Religion

Caught between two homelands, a Lebanese Christian finds his place in Israel

From South Lebanon to Israel, a displaced Christian shares a life shaped by war, faith, and divided identity.

Beirut, Martyrs' Square, 1960s: They remember a country once defined by  culture, tourism, openness, and coexistence.
 Night view of Prague’s rotating ‘Head of Franz Kafka’ sculpture.

This month in Jewish history: Nobel and Noble

Almond trees bloom near the border with Lebanon.

Parashat Korah: The story of the almond – and of diligence

US Army soldiers walk in formation during the Sword 26 exercise, approaching a MEDEVAC vehicle as NATO forces demonstrate innovation in battlefield casualty evacuation using drones and medical tech in Bemowo Piskie, Poland, May 11, 2026.

Pentagon updates US military's list of recognized religions following backlash from Mormons


Western Wall debate must not overshadow prayer, unity during times of war - opinion

Prayer at the Kotel should remain sacred, guiding Jews through crises rather than fueling division.

A general view of Jerusalem's Old City shows the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in the foreground and the Dome of the Rock, located on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in the background June 24, 2019

Israel needs leadership that can unify the nation without weakening its democracy - opinion

Amid deep divisions and post-October 7 trauma, Israel faces a leadership test: unity, trust, and governance must come before politics.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett seen in an illustrative

Exploring identity through art at Jerusalem's Museum on the Seam

Two exhibitions at the Museum on the Seam proffer an emotional reality check of the lay of our land.

Four young Palestinian women in Israel making their way through mainstream Israeli society.

Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel: Bringing the Exodus to life, visually - review

Experience the Exodus like never before with this graphic novel Haggadah, which makes the story immediate, visual, and unforgettable.

Haggadah

Az Nashir Haggadah: Women’s voices on the path to redemption - review

A Haggadah that blends tradition, contemporary Israeli reality, and women’s voices for a living redemption.

Prophet Miriam plays the tambourine as she dances and sings with the women as they leave Egypt. A Camden Press poster of a wood carving by the Brothers Dalziel after a mid-19th-century illustration by Edward Poynter.

Shas fills local rabbi posts with loyalists, sidelining community choice - opinion

Shas moves quickly to fill rabbinic vacancies, sidelining candidates who fit their cities.

Head of Shas party Aryeh Deri and Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef visit at the scene of suspected arson and vandalism at a Jerusalem synagogue which is often frequented by Rabbi Yosef, June 8, 2025.

This month in Jewish history: From Exodus to modern Israel, and many birthdays

A highly abridged monthly version of Dust & Stars.

Happy Birthday to: Yigael Yadin (3rd R), Israeli delegation member to armistice  talks in Rhodes, 1949, with Yitzhak Rabin {R);

From exile to nationhood: The enduring story of Am Yisrael

Passover marks more than freedom; it forged Jewish nationhood and a lasting identity that endured exile and returned as a living people in its land.

Millions of Jews who do not live in Israel shape their Jewish identity through their  connection to this land.

Parashat Vayikra: Mutual responsibility

Vayikra’s message of purity, repentance, and unity teaches that even without sacrifices, we can draw closer to God and to one another.

‘To be worthy, every individual must work on himself.’

Iran’s leaders may welcome chaos instead of fearing collapse - opinion

As the West gauges damage and deterrence, Iran’s ideological core may see war as a divine test, preparing the world for a messianic era.

A woman holds a portrait of Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, on the day of a gathering to support Mojtaba Khamenei, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 9, 2026.