Seventeen recommended new books on Israeli and Jewish matters – on fighting antisemitism, Israel-Diaspora relations, defense policy, Jewish history, prayer, Talmud, Bible and more. Books by Annika Henroth-Rothstein, Asael Abelman, Bari Weiss, Daniel Gordis, Haim Sabato, Jack Wertheimer, Reuven Bulka, Ronen Bergman, Shalom Rosner, Shmuel Rosner, Simcha Rothman, Tevi Troy, Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Uri Brilliant, Yaakov Katz, Yeshayahu Hadari z”l and Yoni Grossman.

My father, Prof. Henry Weinberg, warned decades ago of a snowballing assault on Israel as an “apartheid” and “illegal” state; and of enemy attempts to divide the Jewish People.

Some hard-left Jews are out to sabotage the Birthright program. They are cutting away the limb – love for, and identification with, Israel – upon which all pro-Israel Jewish community activity must be based.

It is a big mistake on the part of some US Jews to politicize the fight against anti-Semitism. Keep partisan politics out of it! Israeli and Diaspora Jews should band together to draw strength from solidarity, jointly combat hate, and raise the flag of unafraid and vibrant Jewish life everywhere. 

Significant Jews to follow over the coming year: Alon Davidi, Mirit Shaked-Barak, Zeev Elkin, Yair Golan, Sharren Haskel, Yitzhak Herzog, David Friedman and Ron Dermer, Amiad Cohen, Aviad Hacohen, Yossi Klein Halevi, Eran Lerman, Gil Troy, Jack Wertheimer, Rabbi Nahum Rabinovitch, Ephrat Levy-Lahad, Sivan Rahav Meir, David Be’eri, Einat Wilf and Miriam Peretz.

Israeli democracy has strong institutions and foundations, and there are reasonable points of view on all sides of the current debates. Don’t paint every political issue as an apocalyptic turning point.

A final conversation with the greatest columnist of this generation, who passed away last night – about Zionist belief and the eternity of Israel.

On Israel-Diaspora “distancing”: Nothing short of a deep commitment to traditional Jewish ritual practice is likely to lead to a revitalization of Jewish life in America and subsequently create a solid basis for recovery in Diaspora-Israel relations.

I offer here a historical review of Israeli government attitudes towards the phenomena of anti-Semitism, and take a critical look at this week’s meeting of the Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism, held in Jerusalem. The Forum needs focus.

I believe in the viability of a strong Israel-Diaspora partnership. We need not force tensions to the divorce stage by embracing confrontational campaigns. Yet radical activists are threatening to burn down the edifice of Israel-Diaspora relations.