by Ram ben Ze’ev The Nobel Delusion and the Price of Blood For years, President Donald Trump nursed a grievance. The Nobel Committee refused to crown him as the architect of peace he so eagerly proclaimed himself to be. Throughout his first term, during the 2020 campaign, throughout 2024, and right up until the Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado—who symbolically handed it to him—he spoke incessantly of the wars he st

by Ram ben Ze'ev Not Us — Or Have We Forgotten? In October 2023, when our brothers and sisters were butchered, burned, kidnapped and desecrated, we watched in horror not only at the cruelty of the murderers but at the reaction of the world. In city after city, crowds gathered to celebrate. Sweets were handed out in the streets. Baklava was distributed as though the slaughter of Jews were a wedding feast. Social media filled with praise for barbarism. We were rightly outraged.

by Ram ben Ze’ev Chaos Before Control: Why Organisational Incompetence Matters Imagine giving the Reform Party control of the country. Pause for a moment and consider that seriously. We already have a group of incompetents in charge. The question is not whether we are dissatisfied — many are. The question is whether replacing one strain of dysfunction with another is progress. I have been a member of Reform since 2021. Recently, I re-joined formally and agreed to pay my memb

The unity of Am Yisrael is an antidote to evil decrees (Based on the Ma’amar of HaRav HaGoan Rav David Shaltiel Shlit”a) (translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds, United Kingdom) Parashat Tetzaveh - Shabbat Zachor It states in the Parashah, “You, [Moshe], must command Bnei Yisrael to bring you clear illuminating oil, made from hand crushed olives, to keep the lamp constantly burning. Aharon and his sons shall arrange for [the lamps to burn] from evening u

by Elisheva bas Chana The Mitzvos Understanding the concept of the mitzvos, time-bound, and the need to perform them on a particular date on the Jewish calendar or at a specific time. There are mitzvos like eating matzahs on Pesach or sitting in the Sukkah on Sukkos. Wearing tzitzis and wrapping tefilin are performed at specific times during the day. These mitzvos are vital at the time of their fulfilment. There is a specific time to blow the Shofar — only forty-eight hours o

by Ram ben Ze'ev When Scotland Remembered — And Will Remember Again There are moments in a nation’s life when it must dare to ask an uncomfortable question: What if we have forgotten part of ourselves? The book When Scotland Was Jewish by Elizabeth Caldwell Hirschman and Donald N. Yates is not a casual historical curiosity. It is a challenge. Drawing upon DNA evidence, archaeology, migration analysis, and public and family records, the authors argue that from the twelfth cen

by Ram ben Ze’ev The modern term “Jewish heritage” is often used to blur Jewish Status In recent days, we have seen public figures speak about their children needing to “fully appreciate the roots of their mother’s Jewish heritage.” The phrase sounds warm, evocative and harmless. But in Torah terms, it raises a serious question: what, precisely, is meant by “Jewish heritage”? Judaism is not a costume, not a sentimental lineage, and not a cultural aesthetic. According to הלכה

by Ram ben Ze’ev Bitcoin at $65,500: Cycles, Confidence, and the Question of Finality Bitcoin currently trades at $65,500. That number must be understood in context. In October 2025, Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $126,098. From that peak, the present price represents a drawdown of roughly 48%. That is not catastrophic by historical standards — but it is significant . Bitcoin has established a pattern across prior cycles: dramatic advances followed by severe corrections.

by Ram ben Ze’ev Mazel Is Not Luck: A Call to Reject Modern Idolatry On 7 November 2024, I wrote about “ Mazel, Divine Flow, and Trust in HaShem .” It is necessary to return to that subject, because the confusion has not diminished. If anything, it has deepened. The phrase “Mazel Tov” is still casually translated as “Good luck,” as though Judaism endorses randomness, cosmic coincidence, or the mechanical alignment of stars. It does not. It never has. Mazel is not luck. Mazel