Both the Middle East and the West Have Misunderstood and Underestimated the Houthis for Too Long
With catastrophic results.
November 11, 2026
Hebraism, Hellenism, and a Mysterious Hanukkah Legend
“And they wrote on it, ‘We have no portion in the God of Israel.’”
Today is the first day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, in which falls Hanukkah, celebrating the successful Hasmonean revolt against Seleucid rule. In Genesis Rabbah, a collection of midrash compiled around the 5th century CE, one can find an odd anecdote about the persecutions that preceded this revolt, not found in either the two books of Maccabees or the Talmud. Shnayer Leiman traces the different interpretations of this legend from medieval times to the present, shedding light on the meaning of the holiday and the clash of worldviews at its center. (Audio, 72 minutes. Recorded in 1993 and recently made available online.)
November 11, 2026
Jews Slide toward Republicans
What the data really show.
The Persecution of Egyptian Christians
Violent attacks go unpunished while converts are jailed.
Hebraism, Hellenism, and a Mysterious Hanukkah Legend
“And they wrote on it, ‘We have no portion in the God of Israel.’”
In Israel, a 3,200-Year-Old Fortress Reopens Its Doors
“A glimpse into the geopolitical reality of the book of Judges.”