Religion

Western Wall debate must not overshadow prayer, unity during times of war - opinion

Prayer at the Kotel should remain sacred, guiding Jews through crises rather than fueling division.

A general view of Jerusalem's Old City shows the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in the foreground and the Dome of the Rock, located on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in the background June 24, 2019
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett seen in an illustrative

Israel needs leadership that can unify the nation without weakening its democracy - opinion

Four young Arab-Israeli women making their way through mainstream Israeli society.

Exploring identity through art at Jerusalem's Museum on the Seam

Haggadah

Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel: Bringing the Exodus to life, visually - review


Az Nashir Haggadah: Women’s voices on the path to redemption - review

A Haggadah that blends tradition, contemporary Israeli reality, and women’s voices for a living redemption.

Prophet Miriam plays the tambourine as she dances and sings with the women as they leave Egypt. A Camden Press poster of a wood carving by the Brothers Dalziel after a mid-19th-century illustration by Edward Poynter.

Shas fills local rabbi posts with loyalists, sidelining community choice - opinion

Shas moves quickly to fill rabbinic vacancies, sidelining candidates who fit their cities.

Head of Shas party Aryeh Deri and Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef visit at the scene of suspected arson and vandalism at a Jerusalem synagogue which is often frequented by Rabbi Yosef, June 8, 2025.

This month in Jewish history: From Exodus to modern Israel, and many birthdays

A highly abridged monthly version of Dust & Stars.

Happy Birthday to: Yigael Yadin (3rd R), Israeli delegation member to armistice  talks in Rhodes, 1949, with Yitzhak Rabin {R);

From exile to nationhood: The enduring story of Am Yisrael

Passover marks more than freedom; it forged Jewish nationhood and a lasting identity that endured exile and returned as a living people in its land.

Millions of Jews who do not live in Israel shape their Jewish identity through their  connection to this land.

Parashat Vayikra: Mutual responsibility

Vayikra’s message of purity, repentance, and unity teaches that even without sacrifices, we can draw closer to God and to one another.

‘To be worthy, every individual must work on himself.’

Iran’s leaders may welcome chaos instead of fearing collapse - opinion

As the West gauges damage and deterrence, Iran’s ideological core may see war as a divine test, preparing the world for a messianic era.

A woman holds a portrait of Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, on the day of a gathering to support Mojtaba Khamenei, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 9, 2026.

From Parshat Zachor to war with Iran: Israel will never be defenseless - opinion

From a synagogue reading to the skies over Iran, the US-Israel alliance shows its enduring strength.

 U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the entrance of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 7, 2025.

Hearing Sieg Heil at 76: Why you can't kill the Jew inside - opinion

After a shocking antisemitic rally, a 76-year-old man embraces Judaism, reconnects with family, and finds community.

 Pro-Palestinian demonstrators march past King's College, one of the few colleges that have divested from companies benefiting from the Israeli war.

Local religious movement claims the Ark of the Covenant is in the Solomon Islands

Among the To’abaita people in the north of Malaita, a deeply rooted belief holds that they descend from the “Lost Ten Tribes of Israel.”

Coastline of the Solomon Islands.

From Khaybar to Khamenei: Historic battles and their echo in modern Iran - opinion

Historic battles and religious memory echo across generations, from the Battle of Khaybar to the death of Khamenei.

 The Battle of Khaybar.