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This Tisha B’Av, Our Savior Won’t Be a Politician or Political Party; It Will Be Ourselves
Supporters of Israel gather in solidarity with Israel and protest against antisemitism, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terror group Hamas, during a rally on the National Mall in Washington, DC, Nov. 14, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Leah Millis
When the coronavirus was spreading throughout the world and stopped our civilization, many were floating a phrase that seemed to resonate: “we’re living in Biblical times.”
In the past 10 months, I have heard this phrase even more frequently from fellow Jews who feel lost in the absurdity of the hate and trauma that has been raged on our people and homeland. Perhaps beneath this statement there is a hope that in this Biblical chapter, once again, our calamities will be resolved with a divine intervention.
Could it be that a new chapter is actually being written today? One about a “Third Temple” in the form of a modern State of Israel, where Jewish inventions are the center of every major technological and scientific advancement in the world. Where Jews are protected by an Iron Dome that was as miraculous as the Passover manna; the place where no matter how much hate and antisemitism they feel in the diaspora, Jews could find a safe haven.
Could this be a new chapter about the place where technology, people, and G-d himself lapsed all at once, and 1,200 people were ravaged, mutilated, and murdered? Where once again, Jews stepped into another cycle of calamities?
I don’t know the answer.
I’m neither religious, nor a Biblical scholar, but as we approach Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the month of Av, I see a convergence of the past and the present. A quick scan of the Jewish history across millennia shows us some of our worst catastrophes — the destruction of the First and Second temple, the onset of the first and second world wars, and in between, the expulsion of Jew from Spain and England.
More recently, in Israel, hours before this day in 2022, rockets targeting innocent civilians were flying into the airspace, only to be disabled by the Iron Dome. In 2023, the judicial reform debate was tearing the country apart. Polarization had divided us as a people around the world, left against right, religious against secular, this against that — and today, the threats against us are immeasurable, even for the experts. The narratives of the past manifest themselves with the threats of today.
When I was journaling on this topic two years ago, I wrote that as a Jewish community, we need more compassion toward one another, more nuance in our approach in politics, and more humility in facing our enemies instead of false confidence.
This year, I find our community more compassionate than ever and more realistic about the threat of the enemy. We are realizing we are not each others’ enemies. Our community has shown unprecedented levels of generosity and support to those who have been impacted.
Yet I fear that despite our increased unity, we haven’t yet let go of the golden calves that we have made of political figures and partisan politics. As the election season approaches, I see the ugly partisan divide distracting us from the real problems and turning us away from our bond to one another, Ahavat Israel.
Yes, in desperate times, we all need a miracle. But let’s not anoint anyone as our present day Moses. We should not expect Moses to descend from Sinai and fix our problems, because this is our Israelite Revival moment, and we all have to rise to the occasion.
Neither Kamala Harris nor Donald Trump alone can guarantee to deliver what we need to overcome this crisis. This is the moment for all of us to speak truth to power and hold our leaders accountable, regardless of party affiliation. We should not excuse their mistakes — big or small — because when we get quiet, our enemies get louder, emboldened to monopolize our leader’s powers.
On this Tisha B’Av, thousands of years after the destruction of the temple, we ought to envision new weapons and shields, beyond Iron Domes and anti-missile ammunitions that are essential to our physical safety. We need the blast of the Shofar from Abraham’s miracle; the guiding light from Hanukkah; the diplomacy of Esther and Mordechai; the armor of the Ten Commandments; and ultimately, the collective love for the Torah that guides us.
May the alarm of the Shofar wake us up to the threats and prepare us to confront the enemy. May the diplomacy of Esther and Mordechai succeed at convincing our allies to stand by us. May the light of Hanukkah help to guide our nation to fight corruption, and ignorance. May the Ten Commandments shield us from hate and violence. And may the Torah remind us to gain strength from our joyful tradition and stand in unity with our people.
Born and raised in Iran, Marjan Keypour Greenblatt is a human rights advocate and founder of the Alliance for of All Minorities (ARAMIran.org).
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Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft
The opening tip between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 13, 2020. Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
In a landmark night for Israeli basketball, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first time two Israeli players have been drafted in the same year.
Saraf, a 19-year-old guard known for his explosive athleticism and creative playmaking, was taken with the 26th pick. A standout with Maccabi Rishon LeZion and a rising star on Israel’s youth national teams, Saraf gained international attention with his electrifying scoring and commanding court presence.
With the 27th pick, the Nets selected 7-foot center Danny Wolf out of the University of Michigan. Wolf, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship and represented Israel at the U-20 level, brings a versatile skill set, including sharp passing, perimeter shooting, and a strong feel for the game. After his name was called, Wolf grew emotional in an on-air interview, crediting his family for helping him reach the moment.
“I have the two greatest brothers in the world; I have an unbelievable sister who I love,” Wolf said. “They all helped me get to where I am today, and they’re going to help me get to where I am going to go in this league.”
The historic double-pick adds to the growing wave of Israeli presence on the NBA stage, led by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who just completed a breakout 2024–25 season. After being traded to Portland last summer, Avdija thrived as a starter, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In March alone, he posted 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.
“I don’t think I’ve played like this before … I knew I had it in me. But I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just playing. I’m just free,” Avdija told reporters in March
With Saraf and Wolf joining Avdija, Israel’s basketball pipeline has reached unprecedented visibility. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment “a national celebration for sports and youth,” and Israeli sports commentators widely hailed the night as “historic.”
Both Saraf and Wolf are expected to suit up for the Nets’ Summer League team in July. As the two rookies begin their NBA journey, they join a growing generation of Israeli athletes proving that their game belongs on basketball’s biggest stage.
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Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. Photo: Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS
Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday in an interview on state TV, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington planned to have talks with Iran next week.
The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was assessing whether talks with the US were in its interest, following five previous rounds of negotiations that were cut short by Israel and the US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The US and Israel said the strikes were meant to curb Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons, while Iran says its nuclear program is solely geared toward civilian use.
Araqchi said the damages to nuclear sites “were not little” and that relevant authorities were figuring out the new realities of Iran’s nuclear program, which he said would inform Iran’s future diplomatic stance.
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Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements
A pro-Hamas demonstration in Ireland led by nationalist party Sinn Fein. Photo: Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Ireland has become the first European nation to push forward legislation banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — an effort officials say is meant “to address the horrifying situation” in the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Harris announced that the legislation has already been approved by the government and will now move to the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.
“Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza,” Harris said during a press conference.
The Irish diplomat also told reporters he hopes the “real benefit” of the legislation will be to encourage other countries to follow suit, “because it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.”
Today Ireland becomes the first country in Europe to bring forward legislation to ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza.
Every country must pull every lever at its disposal. pic.twitter.com/Z4RTjqntEY— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 24, 2025
Joining a growing number of EU member states aiming to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ireland’s decision comes after a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal.
The ICJ ruled that third countries must avoid trade or investment that supports “the illegal situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Once implemented, the law will criminalize the importation of goods from Israeli settlements into Ireland, empowering customs officials to inspect, seize, and confiscate any such shipments.
“The situation in Palestine remains a matter of deep public concern,” Harris said. “I have made it consistently clear that this government will use all levers at its disposal to address the horrifying situation on the ground and to contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”
“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal and threaten the viability of the two-state solution,” the Irish diplomat continued. “This is the longstanding position of the European Union and our international partners. Furthermore, this is the clear position under international law.”
Harris also urged the EU to comply with the ICJ’s ruling by taking a more decisive and “adequate response” regarding imports from Israeli settlements.
“This is an issue that I will continue to press at EU level, and I reiterated my call for concrete proposals from the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council this week,” he said.
Last week, Ireland and eight other EU member states — Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the European Commission to draft proposals for how EU countries can halt trade and imports with Israeli settlements, in line with obligations set out by the ICJ.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the latest move by European countries, calling it “shameful” and a misguided attempt to undermine Israel while it faces “existential” threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.
“It is regrettable that even when Israel is fighting an existential threat which is in Europe’s vital interest — there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession,” the top Israeli diplomat said in a post on X.
It is regrettable that even when Israel fighting an existential threat which is in Europe vital interest – there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession.
Shameful! https://t.co/lxm9qm8sM1— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) June 19, 2025
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