Interview with Chana Hirsch: "Wanna be a member of the Sanhedrin? Learn English!"

 Interview conducted by Sharona Eshet-Kohen

Chana Hirsch was an English teacher at the Jeanne Gluck High School Academy for Girls in Bet El for 24 years, from 1996-2020. In this interview she shares how she ended living and teaching in Bet El, and why she felt it her mission to teach Israeli children learn English.

A Look at Israel's Economy

by Guy Bechor, translated and edited by Hillel Fendel

Israel's economic data for the first half of the current year indicate the country's extraordinary economic showing for this year – and actually for the entire first two decades of the 21st century. 

An impressive summary of the stats can be found in the Sept. 2021 update to the excellent book by Dr. Adam Roiter and Nogah Keinan, entitled, "Israel: Success Story." 

Sukkot: Returning to the Land

by Rav Zalman Baruch Melamed, translated by Sharona Cohen

A Generation with Light

The Sukkot holiday is full of mitzvot (good deeds), including the mitzvah of the lulav, the four species. Our Sages say that the four species are similar to weapons - the lulav is similar to a sword, or perhaps a rifle, the etrog maybe to a grenade. In any event, the Sages intend to tell us that there are spiritual wars and there are physical wars, and Man in this world must confront various pests and ward them off.

Bet El's "Shiras" Wounded in '18 Terror Attack Give Birth

In December 2018, Bet El natives Shira Ish-Ran (nee Silberstein) and Shira Yered (nee Sabag) were both wounded in terror attacks a few days apart. Shira Ish-Ran was five months pregnant at the time and lost her baby boy as a result of the attack. Shira Sabag (not yet married at the time), sustained gunshot wounds a few days later in the same attack that resulted in the murder of two IDF soldiers and severe head trauma of a third. (Miraculously, as a result of Sabag's injuries, doctors discovered a tumor in her body early enough to save her life!)

Last week, both Shiras celebrated life! Shira Ish-Ran gave birth to a girl, and Shira Yered and her husband held a bris for their baby boy. From great pain, loss, and mourning sprang beautiful new lives!

Shira Yered's mother Michal Sabag comments, "We are getting numerous calls from people saying how Bet El was so traumatized when both Shiras were wounded in terrorist attacks a few days apart. And now, as though HaShem is speaking to us directly to console us, both of them gave birth a few days apart."

The Abandonment of Uncle Sam: Lessons for Israel from Afghanistan

by Emanuel Shilo, Besheva, translated by Hillel Fendel 

The first lesson that Israel must learn from the out-of-control American withdrawal from Afghanistan is sharp and clear: Israel must always be able to defend itself with its own forces. 

We must never be dependent upon American military aid, meaning that we may not converge behind borders that are indefensible without such help. Reliance upon a foreign element, no matter how friendly, has proven more than once throughout history to be a dependence on a broken reed.