Category: News Letter

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 22 September 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



PRE-ISRAELI ELECTION DEBATE IN ENGLISH

Lay of the land and TbT (Truth be Told) have invited speakers from the major political parties to participate in a panel debate to be held on Monday the 28th September, 2026 at 7.00pm at Beth Protea, 5 Asher Barash street, Herzliya. There will be a nominal entrance fee (NIS 20) for non-Beth Protea residents. To register or for more information contact:
David Kaplan: 050-7432361 or hildav@netvision.net.il , organizer and debate moderator.
Peter Bailey (TbT) : 054-2663051 peteyb4@gmail.com



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 14-17 September 2026
(Click on the blue title)



Lay of the Land’s ‘Photo Pick’ of the Week

UNTOLD STORY

This is how Israel’s story is NOT told… and stopped from being told!

Contrived Coverage. He made TIME 100 list for his coverage in Gaza but when Israeli hostages were beaten in front of a camera on October 7, 2023, Gazan photojournalist Motaz Azaiza (above) withheld publication of the footage. Admitting in a podcast interview, he ignored Israeli victims to protect Gazan killers.




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

“ONLY DULL PEOPLE ARE BRILLIANT AT BREAKFAST”

Deconstructing Pretoria’s Latest International Court of Justice (ICJ) Submission.
By  Yoram Blumstein

Whatever the ‘Case’. Who takes a case (or manufactures one) and against whom to court without credible evidence? Answer: South Africa’s ANC government and against the Jewish state. Siting insights from Oscar Wilde, the writer lays out the whys and hows.

“ONLY DULL PEOPLE ARE BRILLIANT AT BREAKFAST”
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

FROM ‘BURNING BUSH’ TO BURNING QUESTIONS

How will Mount Sinai – the symbolic birthplace of the Jewish nation – being transformed into an Egyptian government megatourism project alter this sacred landscape?
By Motti Verses

Inclusion or Erasure? The writer raises the question of how a megatourism project at the place where Moses received the 10 Commandments and which serves as a cornerstone for Western civilization and global morality, might record the Jewish narrative to this sacred site.

FROM ‘BURNING BUSH’ TO BURNING QUESTIONS
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

MAHSA’S MURDER

Why Mahsa Amini’s death still matters – especially this year.
By Marziyeh Amirizadeh

Regime Change. For the writer, Mahsa’s murder is personal, triggering traumas of her own experience as a prisoner sentenced to death in Tehran’s Evin Prison. Iranians, she asserts, aren’t calling today “ …for tweaks or talks; they’re demanding the end of this evil theocracy.”

MAHSA’S MURDER
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com






While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 15 September 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 07- 10 September 2026
(Click on the blue title)



PRE-ISRAELI ELECTION DEBATE IN ENGLISH

Save the date

Lay of the land and TbT (Truth be Told) have invited
speakers from the major political parties to participate in a panel debate
to be held on Monday the 28th September, 2026 
at Beth Protea, 5 Asher Barash street, Herzliya.
There will be a nominal entrance fee (NIS 20) for non-Beth Protea residents.
To register or for more information, contact David Kaplan
050-7432361 or hildav@netvision.net.il , organizer and debate moderator.



Lay of the Land wishes its Jewish readers around the world
G’mar Chatimah Tovah
May your fast be easy and your new year filled with peace and renewal.




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

PRETORIA’S GENOCIDE CASE DID NOT BEGIN AT THE ICJ

In line with the company the ANC keeps, Pretoria reached its political verdict first – the legal campaign followed.

By Shaun Schutte

‘Making up’ its Mind. When SA decided to file a case of “genocide” against Israel at the ICJ in
2023 less than 3 months after the October 7 massacre, was it a ‘case’ of proceeding
in law of pursuing politics? The writer breaks it down.

PRETORIA’S GENOCIDE CASE DID NOT BEGIN AT THE ICJ
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

FAKING THE FIGURES

The first casualty in South Africa’s presented ‘casualty figures’ are the figures themselves.
By Kenneth Moeng Kgwadi

To Sum Up. Journalists, international bodies and governments rush to use casualty figures provided by Hamas without scrutiny. It is hardly surprising, asserts the writer, that the inflated numbers advance a terrorism agenda.

FAKING THE FIGURES
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

MR. PRESIDENT, YOU ASKED WHEN THE IRANIAN PEOPLE WILL RISE UP. THEY NEVER STOPPED FIGHTING

The blood of Iranians nationwide attest to endless defiance and resilience.
By Marziyeh Amirizadeh

Is our Blood invisible? If the US president can ask the question “When are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?” the writer fires back in response, “Where is the world when we do and die?”

MR. PRESIDENT, YOU ASKED WHEN THE IRANIAN PEOPLE WILL RISE UP. THEY NEVER STOPPED FIGHTING
(Click on the blue title)



(4)

BEHIND BARS TO LAP OF LUXURY – EXCLUDING JERUSALEM

Buildings designed to prevent people from leaving are being transformed into places where guests pay considerable sums to get in.
By Motti Verses

Behind Bars. While once bars kept prisoners in, today bars are serving drinks to paying guests in prison-converted hotels. Will this global trend reach Jerusalem where its centrally located police HQ and detention center seems to resist the lucrative temptation?

BEHIND BARS TO LAP OF LUXURY – EXCLUDING JERUSALEM
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com






While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 06 September 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 31 August – 03 September 2026
(Click on the blue title)



HAPPY NEW YEAR

In these challenging times for Jews both in Israel and throughout the Diaspora, Lay of the Land wishes all for the coming year a safe and peaceful year free of hate and harm.




Lay of the Land’s Image ‘Photo/Image Pick of the Week‘

THE UN – “UNimaginable”!

In a rare display of sentiment towards Israel, visiting UN ambassadors from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific to Israel were moved to tears at Nova site with Gambia’s envoy expressing that the visit helped him understand Oct. 7, while Fiji’s ambassador offered engineers to help rebuild Gaza border communities.

U.N. ambassadors embrace Sarah, a survivor of the Oct. 7 massacre, during a visit to the Nova memorial site. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

HAMAS’S WAR ON GAZA’S CHILDREN

Gazans describe the machinery of indoctrination and coercion and why it will endure while Hamas remains armed.
By Andrew Fox

Today’s Kids, Tomorrow’s Killers. What hope of a future peace with a Hamas leadership that trains today’s kids to be tomorrow’s killers! Seen here is a typical Hamas summer camp for ‘boys’ in the Gaza Strip.

HAMAS’S WAR ON GAZA’S CHILDREN
(Click on the blue title)




(2)

THEY CAME, THEY BUILT, THEY LEFT – JEWS AND ZIMBABWE

ASK WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOUR COUNTRY
Statement by Mqondisi Moyo

Short Saga. Why did the Jews leave Zimbabwe, and will they ever return? The answers that plague the country are addressed in a statement by the President of the Mthwakazi Republic Party, Mqondisi Moyo. 

THEY CAME, THEY BUILT, THEY LEFT – JEWS AND ZIMBABWE
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

TYRE OVER TIME

Lebanon’s UNIFIL Resort Town on the Brink
By Motti Verses

Hot Spot. Sustaining this Lebanese coastal resort’s economy are not tourists but soldiers serving in UNIFIL. While the beach beckons, it’s not sea shells but military shells that tragically characterizes this ancient city – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

TYRE OVER TIME
(Click on the blue title)



(4)

DECODING ISRAEL’S POLITICAL LANDSCAPE

Why the forthcoming election on October 27 must bring a change of leadership to Israel.
By Neville Berman

Stop the Rot. How do we end up with “unqualified party hacks as cabinet ministers,” and a “government of mediocracy” asks the writer, revealing how the “system that produces an Israeli coalition government is totally rotten.”

DECODING ISRAEL’S POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com






While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 30 August 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 24–27 August 2026
(Click on the blue title)




Lay of the Land’s Image ‘Photo/Image Pick of the Week‘

OLD PILLAR, NEW DESIGN

While Israel’s kibbutzim and moshavim have shed many of its iconic founding structures, October 7reveals that the core fundamentals of ‘social bonds’ and ‘community identity’ remain deeply resilient.

Circulating this week on Jerusalem Post online,  this image of members of all ages taking part in festive celebrations earlier this year at Kibbutz Hukok in the Lower Galilee, captures that enduring spirit and preservation of values. (Photo: MICHAEL GILADI/FLASH90)




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

THE GHOULS FEEDING ON HIND RAJAB’S DEATH

An IDF investigation has produced no verdict and no new evidence of guilt. The online mob is exploiting the tragedy for clicks anyway.
By Andrew Fox

Carrion Call. Literally feeding off the dead, the moment the criminal investigation was announced, a
a malicious media called it as an admission of guilt designed – asserts the writer – “to trick”
news consumers into confusing “suspicion with conviction.”

THE GHOULS FEEDING ON HIND RAJAB’S DEATH
(Click on the blue title)




(2)

THE RAMAPHOSA / PEREZ MEETING–PATHOS OR POLITICAL OPPORTUNISM?

What truly lies behind the much-publicized meeting between South Africa’s President and the Rabbi parent of a SA-born Israeli soldier killed in the war in Gaza?
By Peter Bailey

Mixed Messaging. Endangering Jews globally by maligning the Jewish state with dangerously false accusations of genocide, SA president, Cyril Ramaphosa meets with Rabbi Doron and Shelly Perez, parents of slain son, Daniel, killed in action on the 7 October, 2023.

THE RAMAPHOSA / PEREZ MEETING–PATHOS OR POLITICAL OPPORTUNISM?
(Click on the blue title)




(3)

WORDS AND DEEDS MATTER: THE ALARMING RISE IN STOCHASTIC ANTISEMITISM IN SOUTH AFRICA

Is a Jewish presence in South Africa inextricably tied to the Israel-Palestine conflict, which has led to localized harassment?
By Yoram Blumstein

Disturbing Question. In the face of rising anti-Israel sentiment in South Africa, is it still safe for Jews
in South Africa – outside the protective safe zones – to visually identify themselves in public?

WORDS AND DEEDS MATTER: THE ALARMING RISE IN STOCHASTIC ANTISEMITISM IN SOUTH AFRICA
(Click on the blue title)



(4)

ELUL, REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS

Elul reminds us that repentance is not only about regret for past shortcomings but choosing a better direction for the future.
By Jonathan Feldstein

Taking Stock of one’s Self. Currently in the Biblical month of Elul, we examine where we have been, where we are going, and how our actions align with our values with each morning the Shofar blowing to awaken the conscience as we prepare for judgement.

ELUL, REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS
(Click on the blue title)




LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com






While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO)..

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 23 August 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 17–20 August 2026
(Click on the blue title)




Lay of the Land’s Image ‘Photo/Image Pick of the Week‘

ADOLESCENCE ALTERED

October 7 shaped their adolescence. Now they will be voting for the first time come 27 October, 2023 Over 640,000 first-time voters – shaped by pandemic, war, and social media – are poised to play a decisive role.

How will Israel’s young impact this October 27, three years after October 7, 2023?
(Credit: Masha Zur-Glozman/ Haaretz)




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

MAKING PEACE TO MAKE WAR

Israelis love to fantasize about eating humus in Damascus. However, fantasies turn into fiascoes when they collide with fiendish reality.
By Jonathan Feldstein

Peace or Pause. For this writer, this week’s headlines “could have come from headlines of the year 628 with Mohammed’s “Treaty of Hudaybiyha.” How do you make peace with enemies whose aim is biblically embedded to buy time in order the attack later when stronger?

MAKING PEACE TO MAKE WAR
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

AMERICA, BEWARE OF THE ISLAMISTS IN YOUR BACKYARD

What I see is what I fear: How can American’s be so blind?
By Marziyeh Amirizadeh

Voting in Vipers. “As a grateful and proud American, I weep as I see a trend happening in the US that echoes the naïve ignorance that paved the way for the rise of the Islamists in the country of my birth,” laments this writer who immigrated to the US after being sentenced to death for the crime of conversion.

AMERICA, BEWARE OF THE ISLAMISTS IN YOUR BACKYARD
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

NEVER STOP LOOKING

The State of Israel goes to great lengths to retrieve its soldiers, whether alive or dead.
By Lennie Lurie

No Rest until Laid to Rest. The crew of INS Dakar, the Israeli submarine that was lost at sea in January, 1968, is pictured here at Portsmouth Naval Base, England, ahead of its first voyage to Israel which she would never complete.

NEVER STOP LOOKING
(Click on the blue title)




LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com







While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO)..


Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 16 August 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 10–13 August 2026
(Click on the blue title)




Lay of the Land’s Image ‘Pick of the Week‘

“YOUR’E IN EUROPE HERE, GO AWAY”

It says much for Europe today when Irish tourist (below) said this to a Jewish couple inside a French supermarket followed by: “You get the f** away from me before I put a f**ing bullet in your head?”

Inside a French supermarket this week an Irish tourist who initially introduced himself to an Australian Jewish couple as “Paddy from Ireland,” made hateful remarks saying he was sorry Hitler hadn’t “finished the job” after a conversation turned political. He proceeded to threaten the couple with violence when they began recording the encounter.
(see: https://x.com/AustralianJA/status/2087326866562834566/video/1)




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

HANGAR OF HORROR TO GATES TO HEAVEN

I did not want to talk about it; so now I’m writing about it – my visit to Camp Shura in central Israel.
By David E. Kaplan

From Hell to Heaven. This young rabbi who had never seen a dead body before October 7 was suddenly thrust into a situation that he was totally unprepared for – the arrival of dead Jews “by the truckload.” Hearing firsthand of what played out at Shura, one can understand why 3 years later, the tears still flow from the teller and listeners alike!

HANGAR OF HORROR TO GATES TO HEAVEN



(2)

BEYOND MEMORY: PRAGUE’S LIVING JEWISH HERITAGE

Despite its complex millennium-long relationship with its Jewish community, Prague today actively preserves, honors, and celebrates its profound Jewish heritage.
By Motti Verses

Poignant Prague. The Altneuschul in Prague’s Jewish Quarter is the oldest preserved synagogue in Europe. Of all the places the writer has travelled,  “there is only one where I have truly felt that Judaism is not merely tolerated, but genuinely respected, cherished and embraced with warmth: Prague.” Discover why.

BEYOND MEMORY: PRAGUE’S LIVING JEWISH HERITAGE
(Click on the blue title)



(3

MENSCHESKEIT, MITZVOT AND THE JEWISH SOUL IN TIMES OF WAR

A sensitive reflection on Jewish ethics, Derech Eretz, preserving life, and how living by Torah values can help protect mental health even in times of conflict.
By Bev Moss-Reilly

Soul Searching. “The soul of a people is tested not only by how it suffers, but by how it behaves when it has the strength to act,” asserts the writer. Beyond the ritual and law, what characterizes Jewish life   is menscheskeit, Read and learn more.

MENSCHESKEIT, MITZVOT AND THE JEWISH SOUL IN TIMES OF WAR
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com






While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 09 August 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 03 – 06 August 2026
(Click on the blue title)



Lay of the Land’s Image ‘Pick of the Week‘

THE ‘NEW’ – NEW YORK

It may look the same but does it feel the same?

Beneath the Veneer. New York City holds the largest Jewish population of any city in the world outside of Israel, with over 1 million Jewish residents living within the five boroughs. They came as immigrants to escape; are they going to leave again for the same reason?




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

THE MORAL DECAY OF THE WEST

Are we seeing the decline of Western values?
By Rolene Marks

Fearing the Future. If “You can tell a society is in moral decay by the way it treats its Jews,” asserts the writer, then what does it say about crowds in cities across the world that “before the bodies were cold,” on October 7, 2023,  gathered to celebrate the worst mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust?

THE MORAL DECAY OF THE WEST
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

WORN DOWN BY WAR

A Jewish perspective of ‘anticipatory grief’, loss and mental health during war.
By Bev Moss-Reilly

Fearing the Worst. The dread that sits in the chest when “a loved one is at the front”, when “a mother keeps checking her phone”, or when “a father looks at the door and wonders who will walk through it next.” Anticipatory grief is exhausting and a way of daily life in Israel.

WORN DOWN BY WAR
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

ROTH’S WRATH AT JUSTICE DENIED

Arnold Roth’s 25-Year fight for justice for his daughter’s murder and accountability for a Hamas terrorist.
By Jonathan Feldstein

Downtown Devastation. Among the dozens killed was 15-year-old Malki Roth whose father, Arnoldhas has not ceased to bring the mastermind of his daughter’s murder – a resident of Jordan – to justice.

ROTH’S WRATH AT JUSTICE DENIED
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 02 August 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 27 – 30 July 2026
(Click on the blue title)



Lay of the Land’s Image ‘Pick of the Week‘

HE STOOD OUT BECAUSE HE STOOD UP – BOLD ‘BOY GEORGE’

Under fire, a rare stand-up in the entertainment industry for Israel

Refused to be Silenced. British musician and songwriter Boy George faced backlash after releasing a reggae-style song called, “We Will Dance Again” (a reference to the slogan of October 7 Nova Music Festival), that opens with the lyrics:
“You say genocide / I say war / When you’re attacked / That’s what the army’s for /
Did it get ugly? You bet it does / When I know you want to kill every last one of us.”

He continues:
“You never mention October 7 / Young girls raped against trees /
Murdered brutally / For the crime of dancing
When asked earlier this year, whether he would turn his back on his Jewish friends, Boy George replied:
“ That is not going to happen – it will never happen.”




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

EXPLOSIVE EXPOSÉ

What is the connection between the bombing of the King David Hotel 80 years ago and Moshav Gan Ner in Northern Israel?
By David E. Kaplan

Painful Past. Marking 80 years since the bombing of Jerusalem’s iconic King David Hotel, brought back memories for the writer of an old interview with a British lord, illuminating how out of destruction, emerged construction.

EXPLOSIVE EXPOSÉ
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

COLLAPSE OF THE BLOOD LIBELS

Every pillar of the genocide accusation against Israel has crumbled. The institutions that built it have suddenly lost their voices.
By Andrew Fox

Same Old, Same New. One by one, the multitude of menacing voices accusing Israel of “genocide” and other alleged crimes have been discredited as false or fabricated revealing bias, antisemitism or both.

COLLAPSE OF THE BLOOD LIBELS
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

ISRAEL MUST CHOOSE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

The coming elections offer Israelis an opportunity not merely to choose another government but to reaffirm the national commitment to the values on which the state was founded.
By Prof. Uriel Reichman

Founding Values. As Israelis prepare to go to the polls in October, the writer cautions that “the question before them is about far more than who will form the next government.” It is about the kind of Jewish state Israel intends to be!

ISRAEL MUST CHOOSE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com






While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 22 July 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 13 – 16 July 2026
(Click on the blue title)

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 20 – 23 July 2026
(Click on the blue title)




Lay of the Land’s Image ‘Pick of the Week‘

A FAIR SHAKE

More than shaking hands, it could be a real shake-up towards peace between Israel and Lebanon.

Marking the first visit by a Lebanese president to the White House in more than 17 years, will Joseph Aoun’s upbeat
meeting with a jubilant Donald Trump on July 21, 2026, herald a genuine path to peace
between Israel and Lebanon?  (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)





ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

HERZLIYA CONFERENCE MESSAGE – TIME TO TRANSITION

Failures leading to October 7 followed by poor policies since, necessitate a switch in direction and a ditch of leadership.
By David E. Kaplan

Saving the State. Maj. Gen. (Res.) Prof. Amos Gilead (r) interviews retired Supreme Court President Aharon Barak at the 2026 Herzliya Conference, who delivers a stark warning about the state and fate of Israeli democracy, relying now on the public – come elections – to salvage the situation.

HERZLIYA CONFERENCE MESSAGE – TIME TO TRANSITION
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

THE ANTISEMITIC GOSPEL ACCORDING TO REDI TLHABI

Relocated to the US, a popular South African journalist switches media platform to further outreach her antisemitism.
By Lawrence Nowosenetz

‘UPFRONT’ in her Prejudice. Working for her new boss Al Jazeera in the USA, SA journalist Redi Tlhabi is more than happy to propagate an antisemitic narrative evidenced by her postings like “…the Israeli lobby uses money and power to control the US and its lawmakers.”

THE ANTISEMITIC GOSPEL ACCORDING TO REDI TLHABI
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

OBSTRUCTION AND OBFUSCATION

Where is the global outrage at new UN finding of Hamas’ obstruction of humanitarian aid?
By Kenneth Moeng Kgwadi

Daylight Robbery. Late to the game, the UN finally admits in a statement that international aid trucks are being hijacked and vital provisions stolen by “armed personnel affiliated with Gaza’s de facto authorities”   – code for Hamas – and are also assaulting aid workers.

OBSTRUCTION AND OBFUSCATION
(Click on the blue title)



(4)

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO LORDS

An Israeli visiting London while war rages in the Middle East.
By Sidney Victor Kaplan

Having a Field Day. From a cricket test at Lords to a Bach concert at the Wigmore Hall, the writer discovers while visiting London that you can leave Israel but Israel never leaves you.

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO LORDS
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).





Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 12 July 2026

Like this content? Please share and tweet it to your friends and followers.

To subscribe via email please send a mail noting your request to: layotland@gmail.com 
Please visit/ join/follow our social media platforms:

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LotLSite/

X (Twitter): Lay Of The Land – @layoftheland5

Also available on YouTube @The Israel Brief  – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.



What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF – 06 – 09 July 2026
(Click on the blue title)



Lay of the Land’s Image ‘Pick of the Week‘

“CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE”

US vs Iran – Round 3 at the heavyweight bout in the Gulf

Wheelers and Dealers. “I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum,” a bruised Trump told reporters earlier
this week – until the next round!  Meanwhile Israelis are waiting for the siren and the mad dash for shelter.
(Photo: AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, REUTERS/Stringer)




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

50 YEARS SINCE ENTEBBE AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONNECTION

Recalling the Entebbe rescue brought back memories of the heroism of two South Africans in Israel’s ‘The Great Escape’.
By David E. Kaplan

Out of the Blue. From personal interviews with South African participants, the writer weaves an insider’s take of the monumental events of a daring 1976 rescue mission that mesmerized the world and defined the Jewish nation.

50 YEARS SINCE ENTEBBE AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONNECTION
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

CALL THE MIDWIFE

When they are needed the most, Israeli nurses and midwives are always by your side, providing innovative solutions.
By Rolene Marks

‘Labor’ of Love. Imagine the mixed emotions of bringing a child into the world having lost your husband in war. Enter Lilly and Meirav and the Israeli Midwives Organization providing special support for IDF widows and women suffering stress throughout pregnancy and childbirth.

CALL THE MIDWIFE
(Click on the blue title)




(3)

A PESSIMISTIC PRESCIENCE

Willing to take, but not to give – have the ultra-Orthodox in a post October 7 world overplayed their hand?
By Stephen Schulman

A Bridge too Far. Storming the Chords Bridge in the entrance to Jerusalem, ultra-orthodox men have drawn
battle lines that are dividing the nation. “Learned in the ways of the Torah and Talmud but blind to the
realities of living in a hostile Middle East” have the ultra-orthodox rabbis gone too far?

A PESSIMISTIC PRESCIENCE
(Click on the blue title)



(4)

THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, MILITANT ISLAM AND QATAR

The power of money to influence, corrupt and ultimately erode the liberal western way of life.
By Neville Berman

Nefarious Network. A disturbing inside look, inter alia, at Qatar’s “holy” world and its “‘All in the
Family” syndicate waging global Jihad and state-sponsored terrorism upon a vulnerable
and gullible world dependent on oil and gas.

THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, MILITANT ISLAM AND QATAR
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

To unsubscribe, please reply to layotland@gmail.com







While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).