Born in Russian-ruled Lithuania, the actors Joseph Buloff and Luba Kadison both performed in the Vilna Troupe, one of the most celebrated Yiddish theater groups following World War I. Later the two married and settled in America, where they became leading figures on the New York Yiddish stage. Buloff also made a name for himself on Broadway (including in the original run of Oklahoma!) and Hollywood (playing alongside Paul Newman in Somebody Up There Likes Me). Their daughter Barbara Buloff reminisces about her parents here. (Interview by Christa Whitney. Video, 4 minutes.)

Considering the current state of the region and the policy mistakes of the recent past, David Pollock and Robert Satloff outline a strategy that is “both virtuous and realistic” for defending human rights and encouraging democratization in a region plagued by autocracy, chaos, and brutality. They argue that “in the long run, more democratic, tolerant, and inclusive governments are likely to be better at defending themselves, and more reliable and effective security partners for the United States.”