The Iran War as Seen from Jordan
A country that won’t name its allies.
March 24, 2026
Why the Hebrew Bible Has Dogs, but No Cats
And a linguistic mystery.
Last week, this newsletter mentioned depictions of dogs in medieval illuminated Haggadahs. What you’re less likely to find are cats, a species not referred to anywhere in the Hebrew Bible, although one does make an appearance in the classic Passover song Had Gadya (“Just one goat”), which uses the Aramaic word shunra. Elon Gilad explains the absence of cats in the Tanakh, and why Semitic languages have very different words for them. (Video, 2 minutes.)
March 24, 2026
The Changing Haredi Perspective on Judaism and War
The battlefield, no less than the sanctuary, is the place where the divine drama unfolds.
The Assault on Canadian Jews Is an Assault on National Sovereignty
Protecting civil society is a prime directive of lawful government.
A Controversial Rabbi Who Crossed the Sephardi-Ashkenazi Divide and Hunted Heretics
Hakham Tsvi.
Why the Hebrew Bible Has Dogs, but No Cats
And a linguistic mystery.