Exactly one year ago, on the second anniversary of October 7, 2023, I wrote my first “From the Editor” column for The Jerusalem Report. Since then, there have been some incredible ups and downs in this small nation – from all the living hostages being released last Sukkot, to weeks of sirens, ballistic missiles being launched at Israel, and people running to shelters during the war with Iran.
The team at the Report, including multiple freelance writers and contributors, helped me to produce some incredible editions of this historic magazine focusing on the wars, the region, social issues, and local politics. It’s been an incredible experience, but now, after one year in this precious position, I am moving on from this role.
This column is my farewell to all of you. I hope you have enjoyed the content and the stories as much as I have.
In this, my final edition, we mark the third anniversary of that terrible, dark Saturday – Simchat Torah – and look at what has changed and where we stand today.
For the cover, Rachel Fink interviews three ordinary Israeli citizens who share how their lives changed profoundly after that day’s events.
We feature two articles from The Jerusalem Post’s culture writer Hannah Brown. The first looks at the array of films produced about October 7; the second delves into the negative reaction of Hollywood stars toward Israel since that day.
Feature writer Patricia Golan visits the city of Sderot, which came under direct attack by Hamas terrorists on October 7, and explores how the city, particularly the Sapir Academic College, its institute of higher learning, has succeeded in rebuilding itself.
The Report’s deputy editor and feature writer Chani Kaplan talks to those battling post-traumatic stress disorder after their experiences during the war, and Jerusalem Post podcast studio manager Lara Sukster Mosheyof, who holds a master’s degree in law with a specialization in human rights, transitional justice, and international law, examines how the United Nations failed to respond appropriately to the October 7 massacre.
Tobias Holcman from the Post’s news desk writes about a new initiative aimed at assisting IDF war veterans, while Pnina Sharvit Baruch, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies and chair of Forum Dvorah, argues that Israel needs to learn how to respond to and deal with the global criticism it has faced.
Pivoting to the looming election, the Post’s political correspondent Shir Perets investigates how the events of October 7 are impacting the election race. Neville Teller outlines the need for electoral reform, and Mark Ginsberg analyzes the growing influence of AI on shaping public opinion and asks what needs to be done about it.
On the military front, Dr. Eric R. Mandel argues that fundamentalist Islam remains a threat to the West that American leaders fail to recognize. Former Israeli deputy foreign minister and ambassador Danny Ayalon, together with Middle East analyst Moran Alaluf, look at the remaining threats from Hezbollah in Lebanon. And feature writer Dana Ben-Shimon talks to Sari Nusseibeh about how he views the future for Palestinians and Israelis.
From Thailand, we have an exclusive report from Tibor Krausz, who outlines the unexpected anger toward Israeli tourists in the Southeast Asian country that has drawn hundreds of thousands to its exotic beaches this past summer.
Wrapping up the edition, Rina Edelstein from Or Shalom writes a heart-breaking tribute to fallen soldier Amir Lavi and describes efforts to keep his legacy alive.
It’s hard for me to say goodbye to such interesting and varied content, but as with every ending, there always has to be a new beginning.
Good luck to us all.
– Ruth Marks Eglash