To many, the term “religious apologetics” suggests sermons in defense of dogma. Taken more broadly, however, the term can apply to the most sophisticated and well-reasoned arguments in favor of faith. To Eli Stern, the best examples are attempts to reconcile timeless religious beliefs with contemporary ways of thinking, which would include the works of some of the greatest Jewish philosophers, from Saadiah Gaon in the 10th century, to Moses Maimonides in the 12th, to Joseph B. Soloveitchik in the 20th. Stern argues for a revival of apologetic writing within his own community of contemporary Ḥaredim:

Ḥaredi youngsters and adults alike are troubled by a growing dissonance between the realities of daily life and the demands of their religious system. These individuals, often sincere and religiously devout questioners, are distressed by an apparent lack of honest and genuine attention to their struggles. Too often, approaching a rabbi or educator with these issues leads the seeker to a sense of misunderstanding and miscommunication. Not only does such an interaction fail to allay the questioner’s anxieties; it will likely lead to a greater sense of alienation. . . .

As in every generation, ours too requires thinkers and writers to explain the Torah in the language of the moment. [When it comes to] outreach to secular Jews, Ḥaredim have some awareness of methods and approaches by which Judaism should be presented. By contrast, I am unaware of similar discourse around explaining the faith within our own communities, to our children and students, and moreover to ourselves. . . .

In addition to discourses and philosophical works, Stern also sees literature as a means of responding to crises of faith:

Literature can communicate to readers that . . . religiosity is not merely the methodical application of dry principles, but man’s encounter with God. [While many traditional Jewish texts] speak generally of obligations and beliefs, the human side [of religion], the experiences of the people who live it, can be revealed in literature. The reader is exposed to the emotional world behind the ritual practice and discovers in that world the legitimate tensions and challenges of even the most devout. Literature . . . provides an opportunity for the reader to enter the protagonist’s internal world, with the dilemmas, questions, and emotions that characterize a life of observance. A good story can serve the function of apologetics without apologizing.

For some time, opponents of U.S support for Israel have been urging the White House to end the war in Gaza, or simply calling for a ceasefire. Douglas Feith and Lewis Libby consider what such a result would actually entail:

Ending the war immediately would allow Hamas to survive and retain military and governing power. Leaving it in the area containing the Sinai-Gaza smuggling routes would ensure that Hamas can rearm. This is why Hamas leaders now plead for a ceasefire. A ceasefire will provide some relief for Gazans today, but a prolonged ceasefire will preserve Hamas’s bloody oppression of Gaza and make future wars with Israel inevitable.

For most Gazans, even when there is no hot war, Hamas’s dictatorship is a nightmarish tyranny. Hamas rule features the torture and murder of regime opponents, official corruption, extremist indoctrination of children, and misery for the population in general. Hamas diverts foreign aid and other resources from proper uses; instead of improving life for the mass of the people, it uses the funds to fight against Palestinians and Israelis.

Moreover, a Hamas-affiliated website warned Gazans last month against cooperating with Israel in securing and delivering the truckloads of aid flowing into the Strip. It promised to deal with those who do with “an iron fist.” In other words, if Hamas remains in power, it will begin torturing, imprisoning, or murdering those it deems collaborators the moment the war ends. Thereafter, Hamas will begin planning its next attack on Israel:

Hamas’s goals are to overshadow the Palestinian Authority, win control of the West Bank, and establish Hamas leadership over the Palestinian revolution. Hamas’s ultimate aim is to spark a regional war to obliterate Israel and, as Hamas leaders steadfastly maintain, fulfill a Quranic vision of killing all Jews.

Hamas planned for corpses of Palestinian babies and mothers to serve as the mainspring of its October 7 war plan. Hamas calculated it could survive a war against a superior Israeli force and energize enemies of Israel around the world. The key to both aims was arranging for grievous Palestinian civilian losses. . . . That element of Hamas’s war plan is working impressively.