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The Wreck of the Jewish Museum
May  

The Wreck of the Jewish Museum

From its priceless collection of artworks, a foremost cultural institution has harvested mainly inferior examples for display, while submerging Jewish identity in a sea of “universal values.”

How and Why Israelis Vote
April  

How and Why Israelis Vote

A primer on the state of play of Israeli politics, how Israel’s electoral system shapes (and warps) priorities, and why Netanyahu has reason to be worried about his new rival.

How to Judge Robert Alter's Landmark Translation of the Hebrew Bible
February  

How to Judge Robert Alter’s Landmark Translation of the Hebrew Bible

Finished after decades of labor, this one-man English translation is a stupendous achievement. How does it hold up against the masterpieces (and follies) that have come before?

The Strategy Washington Is Pursuing in the Middle East Is the Only Strategy Worth Pursuing
January  Middle East Strategy in 2019

The Strategy Washington Is Pursuing in the Middle East Is the Only Strategy Worth Pursuing

America needs to back up its allies (Israel, Saudi Arabia, and potentially Turkey), and isolate its adversaries (Iran, Russia, China, Islamic State). Everything else is secondary.

The Matchless Master of Modern Hebrew Literature
December  

The Matchless Master of Modern Hebrew Literature

In his fiction, and especially in the novel Only Yesterday, S.Y. Agnon casts an ironic, unfooled eye on the inner lives of his fellow Jews and their lopsided bargains with modernity.

What Is the Meaning of Jewish History?
August  

What Is the Meaning of Jewish History?

A brief history of Jewish history-writing reveals an abundance of partial and competing narratives, all too often missing a key ingredient.