Jewish identity

Education Ministry establishes guidelines guaranteeing students' rights to lay tefillin in schools

The directive aimed to establish clear, uniform rules and provide school principals with a guided framework to facilitate the policy's implementation throughout the public school system.

A man puts on a tefillin in Washington Square Park in Manhattan on June 19, 2026 in New York City. Tefillin are a Jewish traditional ritual object, believed to be an approximately 2000 year old tradition.
PROTESTERS RAISE red hands behind Rabbi Mark Goldfeder, CEO of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, at a US House subcommittee hearing on antisemitism on college campuses, last year. Antisemitism hasn’t just risen, it has metastasized, says the writer.

CAM survey: As the US celebrates 250th anniversary, most American Jews faced antisemitism this year

People march in the Capitol Pride Parade on June 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Capitol LGBT parade had been postponed due to President Trump's UFC fight at the White House.

Visible allyship: Why LGBTQ+ Jews shouldn't have to choose between their identities - opinion

A man is seen holding an Israeli flag in the Old City of Jerusalem on Jerusalem Day.

Zionism, like Americanism, is about articulating our own goals - opinion


Chief Rabbinate accepts position recognizing Beta Israel as Jewish

The step comes after several high-profile cases in which the Jewishness of Ethiopian Jews was challenged by rabbinic authorities.

ETHIOPIAN CHILDREN attend Jewish studies class while awaiting immigration to Israel, in Gondar.

Free at last, free at last

I felt native, like some character out of an Arik Einstein song

Free at last, free at last

Back to school (in sunny South Africa)

On the surface, things look the same, but peek a little closer and it’s all falling apart.

‘FOR THOSE of us lucky enough to be born in the Cape, nothing compares to the waves that crash on the Garden Route rocks...’

The Magic of Alexander Muss High School in Israel

‘The school’s alumni come away with an increased sense of personal independence and maturity, and a better sense of their own Jewish identity,’ said Rabbi Leor Sinai.

The Magic of Alexander Muss High School  in Israe

Dual loyalty? Canadian ambassador discusses her 'two homes'

Since the founding of the Jewish state, of course, our paramount collective loyalty is often presumed to park with Israel, no matter where we live or what we do.

Since the founding of the Jewish state, of course, our paramount collective loyalty is often presumed to park with Israel, no matter where we live or what we do

The 9th of Av in Jerusalem in the 19th century

On this Tisha Be’Av, 36 years since our aliyah, our family has done its share to “regain the old greatness of our country.”

‘THE STEAMER entered the harbour of Jaffa. The picturesqueness of the little town, looming out between the orange and lemon groves, with its white flat-roofed rows of houses, was quite enchanting.’

An eye-opening visit

When Ruth Lorisso visited Ethiopia, she gained a newfound pride in her heritage.

RUTH LORISSO: Bridging cultural gaps.

Dario Werthein and the Importance of World ORT

Dario Werthein, the dynamic Chair of the World ORT Board of Trustees

Jerusalem Prize for Unity awarded to Moishe House

The network of houses throughout the world are being honored for their outreach work for young Jews worldwide.

Young Jews from around the world gather in London for the Moishe House Internatty Conference 2018

Jewish holiday of Lag Ba'omer brings music, smiles and bonfires - pictures

The tomb of a 2nd-century Jewish age turned into a massive celebration for the traditional Meron pilgrimage on Lag Ba'omer.

A Lag Ba'omer bonfire in Jerusalem sponsored by FIG - Food Integrated Gardens, a Jerusalem-based permaculture service headed by Paz Feigenbaum