February 27, 2026 When first graders in Modi’in sang ‘You Won’t Defeat Me,’ I cried By Barbara Sofer The part in Yehoram Gaon’s song “You Won’t Defeat Me,” when the adorable first graders dance, made me cry. I was in an old-fashioned gym in the young city of Modi’in. The population is estimated to be 112,692 – which is
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February 13, 2026 A manicure, a memorial and the music of David – opinion By Barbara Sofer On Tuesday night, 10 days after the return of Ran Gvili’s body, members of my Jerusalem synagogue Shira Hadasha gathered in an evening of song and to store away, in personalized fabric cases, the many accoutrements related to the return of the hostages. These,
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January 30, 2026 Jerusalem daycare tragedy: Why make the story worse than it is? – opinion By Barbara Sofer Amid this unsettling period when we Israelis are waiting daily to learn whether we are going to be thrust into the middle of a war with Iran, a new and sad story has dominated our news. Two
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January 16, 2026 Fast, fierce, and fun: The magic of Israeli women’s basketball – opinion By Barbara Sofer Looking for a fun night out that won’t put you into overdraft? Try one of Israel’s women’s basketball games. In the past two seasons, my husband and I have become regular attendees at the home games of our local
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January 2, 2026 The Jewish immigrant who shaped America’s most famous coin – opinion By Barbara Sofer The US government stopped producing the Lincoln one-cent coin last month when the Philadelphia mint struck its last penny. There was even a mock funeral for the familiar coin last week, when hundreds of people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to mark the end
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December 19, 2025 Lighthearted Hanukkah: Jokes and advice from Jews around the world By Barbara Sofer Last month, I wrote about the disappearance of my sense of humor. Two years of war, nonsensical accusations against the State of Israel, and rising antisemitism had dampened by spirits. I just couldn’t find anything funny. So, I asked you, dear
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December 5, 2025 Third age: To tell or not to tell, that is the question – opinion By Barbara Sofer My late and beloved mother refused to use an Israeli senior citizen bus card when she was way over the age to qualify. When I asked her why, she shrugged, “No one needs to know
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November 28, 2025 Zichron Yaakov’s new Gordonia hotel offers deluxe rooms, pools, and panoramic views – review By Barbara Sofer A brand new lavish hotel has, excitingly, sprung up in Zichron Yaakov, on the Carmel Coast, on the west side of the city, overlooking the verdant mountain coastline. It’s spacious, modern, with an exhilarating sea view from every bed in every
November 7, 2025 ‘Heroines! Songs & Soliloquies for the Soul’: A new musical on Israeli heroines – review By Barbara Sofer In the new musical Heroines! Songs & Soliloquies for the Soul, the 10-woman cast on the stage harmonizes in a song titled “How Does One Remember?” Two years after the Oct. 7 massacre, how are
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Sept 19, 2025 Builders of Jerusalem award highlights Hadassah’s impact – opinion By Barbara Sofer Call it a busman’s holiday. On a beach vacation, I find myself reading Henrietta Szold: Hadassah and the Zionist Dream, by Francine Klagsbrun (Yale University Press, 2024). As much as I’ve read about Szold (I even put on a one-woman play
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