Pre-Pesach and War Update 2026

I arrived back in Israel last night on a full El Al flight from London.  Okay - it wasn't totally full - the seat next to me was vacant - which was nice.  But otherwise, it was fairly full.  These days, the only airlines flying into Israel are El Al, Arkia, Israir and Air Haifa.  The flights coming in are full -  even though only a limited number are arriving.

It is much harder to leave.  Flights are leaving Israel with only 40 or 50 passengers and many of  these flights have been cancelled.  I know quite a number of people who have left Israel though Taba (at the Egyptian-Israeli border) and taken a cab or other transportation to the Sharm-El-Sheikh airport and flown from there.  Some  have been flying from  the Taba airport.  They fly to Cyprus, Athens, Istanbul or other European destinations - and then onwards to wherever they are going.

Some have been crossing into Jordan and flying on Arkia from Aqaba airport in Jordan.  However, apparently, today, the  Jordanian government announced a change in its policies and refused to allow Arkia flights to take off with a large number of Israelis stranded at the Aqaba airport.  This is a developing story - and I am not sure how this will get sorted out.  Apparently, some of these flights are now being rerouted to Taba airport but some have been cancelled altogether.  Sounds like quite a bit of chaos for people trying to leave Israel through these alternate routes. Meanwhile, the Egyptian government has been increasing the border fees that are being charged to people who want to cross from Israel into Egypt to leave from the  Taba airport - payable only in U.S. cash. So if you are crossing into Egypt from Israel, you should probably have at least $500 USD per person with you - arrive early - and be prepared for delays and cancellations.  As for Aqaba - that seems like an even less reliable option - unless you fly on a Jordanian airline - or  one that has clearly been approved by the  Jordanian government.

For my return flight, since it was so close to Pesach (which starts on Wednesday night) there were many people on the plane coming to Israel (or coming home) for the holiday.  Several men held a Mincha service before the plane left - so of course we knew our flight would be a safe one. The last twenty minutes of the flight were quite nerve wracking as everyone wondered if there would be a missile alert as we were coming in for landing (despite the prophylactic prayer service that had taken place earlier together with multiple people reading tefillat haderech - the prayer for the traveller).  But all was quiet and the plane landed uneventfully - at which point clapping, cheering and signing all broke out.  It was quite emotional. So perhaps the cynicism is unwarranted.  I'll let each person drawn their own conclusions.

The Ben Gurion airport was quite empty. This was the only flight arriving.  No flights were leaving at this time.  It still took a while to collect my suitcase (they made me check my carry on bag for "security reasons.") The roads were  also fairly empty and  it took only about 20 minutes to get back to Ra'anana once I had collected my bag.

At  1:30 a.m. we had our first missile alert - and had to go into the safe room (the "Mamad") until we received the "all clear."  Our next missile alert was at about 2 p.m. or so.  This contrasts quite a bit with yesterday where central Israel had 11 sirens through the first 2/3 of the day. From Friday's missile barrage, six people were reported as having been wounded, though none are in serious condition. Since I have been back (Thursday March 26th in the evening) there have been 5 missile alert sirens in Ra'anana - which means going into our protected safe room and waiting until the threat has passed - usually about 10 minutes in total).  We have not had one yet today - I think that last one was at some point on Saturday morning.

That's not to say that there have not been missile attacks today - there were apparently several in southern Israel including Beersheva and other places - including a reported direct hit on a factory.  But so far, missiles have not been aimed today at Tel-Aviv and its surrounding cities.

State of the War

As you might know, President Trump delivered an ultimatum last week.  If the Iranians did not agree to his demands by 5:30 p.m. on Friday (right after the markets closed), he was going to escalate the war and  attack Iranian  energy sites and/or seize the Hormuz Strait. The Iranians responded by threatening to attack sites across the Gulf and to take other escalated actions.  So we were left to speculate as to what would happen.  In one of his posts this week, Hillel Fuld, a well known blogger, went though the different scenarios and I do agree that he outlined them correctly:

1. One scenario is that if Iran does not acquiesce (and it seems highly unlikely that they would), the U.S. would escalate the war significantly.  This could include trying to find the Iranian enriched uranium, seizing Iranian oil-producing facilities or taking steps to open the Strait of Hormuz.  Iranians have threatened their own forms of escalation in response.  The U.S. has moved a significant number of marines and other service personnel to the region and it still seems like there is a decent chance that the U.S. will proceed with a massive escalation at some point.  Supporters of escalation include Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump's Evangelical supporters, MBS of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and most of the Israeli public (70-75% according to some poll numbers).  These different proponents believe that the job is not finished, that none of the war aims have been achieved yet and that the mission can actually be accomplished.

2. Another scenario is that Trump could simply look for the best off-ramp and take it.  It seems that he is being pushed in this direction by many non-Evangelical MAGA supporters.  He is also facing pressure from world leaders in many different countries, poll numbers in the U.S. showing vast disapproval of this war, other domestic opposition and pressures of the markets and the rising price of oil.  Trump of course, likes to portray his image as being dependent only on himself - so it is unclear that all of these pressures would really sway him. Especially if the Iranians are not prepared to  present a proposal that Trump can sell as a victory.

3. A third scenario would be for the U.S. to end its involvement and let Israel continue on its own versus Iran, Hezbollah and the Houthis. This is  not very likely in my view.  If Trump declares an end to the war - Israeli will almost surely follow, irrespective of whether Bibi has yet to receive his pardon or whether Israel agrees that the war should end.  The war may continue for a period  of time between Israel and Hezbollah until a deal can be reached - even after there is a deal with Iran.

Earlier in the week, I was wavering on which was more likely.  It looked to me like Trump was pulling the  plug on the whole war and looking for an off-ramp. However, he couldn't give the name of  anyone  he was actually speaking to, the Iranians were denying that they had agreed to anything - or were going to -   and more troops were being moved to the region. This was looking more like a potential U.S. surrender (like the way that the U.S. left Viet Nam).

By Wednesday, I was convinced that we would know by Friday night.  Either there would be a big announcement of a breakthrough deal - or a huge U.S. attack would begin Friday night. My thought was that a major escalation was starting to look a bit more likely.

However, on Friday, Trump announced that he was giving the Iranians 10 more days until April 6th to agree to his plan or reach a deal. Although a major U.S. escalation is still possible, this is looking much more like a U.S. capitulation.  The Iranians  do not appear to be giving in on any major points - and Trump appears to be increasingly interested in concluding this war.

However, as of mid-day today, Trump has continued to announce further troop deployments - either to ramp up the threat as a bluff - or because he has decided that he is going to escalate.  We will know the answer soon.

I think the situation is not looking great either way.

At the war's outset, the U.S. set out four war aims.  The aims included ending the Iranian nuclear program, changing the leadership in Iran, destroying the system of Iranian proxies getting support for terrorism from Iran (Hamas, the Houthis, Hezbollah, Iraqi militias) and destroying the Iranian long-range missile program. Although the U.S. and Israel appear to have made progress on items 1 and 4, it does not appear that any of these goals have really been accomplished.

The U.S. has now, as of Sunday March 29, 2026, announced that even more U.S. troops, planes and ships will be deployed to the region.  Unless Trump is able to negotiate something that looks like he has achieved at least one of his aims, we may see a major escalation starting by April 6th.

From the Israeli side of things, Israel has been advancing further into Lebanon in a bid to push Hezbollah back and stop or reduce attacks on Israel - especially the towns and cities in Israel's north.  Hezbollah may face a reduced access to funds as Iran is weakened but it is still a formidable challenge for Israel.  The solution is a peace deal with Lebanon in which there is an agreement that Hezbollah will not return to Israel's borders.  This need to be enforced, perhaps by some sort of international force that will actually do the job (unlike the UN which simply turned a blind eye to Hezbollah violations of past agreements).

Meanwhile, many Israeli reservists (which is the vast majority of people aged 21-45 in the country) have been called into reserve duty including, now, two of our family members, at least one of whom may have to miss our family Passover Seder. 

Pesach

Pesach begins with the Seder on Wednesday April 1, 2026.  Israel just changed its clocks and sprung ahead on Thursday night March 26/27 - so sundown in the centre of the country is  now 6:42 p.m., which means that the Seder can begin at about 7:30 p.m. after people come back from synagogue.  That  is about an hour earlier than Toronto, which is quite nice. There is only one Seder in Israel and only a total of 7 days of Pesach instead of  8 outside of  Israel.

Stores are well stocked with Passover products but do not go as crazy with the shelf lining paper etc., as they do in North America.  However, during Passover, Israeli stores do not even sell products that are not kosher for Passover - they block whole sections off and temporarily remove the bar codes from the cash register systems - so that you cannot even pay for the Hametz  products.  This is all dictated by Israeli law.

Israel Elections

As of now, Israeli elections are still scheduled to occur by the end of  October 31, 2026.  Hopefully this war will be over well before then.  I will hold off on making any  election predictions until closer to the election date.  

I would simply say that if there is no clear indication that  this war has been a success for Israel (and right now, that seems to be the case), the situation is likely to be similar to what it is now or perhaps a bit worse for Prime Minister Netanyahu.  On the other hand, if the United States and Israel wind up accomplishing one or two of the war goals that they had set out - that could  provide Netanyahu with a significant jump.

Mood

It has been a very difficult period for Israelis - going all the way back to 2020.  Since Covid and then the October 7th war - things have been in a state of uncertainty and extreme economic challenge for most of the 6 year period.

In speaking to various people, many are really finding the challenges difficult - economically, psychologically, physically.  So many Israelis have spent a huge amount of time serving in reserve duty. People are in and out of shelters.  Some people have safe areas in their homes or apartments - which is convenient and reasonably safe.  Other people have to run down to shared community shelters -  where people bring their pets, their friends, etc., Some of these shelters can hold more than a hundred people  -any time of day - even in the middle of the night.

All of that being said, I think Israelis are still generally optimistic and hopeful - that this will all work out well - and that the end result will have made things worthwhile.  I hope that this optimism is well founded.

Lighter Note

Someone sent me a meme the other day - that said "Israel is one of the few countries in which you have no idea when exactly your bus or train might come - but you know, to the minute, what time the missile attack will be arriving."  

Sports

Even in these crazy times, I have managed to catch a bit of the first two Toronto Blue Jay games -  both walk-off wins.  I think we are in for a super-exciting season for the Blue Jays.  That's not something that you can watch too easily when in Israel -  unless you have a VPN and a Sportsnet login.   

Usually this time of year, I am getting ready to watch some hockey playoffs - and see the Leafs go one or two rounds (usually just one).  This year, they collapsed even before the playoffs - so I am left with two Canadian teams to cheer for - the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers.  Small chance that either the Ottawa Senators or the Winnipeg Jets might also make it in but for  now, it is looking like only two Canadian teams.  Less hockey to watch, more time for work and keeping up with the news.

Oscars

This was one of the first years where I think I managed to watch all 10 Oscar nominees.  I actually enjoyed most of them.  A full article about all of the movies is for another time.

However, one theme that ran through at least three of the movies -  Train Dreams, Sentimental Value and Hamnet - was the theme of a family member working far away from his family for periods of time - and some of the challenges that creates.  One a writer, one a movie director and one a railway worker/ lumberjack.  Different types of work for sure, but a common theme of being away from family while young children grow up.  For someone who has been doing this for 17 years now, this is a theme that resonated quite a bit with me.  I would recommend all three movies - not  necessarily because of that theme. They were all really good movies otherwise.  

With that, I am going to wish everyone a happy, healthy and  Kosher Pesach. With the hope that we will soon see an end to these wars - and that we will have accomplished some of war goals aimed at creating conditions for a long lasting period of peace in Israel and throughout the Middle East.

War With Iran - Latest Blog March 1 2026

What would this blog be without an update article about the latest events in the Middle East?  Well, this is not a news blog - since I do not have the time to write a full-time blog about Israel and Middle East events. That might be a nice alternate way of making a living but for now this is just an unpaid hobby and perhaps a way of keeping in touch with many of my friends, family and others and updating with some of my perspectives from Israel. This is also not a "hasbara" blog, so I try not to fill it with propaganda or made up information (from either side). That does not mean that I do not write from a certain perspective - any writer does - but I am open to discussion of just about any of it usually. I wanted to provide a short update of some of things going on now, some of my thoughts about this situation and perhaps some comments on other related issues.

1. Update

As you probably know, Israel and the U.S. launched a massive attack on Iran early Saturday morning, Feb 28, Israel time (about 8 a.m. local time). The first part of the attack included an attack on the Iranian military and political leadership - who were apparently holding two separate, in-person meetings.  According to Israeli reports, some 40 senior leadership figures were killed in the first minutes of the attack including the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomenei,  the Iranian Foreign Minister, the General of the IRGC, and many others.  The targets also included Iranian air defence installations.  Contrary to some fake Iranian reports, neither the Israelis nor the Americans targeted a girls' school - it was apparently hit by an errant Iranian missile.

The Iranians have responded by firing ballistic missiles, conventional rockets and missiles and drones at Israel and at a wide range of surrounding countries including Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Qatar and others. 

At least two ballistic missiles sent from Iran scored direct hits on residential buildings in Israel.  In Beit Shemesh, an Iranian missile hit a residential building and a synagogue - and landed directly in the building's bomb shelter.  At least 9 people were killed and more than 25 were injured.  There were no military targets nearby - this was strictly an attack on a residential building.  In Tel-Aviv, a residential building was also hit - with at least 3 Israelis reportedly killed and more than 20 injured. Many missiles, drones and other rockets have been intercepted by Israel and its allies - including the U.S., Jordan, and others.  But the systems are not foolproof.  If any of these ballistic missiles get through, they can cause enormous damage as they are carrying 400 kg of explosives.

Iran has also hit residential and commercial targets in Dubai, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as well as other places.

Israelis have been in and out of bomb shelters and safe rooms since the war started.  Not all Israelis have access to these facilities - some estimates are that only about 65% to 70% of Israelis have a safe place to go that is reasonably close by.

Meanwhile, the United States has also suffered some casualties to its servicer personnel.  At least 3 navy personnel were killed today by an Iranian missile and dozens more were apparently injured.  Details are still emerging.

I have listened to a wide range of  analysts assessing the likely scope of the current war - though of course things are unpredictable.  The U.S.-Israeli plan initially targeted the Iranian military and  political leadership and the various defence installations including ground to air military targets.  The goal is to establish Air Supremacy.  After that, Israel and the U.S. have the stated goals of targeting missile supplies and capabilities and the IRGC including the units that have been used to suppress Iranian civilian protests.  The other main target is to attack and destroy all of the Iranian nuclear installations.  Some reports have estimated that this plan is designed to take 5 to 7 days - some of predicated as much as a month.

Although the initial attacks appear to have been highly successful from a military standpoint, it is unclear what will come next.  The U.S. and Israel have stated that their goal is regime change - to be carried out by Iranians themselves and they are trying to set the conditions for that to happen.  Is it possible? Likely? I have not idea.  Clearly, if there were to be regime change - and a regime were to emerge that had the support of a large percentage of the Iranian population and was interested in peaceful relations with the U.S. and perhaps Israel, this would be a huge game changer in the Middle East and for the world. 

Here are a few other comments about  this war from some different perspectives.

A. Israel

For Israel, contrary to what various opponents of Israel might try to argue, this is not a whimsical war of aggression by Netanyahu or some unjustified attempt at a form of expansionism.

Since the Iranian revolution, Iran has been the leading anti-Israel power in the Middle East.  It has openly called for destruction for Israel - and has dedicated itself to that goal. It has worked at building a nuclear program and openly stated that it intends to use the weapons to destroy Israel.  It has hosted annual Holocaust denial conferences, sponsored terrorist attacks against Jews and Israelis around the world and sponsored terrorist groups across the middle east.

More recently, Iran trained Hamas fighters and helped plan the massacre of Israelis on October 7, 2023 and the incursions by Hamas into Israel.  Iran also activated Hezbollah (also Iranian trained and armed) to attack Israel from Lebanon shortly after October 7th and it armed the Houthis to attack Israel with ballistic missiles from Yemen.  Ultimately, Iran and Israeli engaged in direct fighting  for a period of 12 days in 2025.  Although there was a ceasefire, the Iranians began rebuilding their nuclear and missile programs. Some reports have indicated that they were very close to having an operational nuclear bomb.

For Israel, much of this is therefore existential - or, at least, likely to become existential.  Israel could not afford to wait  until it was attacked by a nuclear Iran and the clock has been ticking.

Although the timing works cynically well for Israel's besieged Prime Minister - especially with elections in Israel due to take place by October, it is more likely that this was a rare opportunity for him to fulfill his decades long goal of dismantling the Iranian threat because he happened to have a willing U.S. Presidential partner.

It is a significant risk for the people of Israel.   There could be a large number of Israeli casualties.  If there is no regime change in Iran, the situation could become even worse. And Israel could find itself even more  isolated on the world stage - with only President Trump in its corner.  On the other hand, if the war is successful and there is regime change in Iran, this could be a major watershed moment for the whole Middle East.

B. The United States

Although from the Israeli perspective, in my view, the war is fully justifiable, it is quite a different story for the United States.

First of all, as a lawyer, I am interested in the legal implications of governance and decision making - in Israel, the United States and Canada.  My understanding of the U.S. Constitution is that the  President must have congressional approval for launching a war.  Even President Bush received a resolution that included "all means necessary" before attacking Iraq.  If an operation is due to a pressing and immediate problem, requiring the U.S. to commit limited troops, that is apparently permissible - and was used initially with the Viet Nam war.  But this is an all out war.  I believe that it requires U.S. Congressional support.

Now that doesn't mean that I think congresspeople and senators would or should vote against it.  They would have to listen to the arguments and decide. But they would need to be part of the decision making.

From the U.S. perspective, there are many questions  to be answered.  What is the mid-range and long-range plan if the U.S. dismantles the Iranian leadership? Who will take over?  Will the U.S. commit troops to maintain order?  Will it just create chaos and then leave (See Afghanistan, Iraq etc.,).  What are the casualty estimates for U.S. service people? These are legitimate questions that need to answered and there are many others.

I also wonder what caused Trump to  believe that this attack was in his interest.  His popularity has been sinking to record lows.  I am not sure that this type of war, even if partially successful, is likely to bolster his support.

Although some might argue that  Prime Minister Netanyahu has Trump under some sort of magic spell and has convinced him that it is in the U.S. interest to execute this war, I do not believe that to be the case.  I do not believe that Bibi has the wherewithal,  monetarily, or otherwise to provide Trump with something sufficient in exchange for support.  And Trump is a very transactional president.

So why would Trump agree?  I think the answer is more likely Saudi Arabia.  Saudi Arabia is looking to shore up its position in the Middle East, take a leadership role in the Arab World and destroy its enemies.  Saudi Arabia has a wide range of  assets, tools and promises that it could make or provide to  Trump in exchange for support with this war.

For example, Saudi Arabia may have discussed post war oil arrangements with Trump. post-war weapons and security arrangements, a possible peace deal with Israel - maybe even some kind of support to a nascent Palestinian State.  Saudi Arabia has plenty to trade with Trump - more so  then Israel I would argue.  Earlier today, the Israel Times reported  that MBS of  Saudi Arabia had played a key role in "convincing" Trump to move ahead with this war.  In my view, most of the time Trump is "convinced" to do anything, there is some type of transaction involved.  I would love to know the terms but we may never find out  - or it might take quite a  while.  However, Saudi Arabia stands to benefit greatly from regime change in  Iran and  from an even  closer relationship with the United States. As well - Saudi Arabia's apparently close but hidden relationship with Israel could come out of  the closet.

C. Iran

I am probably not qualified to write about this from an Iranian perspective but I think a few comments are worth making.

On the one  hand, Iran clearly read the tea leaves and saw that a massive attack was coming - given all of the hardware that the U.S.  moved into the region.  While the Americans were making some fairly unrealistic demands of the Iranians, the Iranians seemed to have responded with maximum hubris - and what can only be described as a nonchalant response  to the impending war.  A similar mistake to that made by Saddam Hussein years ago.  I am not sure that the Iranians could have come up with sufficient concessions to stop the war, especially if the US. goal was regime change - but they probably could have made a better effort.

My second comment is that I would question the effectiveness of attacking Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia and others in the region.  Although the Iranian thinking  on this might be that this well pressure the U.S. into stopping the war, I believe that it will likely have the opposite effect and push those countries to further support a complete dismantling of the Iranian government.

Ultimately, I appreciate that the current Iranian government is in survival mode and is hoping to ride this out in any way it can - and stand up to the U.S. / Israeli efforts to support regime change.  I do not know if that is going to be possible - but attacking civilian targets, bringing in other countries into the fighting and making other non-credible threats to U.S. interests - do not seem to be steps that will assist the Iranians.

D. The Rest of the World

The world has been relatively quiet so far in response  to this war.  Canada's Prime Minister issued a lukewarm statement supporting the U.S.  and also stated that Canada had no part in this and was not going to get involved.  Many  other countries - such as Turkey - have been quieter than one  might have expected. I imagine that this will all change as the war goes on.  But the only country in any position to cause some real problems for the U.S. at this point is probably China.  Hopefully they will not have any interest in becoming involved.

E. Conclusion about the War

There have been demonstrations and counterdemonstrations all  around the world.  Many expatriate Iranians have been demonstrating, often with Israelis in the crowd, in favour of the U.S. -Israeli actions and  hoping for a much  better future for Iran.  Others have demonstrated against the war - including, in many cases, those who were supporting Hamas against Israel. 

According to newest reports, Iran has asked to meet with Trump as soon as possible to discuss the war - and Trump has agreed (while telling them it took them way too long). 

At the same time, there is talk that the civilian anti-government demonstrations within Iran that took place in early January may re-start - this time supported to some degree by U.S. and Israeli actions including the possibility of military assistance.

Israeli news has just reported that Trump has had conversations with MBS of Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister of  Netanyahu and the leaders of  Bahrain - and that things might move quicker than expected towards a cease fire.

As discussed above, from Israel's perspective, the only real "win" in this war will be a regime change  - or a major directional change by whoever takes over the Iranian government.  For the U.S., Trump would probably like to see this end as quickly as possible and be able to claim victory.  Hard to predict how this will play out.

Other

I was supposed to be back in Israeli for Purim and this will be the first time in 16 years or so that I am not in Israel for Purim.  I usually read chapter 8 of Megillat Esther - and sometimes 9 and 10 as well.  But  Israeli air space is closed until Tuesday at earliest. For now, I am hoping that I will be back in time for  Pesach.

There are many other topics to write about - hockey, the upcoming academy awards, the travel situation for flights to and from Israel and other topics.  But I am going to leave these topics for now and hope for a speedy and successful conclusion to this war - peace for Israel and the whole middle east - and
with freedom for Iranians - meaning a government that they install and support - and hopefully one that will be committed to long term peaceful middle east - with all of its neighbours- including Israel.

And wishing everyone a happy and healthy Purim!

Latest Blog From Israel - February 2026

Good evening from Ra'anana Israel.  It has been a busy few months but I am going to cover a variety of topics - not necessarily as much focused on politics or Israeli legal developments as some of my more recent blogs.  Instead, perhaps a few other stories that might interest you.  Of course, I will probably stick some discussion of Israeli politics in here but I'm starting a bit differently.  Here goes.

1. Milk Revolution

I find this one fascinating.  "New Milk" or "HeHalav HeHadash" in Hebrew, is a new cow-free dairy product, that features real milk proteins which are identical to dairy milk.  It is produced and sold by Gad Dairies.  The "milk" is produced using yeast fermentation to create proteins in labs.  No cows, no animal product of any kind.  New Milk is designed to taste, look, smell and act like regular milk but it is lactose free and has lower sugar content then regular milk.  

Most interestingly, it has been certified as Kosher and Pareve (Neither dairy nor meat) by the highest levels of Kashruth authorities in Israel and by the OU in the U.S.  

For those who keep kosher - and would like a cappuccino or other traditionally dairy dessert after a meat meal, the options until now have included products made with soy, coconut, almonds or rice.  (Maybe there are others as well).  But this is now a game changer.  Since it looks, tastes and acts like regular milk, you can now have a regular cappuccino after a meat meal - or cheeses can be made with this product. Or many other traditionally dairy desserts. 

In Israel, for example, most wedding halls are strictly Kosher and most are designated as having meat kitchens.  After a wedding meal, you can usually get a cappuccino made using one of the milks I have mentioned above - soy, coconut, almond, rice etc.,  But these usually have their own unique taste and are not nearly the same as milk.  (Which is fine because we are used to having these rules in place).

But now - you will be able to order a cappuccino that will pretty much look and taste like a regular cappuccino.

That's just one small mention of the uses of this new milk but if it takes off, it will probably spread like wildfire in the observant Jewish community.  It is probably not Kosher for Passover (made from yeast) and is apparently nut free and lactose free.  And of course no cows are required. Sales just began in October 2025.  

I bought a container of it this week and I intend to try it.  I'll have to report back.

2. Sports News

I know some of you roll your eyes when you get to the sports section of my blog (if it is included) but it is usually connected in some way to the theme of the blog.  So bear with me.

A. Olympics

Israel has sent a delegation of 9 athletes to the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, competing in five different sports.  Israel has two skiers (alpine skiing), 4 bobsledders (a men's team), 1 cross-country skier, 1 figure skater and 1 brave soul competing in the  "skeleton."

Israel's bobsled team reported that their apartment in the Olympic village was burglarized on February 7th. Their suitcases, shoes, equipment and  passports were stolen.  The robbery is being investigated by Italian police.

Not sure whether Israel has a chance at any medals but it is nice to see some representation.

There are also at least 8 other Jewish (non-Israeli) athletes participating including Aerin Frankel, the Team USA women's hockey goaltender, Avital Carroll, a mogul skier representing Austria, Emery Lehman, a speed skater from the U.S., Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes and Jeremy Swayman, all hockey players for the U.S. men's team, and Korey Dropkin, a curler for the U.S. Yes, there are Jewish curlers.

There may be others but those are the names  I have been able to find.

Here in Israel, there are at least 4 different cable networks (sports channels) showing Olympics night and  day - including the various hockey games.  I watched the Canadian women secure their first victory and we are all set to see them face off against the Czech team tonight.  I am really looking forward to the Canadian "dream team"  hitting the ice later this week - the Canadian men's hockey team - truly an amazing chance to see Canada's best hockey players all on one team.

B. Super Bowl

Congratulations to the  Seattle Seahawks on their Superbowl win over the New England Patriots.  It was not the  most  exciting game ever though the Seattle defence was incredible.   I watched it on an Israeli  sports channel which featured Israeli commentators using  all sorts of funny lines.  My favourite was (In English with a thick Israeli accent) "the New England Patriots offence is very offensive tonight..."

Here we watched the game starting at 1:30 a.m., after seeing the Green Day kick off show at 1 a.m. I think bed time was around 5:30 a.m. after watching the final ceremonies etc.,

Can't say that I loved the Bad Bunny half-time show, though I have read some  interesting articles about everything that was referenced and can appreciate that much thought was put into it even if it wasn't my type of music.  For me, it was probably more enjoyable than the previous year's Kendrick Lamar show though there was also quite a bit of thought put into that performance - even if the music  genre wasn't my thing. I had no interest in watching the Turning Point alternative half-time show.  I'll leave it at that.

Once the Olympics end, I get a bunch of free time for other pursuits - unless I become an avid March Madness college basketball fan - though that is looking fairly unlikely as of now.  By mid to late April, hockey playoffs will start and that is one of my favourite things to watch and can be all consuming until mid-June.

3. Flights To and From Israel

As you may know, Air Canada resumed its direct flights to Israel from Toronto and I have been taking advantage of that.  The prices have been okay though they have not been filling up the planes -  perhaps because of the uncertainty as to whether Air Canada will continue to fly.  Having a direct flight is terrific, especially after not having any direct flights available during the war and before that during Covid.

El Al was apparently considering adding a range of new cities - some were hoping that would include Toronto.  But instead, El Al announced a number of new direct destinations from Israel - Hanoi, Manila and Seoul and a number of others - but still no Toronto.

Meanwhile, Air Canada completely revamped its Aeroplan program effective January 1, 2026, to focus almost exclusively on money spent with Air Canada rather than miles travelled.  This is a terrible change for long distance "commuters" who were able to pick up lots of Aeroplan miles at a fairly reasonable cost. Now, the more you spend, the more Aeroplan points you get and that is just about it.

To give you an example, I was flying "Flex" between Toronto and Tel-Aviv, which meant earning 5,750 each way or 11,500 for a round trip in 2025.  In addition, "Super Elite" members would get a bonus of another 5,750 each way, while 75K status members would get 4,312.  This means that for a round trip up to December 31, 2025, I was earning a total of about 23,000 Aeroplan miles for one round trip to Israel.

I flew back in January, from Toronto to Tel Aviv, in flex and I earned a total (including bonuses) of 4,875 (instead of 11,500 including bonuses).

So for flyers like me, the program represents a massive devaluation.

On the other hand, if you go to Israel from Toronto  4 times a year and you buy business class tickets, let's say at $8,000 Canadian per round trip ticket, you would make Super Elite and enjoy all of the benefits that entails.

4. Stuart Razin Z"L

I recently lost a good friend, teacher, mentor (and avid blog reader of mine).  Stuart Razin z"l passed away on January 17th.  

Stuart had served as the Executive Director of Beth Tikvah Synagogue in Toronto where had played a key role in overseeing the growth of Beth Tikvah into a 1000+ member shul.

Before taking on the Executive Director role, he had served as the Principal of the school and had run the Hebrew High School program.  I had the privilege of studying Holocaust literature with him.

I also worked with him as a Board Member of the shul while he was the Executive Director.  One of the most memorable events that we worked on together was a fundraising concert where the great Israeli singer Chava Alberstein came to perform at Beth Tikvah.

Stuart and his late first wife Marsha Razin z"l made Aliyah to Israel, where their three children lived (or were in the process of moving to). Marsha was a wonderful and engaging teacher.  Stuart and Marsha shared a wonderful life together for many years. After Marsha died, Stuart remarried to Jennifer.  Stuart was tragically predeceased by his son Gideon 2019.  Stuart will be missed by his large extended family of children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so many people who loved him.

Over the years, Stuart and I spoke regularly.  He attended  at our family simchas and we would get together with him regularly.

Stuart was always up to date on the latest current events.  He took an active interest in Israeli, American and Canadian politics and loved to speak for hours about the latest developments.  He would regularly read this blog and then call or write to me to discuss things that I wrote.

While at Beth Tikvah, Stuart had been known for his amazing memory and his attention to each and every one of the members. He took a keen interest in people.  He would ask about each family member, how they were doing, what they were up to - and then he would remember all of the information and keep it updated. He genuinely cared about each and every one of the people with whom he interacted.

For me and my family, he was always a pleasure to speak to, and always had interesting things to say and principled points of view.  He was a true mensch and someone who I will dearly miss.

5. Israel - Latest News

I do not have too much to write this time - not because of a lack of topics - but more in the interest of keeping this blog to a reasonable length.  Instead I will quickly mention a few things:

A. Iran

We continue to wait to see what the U.S. will do and whether it will attack Iran, either to harm Iran's nuclear ambitions, to damage Iran's missile program or to try to foment regime change in Iran. There has been lots of rhetoric, lots of threats and lots of speculation.  An attack on Iran may well draw Israel into a war and we may face large barrages of missile attacks.  Whether this will occur or not is unclear - and probably depends as much as anything on which side of the bed President Trump wakes up on any given day. Israelis seem to be relatively relaxed about it, all things considered, but it is a real powder keg that could go off any day.

B. Gaza

There continues to be a great deal of uncertainty as to how Gaza will be governed going forward, whether Hamas will disarm, whether there will be further rounds of intense fighting - and what, if anything, the U.S. and the international community will do to affect things in Gaza.  Frankly, I have no idea where this is all headed but I am hoping that there will be some level of stability for Gaza and in the whole region.

C. Syria

With U.S. involvement, some progress seems to be taking place with Syria. For example, the Syrian government  this week announced that it would restore a synagogue in Aleppo and permit or even encourage free Jewish worship there.  If that is the start of a genuine change - we might even be able to visit Damascus in my lifetime (and perhaps Beirut).  Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but anything is possible and these are really amazing developments.

D. Netanyahu's Trial

Prime Minister Netanyahu's trial continues to plug along.  He is involved in several "fronts" to try to get out of it - including a possible plea bargain deal, a request for a pardon from the President of Israel (including recruiting Trump to pressure the President of  Israel) and the possibility of a legislated end to the trial (which would probably never get passed the Israeli Supreme Court).   The clock is ticking for Bibi and I believe he is hoping to get this all resolved before Israel's elections - scheduled to take place later this year. For Bibi trial watchers, this should be a really interesting period of  time.

E. Israeli Elections

Israel will have an election this year before the end of October 2026.  Some new parties are still in the process of amalgamating, registering or redefining themselves.  We will probably not have the final list  of competing parties and configurations until much closer to the election date.  However, the polls are now predicting a fairly close race - with Prime  Minister Netanyahu still having a reasonable shot at winning once again, much to the  chagrin of his many detractors.  Israeli politics promises to be super interesting over the coming months.

Okay these were all of the things I planned to cover for now.  I will probably write a few much more political blogs in the coming months - as Israeli elections approach.  For now, let's all  enjoying the remaining month or so of winter and get ready for Purim which takes place starting on March 2, 2026 in the evening.  Here in Ra'anana it is about 22C during the day.  While I was in Toronto, we enjoyed a few days of -24C weather - which meant a 46C spread from one place to the other.  That's a very big shift in temperature. 

So to those of you in North America - it's "stay warm" and to those here in Israel - it's "enjoy the weather"  (even though Israelis are upset that it is not yet warm enough to swim in the Mediterranean - though that can change as soon as early March).

Best regards to all - and for the most part, based on those reading this - stay warm!

End of 2025 Blog - Various Israel Issues

As 2025 CE comes to a close and we begin 2026 (it's still 5786 according to the Jewish Calendar), I thought I would try to get one more blog together before all the festivities begin.  Okay, the truth is that here in Israel, there aren't that many festivities.  There are a bunch of parties around the country for sure, and lots of celebrations taking place.  But in Israel, December 31st and Jan 1st are  normal work days - where everything is pretty much business as usual.  In many parts of the country - people celebrate "Sylvester" parties - sometimes - even with a trees (the Russian/ Eastern European influence) but many people I know are not doing that much.  Despite that - I still wish everyone a very happy New Year - with the hopes that 2026 will bring good news, peace in the many places of the world that are involved in conflicts - and the best of health.

There is a great deal to write about and, as usual, I will probably wind up covering a variety of topics.  I will write until I have had enough and then leave some things to discuss for next blog.

I thought I would start this time with a few completely non-political things (though everything in Israel tends to be political somehow...).  

The Hoopoe

 The Hoopoe.  We have had lots of rain, on and off the past few weeks.  We   decide to go for a walk yesterday in Park Yarkon in Tel-Aviv during a break   in the weather - since the sun had come out.  There we were fortunate to see   a bunch of these - Israel's national bird - the Hoopoe (in Hebrew the "Duchifat").  In case you are wondering - these birds are   specifically listed   in  the Torah as "unclean" and not Kosher, which is   interesting.  Perhaps,   those who picked the bird as Israel's national bird   wanted to make sure that   Israelis would not eat up a part of their national heritage.  In any event, this   was the best photo I could get.  When the bird   spreads out its feathers, it is   reminiscent of a peacock - though less colourful.   But as you might know, I   love taking pictures of birds - and this was a great opportunity.  

Strawberries. My second note relates to some of the great fruit we have this time of year. As you might know, Israeli fruit is particularly seasonal - and largely home grown.  While Israel does import some fruit (more in recent years),  a large percentage of the produce is domestically grown.  This time of year we have wonderful citrus fruit, grown in Israel - oranges of all types, grapefruit, pomelos, as well as kiwis, apples and many other fruit.  But I have to say that the strawberries here are exceptional.  Israeli strawberries are only available from November until late April.  But they are big, juicy, sweet and unlike most other strawberries I have had.  In the Ra'anana area - part of the "Sharon Region," there are many strawberry fields and places selling freshly picked strawberries by the box (usually half or full kilos).  So we stopped today at one of these fields and picked up some absolutely delicious strawberries.  If you are in Israel between November and April - the strawberries might be one of the highlights of your visit (even if you are much more of a cherry and pineapple person like I am...).

Some News Items

Where to start?  There is always so much going on here politically that it is hard to choose what to write about it.  But I thought I would pick a few things and provide a few comments.

2026 - An Election Year in Israel and Bibi's Quest for a Pardon

As you might know, 2026 will be an election year in Israel - assuming nothing extraordinary happens.  The election is supposed to take place by October 27, 2026 - though like in any parliamentary democracy - the election occurs whenever the government falls (or dissolves itself) thought it must take place by a certain date - but not necessarily on that date.  It is far too early to get into a discussion of what might happen - since we do not yet know which parties will be running (for sure). There  may be some new parties, some parties might drop out and some parties might combine.  Still lots of time.  One thing I would say that we can predict - is that Prime Minister Netanyahu ("Bibi') will want to get his criminal trial resolved before the election.  And he is making significant efforts to do that.

Bibi's trial is progressing, albeit at a relatively slow pace.  But according to most objective commentators that I have read - the trial is not going particularly well for Bibi.  It is highly unlikely that he could succeed in getting a not guilty verdict on all charges.  Anything  is possible - but Bibi and his legal team realize that it is simply far too risky to leave his fate with the judges. Although Bibi and his team of advisors constantly denounce the proceedings and claim that the case against him is "sewn together," "collapsing" and has "no chance," the reality is clearly otherwise.  Parenthetically, I note that many of the comments that Bibi and his team have made publicly about the trial would probably be viewed as "contempt of court" in many other places.

As a result, Bibi and his legal team filed a lengthy pardon request with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog.  Herzog has the power, under Israeli law, to grant a pardon.  However, pardons in Israel have usually only been granted where there is an admission of wrongdoing, a request for leniency and a conviction or the likelihood of a conviction.  Apparently, Bibi's lengthy letter includes attacks on the court system, the prosecution, the investigators and just about everyone else.  In an normal world, this type of request would have no chance of success since it does not involve admission of wrongdoing, contrition or any basis for the granting of the pardon.  

Netanyahu's letter has been characterized instead as a request to stop the trial - not a traditional pardon.  Bibi is essentially saying - "for the sake of national unity, it makes sense to stop this trial against me - even though I would eventually win.  If you do that - I can bring about national unity."  There are many problems with this, obviously.  But some commentators have suggested that President Herzog will agree, even if it does not seem to be an appropriate request.  For one thing, Herzog was elected by the Israeli Knesset as the President with significant backing from Netanyahu.  He is not a particularly strong figure and, quite simply, he may not be able to withstand the pressure that he is facing - from Bibi and his supporters.

To add to the pressure, President Trump has jumped into the fray.  Trump has sent an official letter asking Israel to pardon Bibi and he has raised the issue in several speeches. Just yesterday - at a press conference at Mari Logo in Florida, President Trump called, again, for a pardon.  He said "I spoke to President Herzog and I was assured that it was on the way."  Shortly afterwards - Herzog issued a form of denial (though more of a "non-denial denial" I would say).  In any case, the level of interference here by Trump and other Republicans in a domestic Israeli matter is astounding and I think, unprecedented.

Commentators here believe that Netanyahu is actively requesting Trump's help to get the pardon.  These are desperate moves - but Netanyahu is in a desperate place with his trial.

On balance, I have consistently said that I do not believe that this case will ever get to a verdict. My view was (and is) that it would likely end with a plea bargain of some sort and/or a  pardon.  At this point, it seems more and more likely that President Herzog will grant some sort of pardon to Netanyahu though the details and terms (if any) of that pardon remain to be seen.

Somaliland

As you might know, Israel become the first country in the word, this week, to recognize the country  of  Somaliland, a breakoff Muslim republic which was formerly part of Somalia.  Like many people, I had never heard of Somaliland before.  But the people of Somaliland are thrilled.  They are waving Israeli flags, welcoming Israeli visitors and talking about cooperation in many different ways.  Somaliland is right across the water from Yemen and would provide Israel with some very strategic opportunities to fight back against the Houthis (who were sending missiles to Israel from October 2023 until the cease fire).

Somaliland has apparently indicated a willingness to accept a large number of Gazan refugees, though I am not sure that the Gazans actually want to go there.

It is striking that so many countries have denounced Israel for recognizing Somaliland (Turkey has made some really outrageous comments, for example), even while many of these same countries have recognized "Palestine" - including Canada.  Unlike Somaliland, Palestine does not have a defined territory, an operational government or many of the other trappings of a state that Somaliland has in place.  Turkey, of course, is certainly worried that parts of its territory could form part of "Kurdistan" or Armenia.  And many other countries have their own territorial concerns.  But the hypocrisy is staggering.

Not sure how this is all going to work out - and we do not have any current plans to visit Somaliland.  But who knows?  Maybe one day.  It apparently has some very nice beach front. Maybe Trump will build some resorts there.  

Iran

The news coming from Iran is fascinating. As you have probably seen, there are demonstrations across the country, many calling for the end of the current dictatorship. These are apparently the result of  a massive increase in the  cost of living and huge economic problems in the country.

Meanwhile, President Trump has stated that he would back further attacks on Iran to limit its ballistic missile program or to destroy its nuclear program.  At the same time, President Trump has clearly called for negotiations with Iran to reach a new nuclear treaty.

As I watch some live news now, there are reports that demonstrators in Iran have broken into government buildings and have really increased the level of violence.  The Iranian government is responding with arrests and violence.

Of course, I am not in any position to predict how this might go. But Israel had diplomatic relations with Iran before the Iranian revolution in 1979.  Although the current Iranian regime has been a bitter enemy of Israel - Israelis believe that Iran is one of the best potential peace partners for the future - since Israelis believe that most of the Iranian people do not share the Iranian governments hatred of Israel.  

If there is a regime change in Iran at some point, I believe that the possibilities for peace in the Middle East would advance significantly. 

Gaza

The future of Gaza seems very unclear to me.  According to Trump's ceasefire plan, Hamas was supposed to return all of the Israeli hostages (living and deceased), to give up its weapons and to allow  a new authority to take over and run Gaza.  Although almost all of the hostages have now been returned -there is one left - Ron Gvilli - who is presumed dead - Hamas has not shown any interest in demilitarizing and, on the contrary, seems to be rearming - and trying to reestablish control over Gaza.

Bibi's right wing partners including Ben-Gvir and Smotrich - would like Israel to send more troops to Gaza and take complete control over the entire territory.  On the other hand, the Trump plan calls for an end to the war, for the Israeli troops to leave (over time) and for a multi-national group - to run Gaza (though not Hamas).  

It seems unlikely to me that Trump will give Netanyahu or his coalition any kind of "green light" for further operations in Gaza in the near term- unless Hamas crosses certain lines with actions that it takes.  That being said, I am not sure how Trump is going to bring about the demilitarization of Hamas, the takeover of Gaza by an international coalition etc.,  This remains to be seen.

I should note that several countries including Great Britain, France and Canada have criticized Israel for refusing to allow some agencies to work freely in Gaza.  But as we have seen in the news, many of these "charitable" organizations - like UNWRA - were hosting and supporting terrorists and included members who were involved in the the October 7, 2023 massacres in Israel.  Many of the alleged Gazan "reporters" who were killed during the war were actually terrorists and Hamas fighters disguised as reporters.  Gazan hospitals were also used as Hamas bases - and some hostages were even held in Gazan hospitals.

Qatargate

As if Bibi didn't have enough problems - the Qatargate scandal has gained quite a bit of publicity and attention this past week in Israel.

In short, Bibi apparently had a number of advisors working for him - during the war (and even now) who were also being paid by the Qatari government. One of these was Eli Feldstein, Netanyahu's 

spokesman for military affairs.  Others involved include Yisrael Einhorn, Ofer Golan, and Yonatan Ulrich.

In short the allegations include claims that Feldstein leaked highly confidential intelligence documents to a German newspaper - which would have the effect of helping Bibi to reject calls for a ceasefire.  The leaks also embarrassed the Egyptian government.

As the matter came to light and the Shin Bet was called upon to investigate, Netanyahu fired the head of the Shin Bet and sought to replace him with someone much more favourable to Netanyahu.

Ultimately, Ulrich and Feldstein were arrested and charged and are awaiting trial.  

Feldstein was interviewed last week by Israeli TV  in a three part nationally televised interview (stretching over three evenings in prime-time) where he basically suggested (sometimes explicitly sometimes implicitly) that all of these advisors and Netanyahu knew exactly what was going on, that the actions taken were taken at the behest of Netanyahu and that Feldstein is being made the fall guy for what he did - even though he was serving the country as requested.

I have no way to assess how much of Feldstein's interview was true.  However, it is undeniable that Netanyahu had several advisors working for him who were on the Qatari payroll.  If Netanyahu did not know that they were acting against Israel's interest while working in his office - that would suggest a high level of incompetence for someone who is very much a detail person and stays on top of all of the goings on in his office.  On the other hand, if Feldstein's version is correct, then advisors in Netanyahu's closest circles were actively collaborating with an enemy regime - while that regime was acting as Hamas' agent in the cease fire negotiations.

There is quite a stink here - and it certainly seems to add up to a number of charges of Treason - perhaps running to the very top.  Much more serious than Bibi's current legal troubles.  Perhaps that is why Bibi is so interested in getting a pre-emptive pardon - that shields him from everything.

Threats Against the Supreme Court

This week, Israeli Finance Minister, Betzalel Smotrich, from the far right Religious Zionist party went on a rant against the Israeli Supreme Court and, in particular the head of the Court, Yitzhak Amit.  Smotrich claimed that the Supreme Court has "trampled" the rights of Israelis by making "violent decisions" that deprive Israelis of their rights.  As he result, he said it was time that Yitzhak Amit himself be "trampled."  I am not making this up.  I have seen the interview several times now.  Moreover, a few of Netanyahu's cabinet ministers agreed and and said that Smotrich's calls should be "acted on."  

You cannot spin this in very many ways.  It is completely shocking, unacceptable and extremely dangerous.  A sitting cabinet minister in the Israeli government making death threats against  the head of the Supreme Court.   

The leader of the Democrat Party (an amalgam of the former Labour Party and the former Meretz Party) Yair Golan called for a police investigation and called for Smotrich to be charged and brought to justice.  Not likely to happen at this point  but this was a frightening escalation of the rhetoric by the Israeli far right against the Supreme Court.  Of  course given the steps taken by Simcha Rotman and Yariv Levin, and their proposed Judicial Revolution, these types of comments did not come out of the blue - even though this type of outright threat of violence is a marked escalation.

So far, most members of Netanyahu's party, with a  handful of exceptions, have been remarkably silent in response.

More about the Trump Netanyahu Meeting This Week

I couldn't finish this blog without mentioning some of the lovefest comments that Bibi and Trump shared this week at Mari Lago.  

Trump slathered Bibi with compliments, calling him an incredible leader and saying that Israel might not exist today if it weren't for Bibi.  I'm not even sure that Bibi's most ardent supporters believe that. As mentioned above, Trump also said that he was doing his best to get Bibi his pardon and that had been assured by President Herzog that it was "on the way."

Meanwhile, Bibi called Trump the greatest friend Israel has ever had "by far" and, through one of his ministers, Yoav Kish, on a cell phone call in the middle of the press conference, announced that Trump would be given the "Israel Prize" in April 2026.  This is a prize given annually to an Israeli, regarded as Israel's highest cultural honour.  There are strict conditions - for example the Prize is given to Israeli citizens or Israel-based companies.  It also carries a monetary gift.

Given Trump's successful efforts in bringing about a cease fire, arranging for the return of the hostages, and pushing for broader Middle East peace, it certainly makes sense for Israel to  honour Trump's accomplishments.  But given that the Prime Minister, pushing for the award to be bestowed on Trump, is also actively seeking Trump's support to get a pardon - well the whole thing just seems like a wee bit of a conflict of interest.  (Just a wee bit of course).

Perhaps Trump will also spend some time in Israel during election time, actively campaigning for Bibi.  After all, Netanyahu did whatever he could during the U.S. election to help Trump.

Spreading Anti-Semitism

As you know, anti-Semitic attacks, demonstrations and rhetoric have been spreading like wildfire across the world.  The attack in Australia during the lighting of candles on Chanukah was shocking and devastating.  In the U.S., the language coming from a wide variety of actors in the right - including Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, Candace Owens and even JD Vance is getting ever more frightening.

In Canada this week, as shoppers were headed to the malls for boxing day sales, extremist protestors unfurled Palestinian flags and took over large public areas in several large shopping malls including the Toronto Easton Centre with slogans calling for the "globalization of the intifada" shouted by masked protestors.  This in a country with some extremist anti-Israel (and even anti-Semitic) leaders including Toronto's Mayor Chow and the Prime Minister himself, Mark Carney.

In New York, the city is now headed by a virulently anti-Israel Mayor and the consequences of that election remain to be seen for the Jewish community in New York.  But it is hard to imagine  that the New York Jewish community should feel particularly safe with that type of Mayor.

Jewish communities around the world are facing simultaneous threats from the far right and the far left - collaborating with Jihadist extremist Muslims.  Hopefully, all of these trends will somehow be reversed but it is hard to see when and how this will happen.

Sometimes Israel seems like the answer - a haven for Jews from all of these threats.  At the same time, as I have discussed above, there are growing threats to the viability of Israeli democracy internally and that is also a threat for the Jewish people, in Israel and worldwide.

Sports  

I feel like I have to lighten up things by finishing with a comment or two about sports.

Here are some interesting comments.

First of all, in the hockey world, Israeli defenseman Zeev Buium was traded to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the multi-player package sent to the Minnesota Wild for superstar Quinn Hughes. Buium was born in the U.S. to Israeli parents.  His mother played professional basketball in Israel for a period for of time.  I believe he is already the most successful Israeli NHL hockey  player (if not the only one).  Since the trade, the Canucks have played much better and Buium has been thrown into a very key role for the team.

In NBA basketball, Israeli Deni Avdija is one of the highest all star vote getters so far this year.  He is currently playing for the Portland Trail Blazers and formerly played for Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Israel.  According to reports, Avdija sat out a pre-season game in 2024 to observe Yom Kippur.  This season, Avdija is 15th in the NBA in points per game and 12th in assists.  His Portland Trail Blazers are not tearing up the league with their 14-19 record - but they do have a chance of making the playoffs.

Meanwhile, I am trying to stay on top of the annual world Junior Hockey Tournament - as of this writing Canada was undefeated - with the toughest challenge - a game scheduled against Finland due to take place tonight.  But it is very hard to watch these games in Israel since no sports station carries them. Only through creative streaming solutions - but that assumes I want to watch from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.

I am also looking forward to the NFL playoffs and hoping that the Buffalo Bills will finally get somewhere, especially now that they will not have to play against Kansas City.  (Though there are certainly a number of very good teams in the AFC). Mostly these games are widely televised on Israeli TV and are at a more manageable time.

Flying

El Al has announced massive sales especially for trips to and from Europe.   For North America, they are still quite expensive - and they are still not flying directly to Canada.

As a result, I am taking advantage of the fact that Air Canada has restored direct service to and from Israel.  That will certainly make my life much easier in 2026, assuming that the current cease fires that are in place hold up.

With that, I think I will end my update for 2025 and wish everyone a terrific 2026 - a year of good health, worldwide peace, and all good things.  As usual, I welcome your comments, compliments, disagreements, attacks (within reason) and other input. Happy New Year.

Bibi Requests a Pardon and other Israel Updates November 2025

Prime Minister Netanyahu

It has been about 6 weeks since my last blog and I am overdue to write a bit.  It has simply been a very busy period (which is a good thing).  Unfortunately,  unpaid hobbies have to take a back seat to paid work...

That being said, there are all kinds of interesting things going on here in Israel and I thought I would take this opportunity to write about a few of them.

Netanyahu Pardon Request

As you might have read earlier today, Prime Minister Netanyahu submitted an official request for a pardon to circumvent the  conclusion of his trial.  This is being viewed in Israel as a "legal earthquake," especially by his supporters - who have been towing Netanyahu's line that the case against him has been "falling apart" and he is about to be exonerated. In fact, the submission is carefully  worded by Netanyahu so that he does not directly say he is asking for a "pardon."  He states that for the sake of the country, he is willing to "end the trial and bring about unity in the country" (with all charges dropped and no admission of guilt).  

I thought I would provide some added colour and commentary to this.  First of  all, for those of you who have read my blog sections dealing with the Netanyahu trial in the past, the evidence against Netanyahu is overwhelming (in at least in two out of the three cases).   This blog has stated all along that this case would never wind up with a verdict.  It would either end with a plea bargain deal, a pardon - or worst case (from a procedural point of view) some type of legislated end to the trial. I came to these conclusions because the State had to demonstrate a very high likelihood of getting a guilty verdict before proceeding with the trial and the State, in this case, went through three different preliminary inquiries to do that.  Netanyahu's legal team has tried every trick in the book to delay the trial and especially his cross-examination.  During the actual cross examination sittings, he has had to leave early for every type of reason ranging from urgent State meetings - to - yes - a dental hygienist appointment.  But now that the war is on a much slower burner, the Court has asked to run the trial three days a week and get it finished.  It is nearing conclusion.

Netanyahu's best chance for a favourable plea bargain deal was earlier on - before his cross- examination.  His lawyers apparently submitted a request to open discussions with the State prosecutor's office - but the parties could  not agree on terms.  The State wanted to insist that any plea bargain deal include a term that Netanyahu be convicted of offences including Moral Turpitude (like a felony conviction).  This would preclude Netanyahu from running again for office.  He was unwilling to agree.

Now the trial is getting closer to a conclusion.  Netanyahu's cross-examination is close to ending.  Once it is over, there will be reply evidence from the State - and then closing argument.  Although Netanyahu's team says that the trial would otherwise continue for "years" - this simply does not seem to be the case.  The end is nigh as they say.

So, to use a football analogy - Netanyahu's team decided  now was the right time to throw a "hail Mary" - or since it is Israel - let's call it a "Hail Miriam."  Of course, he sprinkled his request with language that he would rather continue on with the trial until the end and that this is really for the good of the state.  But c'mon - we can easily look past that language.  This is clearly a very desperate move.  Elections are coming up before the end of 2026, Netanyahu's trial is still ongoing - and he and his team know or suspect that they have a very small chance of winning the trial.  

As you may recall, President Trump has become involved personally - by requesting a pardon for Netanyahu on several occasions ("Believe me, I know all about the importance of pardons for innocent, unfairly framed public figures and politicians...")(Okay, he didn't really say that...).  Trump's involvement included the unprecedented step of sending a formal letter from the White House to the State of Israel asking for a pardon.  ("I am asking for a friend....").   The response from the President of Israel was two fold - (1) In Israel - the person seeking the pardon has to submit it themselves; and (2) unlike the U.S. you cannot get a blanket pardon in Israel -  you can only get a pardon where there has been a conviction and/or an admission of guilt.  The Presidential pardon powers in Israel are much more limited than in the U.S.  (I won't get into this at any length now but I will say that anyone with money who always wanted a pardon in the U.S., even a prospective one, probably has the best chance of getting it now under the current administration.....so start setting up those "GoFundMe" pages if you haven't done so yet...).  Although in fairness, Presidents Obama and Biden  also handed out  pardons like Halloween candies....

So Netanyahu was left with three choices.  One was to legislate his trial away.  While some of his partners might have supported this - some wouldn't and it is doubtful he could get a majority in the Knesset for that - even with his "totally right wing" government.  The second choice was to cut a soft plea bargain deal - but the State is not prepared to go along. He has been trying to replace the Attorney General but it is a difficult process  in Israel since there are procedural hurdles to follow.  A friendly AG might be more inclined to give him a better deal.  For now the State still wants there to be a significant conviction as part of any deal.  The third alternative is a pardon.  Generally, under Israeli law, Netanyahu would need to agree or be convicted of some offences to then get a pardon.  So this might form part of a three -way negotiation with the State prosecutor and the President - whereby there would be a conviction and a pardon all as part of a package.  

Should be very interesting   But I continue to maintain that there will never be an actual verdict in this trail - other than a negotiated one.  And I do now say that the end of  this trial, one way or the other, will come before the next election, scheduled for October 2026.

Ultra Religious Military Exemption

As the next election approaches, the ultra-religious have been clamouring to take advantage of their current position in government - and get a law that exempts most if not all of the ultra-religious from the army.  This has been a major issues for quite some time in Israel.  I am not going to get into extensive detail - perhaps that is for another blog.

In short, together with the founding of the State, Israel's first Prime Minister Ben Gurion entered into an agreement that a small number (I think it was 15,000) of  the most committed ultra-orthodox students would be granted a military exemption  to continue  their studies for the sake of Judaism and the State.  Much like the state might exempt  certain exceptional athletes, artists, musicians  or other incredibly talented people in different disciplines (even though these people generally still serve in the army).  However, over the years - the numbers exploded and the ultra-orthodox came to view the deal as meaning that none of them are obligated to go to army.  Their numbers have climbed disproportionately and the army needs manpower (and womanpower).  And other Orthodox Jews serve in the army - even claiming that they are required to do so by Jewish religious law - to defend themselves.

The Supreme Court of Israel has ruled on several occasions that the State cannot exempt all the ultra-religious as this would be unfair - to the rest of Israelis.

This whole issue  has been a hot potato since the ultra-religious form a significant part of Netanyahu's coalition and  are demanding a new exemption bill as a condition of supporting Netanyahu.

So this week, one of Netanyahu's Ministers, Boaz Bismuth, presented a "Draft Bill" that more or  less makes it possible  for most ultra-religious to avoid army service.  The problem is that even Netanyahu's own Likud members do not seem willing to support the bill, let alone some of the other coalition partners.  It may be that the whole government will  collapse over this issue - and this will send the country to the polls ahead of schedule. Perhaps this is how  Netanyahu would like things to happen - so that he can partially run against the exemption bill - even though his own government is proposing it.  Or perhaps he will run and say that he tried to pass it but needs even  more right wing support from the Haredim to be able to do so.  Hard to say.

War Picture

Although things in Israel are on a  "slow burn" in terms of all  of the conflicts, nothing is really settled.  Hezbollah is trying to rearm and rebuild in the North  while Israel is trying to help the Lebanese establish a government  without Hezbollah and with some level of stability.  There have been skirmishes in the north and things could develop into more significant fighting at any time.

Likewise, Syria is very unstable.  They are not in any position to open large scale fighting with Israel (unless backed by Turkey or  Iran) but the instability may well lead to hostility.  Israel is very much hoping that Syria can reach some level of stability and then perhaps everyone can  try to move to a deal whereby Syria joins the  Abraham accords.  I am not sure whether this is a fantasy at this point in time  but let's hope that it is something possible that is getting closer.

Iran is "rebuilding" and hoping to rearm and making threats to "completely destroy Israel" the next time around.  So until the Iranian regime falls and is replaced by something that actually cares for its citizenry, Iran is  likely to be an ongoing threat to Israel and to the rest of the word.

Gaza

Reports from earlier today state that Hamas is consolidating its power over many areas of Gaza, collecting taxes and reestablishing its authority.  Part of the Trump deal was that Hamas would not run Gaza and that international authorities would ensure that this was the case.  But no international bodies are coming forward and Hamas is trying to rearm. Some voices in Israel are stating that Israel may have to completely occupy Gaza in order to replace Hamas with an authority that can run the strip in a way that is conducive to a long term peace arrangement.

Judea and Samaria

Meanwhile, there are reports of quite a bit of unprovoked violence by residents of Judea and Samaria (referred to by some as the "West Bank.").  My blog is not part of  "hasbara" and I call a spade a spade.  Those who are launching unprovoked attacks against Palestinian residents in Judea and Samaria - are basically Jewish terrorists.  Sorry if you don't like the language.  In my view, they should be arrested immediately and subject to the full weight of the law. Perhaps it is not surprising that these things are taking place since the current Minister for Police Affairs - Itamir Ben  Gvir - is himself an extremist who was deemed unfit for military service.  It may only be that with a change in government - the State will take proper action to stop these attacks.

Increasing Tourism

Since the end of the war (or the pause  in the war, if you prefer), more and more airlines have resumed flights to Israel and more and more  tourists are arriving.  We had an incredibly warm November - with temperatures in the range of 28c (83F) through most of the month.  Apparently, many tourists arrived, which was great for the economy and  for the mood in the country.  I hope that we will be able to continue with this relatively stable situation and that more and more tourists will arrive - and enjoy the many wonderful things that there are to see and  do here.

Direct Flights

Air Canada has  now been flying direct between Tel-Aviv and Toronto and will soon expand to include Montreal.  I will be taking advantage of one of those  flights tomorrow on my way back to Toronto.  Interestingly it is now 12 hours and  10 minutes  from Tel Aviv to Toronto.  I am quite sure that it was closer to 11 hours 30 minutes when the Dreamliners first started flying from Tel-Aviv to Toronto.  Not sure why it is longer now but I'm fairly sure that I remember correctly.

As you may have heard, Air Canada  is changing its Aeroplan system effective January 1, 2026, and making it much more difficult for many  people to gain frequent  flyer status.  Essentially, they are moving to a system that will  be based almost exclusively on dollars spent rather than miles flown.  So for those  of us who mainly fly back and forth between Toronto and Tel-Aviv - or other similar long distance commuting trips - it will be very difficult  to get the same status.  

I am hoping that I will make Air Canada's "Super-Elite" status by December this year - but that will probably be the last year I can do it - unless there is some other dramatic change.  Unfortunately, there are no better  options - since El  Al  is not flying direct to Toronto  and I would  prefer to  avoid transferring if I can.  I have had  no choice since October 2023 but I am now thrilled  to have an option to fly direct, even if it is a  bit more expensive.

Worldwide Anti-Semitism and Anti-Israel Activism

Given that there are only  about 15-16 million Jews in the world and more  than a billion Muslims, it is perhaps not surprising that the Jewish State of  Israel is very unpopular around the world. That is not to say that Israel does not have Muslim friends - in fact the Abraham accords have demonstrated that  several Muslim countries are happy to be friendly with Israel - and we hope that will be the case for more and more of the Muslim world.

But there are certainly a percentage of Muslims that fall into the extremist camp - and many of those seem to have emigrated to various countries around the world and are now supporting  and advocating for anti-Semitic and Anti-Israel policies.

Since October 2023 - Toronto has seen all kinds of outrageous anti-Jewish acts including attacks and vandalism on schools, synagogues, Jewish owned stores, restaurants and businesses - and demonstrators in Jewish residential neighbourhoods - and all kinds of other actions including "encampments" at universities.  Generally, this has all been met with silence by anti-Israel Mayor Chow (who just last week raised a Palestinian flag at City Hall - but refuses to attend the annual Walk for Israel event).

Much of this has also taken place all over the U.S. and in many other countries.  It's astounding that New York City, the city with one of the world's largest Jewish populations (think Warsaw before World War  II) has now elected a pro-BDS, anti-Israel mayor.  Frightening.

While it is easy enough to blame Israel and its current government, I don't think that "blaming the victim" is the proper approach to dealing with extremists. These "demonstrators" who cover their faces and shout violent slogans, take over universities and other public property - should be arrested and punished.  The constitutional right to protest does not include the right to harass, to advocate violence or to "occupy" public and private places and certainly does not include the right to commit acts of vandalism and violence. At a minimum any "encampments" or "demonstrations" in inappropriate places should immediately be broken up and cleared - wherever they occur.

Chanuka Coming - Donuts Are Here

As I have written in some past blogs - the big sign of Chanuka approaching is the sudden appearance of every possible kind of donut across the country.  Donuts with every possible topping, filling and colour. We don't really have any Chanuka decorations and certainly no "Chanuka bushes" (I think that is mostly limited to the U.S.) but we have donuts everywhere.

Interestingly, potato latkes (which always represented Chanuka for me as I was growing up) are not nearly as ubiquitous as donuts.  I guess neither of them are particularly healthy - but I have always had a soft spot for fresh latkes. Both of  my grandmothers (z"l) used to spoil me (and my siblings) whenever they had the chance by whipping up a batch - seemingly an unlimited quantity.  My mother also knew how much we loved them and would make them from time to time - especially during Chanuka. Maybe I will get a chance to make some for my parents while I am in Toronto this time (I tend to make a bit of a mess but my cooking is pretty decent).

Here in Israel, it falls on me and my wife to make them now - which we enjoy doing once or twice a year. One batch of spicy Yemenite latkes with hot peppers and "hawaij" a curry type mixture - and one batch Ashkenazi style with matza meal, salt, pepper and maybe a bit of sugar and baking powder.

We will probably buy a few donuts since neither of us feel like deep frying a batch of donuts.

Recommendation of the Day for those Visiting Israel

Hula Valley  Nature Reserve

I thought I would end this blog with a special recommendation. If  you are in Israel between November and March  - there is one activity that I would strongly recommend as something that is truly amazing.  Israel is home to the Hula Valley Nature reserve - which is a massive bird sanctuary in northern Israel - near Kiryat Shemona.  Hundreds of thousands of migratory birds  stop here on the way from Europe to Africa.  Many of them are European Cranes but there are also a range of other types of birds including flamingos, European Hoopoes (Israel's national bird) and all kinds of other birds. 

The sanctuary offers a special mini-bus tour that holds about 40 people per bus, booked  in advance, and takes place starting about an hour before sunset.  (There is also a sunrise tour - but I haven't been on that one). The bus is cut in half so that all forty people are facing one side.  The tour takes people behind the scenes to areas  where the public is generally not allowed.   You are able to see  thousands of birds arriving in the area for the evening.  It is an amazing spectacle.  We have had the good fortune of  doing this twice - including once in November 2025.  Both times, I can only say that it has been awesome and I am ready to go again any time.  (Including with visitors - we will be happy to take you if you would like to join us).

I appreciate that there are many more things to write about, especially since I haven't been writing as often.  But I am going to call it a day for now and say that I hope to see many of you  soon - whether in Toronto, Israel or elsewhere in the world.

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Deal Has Been Signed - Hostages Are Coming Home

I was in the local convenience store this morning, getting a few items that we  had forgotten earlier.  We were talking with the cashier - who said - "it is the first day in two years that he has actually seen several people smiling."  And that about sums up the type of night we had - with the news about a cease fire that has been reached.

In my last blog, I wrote that we were hoping for a deal soon.  That was in July.  Here we are, more than three months later, and we seem to have finally reached some sort of deal that will see the return of all of the live Israeli hostages and an end to this current war with Hamas, at least for now.

I have not had the chance to go through the deal in detail yet - I am not sure it is even available in full.  However, I think we can take several key points from the detail:

1. All of the live hostages will be returned immediately, as early as Sunday or Monday of this week, all at once. No more deals of releasing one or two a week or anything like that.  This was apparently not something that Hamas had been willing to agree on earlier - though I am not sure anyone really knows.

2. In return, Israel will release some prisoners from its jails (these are mostly, if not all, convicted murderers and terrorists  who have killed or tried to kill Israeli civilians).  However, Israel (for now at least) won't release some of the highest profile prisoners (like Marwan Barghuti) and won't return the bodies of Yahyah Sinwar or Mohammad Def. 

3. Many of the subsequent details have yet to be agreed upon.  However, Israel will pull back its troops from some of their current positions and Hamas will agree that a new - international supported entity will take over the administration of the Gaza Strip - even though that may take time to implement.

4. President Trump used his extraordinary influence (or whatever else) to get Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and others onside. I don't think we know what he promised each of them at this point, though I am quite sure that it is something significant. It remains to be seen how harmful these promises may turn - some articles claim that Trump agreed to supply Turkey and Egypt with new, very sophisticated military airplanes.  Apparently, there are also stronger assurances of defence for Qatar - though I am not sure Qatar has agreed, in exchange, to stop sponsoring worldwide terrorism.

I am sure that more details will emerge in the coming days.  For now, we are hoping that the initial phase goes ahead as planned and that the 20 hostages will come home alive and that they can be rehabilitated.  Many of them have probably been tortured, starved and suffered all kinds of injuries, physical and psychological.  Israel is also seeking the remains of the other 28 hostages who were captured but Hamas is claiming that it only has 13-15 of those bodies at this point.

I am definitely concerned about the prospect of terrorist attacks - in Israel and around the world at Jewish sites in the coming days - especially with so much of the BDS and terror supporting crowd opposing this deal.  I hope that our security forces here and around the world will be on full alert and will prevent or minimize any such attacks.

Meanwhile in Israel, the deal itself still has to approved by Israel's cabinet, which is expected to take place tonight.  By all accounts, it is anticipated that the deal will pass by a significant majority.  Cabinet ministers Ben-Gvir and  Smotrich still have not announced their positions, but they may well oppose the deal.  However, this will not bring about the fall of the government, since there are enough votes to pass the deal and keep the government in power, for now.

What's Next:

Israel is due to have elections by October 2026.  It is unlikely that Prime Minister Netanyahu would ever be in a better position to win an election than he would be shortly after the return of all of the hostages and so there is a strong prospect that elections will take place earlier.

There is one "little" problem - Bibi's criminal charges.  One option is  a plea bargain deal.  However, I don't believe that the State Prosecutor is prepared to recommend a deal that Bibi could live with - i.e. the dropping of all the charges - or a guilty plea to some very inconsequential offences.   The Prosecution continues to insist that, at a minimum, Bibi plead guilty to offences that are deemed more serious under Israeli law and would bar him from running for office for 7 years, even if he avoids jail time.

An alternative would be a pardon from the President of Israel - Isaac Bougie Herzog. Up until recently, President Herzog maintained that he would not grant an unconditional pardon.  However I believe that Herzog may now be willing to provide one under conditions that are much less severe.  In other words - we could see a guilty plea of some sort, combined with a pardon - that would free Netanyahu to run again.

Ultimately, once Netanyahu has received a pardon - he may be willing to leave public office at some point.  I believe that he would like to first secure a peace deal with Saudi Arabia - but that is pure speculation on my part.

Many Israelis, a large majority according to many polls, would like to see a  full public inquiry into what happened on October 7, 2023 - with every issue, every failure and every event subject to full examination.  Only with this type of inquiry will we be in a position to address security issues and strengthen our borders and our military readiness. For now, Netanyahu has strongly opposed this type of inquiry.

Other Stuff to Mention

There are so many things that I could write about since so much has been taking place.  But I have been very busy - with personal celebratory events (thankfully), with work and with many other things.  We are in the midst of the last holiday of the holiday season - the holiday of Sukkot - which is also known as the "time of our happiness."  It culminates in the holiday of Simchat Torah - the "Rejoicing of the Torah" but that is also the day on which the horrible massacre of October 7th occurred.

Our Rosh Hashanah was a bit more low key than usual with a few of our family members out of the country.  Days later, we conducted our Ra'anana Yom Kippur tefillot (prayer services) outdoors in one of the family's backyards - with about  50 participants.  It was intimate, inspiring, participatory - and particularly comfortable (weatherwise this year). Yom Kippur, the day of  awe, is  actually quite awesome in Israel - to see the country come to a complete standstill - other than people taking the streets to walk or bike around.  

We were a bit slow off the mark to get our Sukkah put up - but we managed to stop by the  annual Ra'anana sukkot market - buy a lulav set with an etrog - that we could wave around in all the different  directions - and now the sukkah is ready for an event or two.

Around the World

The news of all kinds of outrageous anti-Semitic and  anti-Israel activity around the world is simply shocking.  

In Canada, our extremist Prime Minister (yes it is fair to call him extremist on this issue) has recognized a Palestinian State - without negotiations, borders, concessions, terms....  In fact, just a year prior, the House of Commons voted down such a step.  But the Prime Minister did not put it to a new vote. Prime Minister Carney, bolstered by some even more extremist cabinet ministers, like Minister Anita Anand, has joined the ranks of some of the most extreme anti-Israel world leaders - in places like Ireland, Sweden, Spain and Turkey.  I think one can only say that this is frightening, sad and very concerning about where Canada might be headed in the future. And do not think that this is only an issue affecting Israel and the Jewish community. Supporting Muslim extremism can have disastrous long term consequences in a range of other issues.

There were several demonstrations across Canada by pro-Hamas agitators mixed together with extreme leftists (those in the Syd Ryan /CUPE camp) - in support of the October 7, 2023 massacres - and very little outrage, that I saw, other than from the leader of the opposition Pierre Poilievre and a handful of others.  Imagine widespread demonstrations across the U.S. or Canada in support of the 9/11 attacks. Or commemorating the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in a positive way.  That is what we are talking about.

In a North York High School, on October 7, 2025, the two year anniversary of the October 7, 2023 massacres, Earl Haig High School played the Canadian national anthem - "Oh Canada" on its speaker system in Arabic.  Yes this is true! The principal explained that this was organized by a  student group, that they were commemorating "Islamic Heritage Month" and that they didn't know it was related to October 7th.   Give me a break!  It's obscene.  Simply obscene.  A celebration of, indeed, an encouragement of  the terrorism that took place on October 7, 2023. 

We have seen attacks on synagogues, Jewish high profile figures, university students and other Jews and  Jewish institutions all over the world since October 2023 - even while leaders in some places - rail on about "islamophobia."  This is simply unjustifiable.  I hope that countries like Canada and  others will take steps to assure the safety of their Jewish communities in the face of these vile activities. But often, these issues require leadership from the top. We need leadership that will make it clear that  these types of activities - from shutting  down universities to vandalizing Jewish owned businesses - to protesting outside synagogues are not permitted and  will stopped. And the perpetrators will be prosecuted, fully.

I hope that the current deal will  bring about a change for Israel and for its friends and allies around the world.

Sports News

I can't write one these blogs without a few sports comments.

First of all, Israel will be playing Norway and Italy on Saturday night and Tuesday night respectively in World Cup qualifying games.  These are crucial games if Israel is to have any chance of making it to the World Cup. There has been a great deal of pressure on FIFA from anti-Israel countries and some football players to try and expel Israel from FIFA.  But to date, FIFA has rejected these demands.  Israel's chances of qualifying are still quite low - since Norway is a very strong side but I think that it is fair to say that these are some of  Israel's biggest football games in quite a while.

Last night, as I was watching  the breaking news from Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt and Washington D.C., I was also watching the Blue Jays clinch a trip to the MLB American League Championship Series - a best of seven semi-final - with the winner going to the World Series.  It was super exciting and I am hoping that I will be able to get to an ALCS or even a World Series game in the coming weeks.

While this is not sports news - I wanted to mention that those same anti-Israel  protagonists -  especially Ireland and Spain, have been clamouring to kick Israel out of the annual Eurovision song competition.  Fortunately, Germany and a few others have apparently stood up to this pressure and  refused to given in to this anti-Israel sentiment and kick Israel out.  So as of now, Israel will participate in the 2026  Eurovision contest - Israel placed second last year - winning a large majority of the popular vote

Airline News

Air Canada is scheduled to restart direct flights to Israel today - almost as if they knew that this is when the war would end.  I always believed that Air Canada (unlike so many other airlines) would only begin flying when there was a cease fire deal.  Now there is one - and perhaps Air Canada will now be back on track with regular direct flights.

There is so much more to write but my time is limited. I wish everyone a Chag Sukkot Sameach. Hoping that the deal with proceed, that the hostages will be returned and that the war will end and usher in many years of expended peace with all of Israel's neighbours.

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