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Repetition Is the Foundation of the Jewish Religion
Zig Ziglar, the 20th-century American author and motivational speaker best remembered for his sharp wit and Southern charm, once noted, “Repetition is the mother of learning and the father of action — which makes it the architect of accomplishment.”
Or, as Malcolm Gladwell put it, “Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good; it’s the thing you do that makes you good.”
In our fast-paced world, the concepts of repetition and practice often get a bad rap. We live in an era that glorifies novelty and innovation, pushing us constantly to seek the next big thing. But amid this constant chase for the new, we often overlook the importance of revisiting what we already know — or, more accurately, what we think we know.
The irony is that we set ourselves up for repeated mistakes by neglecting to review and reinforce our knowledge. This tendency to overlook the importance of repetition isn’t just some kind of accidental lapse — it’s a fundamental aspect of human nature, and we ignore it at our peril.
Consider the world of medicine. A 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reviewed data from nearly 371 million older adults across 17 countries over more than 20 years. The study found that the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in older patients has become increasingly common.
Critically, the researchers also discovered that nearly 30% of medical errors were due to what the study called “errors of omission”’ — mistakes caused by healthcare professionals forgetting key information or steps in their practice. The study’s conclusions emphasized that regular repetition and practice could have easily prevented these errors.
Bottom line: the adage that practice makes perfect isn’t just a motivational saying or something your teachers annoy you with in school; it’s actually a crucial part of maintaining excellence in any field.
In a groundbreaking 2001 study published in the Journal of Motor Behavior, titled “The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance,” K. Anders Ericsson and his colleagues delved into the mechanics of how individuals achieve expertise in sports and other performance-based domains.
The research emphasized that expertise is not merely a product of innate talent but primarily results from deliberate practice — repeated, focused practice sessions specifically designed to improve performance. This type of practice differs from mere repetition; it requires a conscious effort to push beyond current abilities, often under the guidance of a coach or mentor.
The study concluded that this deliberate, repetitive practice is critical in achieving high-performance levels, whether in athletics, music, or other skill-based activities. Ericsson’s work has profoundly impacted our understanding of skill acquisition, challenging the notion that talent alone determines success, and highlighting the vital role of repetition and structured practice in reaching the pinnacle of one’s abilities.
Legendary basketball player Michael Jordan was known for his explosive talent early in his career. Still, he was often criticized for his inconsistent jump shot. Frustrated by his shortcomings, Jordan sought advice from his trusted coach, Tex Winter. Winter told him that the only way he could turn his unique talent into perfection would be to practice the jump shot every day until it became second nature.
So, Jordan dedicated himself to countless hours of repetitive shooting drills, slowly but surely perfecting his form and technique. Day after day, he would shoot hundreds of jump shots in practice, focusing on every minute detail of his form. The relentless repetition eventually transformed his once inconsistent jump shot into one of the most feared weapons in basketball.
In Jewish tradition, the concept of chazara, or reviewing what you’ve learned, is central to mastering Torah study. Learning something once is not enough; proper understanding and retention come through repetition.
Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky — the “Steipler” — who was one of the foremost Torah scholars of the 20th century, emphasized the importance of chazara, telling his students that it only truly begins after a person has gone over the material at least four times. Simply put, according to the Steipler, the first four times you learn something are just to get familiar with the content; it’s only after this initial “review” that the real process of ingraining the knowledge can begin.
Perhaps the source for this idea of chazara is in Parshat Va’etchanan, where we encounter a similar principle at the very dawn of Jewish history. Moses stands before the Israelites, and he repeats the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments, originally stated by God at Mount Sinai forty years earlier, were a fundamental teaching of the Jewish faith, and no doubt they had been baked into the system. But sometimes familiarity breeds ignorance. If you think you know something, you may really not know it at all. Which is why Moses’ decision to repeat such a central tenet of Judaism wasn’t just a matter of formality; it was essential.
The act of Moses reiterating the Ten Commandments was not just about passing down information; it was about ensuring that the core principles of Jewish faith and identity would not be lost because everyone thought to themselves: “But of course we know that!” And it’s worth remembering that something new is revealed with every repetition.
This case was no different. Moses not only repeated the Ten Commandments, he reframed them to resonate with a generation that had not directly experienced the miracles of the Exodus or the revelation at Sinai. He adapted the message to a new context, understanding that the failure to repeat and reinforce these Divine laws would inevitably lead to them being forgotten — something that could jeopardize the future for Jews as a nation.
The lesson here is timeless: Whether in our spiritual lives, our professional endeavors, or our personal relationships, the things we fail to review and practice are the things we are most likely to forget. And what we forget can have serious consequences.
In Jewish tradition, the Shema prayer is recited twice daily, highlighting the importance of repetition in maintaining our connection to faith. This daily ritual is an essential reminder that repetition isn’t just a tool for learning — it’s a safeguard against forgetting.
As we go through life, it’s easy to get caught up in pursuing new experiences and ideas. But we must remember the value of looking back, reviewing, and reinforcing what we’ve already learned. Whether it’s in our careers, our relationships, or our spiritual practices, repetition is not just a safety net — it’s the key to mastery.
The rapper and hip-hop artist, Dwayne Michael Carter — better known as Lil Wayne — says it so well: “Repetition is the father of learning, I repeat, repetition is the father of learning.”
The author is a rabbi in Beverly Hills, California.
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70 Percent of Holocaust Survivors Worldwide Will Be Gone Within a Decade, Groundbreaking Report Reveals
Auschwitz-Birkenau survivor Janina Iwanska, 94, holds an undated photo from her return to Poland, during a Reuters session ahead of the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation, Warsaw, Poland, Jan. 7, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
A first-of-its-kind report released on Tuesday reveals staggering numbers about the global population of Holocaust survivors, including an estimated count of how many will still be around in the next 10 or 15 years.
The report provides an in-depth population projection of Jewish Holocaust survivors and estimated mortality rates through 2040. It was published ahead of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah), which begins the evening of April 23 and marks 80 years since the end of the atrocities of World War II. The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) released the report, which is based on extensive data collected by the nonprofit organization since 1952.
The Claims Conference secures material compensation for Holocaust survivors around the world, specifically direct payments or social welfare services through ongoing negotiations between the organization and the government of Germany, according to its website. It negotiates on behalf of and disburses funds to Holocaust survivors, and fights for the return of Jewish property stolen during the Holocaust. Because of negotiations with the Claims Conference, the German government has so far paid approximately $90 billion in compensation and restitution to survivors of Nazi persecution.
In its new report – titled “Vanishing Witnesses: An Urgent Analysis of the Declining Population of Holocaust Survivors” – the Claims Conference reveals there are more than 200,000 Holocaust survivors worldwide, and that number is estimated to drop to 21,300 – almost a 90 percent decline – within 15 years.
Currently, the median age of Holocaust survivors is 87, but there are estimated to be more than 1,400 alive today around the world who are over 100 years old. Nearly 50 percent of all Holocaust survivors will die within the next six years, while 70 percent will no longer be alive within 10 years, the report notes. Mortality rates for Holocaust survivors are analyzed and divided in the report by sex, birth year, region, type of compensation received, and the level of home care that they have. For example, mortality rates are higher for men than for women.
There are some regional disparities regarding the mortality rates for survivors, meaning that in some geographical locations, survivors will die sooner, according to the report. For example, in Israel, which is home to the largest number of Holocaust survivors worldwide (110,100 survivors as of October 2024), there will be an estimated 62,900 survivors by 2030, a decline of 43 percent in five years, and 29,700 survivors by the year 2035.
The United States had 34,600 Holocaust survivors in the fall of 2024, but that population is estimated to decrease by 39 percent by 2030, dropping to 21,100 survivors.
Countries in the former Soviet Union had 25,500 survivors in October 2024, but the survivor population is projected to be at 11,800 in five years, down 54 percent by the start of 2030, according to the Claims Conference.
The highest mortality rates are among survivors in countries of the former Soviet Union, and the lowest rates are among survivors in Western Europe.
“It’s sobering to see exactly how few of us Holocaust survivors are left,” said Pinchas Gutter, one of the last Holocaust survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. “We have an important piece of history that only we hold and only we can tell. I hope in the time we have we can impart the learning from the Holocaust so that the world will never again have to endure that level of hate. I am a witness. Those of us witnesses still alive are working to make sure our testimonies are heard and preserved through any means possible. We are counting on this generation to hear us and future generations to carry our experiences forward so that the world does not forget.”
Malka Schmulovitz, a 109-year-old Holocaust survivor from Lithuania living in Florida, said, “To be one of the oldest survivors alive right now at my age tells me we are running out of time.”
“We all have a testimony that needs to be shared,” she added. “We all want to be sure that this generation of young people and the ones that come after them, hear and understand what truly happened during the Holocaust; if only so that we do not see it repeated.”
Claims Conference President Gideon Taylor said the report highlights the “urgency” in hearing testimonies from Holocaust survivors while the world still has living eyewitnesses to the worst atrocity in human history.
“Now is the time to hear first-hand testimonies from survivors, invite them to speak in our classrooms, places of worship and institutions,” he said. “It is critical, not only for our youth but for people of all generations to hear and learn directly from Holocaust survivors. This report is a stark reminder that our time is almost up, our survivors are leaving us, and this is the moment to hear their voices.”
The Claims Conference also released on Tuesday the second edition of its global demographic report on Holocaust survivors, which shows that Jewish Holocaust survivors live in more than 90 countries, mostly in Israel (50 percent) while only 18 percent reside in North America. The global population of Holocaust survivors is between 78 years old and over 100, and a majority (61 percent) are female.
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Cash-Strapped Hamas Seeks to Regroup With New Recruits as Egypt, Qatar Said to Push 5-Year Gaza Truce
A Palestinian Hamas terrorist shakes hands with a child as they stand guard as people gather on the day of the handover of Israeli hostages, as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 22, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Egypt and Qatar are negotiating a long-term ceasefire deal with the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas that would include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in exchange for the return of all hostages, according to a BBC report published Tuesday.
The report came as the cash-strapped terrorist group, which ruled Gaza for nearly two decades before its Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel started the current war, was said to be reinforcing its military ranks by enlisting 30,000 new recruits.
Mediators from Egypt and Qatar presented a new framework to both parties, which included a five-to-seven-year truce, an end to Israel’s war in Gaza, the release of all remaining Israeli hostages held in the enclave, and the release of an undisclosed number of Palestinian detainees, the report said citing an unnamed senior Palestinian official.
Meanwhile, a separate report by the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya outlet said Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, has enlisted approximately 30,000 new recruits. Most of the new fighters had previously undergone training in covert camps, the report said, adding that they lacked advanced combat skills, having been trained primarily in guerrilla warfare, basic rocket attacks, and the use of improvised explosives.
The recruitment campaign came as Hamas confronted severe operational challenges. The Iran-backed Islamist group was short on drones and long-range missile systems and had begun harvesting unexploded Israeli munitions from the battlefield to construct improvised explosive devices, the Al Arabiya report said.
National security expert Prof. Eitan Shamir said the new recruits were no substitute for the cadre of experienced operatives the group had lost since the war resumed in March — losses that, according to Israeli military estimates earlier this year, totaled around 20,000.
Shamir said the new recruits were likely “very young or old,” and largely “inexperienced and untrained.” He also noted that Hamas no longer had the experienced commanders or the equipment it once did.
“Even if the numbers [of operatives] partially rebound, it’s not the same Hamas,” Shamir told The Algemeiner.
Shamir added that Hamas had lost much of its chain of command, including members of its elite Nukhba forces, who led the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that saw 1,200 Israelis murdered and more than 250 people taken hostage to Gaza. While Hamas retained some capacity to launch localized attacks, its ability to conduct a large-scale offensive had been significantly degraded, he said. Instead, the group was moving toward guerilla tactics.
“To the extent that they have some people in Gaza with guns, with explosives, and they have some sort of a chain of command, and they’re still functioning, and they can still cause, as we saw, casualties to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces],” said Shamir, who serves as the director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University.
It would likely take years to reduce Hamas’s operational capabilities to what he described as a “minimal, though not zero” threat level, he said.
Despite its recruitment bid, Hamas is struggling to pay its existing fighters, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing Arab, Israeli, and Western officials. The group is facing a growing cash shortage, exacerbated by Israel’s six-week blockade on aid entering Gaza since the resumption of fighting following the ceasefire and hostage-release deal earlier this year. Some of the aid that previously reached the enclave had been seized and sold by Hamas on the black market, according to the officials, but these revenues had since dwindled.
Arab intelligence sources said Israel’s renewed military campaign had killed or forced into hiding several Hamas operatives responsible for distributing funds. Payments to civil servants in the Hamas-run government had reportedly ceased altogether, while senior political and military figures are receiving only half of their salaries. Lower-ranking fighters are being paid between $200 and $300 a month, the report said.
Shamir said Israel faced what he called a “horrible dilemma” between continuing its military campaign to dismantle Hamas and risking the lives of the remaining hostages, or pausing the fighting for an extended period in order to secure their immediate release. While he acknowledged that Hamas had been “severely damaged,” the idea that Israel could resume the fighting after such a truce was unrealistic. “I don’t believe that Israel would be able to go back to the war,” he said. “It’s a slogan. It’s not going to work like this.”
A ceasefire could effectively grant Hamas a “lifeline,” allowing the group to remain in control of Gaza in a weakened but still functional state, Shamir warned. The terrorist group was using pauses to entrench its positions further. “They prepare hideouts, they prepare ambushes, they prepare explosive devices in different areas. This is not going to be easy.”
“This is a war of attrition, which is long and devastating,” he added.
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‘Tatami,’ First Feature Film Co-Directed by Israeli, Iranian Filmmakers, to Be Released Nationwide This Summer
A promotional photo for “Tatami.” Photo: XYZ Films.
A political sports thriller that is the first-ever feature film co-directed by Israeli and Iranian filmmakers will be released in select theaters nationwide on June 13 from XYZ Films.
“Tatami” was co-directed by Iranian and French Cannes Best Actress winner Zar Amir-Ebrahimi – who also stars in the film – alongside Israeli Academy Award winner Guy Nattiv, whose past credits include “Golda,” starring Helen Mirren, and the Oscar-winning short “Skin.” Native co-wrote the script of “Tatami” with Paris-based Iranian actress and screenwriter Elham Erfani, who was also the film’s casting director. Ebrahimi traveled to Israel for her first time ever to edit “Tatami.”
Iran and Israel have no diplomatic relations, and the Iranian regime does not recognize the Jewish state. The Islamic Republic supports terrorist operations against the state of Israel and is the chief international backer of Hamas, the US-designated terrorist organization that orchestrated the massacre across southern Israel that took place on Oct. 7, 2023. Iranian military commanders and even diplomats have recently praised the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
Iran also has a long-standing policy of not allowing its athletes to compete against opponents from Israel dating back to 1979, when the Islamist regime seized power. Iranian athletes are often pressured by their coaches and the country’s sports federations to either pull out of matches or intentionally lose to avoid competing against an opponent from Israel. “Tatami,” which is about an Iranian judo athlete, is inspired by true events and references Iran’s ban on its athletes competing against Israelis.
In “Tatami,” an Iranian judoka named Leila – played by American Iranian-Chilean actress Arienne Mandi from “The L Word” – is on the verge of winning gold at the judo world championships when she is ordered to withdraw to avoid facing an Israeli opponent in the finals. She is told by the Islamic Republic that she must fake an injury and pull out of the competition, or face being labeled a traitor by her home country for competing against an Israeli athlete. Leila must decide if she will cave to the pressure or continue competing for the gold medal. Amir-Ebrahimi plays Leila’s coach, and the film also stars Jaime Ray Newman and Ash Goldeh. Tatami is a type of mat used during judo bouts.
“Facing a life-or-death decision, she risks everything, putting the lives of her, her coach, and her family in danger,” stated a synopsis of the film provided by XYZ Films. “The film captures the raw intensity of elite competition, the sacrifices athletes make, and the brutal reality of political interference in sports … This film is more than a thriller — it’s a gripping look at the struggles athletes face beyond the mat. It speaks to themes of perseverance, integrity, and the power of sport as a force for change.”
“Tatami” was produced by Israel’s Keshet Studios and premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2023. It has earned multiple awards, including Best Actress for Amir-Ebrahimi and a Special Jury Prize at the Tokyo Film Festival, and Best Film at the Munich Film Festival.
Amir-Ebrahimi won Best Actress at Cannes in 2022 for her role in “Holy Spider.” That same year, she was included on BBC’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women because of her advocacy for women’s rights. The actress and director was forced to flee Iran in 2008 after being targeted by the regime, and is now a French citizen living in Paris, where she runs her production company, Alambic Production.
Ebrahimi and Nattiv said in 2023 that the storyline of “Tatami” also reflects the real-life struggles of women living in Iran. The film premiered amid freedom protests about a mandatory hijab enforcement in the Islamic Republic and one year after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was killed after allegedly being beaten by Iranian police when she was arrested for not wearing a hijab.
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