Feature
Original feature reporting from JNS, including profiles, current stories and in-depth coverage of the people, communities and issues shaping Jewish life.
Savoring the sweet and the sour, as America marks a quarter of a century since Sept. 11, 2001, and the downing of four airplanes as part of terror attacks that left a hole in our hearts.
The Yiftah border community is welcoming 22 new families to mitigate its loss of 10 after a 16-month-long evacuation.
Jacqueline Meents-Lenstra hid Efraim Kochba as her own son in Nazi-occupied Holland after his Jewish parents entrusted the infant to her care.
Zev Shandalov, a Ma’ale Adumim-based rabbi and teacher, transformed the six words Berger wrote after 482 days in Hamas captivity into a thousand-year-old poetic form.
“Before Oct. 7, I was Raphael. Then I became ‘the Jew,’” a new immigrant to Israel told JNS amid a steady stream of Jews leaving his native country.
Residents of the southern Israeli city show resilience and optimism nearly three years after the Oct. 7 massacre.
The war transformed a decades-old legal and political dispute into an urgent fight over military manpower, equality of service and the future of Haredi society.
Christian students and young professionals say firsthand encounters with Israel challenged media narratives and strengthened their resolve to confront antisemitism.
The siblings met for the first time in nearly a decade at a camp for Ukrainians organized by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.
As repeated IDF call-ups stretches into a third year, the nonprofit is helping lone reservists rebuild their civilian lives after months on the battlefield.
Bike4Chai Ride supports Chai Lifeline and Camp Simcha, which provide overnight summer camping in a medically supportive environment.
The British-born former venture capitalist tells JNS that the Jewish state is the world’s strongest long-term investment—economically, strategically and spiritually.
HAREDIM IN ISRAEL
A series by Shimon Sherman
MEET THE PARLIAMENT
A series by Amelie Botbol
The Yesh Atid lawmaker argues that the country’s recovery must begin with national healing.
The Yesh Atid lawmaker says Israel needs a broad Zionist coalition to rebuild the country after the Oct. 7 attacks.
“We have made sure to help the public—the Sephardi Haredi public, but not exclusively. Shas is not a niche party; it helps everyone,” Abutbul told JNS.
The next government must secure the nation’s future through economic strength, internal security and diplomatic agreements, the former Jerusalem police chief tells JNS.
IDF reservists’ rights, highway safety among the causes championed by the Likud legislator.
“I think we need to invest in Israel’s Arab society—in education, employment and infrastructure. If we don’t, we’ll be the ones who suffer,” the lawmaker told JNS.
“Iran threatens world peace, and the world should stand up to it. It’s very simple,” the Likud lawmaker told JNS.
“Today, we see that the majority of the Israeli public wants a government of consensus,” Blue and White party chair tells JNS.
The former school principal and welfare minister emphasized the importance of every child studying math, English, Hebrew and science.
The deputy foreign minister talks with JNS about Lebanon, Iran, surging antisemitism and the importance of Africa.
The nation must protect its periphery, agricultural sector, environment, shape Gaza’s future, the Yesh Atid lawmaker tells JNS.
Schuster advocates for Gaza demilitarization, national unity and strengthening the periphery.
“It will be hard—wars are no fun—but we need to do this so that our children will not experience what we experience, so that they will have greater quiet,” the lawmaker told JNS.
Right-wing voters must understand they are voting for legal advisers to assume an actual advisory role, for the Supreme Court’s authority to be capped and for the communications market to open to competition, says Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi.
The Likud lawmaker spoke with JNS about the lack of a right-wing fiscal approach in Israel, the importance of sovereignty and the urgency of dealing with the Iran threat.
The opposition lawmaker says Israelis agree on 80% of key issues.
Enabling ride-sharing services, limiting the state’s right to appeal citizens’ acquittals are among the initiatives driven by the Blue and White lawmaker.
While a Knesset lawmaker’s work includes legislation, committee activity and media appearances, Likud lawmaker Amit Halevi said the media is often the most effective tool for driving change.
Israel should not press ahead with the U.S.-mediated Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas returns the body of the last hostage, the Yesh Atid lawmaker told JNS.
We need to address shortages of teachers and overcrowded classrooms, the new head of the Knesset Education Committee tells JNS.
The Likud legislator calls on all Knesset members to unite for the good of the nation.
Protecting children from social media, Israel’s high cost of living and strengthening the periphery rank high on the Yesh Atid lawmaker’s agenda.
No troops from Turkey or Qatar will enter the Gaza Strip, the Likud lawmaker tells JNS.
Noam Party wants state recognition of Jewish identity, and eligibility under the Law of Return, to be determined by “halachah.”
The Religious Zionism lawmaker seeks the replacement of the Palestinian Authority, which she says continues to fund and support terrorism.
“It is possible to hold the book in one hand and a weapon in the other,” said Moshe Solomon on the haredi draft.
“The cost of living is one of the two key issues that will be decisive in the next elections, along with national security,” says MK Simon Davidson.
Religious Zionism lawmaker Ohad Tal tells JNS that peace can be achieved only by applying Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria and Gaza.
“The IDF withdrew from Lebanon in 20o0, and Hezbollah ended up becoming the largest terror army in the world,” Otzma Yehudit lawmaker Yitzhak Kroizer tells JNS.
MK Shelly Tal Meron of Yesh Atid’s work centers on the hostage issue and Hamas’s sexual violence.
Religious Zionism’s Simcha Rothman talks with JNS about his key achievements in the Knesset, and the challenges the country still faces.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza “has a lot of potential,” Likud lawmaker Dan Illouz told JNS at the Knesset.
Residents of the southern Israeli city show resilience and optimism nearly three years after the Oct. 7 massacre.
The war transformed a decades-old legal and political dispute into an urgent fight over military manpower, equality of service and the future of Haredi society.
As repeated IDF call-ups stretches into a third year, the nonprofit is helping lone reservists rebuild their civilian lives after months on the battlefield.
At its core, the dispute is about what military service, Torah study and citizenship mean in the Jewish state.
The new nature trail follows the setting of the royal courtship, drawing visitors, marriage proposals and hopes for renewed faith-based tourism.
Inside Israel’s battle against suspected arson fires in Judea and Samaria
The Yesh Atid lawmaker argues that the country’s recovery must begin with national healing.
Originally intended to accommodate a few hundred Torah scholars, the exemption of ultra-Orthodox yeshivah students from IDF service evolved into one of Israel’s most contentious public policy issues.
The Yesh Atid lawmaker says Israel needs a broad Zionist coalition to rebuild the country after the Oct. 7 attacks.
At a memorial event, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee and Levin’s parents reflected on the Lone Soldier Center that has transformed the lives of thousands in the military from Israel and abroad.
The initiative brings together the IDF Military Rabbinate, Aleph Military and the International Halacha Institute to address modern halachic challenges facing Jewish service members.
“We have made sure to help the public—the Sephardi Haredi public, but not exclusively. Shas is not a niche party; it helps everyone,” Abutbul told JNS.
The siblings met for the first time in nearly a decade at a camp for Ukrainians organized by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.
The British-born former venture capitalist tells JNS that the Jewish state is the world’s strongest long-term investment—economically, strategically and spiritually.
At a memorial event, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee and Levin’s parents reflected on the Lone Soldier Center that has transformed the lives of thousands in the military from Israel and abroad.
There’s no mistaking the building on Pacific Avenue in Wildwood, N.J., as a synagogue. But it’s also a place that emits the history of a farming community—and continues to draw people in.
Eyal Ostrinsky told JNS that the 125-year-old Zionist institution is broadening its support for Jewish communities worldwide, while reaffirming its mission of settlement, forestry and national development.
Day Two of the “Contemporary Antisemitism 2026” conference in Haifa explored how Jewish belonging is increasingly contested across digital platforms, popular culture and minority movements.
“Contemporary Antisemitism 2026" explores ways that can influence how cultures identify, understand, and confront anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment.
A years-long effort identified and digitized the names of 9,100 Jews buried in Krakow’s historic Podgorze cemetery before it was destroyed by the Nazis.
Adam Ferziger’s research opened new avenues for understanding “long-standing undercurrents in Israeli society, culture and Jewish identity,” the judges said.
Thousands of Jewish athletes from a record 43 countries gathered at Teddy Stadium to launch the “Jewish Olympics,” with moving tributes to hostages, wounded soldiers and Israel’s fallen.
From plants to jewelry, immigrant entrepreneurs showcase their dreams as they build new lives in Israel.
“Israel is here together with the Jewish community to support it, think together and voice concerns vis-à-vis the government whenever it is appropriate,” said Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed.
Zev Shandalov, a Ma’ale Adumim-based rabbi and teacher, transformed the six words Berger wrote after 482 days in Hamas captivity into a thousand-year-old poetic form.
Originally intended to accommodate a few hundred Torah scholars, the exemption of ultra-Orthodox yeshivah students from IDF service evolved into one of Israel’s most contentious public policy issues.
The initiative brings together the IDF Military Rabbinate, Aleph Military and the International Halacha Institute to address modern halachic challenges facing Jewish service members.
Rare manuscripts by Maimonides, Newton, Avicenna and Galileo trace more than 1,000 years of scientific, religious and philosophical inquiry.
The Shalom Jerusalem Foundation president told JNS that the holy site named “Zion” should be “a house of prayer for all nations.”
Adam Ferziger’s research opened new avenues for understanding “long-standing undercurrents in Israeli society, culture and Jewish identity,” the judges said.
“The challenges facing American Jewry are also very profound,” Rabbi Menachem Genack told JNS. “The risk of rapid assimilation. The level of antisemitism that we’re seeing. The security challenges facing the State of Israel.”
“When you have something saying you can’t go to someone who uses divination, or a witch, or consults spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer, that means this is something people were doing,” Eddy Portnoy, the curator, told JNS.
A Bar-Ilan University researcher argues that a cultic stone found at Tel Eton could provide archaeological proof of religious change in Judah during the First Temple period.
“Go and hug your daughters,” the mother of the 13-year-old terror victim urged during a memorial gathering marking the anniversary of her murder.
The Kemach Foundation provides training, counseling and professional support to help ultra-Orthodox Israelis advance in the workforce.
The Jerusalem museum is searching for historic photographs hidden in attics, albums and storage boxes ahead of a landmark exhibition.
Savoring the sweet and the sour, as America marks a quarter of a century since Sept. 11, 2001, and the downing of four airplanes as part of terror attacks that left a hole in our hearts.
The dedication at Ramat Negev Winery honored the woman Pollard credits with securing his freedom and bringing him home to Israel.
Participants in the March of the Living warn that internal discord poses a grave threat and call for renewed unity.
Hundreds of bereaved mothers, widows, sisters and caregivers came together in Jerusalem during the Nine Days to find strength in shared loss and resilience.
The wooden beams, preserved for some 2,600 years beneath melted plaster, offer a rare glimpse into the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE.
A Shavuot benefit at Jerusalem’s Tower of David raised funds for HaGal Sheli’s surfing-based rehabilitation programs.
Noa Arazi’s personal journey inspires a new organization to guide converts worldwide.
From Basque-style creations to classic Israeli dairy cakes, a seven-stop tasting tour showcased the capital’s growing cheesecake culture ahead of the holiday.
The cultural gem in Jerusalem seeks to keep S.Y. Agnon’s literary world relevant for new generations.
Middle school pupils from 33 schools tested their knowledge of the Israeli capital’s history, culture and landmarks at Tower of David.
Rich and creamy, dairy is the rule and not the exception for this two-day holiday.
Counter-demonstrators called for the destruction of the State of Israel.
Art historian Jacob Wisse told JNS that he is concerned “when museums, which I value for the rigor, depth and richness of their curatorial voice, fall back, lazily, on untruths.”
The wooden beams, preserved for some 2,600 years beneath melted plaster, offer a rare glimpse into the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE.
Project Qumran seeks scientific testing of surviving samples from a 1992 Dead Sea excavation that researchers believe may be remnants of biblical “Ketoret.”
A Bar-Ilan University researcher argues that a cultic stone found at Tel Eton could provide archaeological proof of religious change in Judah during the First Temple period.
Researchers say traces of repeated fire use deep inside South Africa’s Wonderwerk Cave suggest early human ancestors were harnessing naturally occurring fires far earlier than previously confirmed.
Calling it “a dream come true,” the museum’s director Eilat Lieber says the Kishle site will become the Schulich Wing for Archaeology, Art and Innovation.
“It’s not just a display of the scrolls, which of course in and of themselves would be powerful,” but other “wow objects” leave viewers in awe, the museum’s director of exhibits told JNS.
NY exhibit underscores how medieval Christians both sang songs from Hebrew Bible and persecuted Jews
“Here you sing these Psalms every day, yet on Good Friday you go out and you beat up your Jewish neighbors,” Roger Wieck, of the Morgan Library and Museum, told JNS. “I don’t have an answer for you.”
The museum’s president and CEO told JNS that he hopes visitors will learn about the Holocaust and its root causes and apply that to understanding the world today.
“Gaon is the soundtrack of Israeli life,” says Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion.
“The ancient sources implying Queen Zenobia converted to Judaism are possibly accurate,” Haggai Olshanetsky, of University of Warsaw, told JNS.
The exhibits reflect the museum’s vision: “Connecting our ancient history and traditions with local contemporary art,” says director Suzanne Landau.
A new movie in English and Hebrew, “For the Love of a Woman,” weaves its way from 1930s’ British Mandatory Palestine to America and Israel in the 1970s, telling a relatable story of relationships.
The 65th Israel Festival opened with a breathtaking aerial performance over the Hinnom Valley, recreating an iconic 1987 crossing between east and west Jerusalem.
Florentine neighborhood becomes a canvas of a nation traumatized by war, but remaining resilient and full of color and life.
Art historian Jacob Wisse told JNS that he is concerned “when museums, which I value for the rigor, depth and richness of their curatorial voice, fall back, lazily, on untruths.”
An exhibition by graduating girls at an Ohr Torah Stone high school reflects on identity, grief, resilience and hope after years marked by COVID-19 and war.
Collaborative works by residents of Kfar Shimon offer a window into the inner worlds of young Israeli adults on the spectrum.
The Apple TV drama combines espionage, family conflict and psychological suspense in a gripping story about how far a mother will go to save her daughter.
Los Angeles-born Rachel Lester tells JNS that winning global public opinion requires more effective storytelling, diverse voices and discipline on social media.
“When you have something saying you can’t go to someone who uses divination, or a witch, or consults spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer, that means this is something people were doing,” Eddy Portnoy, the curator, told JNS.
Irvin Ungar recounts his mission to restore the American Jewish artist to his rightful place in history.
Yishay Ishi Ron’s book, “The Girl Who Rode the White Lion,” is based on a true story of a family that hid Jews in a circus during the Holocaust.
In a new monograph, the Israeli architect showcases projects inspired by the landscapes, history and layered identities that shape the Jewish state.
The 65th Israel Festival opened with a breathtaking aerial performance over the Hinnom Valley, recreating an iconic 1987 crossing between east and west Jerusalem.
Yosef Dagan championed the penalty shootout following Israel’s elimination from the 1968 Olympics by the drawing of lots.
According to CyberWell, social media posts tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup falsely claim the Argentine soccer star is Jewish or controlled by Jews while recycling conspiracy theories about Jewish control of FIFA.
After becoming the first Israeli women’s national basketball team to win a European medal, the team reflected on the bond that fueled its remarkable run.
David Bolchover talks to JNS about his new book, which tells the stories of 11 Jewish football stars murdered in the Holocaust.
Despite falling short in the series, Team Israel celebrated a historic performance, new friendships and valuable preparation for the European Championship.
Despite facing hostility throughout the tournament, Team Israel captured gold and now has its sights set on qualifying for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Afeka College engineering students are preparing to become the first Israeli team to compete in Europe’s only 24-hour solar car race.
From Cuba to Estonia, immigrants to Israel proudly compete under their former homelands’ flags while celebrating their shared Jewish identity.
Maccabiah Israel Chairman Asaf Goren tells JNS that memorial swims, commemorative pins and even favorite foods are helping athletes remember 18 fallen members of the Maccabi family.
Thousands of Jewish athletes from a record 43 countries gathered at Teddy Stadium to launch the “Jewish Olympics,” with moving tributes to hostages, wounded soldiers and Israel’s fallen.
Never Say Never (NSN) team rider Nadav Raisberg speaks with JNS after securing the points classification at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and winning the Israeli road race championship.
Employment, housing and resilience programs support IDF troops as they rebuild their futures.
The Chilean envoy told JNS his appointment marks “an emotional moment” for him and signals a renewed commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
Actor Javier Bardem and others helped spread anti-Israel narratives across social media after the deadly border breach, drawing accusations of antisemitic incitement.
Jeff Daube tells JNS why the world’s oldest and most venerated Jewish cemetery is becoming a center for Jewish identity, education and heritage.
Dozens of young women serving through OneFamily provide bereaved families with the one thing they need most: stability.
Despite Pretoria’s legal campaign against Israel in The Hague, an Israeli firm is investing in one of South Africa’s most promising offshore energy projects.
In an interview with JNS, Farley Weiss, president of the Israel Justice Organization, says Jerusalem should take a more aggressive approach to combating anti-Israel narratives.
“I had to move to Israel to find my person,” said Sophie Lichtman of Savannah, Georgia.
“I think that the Israeli defense industry especially is very resilient, and I think they know how to adapt to the new situation,” Col. (Res.) Aviram Hasson told JNS.
In an interview with JNS, the World Zionist Organization president reflects on the loss of his son, rising anti-Zionism and the need for Jewish unity.
Dan Hadani, who documented Israel’s formative decades, reflects on a century of resilience, curiosity and rebuilding.
ANU Museum festival pairs restaurants with emerging Jewish communities from India, China, Uganda, Peru and beyond.