Brian Blum

" Brian Blum is a freelance writer, journalist and editor. He works for an eclectic mix of newspapers, online magazines, universities, non-profit organizations and public companies. "This Normal Life," his personal blog, has appeared weekly since 2002. A former hi-tech entrepreneur, Brian moved to Jerusalem from the San Francisco Bay Area in 1994 with his wife and three children. More at Blum Interactive Media '

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators carry a banner during a protest against the arrival of an Israeli cruise ship in the port of Piraeus near Athens, Greece, June 12, 2025.

Navigating modern perceptions: What Zionism truly means to me - opinion

My own reality slap was made more painful by my inability to accept that it had occurred.

Facing the reality slap: coping when life doesn’t go as planned - opinion

A. (Illustrative)

How I use AI for writing - opinion


Celebrating life at Israel’s luxurious desert retreat - opinion

Six Senses Shaharut, located in the Arava desert, became the perfect setting to celebrate survival, breathe deeply again, and appreciate the rare gift of simply being here.

Breakfast overlooking the wadi at Six Senses Shaharut in the Negev.

Going into 2026, let's choose to practice gratitude - opinion

As Rabbi Tal Sessler writes in his book 'Torah for Mental Health': 'Gratitude isn’t just a feeling. It’s a practice.' So, let’s practice: A happy and grateful new year to readers near and far!

'Gratitude is a practise.'

How does CAR-T cancer treatment work? - explainer

A rigorous medical journey ends in a breakthrough, in the form of CAR-T therapy, achieving a rare, hard-won cancer-free result.

CAR-T causes less collateral damage to healthy cells than standard chemo.

The patient hiker: Finding patience in politics, hiking, healing - opinion

Life is not a straight, flat road, but “patient hiking” is definitely worth it.

HIKING KATLAV.

Is emigration harming Israel's medical services? - opinion

Was this just the way that hospitals and surgeries work? Or was there a shortage of doctors, contributing to delay and inability to share basic, comforting information to an anxious patient in pain?

An illustrative image of Israeli doctors operating.

Miracle in the medicine cabinet: A Simchat Torah story of healing and joy - opinion

I’m sure I have some meds that I don’t need anymore, and a few more that have probably expired, but I’m grateful that my hoarding mentality may have inadvertently saved a life. 

An illustrative image of a man reaching for medicine in a medicine cabinet.

Jacob’s Ladder returns with rocking, upscale show - but was this the last iteration?

It’s unlikely that Jacob’s Ladder will be back for its former summer extravaganzas. But we can hope that the weekend in Kfar Blum was enough of a success to change its course.

MAPLE & THE ECOSYSTEM

'We cursed the Houthis and toasted one another': Fine dining with Houthis in Jerusalem - opinion

Everything should have been perfect at Janjaria, until the missile alerts.

TEQUILA SHOTS: Well earned.

Living with cancer means asking: When do you stop the fight? - opinion

The societal expectations around learning you have cancer are to fight.

‘IT’S NEVERTHELESS hard – nay, impossible – for me to imagine actually taking such an extreme step.’

Actually, I did die: Living with survivor's uncertainty - opinion

Uncertainty anxiety tends to follow a U-shaped curve. You worry a lot at the beginning, forget about it in the middle, then worry again at the end.

UNCERTAINTY PARADOX: Is there a way out?