I came to Israel for a few weeks. The usual stuff — family, business, etc. Then a war happened. And so did history. And here we were. From Purim to Pesach to Shavuot, weeks became months. In Jewish tradition, this is not simply a calendar sequence. It is a journey.

The festivals — the regalim, the pilgrimage moments — are not isolated events but stages of transformation. Between Pesach and Shavuot lies the counting of the Omer, a daily act of reflection meant to move a people from liberation toward responsibility, from survival toward purpose. This year, that ancient rhythm unfolded against something far less timeless: war, uncertainty, and a world shifting beneath our feet.

Living Inside Jewish Time

Purim tells the story of an existential threat emerging from Persia — a moment when Jewish survival hung on courage, clarity, and improbable reversal. This year, the echoes feel uncomfortably literal. History does not feel like memory. It feels present tense.

By Pesach, Israel moved through another passage — not from slavery to freedom, but through grief, resilience, and a national insistence on continuity. Families gathered while reservists rotated home between deployments. Children sang ancient songs while sirens and headlines reminded us that Jewish history rarely grants separation between........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)