In our age of instant communication, soundbites, and social media—which is, perhaps not coincidentally, also one of increasing social isolation—speed, newness, and “disruption” are all prized. What is less abundant is a sense of tradition and continuity across the generations. Jonathan Silver, in conversation with Ari Lamm, explains how Judaism can provide a sense of “being at home in time.” He argues, moreover, that the biblical message—found in particular in the book of Genesis—that the past is inescapable and that the future lies in our descendants can provide a much-needed antidote to our present malaise of loneliness. (Audio, 26 minutes).

If there is to be peace, Palestinians will have to unlearn the hatred of Israel they have imbibed during nearly two decades of Hamas rule. This will be a difficult task, but Cole Aronson argues, drawing on the experiences of World War II, that Israel has already gotten off to a strong start:

The population’s compliance can . . . be won by a new regime that satisfies its immediate material needs, even if that new regime is sponsored by a government until recently at war with the population’s former regime. Axis civilians were made needy through bombing. Peaceful compliance with the Allies became a good alternative to supporting violent resistance to the Allies.

Israel’s current campaign makes a moderate Gaza more likely, not less. Destroying Hamas not only deprives Islamists of the ability to rule—it proves the futility of armed resistance to Israel, a condition for peace. The destruction of buildings not only deprives Hamas of its hideouts. It also gives ordinary Palestinians strong reasons to shun groups planning to replicate Hamas’s behavior.