My first encounter with Jews changed me * Yom Kippur and the fight for Israel’s soul * Can Netanyahu deliver on Saudi Arabia? * Golda Meir’s selective hearing

[Times of Israel]( [The Blogs Weekly]( Thursday, September 28, 2023 [Tel Aviv’s Yom Kippur struggle could have been avoided]( By Shlomit Ravitsky Tur-Paz Instead, it highlighted the harm this government is wreaking, not just on Israel’s democracy, but on its Jewish character Noah Efron [There was magic too: Yom Kippur, Tel Aviv, 5784]( In Habima Square, hundreds joined a hastily organized Ne’ila prayer service with no divisions, just astonishment Yossi Klein Halevi [The state of our brokenness]( Something elemental has been desecrated in our shared Israeliness, and Yom Kippur has again forced us to face ourselves [Netanyahu can’t deliver on Saudi Arabia]( By Aron Heller It would be a sweetheart deal, but the PM no longer has the political capital, public support or moral authority for it Zion Evrony [The Saudi deal must deliver a route to Palestinian statehood]( [The current negotiations between the US, Saudi Arabia, and Israel on an agreement that will include mutual recognition and the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia present a historic and rare opportunity for creative diplomacy. An agreement, if achieved, would not only be a momentous win for all involved; it could reshape the Middle East for years to come. The US, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Palestinians, and the Middle East region as a whole would significantly benefit from such an agreement. It would also be a...]( Dan Perry [Yes to a Saudi deal, no to Netanyahu]( The Opposition can support normalization from outside the government – joining the Coalition to rescue the PM would be folly [Cultivating faith when life does not makes sense]( By Frederick L. Klein After the Shoah, Israel’s founding and the 6-Day War, it was clear the Redemption was underway. Then came Yom Kippur, ’73 Martin Kramer [Golda Meir’s filtration system]( Her selective hearing – and not just hers – had calamitous consequences for Israel: There’s a lesson in that for today Rawan Osman [My first encounter with Jews changed my life]( [In 2011, I moved from Damascus to Strasbourg, France. After dragging my heavy suitcases up to the fifth floor of an old building, I realized that the family hosting me had several pets, including the world’s largest cat. Finding accommodation in Strasbourg was a nightmare, therefore, I decided to stay with them despite my pet allergy. In less than 24 hours, I was wheezing and could not open my eyes anymore. The family released me from the leasing contract and the school where I was taking courses offered a solution...]( [Coyote tosses the stars and why AI can’t help us]( By Diane Joy Schmidt On days when I stare at screens for too long, reality loses some of its texture, and the computer won’t ask what’s missing from my experience more on the yom kippur strife Orly Erez Likhovski [Yom Kippur and the fight for Israel’s soulÂ]( Israelis have been content for too long to let Orthodox Judaism define what is considered legitimate Jewish practice Michael Boyden [Anarchy on Yom Kippur]( The organizers refused to comply with the court decisions and went ahead with its plans for gender segregated prayers Zachary Roseman [Dizengoff Square on Yom Kippur eve: A stain on Tel Aviv]( They screamed at my pregnant wife and pushed me as I held my toddler – and it had nothing to do with gender separation Yoni Leviatan [Being in the majority changes you]( When motorcycles whizzed by on Yom Kippur, I wanted to force them to stop – until I realized I’d never felt that way in the Diaspora [The Blogs Weekly]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? [Subscribe here]( [Unsubscribe]( from this List © 2023 The Times Of Israel, All Rights Reserved