The capriciousness and vulnerabilities of life teach us humility, moral responsibility and reliance on G-d. Lessons from the corona crisis.

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.

The IDF must return to the fundamentals: ground maneuver to achieve “hachra’a” – decisive outcomes.

Israeli democracy is not “shattering” nor are we facing the “darkest days Israel has known.” These are venal, absurd claims – spewed from the mouths of desperate politicos on the extremist fringe.

A new national security plan for the Israeli government by fellows of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS) says: Avoid risky diplomatic escapades and prepare for war.

Campaign mistakes and takeaways, and my suggested line-up of 20 ministerial postings for a possible unity government.

My admittedly narrow list of the best books on Israeli and Jewish matters (including Torah commentary), including books by Moshe Arens z”l, Einat Wilf, Gil Troy, Yossi Klein Halevi, Charles Krauthammer, Yoram Hazony, Rav Uriel Eitam, Aviad Hacohen, Yael Ziegler, Kira Sirote, Rav Binyamin Tabory, Rav Eitam Henkin Hy”D and more.

The notion that a group’s cause is so salient and urgent that it justifies highhanded, dangerous disruption of the public square is offensive. It is selfish and ugly. Legislation should be passed to make road blockage punishable by major fines and criminal convictions, and the police should be empowered to wield significant force to clear the roadways.

An ideologically bankrupt A.B. Yehoshua wants to replace the Jewish state with an Israeli-Palestinian federation of some sort. This is the inevitable end result of a long process of loss of Jewish-Zionist identity that afflicts the hard Left. Having despaired of the “two-state solution,” Yehoshua is now dumping the idea of Israel all-together. Ugh!

Despite military threats and other challenges, the State of Israel is winning on all fronts. Israel is stronger and healthier than all its enemies combined. At Israel’s 70th, it is important to emphasize and re-emphasize this perspective: The Heavens are shining, not collapsing, upon Israel.