I'm writing from the coach cabin on El Al flight 006 from L.A. to Tel Aviv, heading back to Israel for another week of journalism and reconnecting.
This trip will be quick, and seems easy. Actually, it was very hard to arrange.
Last month, everyone was canceling everything, fearing a much wider war in the Middle East. I had a ticket on British Airways, and they canceled ALL flights to Israel through early next year. Two tours I might have accompanied also canceled.
I looked at fares on El Al, and they were prohibitively expensive. Suddenly, after refreshing the website for days, a fare popped up that was reasonable -- normal, even. I didn't hesitate; I moved ahead and booked my ticket.
My ambition is to get to Lebanon, somehow. I don't need to go far into the place; I certainly don't want to go anywhere particularly dangerous (though it's all a little dicey). I just want to stand there and look back at Israel.
I have a specific reason for wanting to do so: when I was at the Lebanese border in November (on the Israeli side), it was clear that the Hezbollah-controlled villages had the topographical high ground. That's a reality I want to convey to the world.
I'd also like to get to Gaza, if possible, and report on what is happening there -- again, as safely as is possible. I'd also like to report on the mood in Israel, the effort to rebuild the communities around Gaza, and the prospects for peace.
I think my coverage may help to shape American perceptions, particularly in the emerging Trump administration (to the extent that they read my stuff), which is moving toward peace deals, hopefully on favorable terms.
Along the way, I'm hoping to reconnect with friends and family, and to the spirit that draws me to that magnificent country and its brave and beautiful people, who are among the world's happiest despite -- or because of -- their struggles.
This is my first broadcast from the new office and studio in Washington, DC, where I'll be for a couple of years my neighborhood back in L.A. cleans up -- and as we follow the Trump administration from a little closer up than usual.
Topics:
- The anniversary of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump
- The escalating tariff battle with various different trading partners
- The future of the Middle East peace talks, and ongoing antisemitism
- The Jeffrey Epstein files and whether they mean anything at all
- The continued crisis of the Texas floods, and stories of heroism and survival
And more!
Special guests:
- James Rosen - Newsmax chief Washington correspondent
- Bob Price - Breitbart News Texas reporter, on the ongoing floods
- Robert Cahill - Trafalgar Polling, on a new alliance of reliable pollsters
- Rabbi Yaakov Menken - Coalition for Jewish Values - on Israel & antisemitism
Tune in: 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874
This week’s portion tells the grand story of the prophet who tried to curse people of Israel and instead ended up blessing them.
I am reminded that these portions continue to be relevant anew, as this particular reading lent the title for Israel’s recent 12 Day War against Iran, “Operation Rising Lion.”
This week's portion includes the commandment of the red heifer -- one of the classic "irrational" commandments whose fulfillment is an expression of faith. It also includes the regrettable episode in which Moses strikes the rock.
I referred to this story in a wedding speech last night. Why was Moses punished for striking the rock in Numbers, when he struck the rock without incident in Exodus -- both for the purpose of providing water to the people?
The answer is that in the interim, the Jewish people had received the Torah, which is like the marriage contract between the people of Israel and God. In a marriage, you do not resolve things by breaking boundaries, but through love.
The additional reading, from Judges Chapter 11, is the story of Jephthah (Yiftach), a man whom the leaders spurn, but to whom they must turn to save the nation. The parallels to our present political circumstances are striking.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Fourth of July!
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