Culture and Society
Original reporting, features and analysis on culture and society.
“I never imagined making a Jewish film about Woody Guthrie,” Steven Pressman told JNS. “We started finding out all these threads. It just opened my eyes completely.”
The Health Ministry found the dangerous bacteria in the Yarmuk River.
Keep to the truth, don’t be extreme and put Jews, Israel and country over party.
Harris must extract herself from the cosmopolitan hostility to the U.S.-as-a-nation that informs so many around her.
Belmont Medical Technologies founder Regina Herzlinger donated 50 rapid blood infuser devices to Israeli hospitals and trauma centers.
Of the top 50 medaling countries, Israelis were more than four times likelier to medal than average, and nearly twice as likely to earn gold.
“I would like to congratulate you. I am proud of you—the entire country is proud of you,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the team.
Bisan Owda, Al-Jazeera contributor with millions of followers, faces scrutiny over reported links to the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Neither DMFI nor AIPAC has supported Rep. Ilhan Omar’s challenger in Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District.
This is the second fire this year at Reuben’s Deli & Restaurant in the Marylebone section of the city.
The website describes the living facility as “a holistic experience while embracing the richness of Islamic culture and values.”
Rabbi Levi Slonim of the Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Life at Binghamton University spoke one day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, aiming to show “the importance of unity.”
To say that Bowman’s views on Israel did not reflect those of his constituents would be an understatement.
“If publicly-funded institutions cannot host such events without folding to pressure, serious questions arise about that funding,” a Jewish House of Lords member said.
“I never imagined making a Jewish film about Woody Guthrie,” Steven Pressman told JNS. “We started finding out all these threads. It just opened my eyes completely.”
Hazut highlights the work of painters and photographers from Israel’s biblical heartland.
Oscar-winning filmmaker László Nemes said his Holocaust films would likely be ignored in today’s “shameless orgy of antisemitism.”
Israeli singer says the national unity he felt during the contest in Vienna made his “soul come back home.”
Wolfram Weimer, who punished culture bosses for anti-Israel displays in the Federal Republic, denounces “antisemitic” boycott attempts in Italy.
The Palais des Beaux-Arts proceeded with inviting Lahav Shani for a Nov. 24 performance.
Jews shouldn’t need to treat intellectual honesty as heroism. Nor does it behoove us to grab any morsel of sympathy with the hunger of a hostage.
There is another definition of what it means to be a bad actor.
Season five of the award-winning series was rewritten to address the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
The Israeli performer overcame boos and boycotts to deliver a crowd-pleasing performance of “Michelle” in Vienna.
The president cites rising anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment amid protests targeting the country’s pavilion and Jewish symbols.
A leader entrusted with representing communities facing severe water insecurity publicly aligns with a flotilla that is less about aid and more about political theater.
An expanded civilizational and strategic narrative on how two ancient nations can translate shared values into shared power.
The central bank said the shekel’s sharp appreciation has helped ease price pressures.
After months of war and uncertainty, a popular spring festival brought Israelis back to the north.
Construction of the West-East Pipeline is about half complete and being pushed toward 2027, according to the head of state oil giant ADNOC.
Industrial decay, hyperinflation, sanctions and the rise of the IRGC’s shadow economy have eroded the Iranian state’s capacity to govern.
See which countries came closest to matching the Zionist cow.
At the Samaria–Tayibe station, the prime minister said the new line would ease congestion, boost service and spur development across the country.
Radical Ventures leads funding round, with Nvidia among investors; Amazon joins as strategic customer.
The United States and Israel are both coping with the emergence of a new type of gambling that could potentially put military operations at risk.
Last year, demand for dairy products rose 63% in the period leading up to Shavuot.
Earlier forecasts feared a 9.5% drop in GDP in the first quarter, but current data point to a much more positive outcome.
Older generations watch younger ones with a particular expression, a little heartbroken at how fast it all moves. They carry with them everything that the Jewish people have lost, and everything that has been built in its place.
“May Allah bring it back to us all with stability, peace and respect,” tweeted Gideon Sa’ar.
Belgian Jews have become ‘second-class citizens,’ dozens warn in an open letter to authorities.
Worth is not determined by external facades, but by inner personality, character and morals.
A Shavuot benefit at Jerusalem’s Tower of David raised funds for HaGal Sheli’s surfing-based rehabilitation programs.
“May this day of faith and renewal bring peace, hope, and strength,” the Foreign Ministry wrote.
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, of Park Avenue Synagogue, told JNS that he will address “Yizkor, memory and revelation,” rather than politics, during Shavuot morning services.
Yechiel Leiter said May Golan’s comments denigrating Reform Judaism are “disgusting and reprehensible.”
“Wishing all who celebrate a happy Shavuot,” said the Jerusalem legation led by ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
The ritual bath was donated by American philanthropist Cheryl Halpern in memory of her husband, Fred.
Ahead of the holiday, President Isaac Herzog celebrates the country’s farmers, who provide Israelis “with all the bounty of the land.”
“In Israel, Christians worship freely, we speak freely, and we live freely,” said George Deek.
The findings pointed to systemic weaknesses across multiple bodies, including the Israel Police, the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority, the Courts Administration and the Prime Minister’s Office. Some findings were classified as highly severe.
Each additional one-year increase in biological age over chronological age was associated with a 15% increase in the risk of mortality.
White light, driven not simply by brightness but by geometry, consistently triggered the unusual behavior in woodlice.
“The Alumot Unit will work to make artificial intelligence capabilities accessible to the fighters at the operational edge.”
Israel Aerospace Industries unveils DIAMOND, a system based on small vessels that are remotely controlled and carry a range of weapons to increase firepower and defense capabilities.
“Project Spire” aims to create a highly secure campus in southern Israel, according to a Hudson Institute report.
Radical Ventures leads funding round, with Nvidia among investors; Amazon joins as strategic customer.
“My hat is off to Israel,” the Tesla owner said in a video address at the Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv.
Tel Aviv University researchers developed a method that may remove excess glutamate from the bloodstream in the first hours after injury, aiming to reduce the chain reaction of damage.
Implementation is scheduled to begin in September and will be phased in gradually.
“This is a strategic move designed to ensure Israel’s technological superiority, accelerate development in the field of AI, and maintain Israel’s position in the first line of world powers,” according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
‘Twenty soccer fields’ of mesh nets due to be used to protect Israeli troops from lethal threat.
Tickets are now available for the July 1 opening ceremony, which will showcase leading Israeli and American performers, including Montana Tucker.
Among the professional players taking part were Canadian former World No. 3 Milos Raonic and Israeli Grand Slam champions.
Tamar Steinberg and Shahar Tibi in a dual podium finish at the event in Portugal.
“We feel that Israeli athletes are doing much more than sports,” Yael Arad, Israel’s first Olympian to medal and president of its Olympic Committee, told JNS.
The International Roundnet Federation no longer plans to bar the team from displaying an Israeli flag or symbols at the championships but warned that further accusations of antisemitism might lead to legal action.
It’s vital to “honor the contributions—some of the many contributions—of Jewish Americans,” Katy Yaroslavsky said at a joint council meeting/honorary event.
Club inked a multi-year deal for Israeli co-founded payroll and HR platform to appear on the players’ jerseys starting next season.
In Atlanta, the two leaders shaped a coordinated approach to protecting Jewish life in America.
There have been frequent incidents in which Club Bruges supporters engage in violence and racist or antisemitic language.
“Lamine Yamal chose to incite against Israel and to encourage hatred while our soldiers are fighting the terrorist organization Hamas,” said Israel Katz.
A woman is accused of shouting anti-Jewish slurs at under-12 netball match in Sydney.
“He informed and entertained generations of fans with a theatrical and unapologetic style that was uniquely his own,” the New York Yankees stated.
Ahead of the holiday, President Isaac Herzog celebrates the country’s farmers, who provide Israelis “with all the bounty of the land.”
Israeli winemakers hope the designation will boost tourism and encourage the opening of new wineries.
Last year, demand for dairy products rose 63% in the period leading up to Shavuot.
Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Tekuma Authority will invest $24 million.
KKL–JNF says that its decision to stop support for some of the agricultural holdings has nothing to do with where they’re located in relation to the ‘Green Line.’
“When we talk about irrigation or plants, we see that this common language can overcome many political difficulties,” Tomer Malchi told JNS.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar congratulated his newly appointed counterpart, as the two diplomats discussed the situation of both countries.
Michael Lotem finished a three-year tour as envoy to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and the Seychelles in August 2025.
The assessment calls for the return of Palestinian Authority governance and efforts to “advance a durable political settlement based on the two-state solution.”
Michael Lotem has previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and the Seychelles.
It appears as “a living educational framework—a connection between Jewish communities in Israel and abroad, and a reflection of the strength of these communities across generations.”
The campaign, named for slain farmer Omer Weinstein, aims to place protective shelters on agricultural land as “Operation Roaring Lion” continues.
After months of war and uncertainty, a popular spring festival brought Israelis back to the north.
Emphasis was placed on sweets “to provide troops with a real holiday atmosphere.”
Israeli winemakers hope the designation will boost tourism and encourage the opening of new wineries.
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.
Last year, demand for dairy products rose 63% in the period leading up to Shavuot.
Rich and creamy, dairy is the rule and not the exception for this two-day holiday.
City says food fair reflects the metropolis’s spirit, offering public space for culture, connection and celebration amid challenging times.
At a Park Slope Food Coop meeting about boycotting Israel, a member, who reportedly compared Jews to Nazis, was applauded for saying that “Jewish supremacism is a problem in this country.”
Israel’s foreign minister said that no evidence had been provided by Kyiv, which he criticized for raising the issue in the media rather than diplomatic channels.
From Miami suites to Mexico City kitchens, a new generation of Jewish food influencers is using cuisine as a powerful form of cultural diplomacy.
“It becomes comfort, continuity and a way to feel connected to tradition and to one another at home,” Talia Sabag, of the Manischewitz parent company Kayko, told JNS.
The brand told JNS that it will be “evaluating packaging differentiation and working with our retail partners to ensure clearer in-store separation and signage where needed.”
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said: “After years in which sites were neglected or looted, Israel is making historical corrections.”
“There are very few peoples whose capital today is the same as it was 3,000 years ago,” the Israeli prime minister noted.
The discovery near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel has left researchers puzzled about its purpose and age.
The coins were allegedly looted from archaeological sites in Israel and smuggled to the United States.
Dor Wolynitz found a 1,700-year-old statuette fragment while hiking with his family in the Ramon Crater in the Negev Desert.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem reported that Natufian hunter-gatherers produced 142 beads and pendants uncovered by archaeologists.
The rare find, bearing the menorah symbol on both sides, was uncovered during recent excavations in the Temple Mount area.
Because of its importance not just to Jews, but to the West, excavating the City of David has engendered much hostility, speakers said at a Dec. 9 event.
Hebrew University researchers uncovered 8,000-year-old pottery showing floral patterns built on precise geometric progressions.
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.
The section of the wall unearthed at the Tower of David Museum is among the longest and most intact segments ever uncovered.
“They could go to a museum even in the Gulf, where people could see another side of Israel, an artistic side, a beautiful side,” Bernard Shapero told JNS.
Yitzhak Ben-Hebron escaped Arab riots as a child and later returned to rebuild the Jewish community in the holy city.
The late Jewish representative from Massachusetts “approached Israel as a liberal Zionist: engaged, critical and deeply committed,” William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents, told JNS.
The responsibility now falls on us and future generations to carry out the research, craft the messages and build the alliances that will overcome this current, terrible moment.
His greatness was not that he chose between the fire and the light. It was that he spent his life carrying both.
While leading the ADL for three decades, he epitomized many of the best things about the community he defended. But Jewish liberalism’s failures cloud his legacy.
“Abe believed that hearts could change,” said Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue.
“He carried that experience not with bitterness but with purpose,” William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, told JNS.
A passionate supporter of Israel, Joni Lamb received the Israel Allies Award in 2024.
“Doris Fisher leaves behind a legacy of deep commitment to her family and our city,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said.
“He informed and entertained generations of fans with a theatrical and unapologetic style that was uniquely his own,” the New York Yankees stated.
The author of “The Choice” urged others to choose hope and healing.
After Scott’s death, anti-Israel group Track AIPAC touted the possibility of replacing him with a primary opponent who accuses Israel of “genocide.”