Israel's Doctrine of Deterrence and Survival

 
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Israel's Doctrine of Deterrence and Survival."

Israel, guided by G-d’s divine providence, decisively crushed the Iran-backed Houthis in a precision strike in Sanaa, eliminating their leadership for attacking Israel and strangling Red Sea trade routes. In 2024 and 2025, Israel’s strategic doctrine of deterrence and escalation delivered justice, eliminating Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Muhammad Sinwar, Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah, and 41 key Iranian military and nuclear figures, while dismantling Syria’s military capabilities. Despite being surrounded by adversaries denying its existence, Israel’s unmatched ingenuity and faith ensure its survival, offering enemies a stark choice: be deterred or be removed.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Israel's Doctrine of Deterrence and Survival

Seeing Morality Beyond the Hamas Propaganda

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Seeing Morality Beyond the Hamas Propaganda."

We must stand resolutely and with clarity against the moral confusion created by Hamas propaganda, which distorts reality by portraying jihadi terrorists as victims while democratic Israel endures relentless attacks—over 26,000 rockets, missiles, and drones since October 7, 2023, along with bombings, raids, and kidnappings. Against this backdrop, the Torah portion Re’eh reminds us of G-d’s timeless call to “see” clearly and choose between blessing and curse. Though justice is not always visible and the wicked may appear to prosper, the Torah urges us to look deeper, trust that true blessing follows righteousness, and recognize the dignity of free will. As Rosh Hashanah approaches, we are called to strengthen our faith, rise above doubt, and return to G-d with humility, courage, and hope.
(AI generated image via Gemini)

Seeing Morality Beyond the Hamas Propaganda

Humanity Beyond All Differences

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Humanity Beyond All Differences."

Last week, I came across an elderly man collapsed on the sidewalk—disoriented and in distress. With the help of a passing nurse and quick emergency response, he was rushed to the hospital. The experience reminded me that our shared humanity transcends race, faith, and background—we are all fragile, yet deserving of dignity and compassion. But compassion does not mean ignoring evil. True peace requires rejecting terror and protecting the innocent. Only by uniting with good people everywhere can we affirm life over death, dignity over hatred, and build a world that reflects the holiness of our Creator.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

 

Humanity Beyond All Differences

Hamas’s Deflection Playbook

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Hamas's Deflection Playbook."

Hamas has shifted its fight with Israel from the battlefield to a coordinated campaign of information and ideological warfare. Since the October 2023 attacks, they have used a strategy of deflection—accusing Israel of the very atrocities they commit—to sway global opinion. Their propaganda playbook includes fabricating an “occupation” narrative, falsely labeling Israel an apartheid and genocidal state, and accusing it of starving Gaza while concealing their own violence and exploitation of aid. The goal is to isolate Israel through international condemnation, economic boycotts, and legal attacks. Beyond the Middle East, Hamas and allied extremists work within Western democracies to erode support for Israel, promote radical agendas, and influence younger generations through education—turning the fight into both a military and a narrative battle for truth and democratic values.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Hamas’s Deflection Playbook

Tisha B’Av: Will the Darkness Ever End?

 
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Tisha B'Av: Will the Darkness Ever End."

Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, is the most solemn day of Jewish mourning, commemorating a series of tragic historical events—including the destruction of the First and Second Temples and other calamities—that symbolize both profound physical loss and spiritual rupture. Despite this darkness, tradition holds hope through the promise of the Mashiach’s birth on this day and the eventual rebuilding of the Temple. Recent tragedies like the October 7, 2023 attack and rising global antisemitism remind us of ongoing challenges, but faith, kindness, and prayer sustain the Jewish people, empowering them to be active participants in redemption. Miracles continue to unfold with the return to sovereignty in Israel, and the day will one day transform from mourning into celebration.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Tisha B’Av: Will the Darkness Ever End?

Israel's Imperative: A Swift and Successful Finish

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Israel's Imperative: A Swift and Successful Finish."

Confronting Hamas’s dual threats requires unwavering transparency and resolve. Israel must accomplish the near-impossible task of winning its military objectives and freeing all hostages, while minimizing the duration of the conflict to deprive Hamas of its propaganda weaponry. Only by acting swiftly and decisively can Israel break the destructive cycle of violence, victimhood narratives, and delegitimization, safeguarding its future and securing lasting peace and dignity for its people.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Israel's Imperative: A Swift and Successful Finish

Echoes Across Realities: The Soul’s Journey

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Echoes Across Realities: The Soul's Journey."

The concept of multiple realities, embraced by both scientific theory and imaginative storytelling, proposes that countless alternate histories unfold from pivotal moments, each yielding distinct outcomes. Personal experiences, such as vivid and inexplicable dreams, invite us to consider the existence of parallel worlds and deeper spiritual dimensions where our souls may journey. These experiences underscore how our free will—our choices to act for good or evil—intertwines with billions of others in a complex tapestry of cause and effect that only G‑d can fully comprehend and graciously guide. Ultimately, our actions carry profound significance, influencing not only this reality but countless others, revealing that the truths shaping our lives and the universe are far more expansive than we may realize.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Echoes Across Realities: The Soul’s Journey

Voting Against Ourselves

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Voting Against Ourselves."

Despite rising antisemitism and mounting threats to Israel, a surprising number of American Jews continue to support political figures who criticize or undermine the Jewish state—often through double standards—and tolerate or excuse antisemitic rhetoric. This article explores both the political and psychological reasons behind this paradox, from progressive values and generational divides to identity struggles, assimilation, and intergenerational trauma. As attacks on Jews escalate across the U.S., the piece urges Jewish voters to reflect deeply on the implications of their choices—for their safety, their identity, and the future of Jewish life in America and Israel.

(AI generated image via Gemini) 

Voting Against Ourselves

When Beautiful Music Becomes a Mantra of Hate

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "When Beautiful Music Becomes a Mantra of Hate."

Music festivals and concerts, long celebrated for fostering unity, are increasingly being used to spread hate and divisive rhetoric. High-profile incidents—such as Bobby Vylan’s anti-Israel chants at Glastonbury, Roger Waters’s provocative performances, and inflammatory statements by artists like Kanye West and Imagine Dragons—illustrate how musicians, seeking to be seen as edgy or socially conscious, often promote distorted messages that can influence youth and normalize hate. The failure of media and institutions to intervene exacerbates these dangers, raising concerns about the responsibility to protect shared values of justice and respect. Ultimately, music must remain a force for peace and unity, not a vehicle for hatred or bigotry.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

When Beautiful Music Becomes a Mantra of Hate

Defeating “The Giants” of Iran With Tikkun

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Defeating 'The Giants' of Iran With Tikkun."

As we witness miracle after miracle in Israel’s current struggle against Iran, it is natural to praise the meticulous planning, skillful execution, and exceptional intelligence that have led to these achievements. We owe immense gratitude to the brave men and women of the IDF who put their lives on the line. However, let us never forget that, much like the giants the spies once feared, Iran presents a formidable challenge in the region. Only through faith in the Master of the Universe can we truly understand that our victories are part of a greater, divine plan—a merciful redemption promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

(AI generated image via Meta)

 

Defeating “The Giants” of Iran With Tikkun

IDF Fights Iran: A Fusion of Force and Faith

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "IDF Fights Iran: A Fusion of Force and Faith."

As Israel and Iran engage in a historic confrontation, we must be aware of the remarkable fusion of faith and military prowess that defines Israel’s response. Central to the nation’s achievements is the recognition of Divine providence—Hashem’s guiding hand—alongside the extraordinary courage and skill of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In just two days, the IDF has confronted existential threats, neutralizing key Iranian leadership and infrastructure while demonstrating operational excellence and moral leadership.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

IDF Fights Iran: A Fusion of Force and Faith

In The Nation's Zero Hour

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "In The Nation's Zero Hour."

The poem highlights the suffering inflicted by terrorism, the complicity of institutions and leaders, and the global forces seeking to destabilize and destroy. Ultimately, it urges a collective moral reckoning, calling on readers to stand for justice and resist the forces of destruction before it is too late.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

In The Nation's Zero Hour

UN Complicity with Hamas

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "UN Complicity with Hamas."

The claim that the UN is effectively an arm of Hamas is provocative, but the evidence—disproportionate resolutions against Israel, complicity with Hamas through UNRWA, delayed responses to atrocities, inaction on hostages, and officials like Francesca Albanese misrepresenting credentials while distorting facts—lends credence to the critique. The UN’s systemic biases, structural flaws, and failures to uphold its founding principles suggest it has strayed far from its mission. While not a literal arm of Hamas, the UN’s actions (or inactions) often align with the interests of terrorist groups, undermining its credibility as a force for global peace.

To force accountability and reform, member states must consider defunding dysfunctional UN functions and bodies, such as UNRWA or the Human Rights Council, which perpetuate bias or enable terrorism. Targeted financial pressure could compel the UN to address its failures, prioritize impartiality, and restore its moral authority. Without such decisive action, the UN risks remaining a tool for political agendas rather than a beacon of justice.

(AI generated image via Perplexity)

UN Complicity with Hamas

Against All Odds, We Must Survive

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Against All Odds, We Must Survive."

While it is blatantly obvious, so many people—perhaps many well-meaning—just don't seem to understand the terrorist's strategy and use of propaganda, lies, and disinformation to play the victim and get sympathy.

Even after decades of the Arabs rejecting peace and partition, opting instead for radical Islam and the relentless pursuit of intifada and jihad (culminating in such barbaric attacks as 9/11 and 10/7), the terrorist wolves effectively make themselves into the innocent sheep being ruthlessly slaughtered. And who doesn't want to protect the poor little sheep?

Opponents to the Western-dominant world order—Russia, China, Iran, and Qatar— surreptitiously direct, facilitate, and sponsor the global chaos and are laughing their heads off at our naiveté and what they see as our ultimate self-destruction.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Against All Odds, We Must Survive

Who Are You to Threaten Israel?

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Who Are You to Threaten Israel?"

It is especially troubling to see the UK, France, and Canada—nations whose own histories are marred by unaddressed injustices—so quick to condemn the world’s only Jewish state as it struggles for survival in a region and a world that has too often been inhospitable, if not outright hostile, to Jews. These countries, whose own “glass houses” were built on the suffering of others, would do well to reflect on their own histories before casting stones at Israel, which continues to fight for its very existence.

(AI generated image via Perplexity)

Who Are You to Threaten Israel?

Kabbalah Meets the Dalai Lama

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Kabbalah Meets the Dalai Lama."

In 1990, a groundbreaking interfaith journey occurred when a group of rabbis traveled to Dharamsala, India, to engage in a historic dialogue with the Dalai Lama. This unprecedented meeting, later chronicled in Rodger Kamenetz’s acclaimed book The Jew in the Lotus, became a milestone in Jewish-Buddhist relations. The gathering explored profound questions of spiritual continuity, resilience, and the search for meaning across traditions.

(AI generated image via Meta)

Kabbalah Meets the Dalai Lama

To Understand Israel, Look to Taiwan

  

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "To Understand Israel, Look to Taiwan."

Despite being separated by more than 8,300 kilometers, Israel and Taiwan share striking parallels in geography, population, political values, economic dynamism, and military strategy. Both face existential threats from far larger adversaries and rely on innovative military deterrence doctrines—Israel’s Cactus and Taiwan’s Porcupine—bolstered by strong U.S. support. Their resilience and commitment to democracy and independence not only shape their futures but also serve as fortresses of stability and hope in regions marked by uncertainty and contestation.

(AI generated image via Meta) 

To Understand Israel, Look to Taiwan

Neither Peacenik nor Kahanist

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Neither Peacenik Nor Kahanist."

A popular misconception is that you are either a foolhardy peacenik who doesn’t know how to defend the country or you are an extremist nationalist who promotes violence. The reality is, as King Solomon said, to everything there is a time and place.

 
While the Rebbe’s approach of peace through strength is often mischaracterized as hawkish, Pearl clarifies that it is, in fact, deeply humanitarian. The Rebbe’s goal is to end the bloodshed and foster a reality where former enemies can become friends, in line with the Torah’s teaching to “eliminate sins, not sinners.” He advocated for a rigorous, informed pursuit of peace that upholds the dignity and rights of all people, without succumbing to naïve or simplistic solutions.

(AI generated image via Meta) 

Neither Peacenik nor Kahanist

Israel & Gaza: Separating Fact from Fiction

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Israel & Gaza: Separating Fact from Fiction."

Eighteen months into a conflict marked by unfathomable loss, one of the most disturbing things we see is the reinvention of what actually happened. The terrorists and their supporters spew an endless stream of hate and lies. It is crucial to continue to dispel their myths and hold on to the truth.

Hamas’s ideology of hate and annihilation meets Israel’s resolve to survive and achieve a lasting peace. Amid the ashes of Gaza, faith remains our compass and the Jewish state, our beacon.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Israel & Gaza: Separating Fact from Fiction

From Destruction to Rebirth

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "From Destruction to Rebirth."

As the Jewish people, we have routinely known destruction and rebirth. It is hardcoded into our Jewish DNA that when we sin, we incur (G-d forbid) His punishment, and when we find our way back to Hashem and do teshuvah then we are blessed with His merciful redemption.

This Passover, let us recommit to doing good in this world and in helping to move all our people from the Diaspora to "Next Year in Jerusalem" and the speedy rebuilding of the Holy Temple. Oh G-d, please complete our final redemption and let it be!

(AI generated image via Gemini)

 

From Destruction to Rebirth