Our deepest beliefs, like paranoia, might have surprising roots in our most basic senses. A new Yale study suggests this connection, finding that individuals with stronger tendencies toward paranoid thinking (the belief that others intend them harm) and teleological thinking (ascribing excessive meaning and purpose to events) struggled with a simple visual task. When asked […]
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The Ghost of Rachel in the Nile Bar and Grill Thoughts on Torah Portion Va-Yigash (retold, 2025) ©Rabbi Mordecai Finley A swirling eddy of pain, love, loss, regret, resentment, hope, reconciliation – core experiences of human beings – forms into the vortex of this week’s Torah portion, Vayigash. Joseph was the uneasy […]
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On Thursday, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Human Resources Division released the casualty data for the IDF for the years 2023-2024. Since the beginning of the Iron Swords War against Hamas in Gaza, 891 IDF soldiers from the regular (mediatory) service, reserve service, and permanent/career reserve combined, and 5,569 have been wounded. These figures include […]
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2024 has been a year of unprecedented antisemitism on both sides of the Atlantic, manifesting on elite campuses, the halls of international justice, diplomacy, civil society and across social media. The list could have extended to 100 or more. Beyond #1 which is Iran’s genocidal axis of evil, the 2024 list highlights the growing normalizing […]
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Since its inception, the religious dictatorship in Iran has never been entangled in such numerous and complex crises. Widening social divides, absolute poverty affecting two-thirds of the population, unprecedented inflation, systemic corruption, and the collapse of its international standing are all indicative of the regime’s deep internal and external erosion. According to statistics, 596 executions […]
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Scientists are investigating two-dimensional (2D) materials—single-atom-thick sheets with potentially unique electronic properties—to develop more efficient electronics. Stacking two of these sheets at specific angles can create novel properties like superconductivity. University of Groningen materials scientist Antonija Grubišić-Čabo and her team studied such a “twisted” material and found its behavior contradicted theoretical predictions. Together with colleagues […]
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Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered how to neutralize bacterial defense systems, facilitating the transfer of genetic material between bacteria. This finding could lead to new tools for combating antibiotic resistance and improving genetic manipulation techniques for applications in medicine, industry, and environmental science. PhD student Bruria Samuel led the study from the lab […]
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There were many moments in the Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown,” that took my breath away: the performances, the music, the memories of my youth that shook and stirred me. But, there was one moment in “A Complete Unknown” that did something else with my breath. It caused me to hold it — for just […]
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While studying abroad at Tel Aviv University during his junior year at Stanford, L.A. tech entrepreneur Tyler Hochman met and worked with former members of Israel’s elite 8200 Unit, an IDF intelligence division known as a prolific incubator of tech startups. Hochman was impressed to see the tight intersection between military service and entrepreneurship, which […]
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While marriage or long-term relationships are often considered the norm, more people are choosing to remain single throughout their lives. However, this can lead to economic and health-related disadvantages, particularly in later life when individuals may become more dependent on others. New research in Psychological Science reveals that lifelong singles have lower scores on life […]
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