Analytical Pieces

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Ahad Ha’am, Cultural Zionism, and the Moral Crisis of the Israeli State

Saturday, March 22, 2025

The media premiering on our screens weekly present two opposing perspectives on what could be perceived as freedom in any universe.

An overview on Barry Scott Wimpfheimer's book, "The Talmud: A Biography."

A comparative and relative study of rabbinical literature.

What is an explicit point made both in "Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn" and "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017," that is agreed upon? What differs? How understanding both perspectives helps us move forward.

How the arranged in the stars marriage had nothing to do with love and everything to do with power.

"The only way to depict Israel as the victim of its own mass destruction of Palestinians is to evade what Palestinians actually endured." (Beinart 22)

"The problem with our communal story is not that it acknowledges the crimes we have suffered. The problem is that it ignores the crimes we commit... By seeing a Jewish state as forever abused, never the abuser, we deny its capacity for evil." (Beinart 31)

"Affection is only one ingredient of love. To truly love we must learn to mix various ingredients -- care, affection, recognition, respect, commitment, and trust, as well as honest and open communication." (hooks 5)

"There can be no love without justice. Until we live in a culture that not only respects, but also upholds basic civil rights for children, most children will not know love... Setting boundaries and teaching children to set boundaries for themselves prior to misbehavior is an essential part of loving parenting." (hooks 19-26)

How have the Jews survived through so many millennia while other civilizations have declined and perished? What qualities mark the culture that produced Moses, Christ, Spinoza, Marx, Freud, and Einstein? From ancient Palestine through Europe and Asia, to America and the modern Israeli state, Max I. Dimont shows how the saga of the Jews is interwoven with the story of virtually every nation on earth. This is a tale of people escaping annihilation, fighting, falling back, advancing -- a lively and fascinating look at how the Jews have contributed to humankind's spiritual and intellectual heritage in remarkable ways, and across a remarkable span of history.

"Identity theory seeks to explain the specific meanings that individuals have for the multiple identities they claim; how these identities relate to one another for any one person; how their identities influence their behavior, thoughts, and feelings or emotions; and how their identities tie them in to society at large." (Burke & Stets 3)

Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Practices to Rewire Your Brain for Calm, Clarity, and Joy