Jewish identity

Why I’m still a Zionist 25 years later – opinion

 A century ago, Zionism revived pride in the label ‘Jew’; today, Jews must revive pride in the label ‘Zionist.’

People draped in Israeli flags watch the sunset during a party to celebrate Israel's 78th Independence day
Shalev Fima, Chief of Staff of the President of the World Zionist Organization

The battle for Jewish identity will be decided in the classroom, not on Twitter

'In the Diaspora we need to continue with Jewish education.’ Tal Ben-Shahar at the Yael Awards in Vienna earlier this month.

Teaching Jewish happiness after October 7: An educator's fresh approach to Jewish pride

Survivor Agam Berger played "Hallelujah."

At Vienna’s Yael Awards, Jewish education is framed as infrastructure, not crisis response


Coming out as Jewish: What being a Jew and LGBTQ+ have in common - opinion

Coming out as Jews in the Diaspora should be understood as just as important – and critical – as it is for those of us in the LGBTQ+ world.

 PARTICIPANTS GATHER at last year's Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance. LGBTQ+ people in Jerusalem come from incredibly precarious circumstances and need abundant resources.

Kosher food: A definitive key ingredient of Jewish identity - opinion

While the specific laws of kashrut are mysterious, the broader notion of regulating our diet is obvious. Kosher dietary laws always forged Jewish identity. 

 OUR EXPERIENCE of keeping kosher shifts along with food culture and production methods.

Don't let anti-Zionists define Zionism - opinion

Can we really expect to overcome such close-mindedness and combat antisemitism in the guise of anti-Zionism if we Jews can’t even agree on what it means to be a Zionist? 

 The front page of the ‘New York Post’ after Fatima Mohammed’s CUNY commencement speech

World Indigenous Day: Recognizing Jews' ties to the Land of Israel - opinion

It is crucial that we have a deep understanding of our own identity so that we can proudly declare, “I am a Jew, and I am indigenous to the Land of Israel.”

 SHAVUOT IS celebrated at Moshav Ramot Naftali, in the north, this past May. Festivals like Passover, Sukkot, and Shavuot are linked to agricultural cycles.

Israel isn't suffering a constitutional crisis, but an identity crisis - opinion

As we stand in 2023, a clear, unified vision for Israel’s Jewish inhabitants has yet to emerge. Instead, the existing government has given rise to two sharply contrasting visions

 PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu stands in front of a portrait of first prime minister David Ben-Gurion.

Israel vs Judaism: Can these two identities coexist? - opinion

Our nation of Israel openly seems to declare that we have been split between two critical aspects of our identity – our Judaism and our “Israelism.”

 THE WRITER addresses the annual Tzohar conference, in Tel Aviv, last month.

Jews are distinct – we should take pride in our Jewishness - opinion

It is essential for us to wear our Jewishness with pride, and to acknowledge our identity, and to proclaim to the world with unwavering conviction, “This is our story.”

A man waves an Israeli flag during a rally against antisemitism, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin in May.

We must recognize internalized anti-Jewishness - opinion

We cannot shy away from engaging in the challenging discussions surrounding the impact of hate on our community. We should not allow ourselves to be bound by shame, and trauma.

 Thousands of Jews wave Israeli flags as they celebrate Jerusalem Day by dancing at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City, during Jerusalem Day, May 29, 2022

How can Israel strengthen aliyah, Jewish identity? - opinion

Maybe Herzl would have been impressed by the state we established, but we in the World Zionist Organization know that the work is far from over.

 THE WRITER attends a ceremony in memory of Theodor Herzl, on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, in 2021.

Making Israel - US Jewry relations cool again

Noa Tishby - "Israelis don't understand the antisemitism that American Jewry is dealing with."