Gilad Shalit: All-for-One or One-for-All?

Gilad Shalit is an Israeli soldier who was kidnapped by the Hamas organization in June 2006. He was released after 5+ years in a prisoner exchange deal that took place in October 2011.  The deal involved swapping 1,027 Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli soldier. The return of Gilad was the culmination of a public campaign and his return was celebrated by all Israelis. The prisoners exchange was hailed as a moral victory for Israel; however the support for deal was vocal, but not unanimous. Few expressed (quietly) their concern over the deal ramifications to Israel’s security. So did Israel make the right choice?

Beer and Quantum Physics

What does beer have to do with quantum physics? At first glance, not much. Unless of course you attended one of the venues that participated in the “Science on the Bar” (מדע על הבר) event in Tel Aviv last month.   It was a feat whereby dozens of Tel Aviv bars hosted scientists from the Weisman Institute that talked about the latest and greatest in science.

Yair Lapid: Israel Politics new Torchbearer?

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a house gathering (חוג בית) conducted by Yair Lapid – the media star turned politician. There is no doubt that Yair Lapid is a savvy speaker and knows how to captivate an audience. He is eloquent, armed with a sharp sense of humor, quick on his feet, and can easily handles tough questions in front of an audience. And he believes someone must carry the torch in Israeli politics.