Israel Diary

The Mother Brigade

by Liba Pearson

My mother led a one-woman solidarity mission to Israel to prop up the nation's economy and flagging spirits.

Unity and Tragedy

by Yigal Segal

When a Jew is struck down by terrorist bullets, everyone feels the tragedy. And through that unity, there is hope.

Go To Israel

by Sherri Ziff Lester

Youth movements have cancelled summer trips to Israel, and the Maccabiah Games were almost postponed. Now may be the perfect time to visit.

My Cousin Yehuda

by Ari Harow

A cousin of the 5-month-old baby who was murdered by Palestinian terrorists reflects on this barbaric killing.

Night of the Sirens

by Sara Yoheved Rigler

How does one respond to Israel's recent tragedies?

No More Watermelon

by Danny Verbov

A tour of duty in the Israeli army shows one man the pain of a nation, and the pain of a family.

Top 53 Reasons We Love Israel

by aish.com

Israel holds a special place in the hearts of people everywhere. Here are our readers' top 53 reasons we love the land and its people.

Nothing for Granted

by Liba Pearson

Yom Ha'atzmaut marks the moment when Israel burst into being. More than ever, it's nothing to be taken for granted.

ISRAEL: What's Taking so Long

by Sol Jakubowicz

Making Aliyah is no picnic. But the daily challenges are insignificant since I'm playing a vital role in the Jewish people's destined return to the land of Israel.

The Truth of Israel

by Yaffa Ganz

A Jew living in Israel has to keep the faith. It is more difficult when surrounded by a sea of falsehood.

Inside Hebron: A Personal Encounter

by David Klinghoffer

This city that feels like an entrance to Hell is said to be the point where Earth is united with Heaven.

Our Murdered Baby

by Marshall Roth

Infanticide shakes Israel to the core. The world lets it pass unnoticed.

Insidious Palestinian Television

by Sue Tedmon

A Jewish woman and a Palestinian woman are long-time friends. But the images on Palestinian TV are driving them apart.

The Jigsaw Puzzle

by Sara Yoheved Rigler

Living with a new sense of palpable fear, a resident of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City describes how she soothes her over-wrought nerves.

A Call to Action: Father of Gaza Terror Victim Speaks Out

by Stephen M. Flatow

The latest Gaza school bus attack should serve as a painful reminder to all American Jews.

Victim of the Media War

by Tuvia Grossman

Palestinians tried to lynch me, highlighting the power of the media to influence public opinion.

What's Holy?

by Saul Behr

"What is this madness that has overtaken the rest of the world? I believe the correct Jewish response is not to point fingers, but rather to introspect."

Anti-Semitism Now: A View From South Africa

by Laurey Forman

"Anti-Semitism is by no means dead. I can no longer pretend that I am just like everyone else on campus. If the world is determined to hate me, then I must be something special."

Elie Wiesel Speaks Out

by Elie Wiesel

Our dreams of peace have gone up in the smoke of ransacked synagogues and blood-thirsty mobs.

Bring Us to Our Borders in Peace

by Liba Pearson

"There is an undercurrent of tension. I am all too aware that, not so far away, Jewish police officers and soldiers are putting their lives on the line to protect Israel."

A Letter From the Front Line

by Danny Verbov

This letter was written by Danny Verbov, the director of Aish HaTorah's Danny Frei Jerusalem Fellowship Program, and sent to the global Aish HaTorah family.

His Name Was Nachshon Wachsman

by Esther Wachsman

A mother, who mobilized the world to save her son -- an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas terrorists -- tells the story of one fateful week in the history of Israel.

Israeli Army Vignettes

by Rabbi Ken Spiro, Stuart Schrader & Rabbi Kalman Packouz

Ahh the joys of army service: figuring out the difference between the dress and work uniform ... keeping your fingers out of the gun barrel ... fasting in the desert heat ...

A Place to Sigh: Israel Memorial Day

by Yaffa Ganz

Thousands of strangers come to the funeral of a soldier who was kidnapped, tortured and killed because of his Star of David.

Gulf War Miracles

by Charles Samuel

Saddam Hussein thought he was a reincarnated Babylonian king; his evil plan to kill the Jews ended with another Purim miracle...

Tears At Rachel's Tomb

by Ester (Ellen) Katz Silvers

An American woman visits Rachel's Tomb, Judaism's third holiest site, and learns how Jewish destiny embraces all generations.

Shilo: A Mother's Story

by Ester (Ellen) Katz Silvers

As the intifada rages in Israel, one mother writes of the effect on her family and her faith.

In the Heart of Jerusalem

by Kent Swigard

During a month in the Old City of Jerusalem, a Seattle native learns a lot about the security situation -- yet discovers even more about his heritage and himself.

Goodbye to Mother

by David Wilder, Hebron

The principal told the girls that their teacher, Mrs. Rina Didovsky, would not be returning to their classroom because she had died of her wounds. The girls began crying and wailing.

A "Minor" Incident

by Eliyahu Shiffman

How bad can "light injuries" be? As someone who works in Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center, I know the extent to which "light injuries" can leave permanent scars, both physical and emotional.

Where Were You CNN?

by Maxine

Amidst the grief of a friend's funeral, an Israeli woman declares: Jews are human, too.

Fearful Nights in the City of Peace

by Jeffrey Goldberg

I peered into the eyes of my 11-year-old daughter. Yes, I said. If the worst should happen we must not be afraid because there is meaning to living as a Jew.