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After October 7, Dreaming About Israel’s Future Is More Important Than Ever
Some 550 new immigrants from the Bnei Menashe community visited the Western Wall for the first time on March 9, 2022. Photo: Yehoshua Halevi/Courtesy of Shavei Israel.
Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, famously declared: “If you will it, it is no dream.” It’s a memorable line — almost too neat to be true.
But what if Herzl got it backward? What if the dream comes first — and the will simply follows?
In 1927, J.W. Dunne, a British engineer and airplane designer, published a book called An Experiment with Time. It sent shockwaves through polite scientific circles — and then, just as quickly, vanished beneath the waves of mainstream disdain.
The book’s key idea was that dreams don’t just recycle our past — they preview our future. And this wasn’t mere idle speculation: Dunne meticulously documented his thesis, offering hundreds of case studies drawn from a broad and diverse group of subjects.
It all started with a nightmare. One night, Dunne dreamt that his watch had stopped — at exactly 4:30 p.m. The next day, his watch stopped. At exactly 4:30 p.m.
At first, Dunne brushed it off as a coincidence. But then it happened again. And again. He would dream about something — and shortly afterward, what he dreamt about would happen.
So Dunne began documenting his dreams with scientific precision. Over the next few years, he compiled hundreds of data points — not just from himself, but from friends and colleagues he recruited to do the same. The results were staggering: up to 40% of dreams contained elements of future events, not just recollections of the past.
Dunne’s theory, which he called “Serial Time,” suggested that our conscious minds move through time like a train on tracks — one moment after the next. But the subconscious is different. It floats. In dreams, we catch glimpses of events that haven’t happened yet, paths we haven’t taken, outcomes we haven’t lived.
The scientific establishment of his day dismissed him as a kook. But Dunne didn’t care. As far as he was concerned, the evidence spoke for itself — and no amount of scorn from the experts could make it any less real.
In one dream, Dunne had seen a volcanic eruption on a remote island — with ash, fire, and mass panic. The next morning, he opened the newspaper only to read about the catastrophic eruption of Mount Pelée on Martinique, with details uncannily similar to his dream.
On another occasion, a man Dunne studied described dreaming of a specific newspaper headline — which he then saw appear, word for word, a few days later. Bottom line: these weren’t vague premonitions. They were precise, time-stamped echoes from a future that hadn’t yet arrived.
I’ve often thought that if Herzl and Dunne had met, they would have gotten along famously. Because, in a way, Herzl was doing the same thing — drawing on vivid, internal visions to lay the foundation for the Zionist project.
He, too, had a dream — not the kind you have in an REM cycle, but the kind that burns behind your eyes when you’re wide awake. He saw Jewish soldiers guarding Jewish farms. He saw a Jewish airport, Jewish towns and cities, a Jewish parliament, and a Jewish society. At the time, these images were no less fantastical than Dunne’s dream volcanoes and predictive newspaper headlines.
But Herzl believed — and he dared to look absurd. And because he did, we now live in a world where his once-ridiculed vision became the world’s only Jewish national home: the State of Israel. Which brings us to the Torah readings of Tazria and Metzora — or, more precisely, their Haftorahs, the prophetic passages that accompany them. Both are taken from the Book of Kings, and both center around another man who saw what others couldn’t: the prophet Elisha.
The story goes like this: the city of Shomron is under siege, surrounded by the Aramean army. There’s no food, and the people are starving. Panic sets in. Elisha’s servant looks out at the horizon and sees only doom. But Elisha sees something else entirely. He tells his servant (II Kings 6:16), “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Then Elisha prays: “God, please open his eyes so that he may see.” Suddenly, the servant sees what Elisha had already seen in his vision — the hills are filled with chariots of fire, an invisible army of protection.
This is exactly what Dunne discovered. This is what Herzl knew in the depths of his soul. This is what anyone who has ever glimpsed the unseen and refused to look away understands. Elisha didn’t invent the protection — he simply saw it before others could. That’s what prophets do. And it’s what any of us can do if we’re willing to believe it’s possible.
Later in the same story, four men afflicted with tzara’at — the Biblical skin discoloration condition — are camped outside the city gates. Cast out, ignored, and desperate, they decide to do the unthinkable: to enter the enemy camp and beg for mercy, so that they can get some food and survive.
But when they arrive in the camp, they discover something incredible — the Arameans have gone, and the siege is over. The starving city has no idea. But the exiles, the outsiders, the rejected dreamers — they are the first to know.
I’ve always found it fascinating that the Talmud — the most grounded, rational, detail-obsessed of Jewish texts — devotes pages of Masechet Berakhot to dream interpretation. Some of it is mystical, and some almost comical, but the message is hard to miss: dreams matter.
And then, just when you think the rabbis are taking a deep dive into ancient superstition, they hit you with the real shocker: “All dreams follow the interpretation.” And if that weren’t enough, the Talmud closes the whole discussion with a bombshell — essentially saying that if you don’t believe in dreams, then none of this applies to you.
Some interpret that as the rabbis quietly rolling their eyes — as if to say, “We’re just humoring the superstitious stuff.” But maybe it’s the opposite. Maybe they were saying what Dunne said 1,600 years later in a different language: don’t dismiss the dream — because that’s where prophecy begins.
The real danger isn’t in believing too much – it’s in believing nothing. Maybe the prophets among us are still seeing glimpses of what’s coming — but we’re too quick to call it nonsense. So we lose the message. We silence the signal. And the future gets left behind in the dust of our disbelief.
This Shabbat is Yom Ha’atzmaut. The modern State of Israel — vibrant, miraculous, flawed — turns 77. For 2,000 years, Jews dreamed of returning to the Land. Then someone woke up and said, “This dream is real.” And everything changed.
But lately — especially in the wake of the October 7th massacre and the tidal wave of anti-Israel hatred that has followed — I worry we’re losing our edge. We’ve traded vision for pragmatism. We’ve started to scoff at mysticism and to mock prophecy, choosing instead to focus only on what’s immediately in front of us.
But doing that is more than just short-sighted. It’s a rejection of what it means to be a Jew. The Talmud wasn’t joking when it said that dreams follow the interpretation. What you name, you shape. What you believe is happening is what actually happens. And what you dismiss — you surrender.
Dunne believed our minds were antennas, tuning into frequencies of time we don’t yet understand. Herzl believed our souls were pulling us home — because, on some level, we were already there. And Elisha knew that clarity isn’t about better eyesight — it’s about deeper insight.
And maybe, just maybe, the next great Jewish chapter is already written — waiting for someone to dream it, so the rest of us will know where to go next.
The author is a rabbi in Beverly Hills, California.
The post After October 7, Dreaming About Israel’s Future Is More Important Than Ever first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Russia, China Maintain Cautious Diplomacy Amid Israel-Iran Conflict, Despite Deepening Ties With Tehran
Smoke billows following missile attack from Iran on Israel, at Tel Aviv, Israel, June 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Gideon Markowicz ISRAEL
Despite deepening their ties with Iran, Russia and China have held back from concrete action amid Israel’s recent attacks, choosing cautious diplomacy over direct support for their supposed partner.
Last week, Israel launched a broad preemptive attack on Iran, targeting military installations and nuclear sites across the country in what officials described as an effort to neutralize an imminent nuclear threat, as nuclear negotiations between the United States and Tehran appear on the brink of collapse.
The Israeli strike killed several of Iran’s top military commanders and dealt a major blow to the country’s retaliatory capabilities by destroying not only much of its ballistic missile stockpiles but also crippling its launch platforms.
According to Janatan Sayeh, a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a Washington, DC-based think tank, Israel’s air superiority, combined with the element of surprise and Iran’s weakened air defenses, has left the Islamic regime incapable of sustaining its nightly missile attacks.
Tehran’s “only path to narrowing the battlefield gap lies in external military support,” Sayeh told The Algemeiner. “Yet Moscow, having previously depended on Iranian drones and missiles for its war in Ukraine, is unlikely to offer more than diplomatic backing.”
“That leaves China — a longtime economic lifeline for Tehran through illicit oil purchases — as the regime’s only potential partner in rebuilding its military infrastructure,” he continued.
So far, as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to escalate, Beijing and Moscow have offered their so-called ally little more than public condemnation of the Israeli military campaign and formal offers to mediate the conflict.
“China is highly concerned about Israel’s attacks on Iran and deeply worried about the potential serious consequences of these actions,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in a statement.
“China opposes any violation of Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, and opposes actions that escalate tensions and expand the conflict,” he continued.
The Chinese diplomat also urged both Middle Eastern adversaries to take greater action in promoting regional peace and stability and to avoid further escalating hostilities.
“China is willing to play a constructive role in helping to de-escalate the situation,” Jian said.
According to Jack Burnham, a research analyst at FDD, China’s capacity to offer Tehran support beyond diplomatic channels is limited by the country’s inability to effectively manage rapidly evolving crises.
“Having built the foundations of Iran’s missile program, Beijing can now only watch as it goes up in flames — incapable of projecting power on a scale that could tip the balance of power and wary of committing resources during a period of heightened tensions in its own region,” Burnham told The Algemeiner.
As China seeks to establish itself as a key power in the Middle East and counter Western influence, Beijing sees this conflict as an opportunity to position itself as a peace broker and leverage its partnership with Iran.
China, a key diplomatic and economic backer of Tehran, has moved to deepen ties in recent years — signing a 25-year cooperation agreement, holding joint naval drills, and continuing to purchase Iranian oil despite US sanctions.
Amid US-Iran nuclear talks, Chinese officials have consistently opposed Washington’s sanctions on Tehran and defended the country’s right to enrich uranium.
For its part, Russia also proposed on Monday to mediate the conflict between Israel and Iran, while reiterating that its earlier offer to store Iranian uranium on Russian soil still stands.
According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss the ongoing conflict.
During the conversations, he emphasized “the importance of resuming the negotiations and resolving any issues pertaining to Iran’s nuclear program exclusively via political and diplomatic means.”
After US President Donald Trump suggested that Putin could play a role in mediating efforts between Iran and Israel, the European Union rejected the idea, saying that Russia has “zero credibility” as a potential mediator between the two adversaries.
“There has been a recent Russia-Iran partnership agreement, which signals deepening cooperation across multiple areas, including foreign policy and defense. In light of such, Russia cannot be an objective mediator,” EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said in a statement.
Similar to China, Russia has expanded its ties with Iran to counter Western influence in the Middle East and mitigate the impact of US sanctions. For example, Russia pledged earlier this year to fund the construction of new nuclear power plants in Iran as part of a broader energy partnership that also includes a major gas deal between the two countries.
The post Russia, China Maintain Cautious Diplomacy Amid Israel-Iran Conflict, Despite Deepening Ties With Tehran first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel to Launch Rescue Flights for Nationals Stranded Abroad Amid Iran War, Over 60,000 Register Immediately
El Al planes are seen on the tarmac at Ben-Gurion International airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, March 10, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Ronen Zvulun.
Israel will begin by Thursday operating a limited number of one-way flights to Tel Aviv to bring home the tens of thousands of Israelis stranded abroad since the outbreak of the conflict with Iran last week.
Israel’s national airline El Al opened an online registration for flights for the more than 100,000 citizens who have been stuck abroad since the Jewish state closed its airspace to civilian traffic early Friday morning, when hostilities erupted. Within less than two hours of opening the online form, more than 60,000 stranded passengers registered on the airline’s site despite the ongoing conflict, according to El Al.
“At this time, El Al is formulating the list of destinations and the scope of flights that will be allowed to operate under this plan,” the airline said. “The purpose of the registration is to map the location of our customers in the world, and accordingly build a flight schedule.”
On Friday morning around 3 am, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched Operation Rising Lion, a multifaceted campaign involving airstrikes, covert sabotage by Mossad, and other operations targeting Iran’s missile infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and military officials. Israel launched the operation with the goal of dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities, which Israeli officials have declared an existential crisis.
Israel has continued its military campaign since then, striking nuclear and military targets.
Iran has responded each night with barrages of ballistic missiles, largely targeting large civilian centers. Most of the projectiles have been intercepted by Israel’s missile defense system.
Despite enduring continuous barrages of Iranian strikes, the effort of tens of thousands of Israelis to return home suggests an effort to stand in solidarity with their families and homeland amid growing national uncertainty but a deepening sense of collective resolve. In highly populated areas like Tel Aviv and Haifa, residents have been observed resuming regular outdoor activities during the day, seemingly trying to maintain a sense of normalcy.
Conversely, Iran has seen a mass exodus of civilians from Tehran following Israeli strikes on key military and nuclear sites. Faced with widespread panic, power outages, and fears of further attacks, over 100,000 Iranians have reportedly fled the capital. The government’s attempt to downplay the situation with censorship and public reassurances has appeared to do little to stem the public’s anxiety.
Observers have noted that Tehran, the Iranian capital, is not equipped with modern bomb shelters, leaving residents to shelter in existing infrastructure such as underground tunnels, building basements, and metro tunnels.
The post Israel to Launch Rescue Flights for Nationals Stranded Abroad Amid Iran War, Over 60,000 Register Immediately first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Jewish West Virginia Student Targeted by Dining Hall Employee Over Pro-Israel Views
Illustrative: Pro-Hamas activists gather in Washington Square Park for a rally following a protest march held in response to an NYPD sweep of an anti-Israel encampment at New York University in Manhattan, May 3, 2024. Photo: Matthew Rodier/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) on Monday implored West Virginia University (WVU) to lift a no-contact order imposed on a Jewish pro-Israel student following a bizarre series of events in which he was reported for promoting pro-Israel speech on campus, The Algemeiner has learned.
According to a letter sent by the nonprofit organization, WVU freshmen Eliyahu Itkowitz was distributing copies of attorney Alan Dershowitz’s book The Ten Big Anti-Israel Lies: And How to Refute Them With Truth during the final weeks of fall semester when he was approached by dining hall employee Hannah Harper — who, as uncovered by an Algemeiner investigation, is a white female who recently converted to Islam. Itkowitz offered Harper a copy of the book. She accepted it.
However, Harper, who had been made aware of Itkowitz’s Jewish identity and support for Zionism through her dealings with the campus’ Muslim Students Association (MSA), apparently had ulterior motives for accepting the book. Following the interaction, she delivered the copy of Dershowitz’s book to the university’s Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DDEI) and with it a complaint alleging that the student had handed her an “anti-Muslim book” as a discriminatory act. Itkowitz has denied that he meant Harper any harm.
Harper continued her pursuit of Itkowitz weeks later in the main dining hall after he had returned to school for spring term. Having caught sight of him, she falsely told her manager, Brad Dobson, that the student had been banned from eating there due to the complaint she had filed. The unsuspecting manager accosted the student and demanded that he take lunch somewhere else. Itkowitz refused, choosing instead to record the incident with this smartphone while Harper escalated the situation by calling the police.
“The university launched an investigation, despite the fact that even if all of her allegations against Eli were true, and there is evidence to suggest that they aren’t, all of the described actions constitute protected speech under the First Amendment,” Jessie Appleby, FIRE program counsel for campus advocacy, told The Algemeiner on Monday during an interview. She added that school officials ultimately determined that Harper’s allegations did not merit punishing Itkowitz. However, they did so after an invasive investigation and handing down a no-contact directive, which carries inculpatory implications, ordering Itkowitz to avoid all contact with Harper
The measure should be lifted, Appleby said.
“Because the investigation itself threatened discipline, it chilled free speech. It lasted five months, exhaustive interviews, and the no-contact order even though it never found him guilty of misconduct. Eli should not feel threatened that exercising free speech will incur disciplinary sanctions,” she continued. “One issue with schools investigating complaints investigating protected speech is that it allows students to use the complaint process to cudgel those with whom they disagree into silence, and we’ve seen a lot of that at West Virginia University.”
The case of Itkowitz is not the first time FIRE discovered that a university allegedly incriminated pro-Israel students for expressing their support for Zionism.
In 2023, it partnered with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to publicize a Princeton University incident in which Alexandra Orbuch, a writer for conservative publication The Princeton Tory, was assaulted by a male member of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) while filming a protest the group held on campus. The man allegedly followed Orbuch to obstruct her efforts, eventually stepping on her foot and pushing her. When Orbuch complained to a nearby public safety officer, the officer told her that she, not her attacker, had “incited something.”
Despite the gendered nature of the assault — an issue Princeton has dedicated an entire office to dealing with — the university granted the male student a no-contact order against Orbuch, explaining that any reporting she published which alluded to him would be considered a violation of the order and result in disciplinary charges. A similar incident occurred in 2022, when Tory reporter Danielle Shapiro attempted to report on the Princeton Committee on Palestine. After being notified of the order, Shapiro was told refer to a “Sexual Misconduct & Title IX” webpage, according to a guest column she wrote in the Wall Street Journal.
Princeton University later banned the practice of placing no-contact orders on conservative and pro-Israel students. In Monday’s letter, FIRE called on West Virginia University to do the same.
“WVU has a responsibility to prevent discriminatory harassment, but in doing so it must not sacrifice its constitutional obligation to protect free speech,” the group said. “An investigation and no-contact order based on protected expression is likely to chill student speech — even when, like here, the process ultimately concludes in favor of the speaker — because such a process implicitly threatens punishment for that speech.”
The Algemeiner has reached out to WVU for comment.
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
The post Jewish West Virginia Student Targeted by Dining Hall Employee Over Pro-Israel Views first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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