Posts in Jewish
Israel And Hamas Agree To Hostage Deal As Part Of Peace Plan

The plan, if adopted in full, would eventually end the two-year war that started when Hamas killed almost 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped about 250. Israel’s attacks on the Gaza strip, where the hostages were taken, have since killed at least 66,000 Palestinians, the Gaza Health Ministry says, and left much of the enclave in ruins.

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‘House of David’ Season 2 Delivers The Bible Epic We All Need

(REVIEW) “House of David” is the flagship title of the newly launched “Wonder Project,” and Season 2 is the biggest launch title for its new subscription platform. The series delivers on epic battles, complex characters and biblical themes. It recounts the ascent of the biblical figure David, who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel.

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How Americans View The 2-Year Israel-Hamas Conflict

Two years after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the start of the Jewish state’s military campaign in Gaza, a growing number of Americans are expressing skepticism toward Israel’s actions and the U.S. response to the conflict, according to a new survey. It reveals that 39% of Americans say Israel is going too far in its military operations against Hamas — an increase from 31% a year ago.

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After Oct. 7 And 2 Years of War, Hamas Faces Defining Test

(ANALYSIS) Weakened militarily and politically after two years of war with Israel, Hamas is facing growing pressure — from both Palestinians and the international community — to accept a U.S.-backed peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump. The group has already agreed to release the remaining Israeli hostages and hand over control of Gaza to a technocratic Palestinian body.

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On Grim 10/7 Anniversary, Some Israeli Leaders Call For ‘Moral Clarity’

(OPINION) Two years since the terror attacks launched by Hamas on Israel, there appears to be a persistent moral ambiguity on how the world has responded to Israel’s plight. Should they be faulted at all for their call to get Israeli hostages back and to demand the disarmament of Hamas to finally end the war in Gaza?

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Dead Sea Scrolls And Ancient Artifacts Headline Major Museum of the Bible Exhibit

Dead Sea Scroll fragments and hundreds of other artifacts will be on display starting Nov. 22 at the Museum of the Bible’s “Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition,” brought in partnership with the Israel Antiquities Authority.

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Yom Kippur Synagogue Attack Casts Harrowing Light on Rising Global Antisemitism

(ANALYSIS) The deadly attack at a synagogue in northern England on Yom Kippur — the holiest and most solemn day of the Jewish calendar — has cast a long shadow over the safety and security of Jewish communities in Britain and beyond. The 10/7 attacks and their aftermath have exacerbated an already volatile environment.   

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Evangelical Support For Israel Constant, But Future Shift Looms

U.S. evangelicals are as supportive of Israel as they were four years ago, Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter found in their latest poll, although findings portend a possible generational shift.

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Mamdani’s Bid To Be NY’s First Muslim Mayor Tests Limits Of Identity Politics

Zohran Mamdani's candidacy offers a lens into the future of American urban politics — one that is both multicultural and deeply polarizing. It’s also a referendum on whether a candidate can be unapologetically Muslim, unflinchingly progressive and still viable as a leader in America’s largest city.

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How The Spiritual Sound Of The Shofar Shapes The High Holidays

It’s the Jewish High Holiday season, and Jews the world over are preparing to visit their local synagogues — for community, for prayer, and to hear the arresting, soulful sounds of the shofar. An animal horn — typically a ram’s horn — used as a wind instrument, the shofar is featured over 70 times in the Torah.

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Survey Reveals Americans’ Contradictory Beliefs About God And Church

U.S. adults don’t think God changes. Their beliefs about the divine have basically stayed the same, as well. The latest State of Theology study from Lifeway Research and Ligonier Ministries finds significant stability across a wide range of theological beliefs.

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Palestinian Statehood Winning Major New Supporters At The UN

(ANALYSIS) Recognition of a Palestinian state is likely to dominate proceedings at the U.N. beginning this week when world leaders will gather for the annual general assembly. Of the 193 existing U.N member states, 147 already recognize a Palestinian state. But that number is expected to swell in the coming days, with several more countries expected to officially announce such recognition.

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Earliest Known Reference To King David On Display At Museum Of The Bible

A 3,000-year-old basalt stone bearing the earliest known extrabiblical reference to the “House of David” is on display at the Museum of the Bible through Nov. 3 at no cost to viewers, the museum has announced.

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A Different Saint Film: ‘Triumph Of The Heart’ Wins At Showing Faith In Suffering

(REVIEW) “Triumph of the Heart” is a rare movie that leans into the parts of the Christian walk we often like to talk about but not experience. In doing so, it shows us the beauty of standing up against evil. If one can take the constant drumbeat of pain and look past some of its repetitiveness and hagiographical weaknesses, one will be rewarded by having one’s heart drawn closer to God.

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UN Inquiry Concludes Israeli Actions In Gaza Meets Legal Definition Of Genocide

(ANALYSIS) A United Nations commission — the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel — concluded that Israel has committed acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

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A Hollywood Boycott Would Silence Israel’s Anti-War Voices

(ANALYSIS) Emma Stone and Javier Bardem think that, by pledging to boycott Israel’s film industry, they’re helping Palestinians. Instead, they’re actually helping a man they likely despise: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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‘Caught Stealing’ Gives Us Tough, Hasidic Drug Lords: is That Good For Jews?

(ANALYSIS) Darren Aronofsky’s most formative encounter with Haredi Jews may have come when he was an 18-year-old in Israel at the Kotel. It was there at the wall, he told film journalist Andrea Chase, he met a group of Hasidim who introduced him to the Jewish mysticism he’d go on to use to award-winning effect in his debut feature, “Pi.”  

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‘Guns & Moses’ Has It All: A Must-See Faith-Based Mystery Masterpiece

(REVIEW) “Guns & Moses” is a rare film that succeeds both as compelling entertainment and as a surprisingly thoughtful exploration of faith. It’s a model that shows how believers can examine all aspects of life through their faith and art — including those they'd prefer to keep in a concealed carry. The film expertly tells a story that is emotionally satisfying from a faith standpoint.

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Is The Jerusalem Terror Attack The Start Of A Third Intifada?

(ANALYSIS) For now, it would be premature to declare that that moment has arrived. Yet it would be incautious, too, to ignore the warning signs. The latest terrorism in Jerusalem may not be the turning point. But unless the trajectory changes — unless there is a serious Israeli effort to address Palestinian grievances, rather than inflame them — the explosion everyone fears may soon become impossible to prevent.

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