1.With Gratitude

Six weeks from now our annual 2023 campaign will close. The majority of our members, (that’s you, our generous year after year donors) have already pledged, donated online or mailed in a check and to you I say thank you on behalf of our entire community. To those who have not yet participated, please reply ASAP when we mail or call you in the coming weeks. And let me be the first to thank you ahead of time.

2.Ceasefire du Jour

The ceasefire reached last weekend between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group ended more than three days of fighting.

"For Israel, the inconvenient truth is that, as Israeli security and intelligence officials have admitted, they view Hamas as a stabilizing force to control Gaza and are fearful of the consequences — as is Egypt — of a vacuum of power. Furthermore, for the right-wing Netanyahu government, Hamas’ militancy offers another justification for why Israel cannot and should not negotiate with the Palestinians for a state of their own.

"Still, Netanyahu was not looking for a war, and he knows, given the political tumult in the country over his judicial overhaul, neither was the Israeli public. But he can’t mind that, if the Gaza ceasefire holds, it provides a temporary distraction from his political travails. Indeed, for the first time in 19 weeks, organizers cancelled the massive Saturday night protest in Tel Aviv.

"The Egyptian-brokered ceasefire will buy a little quiet, but not much. Indeed, it’s only a matter of time — days, weeks, months — until the next Gaza go-round."

Read the full (and easy to digest) analysis by Aaron David Miller here: "Opinion: Why the Israel-Gaza ceasefire is likely a sign of worse to come."

3.The Power of a Unicorn

Israel didn't win Eurovision, but it did win "the rest of the world." Noa Kirel came in third at the 2023 Eurovision in Liverpool on Saturday night, receiving the clear backing of fans from outside of Europe.

"For the first time this year, fans in countries that do not participate in the competition were able to cast their votes. And Israel won the most support from those voting in the 'rest of the world,' whose votes were tallied together and entered with the weight of an additional country." See her song below and decide if she would get your vote.

4.Under the Sea

"Three weeks ago while swimming a mere 200 meters off the shore of the central beach town of Beit Yanai, recreational sea swimmer Gideon Harris took a dive of about four meters and stumbled upon a 1,800-year-old treasure trove of marble columns.

"According to Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist Kobi Sharvit, the columns are part of some 44 tons of marble blocks that appear to be from the wreck of a ship that was on its way to a Roman port — potentially Ashkelon or Gaza — to unload its precious cargo.

"The IAA believes this sea-wrecked cargo — exposed during winter storms that brushed away centuries of sand — is the oldest of its kind known in the Eastern Mediterranean." Read the full story here.

5.Golden Girl

Israel's Inbar Lanir won gold at the World Judo Championships in Qatar. Lanir, 23, defeated France’s Audrey Tcheumeo in the finals of the 78-kilogram (172-pound) weight class. On her way to the podium, Lanir defeated four opponents, including the number-one ranked competitor, Italy’s Alice Bellandi. She dedicated her win to Israelis dealing with the conflict with Gaza this week.

6.Faithful Pop

"The Orthodox singer Ishay Ribo, whose music has attracted a diverse audience of religious and secular Israeli fans, will be the first Israeli artist to headline a concert at New York City’s Madison Square Garden."

“I’ve been keeping this inside for a long time and more than once I pinched myself to check if I was dreaming or if this is real,” Ribo wrote on his Facebook page on Monday. “It seems that both answers are correct, thank God.”

"At a time when Israeli society is deeply divided by political and religious fault lines, Ribo, 34, has achieved crossover appeal by blending religiously themed lyrics with pop melodies and is a leading voice in Israel’s 'faithful pop' genre. One of his songs, Sibat Hasibot (see video below), was the most-played song on the country’s radio stations in 2021, according to a recent New York Times profile."

7.Feast of Weeks

You may not be harvesting grain or staying up all night to learn the Torah, but you cannot deny an opportunity to eat cheese. JewishBoston has lots of creative ideas for Shavuot recipes.

TBA