Between Hero and antihero: the Israeli soldier in cinema
Since 1948, the IDF has been central not only to security but also to Israel’s national imagination. In a country that conceives itself as an "imagined community", the image of the soldier as David - a young fighter against a giant - became a national symbol and teaching tool. This article shows how that figure has shifted with the fortunes of the Arab-Israeli conflict, culminating in a metamorphosis: from David to Goliath and, more recently, the paradox of "David versus Davi
6 min read
Nahalat Shiva: at the dawn of modern Jerusalem
Nahalat Shiva (translated as “the land of the seven”) takes its name from its founders: seven young men of Jerusalem, descendants of families deeply rooted in the Jewish presence of the Old City. Driven by the conviction that the command to settle the Land of Israel must be fulfilled, they set out together to build - stone by stone - the Jerusalem of tomorrow.
5 min read
Israel’s education in the 1950s: shaping a Nation through schools
When Israel declared independence in 1948, its new education system wasn’t built from scratch, it was anchored in 3,800 years of Jewish history. From biblical times to modern Zionism, the Jewish return to its ancestral land and the centuries-long yearning for it shaped how the state approached educating its youth.
4 min read
Israel as a Spiritual Startup
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.” - Zechariah 4:6. For decades, Israel has been celebrated as the “Startup Nation," a hub of entrepreneurship, innovation, and high-tech ingenuity. A desert that bloomed, Israel's tech ecosystem is largely considered a model of resilience and growth. And, that label is well-earned. But, it only tells part of the story.
4 min read
Gaza’s Jewish past – and why it changed
Gaza, often viewed today solely through the lens of its modern Palestinian identity, has a rich and complex Jewish history spanning thousands of years. Though now devoid of Jewish life, the city was once a significant center of Jewish thought, trade, and mysticism. From biblical narratives to the heights of Jewish scholarship in the Ottoman period, Jews lived, worked, and worshipped in Gaza for centuries. However, conquests, political shifts, and violence systematically erase
8 min read
