Education Nation

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published the 2022 edition of its annual Education at a Glance report in October last year. In no less than 462 pages crammed with statistics, graphs, footnotes and summaries, the document compares and contrasts the state of education in 45 countries for the 2021/2022 school year, ranking

Signaling Spring

For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come. (Song of Songs 2:11–12a). Is there anyone who does not long for the promise of spring during the dark and dreary days of winter? Here in Israel, the lovely almond blossoms

On Dangerous Legal Ground

In a letter sent in late in 2022 to over 50 world leaders, then-Prime Minister Yair Lapid made a passionate appeal for help in stopping the latest Palestinian campaign to use the international justice system to delegitimize the State of Israel. The letter came in response to a November 11 United Nations (UN) resolution requesting

Rediscovering Shiloh

In the center of the biblical heartland is a special place that resonates deeply with both Christian and Jewish people. Those who tread upon the ruins of this ancient city, say that it is as if the ground is hallowed by the Presence that once dwelt there. A place of miracles, Shiloh remains of great

The Quirks of Israel—Driving in Israel

From the pen of Peter Fast, national director of Bridges for Peace Canada and the future CEO of Bridges for Peace International, comes the fifth installment of the Quirks of Israel. Join Peter on a journey through the wonderfully peculiar culture, traditions, heritage and daily life of this singular nation as he unpacks, introduces and

Arab Voices for Israel

Arab Voices for Israel Israel’s advocates range from devout Jews to fellow Christians to complete agnostics—and everything else in between. Yet there is one particular group of pro-Israel voices that demands a special measure of admiration. Their support for the Jewish state does not stem from religious persuasion or ethnic connection. They choose to speak

Tu BiShvat Chicken

In February, Israel celebrates Tu BiShvat, a holiday known as the new year for the fruits of the trees. Leviticus 19:23–25 prohibits eating fruit from trees during the first three years. In the fourth year, the fruit yield belongs to God. Only from the fifth year is the fruit for the enjoyment of the people.

The Battle for the Heartland

“Judea and Samaria—the name Judea says it all—is territory that historically had an important Jewish presence,” former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said in 2020. “As they say, it is the biblical heartland of Israel. It includes Hebron, where Abraham purchased a burial cave for his wife Sarah; Shiloh, where the Tabernacle rested for

Rules of Engagement

In the past months, the State of Israel has come under fire regarding the Israel Defense Force’s (IDF’s) Rules of Engagement (ROE). ROE are simply the internal rules or directives afforded military forces that define the circumstances, conditions, degree and manner in which the use of force may be applied. Open-fire policies determine those instances

Meet My Israelis

“What are the Israelis like?” It’s a question I get asked often. Friends and family who have never visited Israel are naturally a bit curious about the people who call the Promised Land home. It’s a difficult question to answer though. How do you summarize an infinitely diverse melting pot of a nation with some

One Way to Remember

When mailing letters I often ask the postal clerk, “I’d like some pretty stamps, please.” With the advent of email and free video calls via WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, handwritten letters are becoming things of the past, with less and less need for postage stamps—never mind pretty ones. But in Israel, more than any other

The Spectacular Caves of Beit Guvrin

Beneath the picturesque rolling countryside of central Israel, south of Bet Shemesh, lies an impressive underground system of caves and quarries. This unique area of the Judean lowlands stretches out over 1,250-acres in the Beit Guvrin–Maresha National Park. While in the early spring the national park is a feast of flowers, the best-kept secrets are

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