with seasoned meat or vegetables served in a variety of flavorful broths‏.

By Ronit Vered | Mar 14, 2013 | 05:01 PM

Departures/Arrivals

Israeli national youth rythmic gymnastics team flying to Moscow

Departures/Arrivals: Israel's youth rhythmic gymnastics team flies to Moscow

Chabadnik Mendi Goldshmid lands in Israel to collect supplies for his seder in the Ukraine.

| Mar 14, 2013 | 04:45 PM

Tal Niv

Ofer Shelah and Yair Lapid in the Knesset chamber ahead of Naftali Bennett’s maiden speech.

Snapshot: Friends, Romans and Yair Lapid

Ofer Shelach, from Yair Lapid's inner circle, kneels down in the Knesset chamber ahead of Naftali Bennett's maiden speech.

By Tal Niv | Mar 7, 2013 | 03:27 PM | 2

The Makings of History

Will we ever find out what the censor left out?

In Tom Segev's final column, he continues to shine a light on missing chapters of Israeli history.

By Tom Segev | Mar 16, 2013 | 10:08 PM | 2

Portion of the Week

Early 20th-century depiction of the Temple’s altar.

Exposing the ‘true face’ of God / Parashat Vayikra

A well-known parable in the Babylonian Talmud explains why Bilga's family, one of the priestly families in Jerusalem, was punished. A hint: It wasn't because Miriam, a daughter of Bilga, became an apostate or married a Greek officer.

By Yakov Meir | Mar 15, 2013 | 09:08 AM

Doron Rosenblum

Bring the popcorn: It's Bibi's new government and the Holy Grail

'Movie' is a small word to describe the spectacle we're seeing.

By Doron Rosenblum | Mar 9, 2013 | 05:23 PM

Pen Ultimate

A biblical perspective on Israeli government without ultra-Orthodox

A few thoughts on reading between the lines of the Torah, in light of coalition wranglings over the issue of 'sharing the burden.'

By Michael Handelzalts | Mar 8, 2013 | 10:29 AM | 3

The Twilight Zone

The IRA veteran and the daughter of a slain MP who preached peace to Israelis

'Suddenly,' Jo Berry says, 'I began to see the human face. The image of the terrorist faded and was replaced by the image of a man.'

By Gideon Levy, Nir Kafri | Mar 17, 2013 | 04:08 PM | 2

Sayed Kashua

Sayed Kashua's quest for another homeland

I was taught that there is no other place for me than Tira, but I want to teach my children differently.

By Sayed Kashua | Mar 14, 2013 | 05:32 PM