Yakov M. Rabkin

A historian reviews new books by Peter Beinart, Avi Shlaim and Pankaj Mishra on the project that animates Israel’s violence During a sabbatical I spent in West Jerusalem in the late 1980s, my 7-year-old daughter was enrolled in an Israeli…

With missiles flying across West Asia, I am reminded of my trip to Iran in 2016, when I discovered a fascinating country and a vibrant Jewish community.* Every day, I ask about the safety of friends and loved ones in…

The genocide in Gaza continues unabated as I write these lines. Belatedly, a few Israelis have begun decrying the starvation and mass murder that their army—a people’s army—has perpetrated since October 2023. These acts, supported by the majority of the…

In the context of the ongoing debate about freedom of debate, there is a proverbial «elephant in the room» that many are reluctant to name explicitly. Recent measures such as revoking visas, detaining students and scholars, suppressing protests, restricting academic…

Studying some parts of the Pentateuch, one wonders if they are truly necessary. For example, this portion begins with a monotonous recitation of different parts of the Tabernacle, the Hebrews’ portable sanctuary. This enumeration invites one to pause and try…

A few weeks ago, I paraphrased Marx’s words from nearly two centuries ago: “A spectre is haunting Europe – the spectre of irrelevance”. Recent events suggest that the spectre is rapidly becoming a reality. While the European Union and Britain…

Radical pronouncements from the new American president have galvanised Canadian society and government alike. They have united Canadians and greatly improved the chances of the ruling Liberal party to win the forthcoming elections. President Trump has made consistent threats to…

The author is a renowned journalist, political scientist, and professor of journalism at New York University. He headed The New Republic magazine and is the author of four books. Named among the hundred “global thinkers” by Foreign Affairs, he is…

Turmoil in international politics in mid-February has definitely eclipsed Saint Valentine’s Day. While this was not unexpected, the new U.S. president spoke for 90 minutes with his Russian counterpart and warmly praised him afterward. The fact that this conversation happened…

Exodus 13 :17 – 17:16. Beshalah. This Torah portion concludes the epic of liberation from slavery. The triumphant splitting of the sea is followed by an explosion of joy reflected in the Song at the Sea (shirat ha-yam). However, Rabbinic Judaism…