As 2023 began, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had recently returned to power with a right-wing governing coalition that included radical Jewish nationalists, raising questions of Jewish identity and inflaming relations with Muslims over the use of the holy sites around the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex and the Western Wall.
When Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 from Gaza, at the end of the Jewish High Holidays, it named its deadly assault “Al-Aqsa Deluge,” painting the violence as a religious war. But Hamas’ action has become a major turning point in the 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, embroiling emotions around the world and subjecting Jews far from the fighting to antisemitic insults and violence.
Though the war dominated news about Judaism and Jews for the latter part of 2023, there were also signs of revival amid the turmoil. A year in review:
When Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 from Gaza, at the end of the Jewish High Holidays, it named its deadly assault “Al-Aqsa Deluge,” painting the violence as a religious war. But Hamas’ action has become a major turning point in the 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, embroiling emotions around the world and subjecting Jews far from the fighting to antisemitic insults and violence.
Though the war dominated news about Judaism and Jews for the latter part of 2023, there were also signs of revival amid the turmoil. A year in review:
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