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Jewish World Today

Stay updated on contemporary Jewish life around the globe, from culture and community to identity and traditions. Explore how Jewish voices and heritage shape today’s world through current trends, stories, and thoughtful perspectives.

Top Jewish Baby Names for 2025-2026

Trending Jewish baby names
Choosing a name is always an act of faith in the future. Across the United States and Israel, Jewish parents are looking at the challenges facing our world and responding with a beautiful expression of cultural pride. Whether it's choosing names that project fierce resilience or seeking out names that symbolize light and hope, the trending baby names of 2025

Remarkable Stories of ‘Am Yisrael Chai’

Am Yisrael Chai
Am Yisrael Chai means “the People of Israel live.” Discover the meaning of this powerful Hebrew phrase through remarkable stories – from a historic BBC recording and Golda Meir’s emotional encounter with Soviet Jews to Ofra Haza’s unforgettable performance in Munich.

Jewish Funeral Customs Explained: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Psychology

Jewish cemetery
Jewish funeral customs have guided mourners through loss for thousands of years. From aninut to shiva, shloshim, and yahrzeit, discover the meaning behind these practices and how they closely align with modern psychological insights into grief and healing.

Is There Such a Thing as Jewish Art? – by David de Wolf

Chagall window Naphtali
Open an art history book and you will barely find Judaism. Open a book on Judaism and you will barely find art. The two worlds seem to stand light-years apart – and the gap raises an uncomfortable, fascinating question. Does Judaism distrust art? Does God not care about beauty? That conclusion would be strange. Perhaps the question was never whether

Yaacov Agam: Remembering Israel’s Master of Movement

Dizingoff Square Tel Aviv Yaacov Agam
The art world lost one of its great innovators this week. Yaacov Agam, the Israeli artist who transformed movement into art, passed away on June 21, 2026, at the age of 98. For more than seven decades, Agam created artworks that refused to stand still. Walk past one of his paintings and the image changes before your eyes – colors

What Is the Western Wall? History, Meaning & Visitor Guide

Western Wall
What is the Western Wall, and why is it the holiest place where Jews can pray today? Discover the remarkable story behind Jerusalem's iconic landmark, from the lost Holy of Holies and centuries of pilgrimage to modern-day controversies, along with everything you need to know before your visit.

Explore the Special History of the US-Israel Relationship

Israel US special friendship
Millions of Americans will gather with friends and family to celebrate Independence Day on the Fourth of July. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the enduring friendship between the United States and Israel. Why is the US-Israel relationship so unique? Explore the history, shared values, strategic partnership, and enduring alliance that continue to shape both nations today.

Tu B’Av: The Jewish Love Holiday with Ancient Roots

Tu B'Av
Tu B'Av is Judaism's ancient holiday of love, but its story goes far beyond romance. Discover how the restoration of the tribe of Benjamin, and the famous vineyard dances of women in borrowed white dresses transformed the 15th of Av into one of the happiest days on the Jewish calendar.

Jewish Wedding Traditions: What To Expect

Jewish wedding

No two weddings — let alone Jewish weddings — are alike. Depending on how religiously observant the couple and their families are, as well as their community’s minhagim (customs), proper etiquette and festivities at Jewish weddings vary wildly. However, there are a few traditions that just about every Jewish wedding will have. So as wedding season approaches, here’s your […]

Hebrew slang words that somehow follow you home

Hebrew slang T-shirt
Sunburn fades. Saying “stam” in every conversation does not. Hebrew slang has a funny way of sneaking into your vocabulary. Maybe it starts innocently with a casual “sababa” after two weeks in Tel Aviv. Then suddenly you’re saying “yalla” in traffic, throwing out an impatient “nu?” when something takes too long, and describing your family WhatsApp group as a “balagan”.

What Judaism Tells Us About Fatherhood

Father's day family
Father’s Day 2026 falls on Sunday, June 21, in the United States, Canada, and many other countries around the world. While Father’s Day isn’t a Jewish holiday per se, many Jewish families use this day as an opportunity to honor the father figures in their lives who deserve to be celebrated. Like so many relationships and roles in life, Judaism

Ima: The Hebrew Word for Mom

Mother's Day Ima with daughters
Ima, written אמא in Hebrew and pronounced EE-mah, is the everyday Hebrew word for “mom.” It is warm, simple, and deeply familiar. Across Israel, children call out “Ima!” in playgrounds, schoolyards, and crowded streets. But Ima is more than just a sweet word for mother. Within its two syllables lies a story of ancient language, Jewish memory, biblical mothers, and

Why Israelis Wear White On Holidays

Jews around the world are preparing for Rosh Hashanah – beginning at sundown on Friday, September 11, 2026 – and for many Israelis both secular and religious alike that means getting out their favorite white shirts, kippahs, or all-white outfits. Learn more about this beautiful holiday tradition and what the color white means in Judaism […]

Famous people who spoke out against antisemitism

Famous people who spoke out against antisemitism
The history of antisemitism is, sadly, well known. But alongside it runs another story: of those who refused to stay silent. From Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill to Bono and Reese Witherspoon, discover ten voices, past and present, who spoke out with clarity and conviction.

How Modern Judaica Balances Tradition and Design

Modern Menorah design
Modern Judaica is no longer about choosing between tradition and design. Today, it is about honoring both in ways that feel natural, personal, and lived-in. In homes across the world, and especially in the United States, Judaica has quietly evolved. Ancient symbols remain at its heart, but their forms now reflect how people actually live.

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