ToI’s weekly deep dive: Iran attack reverberates * British MP Mike Freer on stepping down * Foraging wild fungi * Podcast: David Horovitz on conflicts in war coverage

[Times of Israel]( [Weekly Deep Dive]( Sunday, April 14, 2024 Analysis [With its aerial attack, Iran could break Israel’s isolation and reframe the Gaza war]( By Lazar Berman With pressure building to end the fight against Hamas, Tehran pushes allies together to thwart unprecedented missile and drone strike, in reminder of broader regional threat Op-ed David Horovitz [Waiting for the drones and the missiles, at the opening of a regional conflict]( Iran has never previously directly attacked Israel in this way. The prime minister says the IDF is prepared for any scenario. Let’s hope so [Farce under fire / Iran attack draws dark humor from captive Israeli audience]( By ToI Staff [ToI podcast / Daily Briefing Apr 14: Day 191 – How Israel and allies foiled first direct Iranian attack]( By ToI Staff Interview [Outgoing British MP Mike Freer on the Gaza war, antisemitism and his Jewish constituents]( By Robert Philpot ToI podcast [What Matters Now to David Horovitz: The conflicts of war coverage]( By Amanda Borschel-Dan Six months on, The Times of Israel’s founding editor weighs in on the challenges confronting Jerusalem-based news site bent on providing factual, fair and fast coverage [Op-ed / It’s not whether Netanyahu should go, it’s how]( By David Horovitz [With Knesset in wartime recess, attendance becomes a political weapon]( By Sam Sokol Inside story Jacob Magid [Despite Hamas’s hopes and Biden’s fears, Ramadan didn’t spread Gaza war to Jerusalem]( Officials say Palestinians weren’t interested in heeding Hamas call to rile up Al-Aqsa, where Ben Gvir was blocked from exerting influence and where Jordan played stabilizing role [Reporter's notebook / At interfaith Ramadan iftar in Jerusalem, breaking fast under the shadow of war]( By Gianluca Pacchiani [These US Jews are recalibrating their identity in a tempestuous post-Oct. 7 environment]( By Katja Ridderbusch Concerned about their safety and uncertain about their values and friends, Jewish Americans experience a seismic shift, and a wide range of reactions, as the war in Gaza rages on [Relatives of October 7 victims file suit against Canadian resumption of UNRWA funding]( By Jeremy Sharon Top Ops Shana Aaronson [The healing power of maror]( Akin to trauma therapy, the seder is a way to process generational memories together, learn how to touch our grief from a distance, and carry on Michael Oren [Who should US Jews vote for? I didn’t say and I won’t]( Encounters with American audiences have become a minefield with increasing charges that I endorsed Trump – or was it Biden? Casey Babb [Hamas’s secret weapon: Western stupidity]( From Beirut jihadis to Tehran extremists, the erosion of thoughtful discourse has emboldened the world’s most dangerous groups Nava Freiberg [Who we are]( With each bit of eternity our enemies hope to destroy, we respond with stronger determination to live [CRM]( Analysis Sharon Wrobel [Turkey’s ban on exports to Israel deals fresh blow to war-battered building industry]( As fears mount that other countries could follow Ankara’s lead, Israeli experts urge greater investment in local manufacturing to reduce dependence on imports Diaspora [Once a tolerant haven, Holland sees antisemitism surge as Jews across Europe scent danger]( By Canaan Lidor A record number of hate crimes reflects a post-Oct. 7 reality that’s making the continent’s Jews question their futures, but they no longer see Israel as their ‘insurance policy’ [A leader of European Jews accuses Ben Gvir of exacerbating antisemitism]( By Canaan Lidor [Has the term ‘antisemitism’ been overused – or overblown – beyond usefulness?]( By Matt Lebovic [Israel Story / Wartime Diaries: Walter Bingham]( [Europe turning blind eye to Hamas and Hezbollah networks in its territory, experts say]( By Gianluca Pacchiani Analysts say terror groups operate largely unchecked, running charities, lobbying public opinion and recruiting supporters — and the legal means to stop them are scant Inside Story Cathryn J. Prince [Jewish writers say the post-Oct. 7 English literary world has blacklisted them]( As the war in Gaza goes on, authors say that when they don’t face outright hostility for being Jews, they are marginalized as publishers claim their voices aren’t marketable [Speaking their mind / ‘Linguistic challenges and riddles’ at Hebrew Language Olympics]( By Gavriel Fiske [Those We Have Lost]( [Those We Have Lost]( [Stories of civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel]( [Read Here]( Reporter's notebook [As Hezbollah lobs rockets from Lebanon, Druze forager continues traditional fungi hunt]( By Diana Bletter Nadim Faris’s expertise crosses borders and connects nations as Syrians and Jordanians ask him to bestow Arabic monikers on the region’s wild mushrooms Health [Stressed out by war, Israelis appear to be smoking more than they have in years]( By Renee Ghert-Zand Hostages [50 Batman creators sign petition urging Qatar, Egypt to facilitate Bibas release]( By Matt Lebovic In support of hostage family who donned Batman costume, animators and producers of iconic superhero sign onto letter sent to ambassadors of Qatar and Egypt on April 12 [Empty seder tables at Nir Oz as survivors mark an unhappy Passover without hostages]( By Jessica Steinberg [Those We Are Missing]( [The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown]( [Read Here]( Interview [Luxembourg banking on polyglot singer with Israeli roots for its Eurovision return]( By Amy Spiro Tali Golergant is the first singer to represent the tiny nation since 1993. But with family ties to the Jewish state – including a brother who fought in Gaza – online hate is ablaze [Concert review / In NY’s Carnegie Hall, global Jewish teen choir marks Oct. 7 with musical tribute]( By Matt Lebovic Culture [Alumni of Western Negev high school reunite via art to support October 7 survivors]( By Jessica Steinberg Now far-flung, graduates of Maale Habesor near the Gaza border team up to fight for hostages, help evacuees and create a group exhibit in Tel Aviv [Troupers / Choreographer premieres new work in shadow of war]( By Jessica Steinberg Reporter's notebook [From battleground to bakery: The mission to support a Gaza-border community with matzah]( By Maya Zanger-Nadis Environment [Abundant rainfall helps endangered Gilboa iris spring back]( By Sue Surkes After drastic decline 15 years ago, count of iconic flower shows significant increase [Police revive plan to build complex on beloved Jerusalem hill, angering residents]( By Sue Surkes [Planned ‘Jerusalem Burj’ skyscraper draws opposition over proximity to landmarks]( By Sue Surkes Environment [6,000-year old ivory vessel, likely from Egypt, found near Beersheba]( By Gavriel Fiske Rare artifact found shattered and ritually interred at Negev site; now expertly restored, it will be presented to the public at Jerusalem conference on Thursday From the Blogs [Between Star Wars and Dune: From liberty to jihad in 40 years]( By Omer Biran The differences between the two epics illuminate the shifting values and priorities of our world [Weekly Deep Dive]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? 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