Jerusalem Report

From harlots to heroines: October 7 opens new chapter for women soldiers in Israeli cinema

Stories of women on the frontline on October 7 are opening a new chapter on female soldiers in Israeli cinema.

Swell Ariel Or, one of the stars of the upcoming movie ‘Tankistas,’ in the 2023 film ‘Kissufim.’
October 7 and the war in Gaza have heightened the demand for all Israelis to serve in the IDF. A small number of ultra-Orthodox Jews serve in the all-haredi Netzah Yehuda Battalion.

October 7 exposed Israel's deepest fracture: The haredi exemption - opinion

Tzur Goldin speaks at an event to remember his twin brother, Hadar.

Hadar Goldin's brother warns West of hostage-taking threat: 'This is not only an Israeli story'

In Israel, even as more women take on  combat roles, their uniforms – and their equipment – remain very much designed for men, despite obvious differences in height, weight, and build.

As women join combat units, military kit must be redesigned to fit them - opinion


From Talmud to temptation: How erotica found a home in Orthodox Israel

Romance and erotica in literature, once niche, is growing in popularity among religious readers.

Romance and erotica novels are gaining popularity among religious women in Israel, with some rabbis quietly endorsing the genre for 'peace in the home.'

Holyland towers: The 'monster' that changed Jerusalem's skyline forever

The Holy City is forever caught between the weight of its past and the pressure of its future.

The Holyland Towers built on Jerusalem’s western ridge in the early 2000s marked a radical break architecturally from what came before in the city.

'A movement takes time': How one rabbi is slowly changing the haredi draft debate

Behind protests and politics, a quiet revolution is reshaping ultra-Orthodox attitudes toward military service.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews carry a banner in Hebrew that reads, “to prison and not the army,” during a “million man” protest against military conscription, in Jerusalem October 30, 2025.

How Abrahamic programs promote coexistence from university campuses to the Middle East

The Abraham Accords have been tested over the past two years but remain intact, and there are signs they are growing.

US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia in the White House last month further reinforced the success of the Abraham Accords.

The debate over women in combat was settled on the battlefield - opinion

The debate over whether women can serve in combat has been settled on the battlefield through two years of war.

Over the past two years, women have served on the frontlines in Gaza and Lebanon, performing under fire alongside their male comrades.

'If I don't fight, my soldiers won't survive': How a wounded commander led under fire

A young female commander whose instinct to lead outweighed her fear.

Soldiers in the Search and Rescue Brigade complete a month of basic training, then a six-month advanced course qualifying them first as infantry and then in search and rescue.

IDF sees sharp rise in enlistment from Druze, Bedouins, and Arab Christians

Two years of war have seen a rise in military enlistment from Israel’s minority communities.

A reported massacre of Druze civilians by Syrian army forces and allied militias in July 2025 prompted Druze from Israel to cross the border.

Haredi exemption has become Israel's greatest internal security threat

Allowing ultra-Orthodox Jews to refrain from sharing the burden of IDF service is unsustainable and existentially dangerous.

Haredi protesters against the IDF draft demonstrate in Jerusalem on October 30, 2025.

'We need to be seen': Female soldiers' trauma overlooked despite historic mobilization

Even though this war saw the largest mobilization of women since Israel’s creation, the emotional impact on female soldiers is disturbingly absent from the narrative.

After months of serving in Lebanon and Gaza, combat medic Mika Oz said she began suffering hypervigilance and irritability.

Two women break barriers with $150 million Israeli defense fund

Protego Ventures is the only venture capital fund investing in Israeli defense tech that is led by two women.

Lital Leshem and Lee Moser founded Protego, Israel’s first and largest defense-tech venture capital firms after October 7 to support a growing number of start-ups in the field.

A new era for The Jerusalem Report - from the editor

From women in combat to shifts in the haredi world, this issue is all about change – starting with us.

'Women on the front.' Lital Leshem and Lee Moser raised $150 million to investment in Israeli defense tech.