I am having trouble with the phrase “proportional response.” In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel and the kidnapping of some 240 more, Israel launched a search-and-destroy mission against Hamas and its largely subterranean infrastructure in Gaza. Israel would like to end, once…

There was little in “Bearing Witness to the October 7 Massacre” — a 43-minute video compiled by the Israel Defense Forces — that I had not seen before the Israeli consulate’s invitation-only screening on Nov. 9. Much of the content — and even more graphic evidence of the atrocities committed…

[Reader caution advised. This article includes descriptions of events on Oct. 7, when terrorists attacked kibbutzim and towns in southern Israel and a rave concert in the nearby desert.] A 43-minute video of atrocities committed by Hamas on Oct. 7 -compiled by the Israel Defense Forces — left the audience…

There was an elephant prowling the ballroom of a downtown Atlanta hotel on Nov. 4. Would anyone point out the pachyderm? The answer came as Dr. Nabile Safdar, board chair of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta, welcomed several hundred people attending ISB’s annual gala: “Yes, we’re going to go…

Even in the best of times, interfaith work is challenging. These are far from the best of times. Just as bridges are best built before a flood, interfaith advocates say that relationships across religious lines must be built before there is a crisis — in hopes that they can withstand…

The moment the young woman said, “This is my family,” I looked up from my laptop, saw the poster she was holding, and stopped typing. I looked across the room at my wife, who had the same stunned, emotion-laden look on her face as I probably had on mine. Until…

Israel’s Consul General to the Southeast Anat Sultan-Dadon minced no words when she spoke Oct. 30 at the Atlanta Press Club. “We are currently in one of the hardest points in time for the State of Israel and for the Jewish people,” she said. The ranking Israeli diplomat in a…

Tensions stemming from the war between Israel and Hamas spilled over to a recent festival at an Atlanta private school. The Oct. 22 WorldFest at the Atlanta International School included tables representing Israel and Palestine, set up by Jewish and Arab parents. Based on conversations with Jewish and Arab parents…

This is a lousy way to add leaves to the branches on your family tree, combing through articles about murdered and missing Israelis, looking for information about their parents, spouses, and children. In the past couple of weeks, I have added about three dozen names to my tree, tracing them…