Today is my 39th Hebrew birthday. Every year on this date, I like to take a moment to reflect on where I am in my life. Other years have centered on productivity, healing, patience, gratitude, alignment, and rest. This year its been about being present in the moment. I learned long ago that I have minimal control over the world around me. Mainly, all I can control is my own mindset and my choices. So in a world gone mad, a chapter of grief and rage and struggle: this year I chose to make...

Noam Bettan and his team are home safe in Israel after winning second place in Eurovision. Very often in the off season, when there is protesting and sniping and boycotts of Israel from European countries, I wonder: Why bother with Eurovision at all? If they don’t want us, why enter a room where everyone hates us? But the thing is- for the last five years, we’ve placed in the top five. This is the second year in a row that we’ve made it to second place too. I think that means, that everyone...

I’m sitting on the beach right now and it’s flooded with Israeli teenage boys. I mean hundreds of them. School let out for the day and it seems like every teen in the mercaz migrated to the shore for the afternoon. I’ve never seen it like this. There’s 30 soccer balls flying through the air as different crews circle up and pass them back and forth. The air smells like cigarettes and sea brine and an occasional fruity vape. It’s balmy and warm and the sun is high- you would never know we are...