by Ram ben Ze’ev Hidden Sparks: The Eternal Promise of the Bnei Anousim Throughout Jewish history, the story of the Bnei Anousim (בני אנוסים) —the descendants of Jews forced to convert under threat of death or persecution—stands as one of the most moving testaments to the indestructibility of the Jewish soul. From the horrors of the Inquisition to the quiet reawakening of identity in our own generation, the journey of the Bnei Anousim  is not merely a story of loss and return

by Ram ben Ze'ev “Tell No One — for the One who matters already knows.” -- Ram ben Ze'ev There was a time when goodness needed no announcement. A person’s deed spoke for itself; a quiet act of kindness was its own testimony. But today, we live in an age where every act, no matter how noble, must be photographed, posted, and praised. Even our national kindness — the good that Israel does for others — is too often paraded before the Nations. ADVERTISEMENT: Your Portfolio Starts

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Tragedy of Aher: The Sage Who Could Not Return He was once among the greatest minds of his generation — brilliant, respected, steeped in Torah and philosophy alike. Yet he would become known not by his name, but by his absence from it. The Sages no longer called him Elisha ben Abuyah ; they called him Aher — “the Other.” Elisha was born into privilege in Jerusalem during the late Second Temple period. His father, Abuyah, was a wealthy and influential man

by Ram ben Ze’ev The Reform that Failed to Reform In the wake of Reform UK’s electoral surge earlier this year, many heralded it as a political awakening — the rise of a new force prepared to shake the dust off Britain’s stale establishment. Yet, just months later, the cracks are visible and widening. As many as thirty-four councillors have either resigned, been suspended, or been expelled. For a party that won 677 local seats and gained control of ten councils, this represen

Clarification and Ruling on the Placement of Tefilin shel Yad Background: The placement of Tefilin shel yad (תפילין של יד — hand Tefilin) has, in certain circles, been debated based on the perceived dominance of one hand over the other. Some have claimed that a left-handed man may bind the Tefilin upon his right arm, arguing that “the weaker hand” referred to in Menachot 37a is relative to one’s strength or dexterity. However, this interpretation is limited to the external r

by Ram ben Ze'ev From Eber to Yehudit: The True Origin of the Language of Israel From the dawn of our lineage, the sacred tongue that we today call “Hebrew” has carried within it the breath of our ancestors and the sound of the Divine Word. Yet in the Torah itself, the language is not called Ivrit (עברית) . It is a name born centuries later. To understand how we arrived at this word, we must trace the path of our language through the generations — from Eber, to Yehuda, to Yis

by Ram ben Ze’ev The So-Called Jerusalem Cross: A Symbol Misunderstood When photographs emerged of now–Secretary of War Pete Hegseth proudly displaying the tattoo of what he calls the “Jerusalem Cross” on his chest, the reaction among Democrats and Leftists in the United States was immediate and predictably hysterical. They condemned it as “Christian nationalism,” “Crusader imagery,” and a threat to “diversity.” Yet, as usual, their outrage was both selective and shallow — be

by Ram ben Ze’ev The Company He Keeps: Why Zohran Mamdani’s Candidacy Demands Jewish Scrutiny New York is no ordinary city. It is home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel — a city scarred by Islamist terror and yet a city whose compassion often leads it to forget what that terror cost. Now, with Zohran Mamdani rising as the presumptive mayoral winner, New Yorkers are being asked to overlook a record that demands scrutiny. Mamdani, the son of Ugandan immigrants of

by Ram ben Ze’ev The Global Burden of Uninvited Empathy The Internet was meant to connect the world — and it has. But in doing so, it has blurred the boundaries between awareness and intrusion, between caring and carrying . What began as an exchange of information has become a contest of opinions. Everyone feels compelled to speak on everything, everywhere, as if silence were an act of betrayal . Social media has made this even worse. The platforms that claim to “connect” us