Tomer Persico
How the Jews Invented the Goy
Two Israeli scholars examine the dramatic and surprising history of one of the oldest Jewish institutions: the sharp separation between ‘them’ and ‘us’
Analysis In Israel, a New Consensus on What Being Jewish Really Means
When the issue of religion and state becomes central to campaigns, voters move from the right-traditional religious bloc to the central-civic bloc — as long as its parties clearly brand themselves as Jewish
The Far Right's Murderous Bible
A rereading of ‘The Turner Diaries,’ the most popular anti-Semitic text since ‘Mein Kampf,’ reveals the depth of the anxiety over the imaginary takeover of the West by migrants. A modern incarnation of this conspiracy has infected the Jews
How Christians Invented 'Judaism,' According to a Top Talmud Scholar
One of the greatest living scholars of the Talmud, Daniel Boyarin ponders the place where the two traditions were born, in brotherly rivalry but with a common biblical origin
How the New Israeli Judaism Was Born
A new identity is sweeping Israel – simultaneously traditionalist, nationalist and liberal
Opinion Israel's Breaking the Silence Dybbuk
One little demon can drive an entire village – or a country's political right wing – crazy, and the damage isn’t done by him but by those trying to expel him
Analysis The Movement That Saw Israeli Settlements as Redemption for Jews and the World
The rise and fall of Zionism as a religion
Opinion Why Religious Zionism Is Growing Darker
Certain people in this camp, Betzalel Smotrich among them, turn to Jewish identity and use a mythic narrative to enlist support for anti-liberal ideas
Opinion Passover: The Irony of Celebrating Liberty While the Israeli Occupation Persists
It's tragic that the people who gave humanity the ultimate story of liberation control a population without allowing it equal rights.
Rogel Alpher Is Also a Ritual
'May you be inscribed in the Book of Life' and 'See you later' are simply formulas we say to each other at certain times, reflecting a shared culture.
What's Driving Israel's Radical Settler Youth to Rebel?
The hilltop youth are taking the values they've been taught – settling across the West Bank, strict religious observance, an imperious attitude toward the Palestinians – to the extreme. In doing so, they are taking a page from European romanticism.
Where's the Jewish Morality in Decision to Shun Syrian Refugees?
It's very easy to tell ourselves we're a chosen people, and therefore that we're allowed to discriminate against others.
Why Is Religion Awakening in Secular Israel, India and Algeria?
In a new book, political theorist Michael Walzer suggests that the reason lies in these countries' founding fathers’ derision of ancient tradition. But there’s another possibility, too.
Parashat Pinchas / When the Dead Inherit From the Living
The Promised Land was divided up according to two principles. The first was based on the number of Israelites who left Egypt in the Exodus. The second is based on the number of Israelites about to enter the land.
The Disaster That Judaism Won’t Survive
Both internationally and in Israel itself the distinction between the state’s Jewish character and its democratic regime is growing more acute.
The Temple Mount and the End of Zionism
Zionism is one of the success stories of the 20th century, but it has not properly addressed its religious core – specifically the Temple Mount, which can no longer be ignored.
Why Rebuilding the Temple Would Be the End of Judaism as We Know It
The current drive of Jews, both Orthodox and secular, to ascend to the site of the Holy Temple and rebuild it, reflects a sea change in the Zionist camp.
Assembly-line Jewish Conversion
Conversion - one of the deepest, most personal and most difficult processes one can undergo - is being reduced to a pathetic bureaucratic matter.
How Israel Can Help the Yazidis of Iraq
The Islamic State's recent onslaught on the Yazidi religious group in Sinjar looked suspiciously like a genocide attempt. Israel must show the Western world how to react.
The Shift From God-centered to Human-centered
Without the transcendent God, we seek truth and redemption through the phenomenal world as we see it, be it nature, our body, our mind or our feelings.
Can Judaism Replace Therapy?
Dangers lurk when one becomes religiously observant in the hope of relieving psychological distress.
Jewish Advice, in the Spirit of Capitalism
A new trend of Jewish self-help books sees Jacob advising on business matters and Harav Kook helping to overcome fears.
Read the Fine Print Marriage Reform Law Could Land Bride, Groom and Rabbi in Jail for Two Years
New legislation expands existing clause barring ceremonies outside the Rabbinate, rendering hundreds of thousands of Israelis potential criminals.
On Suffering and Pleasure: What's Really Wrong With Eating Animals
Right of reply: 'Yourofsky gives vegetarianism a bad name,' writes Tomer Persico.
Sex and Religious Zionism in the 21st Century
An insightful new book suggests that when it comes to the issues of bodily pleasure and sexuality, the religious Zionist public is shifting from traditional halkhic discourse to a more modern discussion of inner repair and spiritual perfection.
Cross Questioning: Why Do Many Christians Believe Jesus Will Appear After Jews Rebuild the Temple?
To understand, one must dig down to the bedrock of the messianic belief held by Zionist evangelicals.