Opinion

My immediate curiosity was straightforward: How would Israeli Jews vote in a hypothetical 2026 US national election, and how would American Jews vote in Israel’s October 2026 Knesset election?

Wherever we live, in Israel or America, however we vote, however we pray, we are one people. We can disagree, and we will, but we will still be able to wish each other a Shana tova.

The greatest danger after Israel’s military successes may be believing those successes make the country invulnerable.

For generations, Europe and Israel anchored their security in the United States until the alliance became dependence: Europe outsourced critical protection; America was embedded in Israel's structure

This year, as Rosh Hashanah coincides with 9/11, it offers us a rare opportunity to grapple not just with new starts, but also with trauma and resilience.

For Jewish communities abroad, camp is often the defining Jewish experience of the year: an immersive world where Jewish identity, Zionism, friendship, and leadership are lived rather than taught.

Munich remain a warning about what happens when hatred becomes an ideology, terrorism becomes a political weapon, and the murder of innocent people is rationalized in the name of a cause.

A convergence of trends and events – some global, some local – threatens to turn the Jewish New Year into a “perfect storm” for Israel, from elections and war to diplomacy and climate change.

Just as defense is paramount to securing a thriving future for Israel, education is vital to the well-being and continued success of the Jewish state.

This is the 2026 Israeli version of the drunk clown scene from the cult comedy classic Uncle Buck.