October 21, 2025 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER Protecting Students, Confronting Hate: California’s Step Toward Improving Unbiased Education Most teachers in America remain deeply committed to helping students think critically. The U.S. public education system has always been held to high standards and played an important role for generations of students. However, troubling […]
October 14, 2025 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER – STORIES MAKING NEWS Jubilation: The Return of Israel’s Living Hostages Every living Israeli hostage seized on Oct. 7 has been freed from Gaza to the jubilation of the nation. Families torn apart by terror are embracing once more, marking a moment of […]
הוֹד֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ Give thanks to God for God is good; God’s steadfast love is eternal Psalm 136:1 A Message from Rabbi Hillel Skolnik, President, MERCAZ USA These sacred words, chanted multiple times this morning as we mark the final day of Sukkot, were expressed with extra gratitude and thanks as we […]
A Thought Before Shabbat from MERCAZ USA’s President Rabbi Hillel Skolnik For two years, we have prayed, we have hoped, we have shouted, we have begged, we have demanded, and we have wished for all of the hostages to be brought home from Gaza and for God’s canopy of peace to once again be our […]
October 5, 2025 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER – STORIES MAKING NEWS The Final Hostages: Hidden, Not Forgotten Negotiators for Israel and Hamas were poised for indirect negotiations to release the hostages and end the war in Gaza, as this edition of The Focus Project was set for publication. The talks […]
September 30, 2025 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER – STORIES MAKING NEWS America’s Plan, Hamas’ Choice and the World’s Response The war in Gaza has entered a pivotal moment. For decades, American and Israeli peace efforts have been met with rejection and violence. A new U.S. proposal now puts an ultimatum […]
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility The month of Elul is devoted to rethinking, to questioning the path we have been on — that is, to teshuva. The past two years, as a result of the war and the process of social fissure, and as the truth of the dreams we had dreamed about ourselves […]
September 16, 2025 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER – STORIES MAKING NEWS Reject Violence: Defend Debate, Protect Democracy Disagreement should invite debate – not violence. Intimidation, dehumanization and threats create the conditions for physical attacks. Silencing and demonizing opposing views have become normalized. The risks are great for our entire society […]
September 9, 2025 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER – STORIES MAKING NEWS ‘Resistance’ Never Justifies Murdering Civilians A morning rush hour in Jerusalem turned into carnage when two Palestinian terrorists from the West Bank opened fire at a busy bus stop. In less than a minute, six Israelis were murdered and more than a dozen […]
A Revolution In Mentality … “When you come into the land …” — The transition from wandering in the wilderness to life in a settled land requires a change in lifestyle and in outlook. Moving from the life of a persecuted minority to that of an independent people on our own land requires a revolution […]