While the past year has seen a surge in anti-Semitism, it has also seen a surge in Jews’ enthusiasm for their religion and peoplehood. Miranda Levy reports from the United Kingdom:

Jews, it seems, are returning to worship. According to the United Synagogue, which comprises 56 mainstream communities around the country, their membership went up around 10 percent in the aftermath of October 7.

As Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis puts it: “Our synagogues, schools and community centers have needed more guards and higher walls—yet inside, they are more vibrant than ever.” . . . That engagement in community is something Guy Davis, chairman of Mill Hill Synagogue in London, has witnessed firsthand. “In the immediate aftermath of October 7, we found that our synagogue services were full. A year on, community engagement has soared.”

A recent study by the Institute of Jewish Policy Research in the UK found a higher proportion of British Jews now feel attached to the Jewish community: 67 percent compared with 61 percent two years ago. That theme is echoed on campuses too. The hostility outside, it seems, has triggered a connection.

Considering the current state of Israel-Arab relations, Ghaith al-Omari writes

First and foremost, no ceasefire will be possible without the release of Israeli hostages and commitments to disarm Hamas and remove it from power. The final say on these matters rests with Hamas commanders on the ground in Gaza, who have been largely impervious to foreign pressure so far. At minimum, however, the United States should insist that Qatari and Egyptian mediators push Hamas’s external leadership to accept these conditions publicly, which could increase pressure on the group’s Gaza leadership.

Washington should also demand a clear, public position from key Arab states regarding disarmament. The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas endorsed this position in a June letter to Saudi Arabia and France, giving Arab states Palestinian cover for endorsing it themselves.

Some Arab states have already indicated a willingness to play a significant role, but they will have little incentive to commit resources and personnel to Gaza unless Israel (1) provides guarantees that it will not occupy the Strip indefinitely, and (2) removes its veto on a PA role in Gaza’s future, even if only symbolic at first. Arab officials are also seeking assurances that any role they play in Gaza will be in the context of a wider effort to reach a two-state solution.

On the other hand, Washington must remain mindful that current conditions between Israel and the Palestinians are not remotely conducive to . . . implementing a two-state solution.