Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha were paused on Friday with negotiators set to meet again next week in search of an agreement to end fighting between Israel and Hamas and free remaining hostages, mediators said.

In a joint statement, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt said Washington had presented a new proposal that built on points of agreement over the past week, closing gaps between the sides in a way that could allow rapid implementation of a deal.

“This proposal builds on areas of agreement over the past week, and bridges remaining gaps in the manner that allows for a swift implementation of the deal,” the three countries said.

Mediators would continue to work on the proposal in coming days, they added.

“The path is now set for that outcome, saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and de-escalating regional tensions,” they said in the statement.

An Israeli official said its delegation in Doha was heading back home later on Friday and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday.

The latest round in months of on-off talks to end the war in Gaza began between Israel and mediators on Thursday. The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas was not directly involved in the talks but was kept briefed on progress.

Sticking points have included Israel‘s insistence that peace will only be possible if Hamas is destroyed, and Hamas saying it will only accept a permanent, rather than temporary, ceasefire.

Other difficulties have included the sequencing of a deal, the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released alongside Israeli hostages, control over the border between Gaza and Egypt, and free movement for Palestinians inside Gaza.

Overnight, Israeli forces pounded targets across Gaza and issued new orders for people to leave areas it had previously designated as civilian safe zones, saying Hamas had used them to fire mortars and rockets at Israel.

The conflict began on Oct. 7 when Hamas fighters rampaged into Israel, killing around 1,200 people and seizing around 250 hostages. Israel responded with its ongoing military campaign in neighboring Gaza aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’ military and governing capabilities.

In a statement late on Thursday, Hamas politburo member Hossam Badran said Israel‘s continuing operations were an obstacle to progress on a ceasefire.

The Israeli delegation included spy chief David Barnea, head of the domestic security service Ronen Bar, and the military’s hostages chief Nitzan Alon, defense officials said.

The White House sent CIA Director Bill Burns and US Middle East envoy Brett McGurk. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel were also taking part.

The negotiations took place in the shadow of a feared regional escalation, with Iran threatening to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.

With US warships, submarines, and warplanes dispatched to the region to defend Israel and deter potential attackers, Washington hopes a ceasefire agreement in Gaza can defuse the risk of a wider war.

Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Thursday he had told Netanyahu during their last meeting in July to quickly end the Gaza war, but the former president also criticized ceasefire demands.

“He knows what he’s doing; I did encourage him to get this over with,” Trump told reporters at a press conference on Thursday. “It has to get over with fast. … Get your victory and get it over with. It has to stop, the killing has to stop.”

Netanyahu’s office and Trump both separately denied on Thursday an Axios report that said they had spoken the previous day about Gaza ceasefire and hostage release talks.

The post Gaza Ceasefire Talks Paused, Will Resume Next Week; US Presents New Proposal to Address Remaining Gaps first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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.

The post Repetition Is the Foundation of the Jewish Religion first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

The Paris 2024 Olympics have come and gone, leaving fond memories of remarkable athleticism and striking displays of courage. And that’s most true of the 88 members of the Israeli Olympian team, along with their coaches.

In the shadow of the Israel-Hamas war that began on October 7, 2023, with Hamas’ genocidal attack, this was never going to be just another Olympic Games for the Jewish State.

It seldom is.

We all remember the 1972 Munich Olympics, when 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in the heart of what was supposed to be known as “the cheerful games.”

This year, the soaring level of antisemitism, fueled by international institutions like the United Nations, the false media reporting and acceptance of Hamas propaganda, and the malicious charges of genocide against Israel, added to the challenge both for Jewish and Israeli athletes.

Because of the high number of threats, the Israeli team was accompanied by elite French police and Israel’s Shin Bet security agency wherever they went, traveling in special security convoys that not even political leaders in most countries would ever have.

There were also calls to ban Israel from the Olympics by Palestinian and Arab sports organizations, as well as 26 French lawmakers. And Paris had held plenty of demonstrations — often violent — against Israel.

Yet despite the threats, risks, dangers, and opposition, the Israeli team still showed up, waving their flags with pride and joy, preparing to compete at the highest levels of the sporting world.

In an atmosphere that would challenge any other country, Israel thrived.

The Jewish State won an unprecedented seven medals, including one gold, five silvers, and one bronze, for what turned out to be Israel’s most successful Olympics games ever. They even won more medals than India, a country with one billion people (Israel has less than 10).

But behind each medal and each performance are stories that constantly remind us that even though they were competing in the greatest sporting show on earth, the Olympic Games meant so much more than just sports for the Israeli athletes.

Israeli rhythmic gymnast Daria Atamanov’s emotional ribbon routine was performed to the haunting melody of the psalm “Shir Lama’a lot.” Her coach, Ayelet Zussman, said it was dedicated to “all the people of Israel, to people who are sitting at home and waiting for their loved ones. To the families of the murdered.”

Israeli judoka Peter Paltchik, who won bronze, spoke of the difficult period the country is going through, and all the people he wouldn’t see again, saying he “fought for everyone, for our flag.” He also dedicated his medal to his coach, Oren, whose son Omer was killed fighting in Gaza.

Windsurfer Tom Reuveny, who won Israel’s only gold medal and whose brother is currently fighting in the war, spoke of the great sacrifice the troops and reservists have made, and are making, defending the country, saying that “they are the real heroes.”

American Jew Amit Elor, whose parents are from Israel and who often speaks passionately about antisemitism, said after winning a wrestling gold medal that she hoped she could bring “even just an ounce of joy to the people right now,” telling The Jerusalem Post, “I am an American proudly wrestling for the US, but in my heart, I am also wrestling for Israel.”

Australian Jewish racewalker Jemima Montag, who won bronze, is the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor who endured the Auschwitz camp and death march. Jemima’s parents met at the 1989 Maccabiah Games in Israel, while she herself was the Australian team’s flag bearer at the 2017 Maccabiah Games in Israel.

It’s stories like these that connect the Jewish world — from Israel to Australia to America to Paris, as the shared trauma of October 7 continues to be felt by Jewish communities worldwide.

At these Olympics, at this pivotal moment in history, the Israeli team, supported by many of the other Jewish participants, were not merely athletes, but ambassadors for the Jewish people, and while success is always wonderful, it’s often more important to be judged not on the color of the metal or the place they finished, but rather the mettle brought to it.

The manner in which this Israeli team carried itself — bringing dignity, respect, and honor to themselves, their people, and their country — is truly inspirational.

Much of the international community, seemingly dismissive of the existential threat Israel faces, continues to arrogantly dictate to Israel what it should do in its fight for survival against the evil entities surrounding it. But Israel’s performance at the Olympics showed that the world should be learning from Israel, and not vice versa.

This was not just a team of athletes, but a team of heroes.

Justin Amler is a policy analyst at the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC).

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