In a new book, Steven Fine tells the history of the menorah, which has been part of Jewish iconography since ancient times, not as an object but as a symbol. Jonathan Kirsch writes in his review:

Fine [sets out] to excavate and explain the meanings that have been evoked by the menorah over its long history. Indeed, he acknowledges that the New York Times once referred to him as “the Jewish Robert Langdon,” a reference to the “symbolist” who is the fictional hero of The Da Vinci Code, but he insists that his own work is based on “the close study of texts and artifacts in a real attempt to let these disparate forms ‘speak’ to each other.” . . .

Starting in the 19th century, . . . the seven-branched menorah was displayed in Reform and “neo-Orthodox” synagogues. By the 20th century, the menorah transcended its origins as a ritual object and variously “became a symbol for Jewish emancipation, . . . liberalizing Judaism, and Jewish nationalism—usually (but not always) Zionism—and sometimes for all of these at the same time.”

The superb color photographs in Fine’s book show us artifacts on which the menorah is depicted that are far older than the Arch of Titus [engraved with an image of victorious Roman soldiers carrying a menorah out of the Temple], which dates back to the 1st century CE, and he points out the various passages in the Tanakh where the menorah is richly described. . . .

The menorah may be missing from the flag of Israel, but it appears prominently on the official state seal. . . . Significantly, the vote in the Knesset to adopt the new seal was unanimous, a rarity in Israeli politics then and now.

On Tuesday, a Hizballah drone attack injured three people in northern Israel. The next day, another attack, targeting an IDF base, injured eighteen people, six of them seriously, in Arab al-Amshe, also in the north. This second attack involved the simultaneous use of drones carrying explosives and guided antitank missiles. In both cases, the defensive systems that performed so successfully last weekend failed to stop the drones and missiles. Ron Ben-Yishai has a straightforward explanation as to why: the Lebanon-backed terrorist group is getting better at evading Israel defenses. He explains the three basis systems used to pilot these unmanned aircraft, and their practical effects:

These systems allow drones to act similarly to fighter jets, using “dead zones”—areas not visible to radar or other optical detection—to approach targets. They fly low initially, then ascend just before crashing and detonating on the target. The terrain of southern Lebanon is particularly conducive to such attacks.

But this requires skills that the terror group has honed over months of fighting against Israel. The latest attacks involved a large drone capable of carrying over 50 kg (110 lbs.) of explosives. The terrorists have likely analyzed Israel’s alert and interception systems, recognizing that shooting down their drones requires early detection to allow sufficient time for launching interceptors.

The IDF tries to detect any incoming drones on its radar, as it had done prior to the war. Despite Hizballah’s learning curve, the IDF’s technological edge offers an advantage. However, the military must recognize that any measure it takes is quickly observed and analyzed, and even the most effective defenses can be incomplete. The terrain near the Lebanon-Israel border continues to pose a challenge, necessitating technological solutions and significant financial investment.