New threats to the freedom of religion—and new areas of constitutional uncertainty—have arisen in the U.S. in recent years, as seen in the desire of Hobby Lobby and the Little Sisters of the Poor to be exempted from new healthcare regulations regarding the provision of contraceptives and abortion, the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop, and even attempts to outlaw such Jewish rituals as circumcision and kapparot (the ritual dedication of chickens to charity on the eve of Yom Kippur). Yuval Levin addresses some of these questions with reference to the Jewish experience in America; Leonard Leo argues that religious liberty will be safe only if the government abides by constitutional restraints on its authority and on the separation of powers—both of which, he believes, have been too often ignored. (Moderated by Aylana Meisel. Video, 73 minutes.)

Between December 27 and January 6, terrorists in Gaza fired rockets at Israel almost every night. On Monday, one rocket struck a home in the much-bombarded town of Sderot, although no one was injured. The rocket fire had largely halted last spring, and for some time barrages were often the result of Israeli forces closing in a Hamas unit or munitions depot. But the truth—which gives credence to Ran Baratz’s argument in his January essay that the IDF is struggling to accomplish its mission—is that Hamas has been able to rebuild. Yoni Ben Menachem writes that the jihadist group has been “producing hundreds of new rockets using lathes smuggled into tunnels that remain operational in Gaza.” Moreover, it has been replenishing its ranks:

According to Israeli security officials, Hamas has recruited approximately 4,000 new fighters over the past month. This rapid expansion bolsters its fighting capabilities and complicates Israel’s efforts to apply military pressure on Hamas to expedite a hostage deal. Hamas’s military recovery has allowed it to prolong its war of attrition against the IDF and adopt tougher stances in hostage negotiations. The funds for this recruitment effort are reportedly from the sale of humanitarian-aid packages, which Hamas forcibly seizes and resells in Gaza’s markets.

In fact, Ben Menachem writes, Hamas’s rocket fire is part of the same strategy:

By firing rockets, Hamas seeks to demonstrate its resilience and operational capability despite the IDF’s prolonged offensive. This message is aimed at both Gaza’s residents and the Israeli public, underscoring that Hamas remains a significant force even after enduring heavy losses [and] that Israel cannot easily occupy this region, currently a focal point of IDF operations.