The Pilgrims, the Rabbis, and the Bible

Sept. 21 2023

When the journalist-turned-banker-turned-historian Nick Bunker began exploring the ways in which Puritans turned to rabbinic commentary in their effort to understand the Hebrew Bible, he was reminded of his time as a student at Columbia University in the 1980s. Then, an Englishmen pursuing his studies on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, he first became familiar with—and fascinated by—the Jews he encountered and their religious traditions. His experience, perhaps, was something like that of English Protestant Nonconformists exiled in the Netherlands who, for the first time, came into contact with living Jews. Bunker discusses these topics and much else in conversation with Ari Lamm. (Audio, 62 minutes.)

Read more at Good Faith Effort

More about: American history, Christian Hebraists, Hebrew Bible, Jewish-Christian relations

 

Hamas’s Confidence Shows Why Hostage Talks Aren’t Working

Sept. 10 2024

Yesterday, President Biden reportedly met with his advisers to discuss how to achieve a breakthrough in hostage negotiations. Meir Ben Shabbat takes a closer look at what the terrorists themselves are saying:

Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s deputy chief in Gaza, reiterated that this issue is merely one of several demands his group has put forward as conditions for a deal. “We stress that any agreement must encompass a full cessation of hostilities, complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah crossing [which allow Hamas to smuggle weapons and supplies from Egypt], unimpeded return of displaced persons to their homes, aid and relief for Palestinians, Gaza’s reconstruction, and a prisoner exchange,” al-Hayya stated.

This stance isn’t new. What stood out in its presentation was the self-assurance displayed by the senior Hamas official, during a week when he and his associates were expected to be on edge, fearing repercussions for the killing of six hostages. However, the reaction to this in Israel and the United States prompted an opposite response from them. From their perspective, not only did they avoid consequences for the heinous act, but through it, they managed to escalate tensions and internal disagreements in Israel, while also prompting Washington to consider presenting a framework defined as a “final offer, without room for negotiation.

Hamas assumes that a final American proposal will inevitably come at Israel’s expense. The primary pressure to reach an agreement is already being applied to Israeli leadership. Hamas faces no consequences for prolonging the process, and so long as it holds hostages, it can always resume negotiations from where they left off.

Read more at Israel Hayom

More about: Gaza War 2023, Hamas, U.S. Foreign policy