Hot Topics
Makom’s Hot Topics aim to ask Jewish questions of Israeli current affairs.
Designed to be short, accessible, and challenging, each Hot Topic attempts to ask us to align our Jewish identity with the ongoing drama of Israel and the Jewish People.
We are currently experimenting with a double-format – two pieces from two different perspectives on the same issue… Comments are welcome!
Turn to the Right
No matter how you spin it, no matter how the mathematics of coalitions can be juggled, there is no doubt that Israel has taken a significant turn to the right in these elections. Even those who thought that a lead for Kadima party would bring about the automatic coronation of Tzipi Livni as Prime Minister, can’t ignore that the creation of a coalition (Yitzhak Rabin called it a ‘Go’alitzia’ – a delightful combination of the Hebrew for ‘coalition’ and ‘disgust’) will be easier the further right one pulls.
The renewable light unto the nations
The elections this year coincide with the Jewish New Year of the trees: Tu Bishvat. It is perhaps the only thing that all Israelis can unite on and celebrate, especially with elections looming.
Israel our home
The police has been stalking him for years, his accent is still heavy, and it’s difficult to find a photo of him without his eyes looking scary. But it is Avigdor Lieberman’s policies that present a challenge to us all.
Living the Gaza complexity
If demonstrations and media reports are anything to go by, it would seem that the overwhelming majority of the world condemns Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. In Israel a mirror-image exists, whereby the consensus in favor of the campaign has been huge. Over the last few weeks it would appear that Israel and Israelis have not been trying to curry favor with the world.
The limits on Israeli Democracy
In 1985 the racist fundamentalist Kach Party of Meir Kahane was banned from running in the elections, after an amendment to Israeli Election law was passed. This amendment prohibited a party to campaign for election if it either opposes Israel as a Jewish state, or incites to racism.
Waltz with Bashir wins the Golden Globe
It is an astonishing film. Stunning animation, beautiful soundtrack, and a storyline that penetrates your soul. A deserved winner of the Golden Globe best foreign film (not that we’ve seen any of the other films!), and we wish it all the best for the Oscars. We recommend you go to see it, and offer you a free download of our Makom guide.
Gaza:changing priorities for Israel
The task of any country’s army is to protect its citizens, to protect itself, and to avoid injuring civilians while doing battle with the enemy. After having targeted Israeli civilian targets for years, and after having invested in developing longer range missiles at the expense of its people’s welfare, it would seem that Hamas, in this sense, is no army.
The end of heroism in Gaza?
“Who is a hero?” asks Ben Zoma in Ethics of the Fathers (4:1).
The popular translation offers the anwer: “He who conquers his own rage.”
Gilad Shalit and the Talmud
Maimonides said that “there is no greater mitzvah than paying the ransom to free captives.” The Jewish People has a long and honorable history of following Maimonides’ injunction. The Shulhan Aruch even judges that ransoming captives is more important than feeding or clothing the poor.
It’s the vision thing
Barack Obama presented a vision of the future to the American people, and they responded.
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