Israel history

Editor's Notes: Kibbutzim are showing Israelis how to bridge the religious divide

“We do not have the privilege of refusing to work together, even when we disagree. If we learn how to do that, we will do good for all of Israeli society," a Kibbutz leader told me.

A SIGN points to Kibbutz Kissufim, and a yellow car is a reminder of the struggle to return the hostages.
Eilat Lieber, director and chief curator of the Tower of David Museum, stands in the site of the Kishle, which is currently being excavated.

Inside the dig that peeled back 2,000 years of Jerusalem history

 Golda Meir, Israel’s first and only female prime minister, led through a small circle of senior advisers known as ‘Golda’s Kitchen’ from 1969 until 1974 – an exception in a political system where women’s authority has remained limited and largely isolated.

Visible everywhere, powerful nowhere: The paradox facing Israeli women in 2026 - analysis

Edouard Cukierman at the GoforIsrael 2023 Investment Conference.

History is happening in 'Israel Valley, The Technology Shield of Innovation' - book excerpt


Israeli archaeologists uncover remains of dramatic mountaintop royal palace

“It sheds light on the architectural style and the function of the site, which is not mentioned by Josephus, our only historical source for the period,” Dr. Raviv, director of the excavation, said.

The dramatic mountaintop site rising 650 meters above the Jordan Valley

My Word: Remembering Israel's assassinated prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, 30 years on

Yitzhak Rabin’s legacy has been eroded over the past three decades, but the lesson about the dangers of political extremism must not be allowed to die.

A RALLY IN 2015 at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv marking 20 years since the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin.

New digital archive gives global access to Israel’s archaeological treasures

The Israel Antiquities Authority has launched a new database holding over three million historically significant records.

An intricately decorated 1,700-year-old ceramic oil lamp adorned with symbols linked to the Jewish Temple and discovered on Jerusalem's Mount of Olives, displayed in Jerusalem on Dec. 26, 2024

New Knesset Museum opens, showcasing a modern interactive experience with the past

The museum was built within the old building of the Knesset, also known as the Froumine House, which is located on King George Street in Jerusalem’s city center.

New Knesset Museum.

Commemorating Herzl’s vision: Reflections on his legacy and values - opinion

Theodor Herzl’s vision and values, as expressed in his writing, imagine a different Israel than we have today.

 ACTIVISTS HOLD copies of the Declaration of Independence in the Knesset gallery to protest against the Nation-State Law in 2018. Herzl’s values compel us to scrutinize the law, which undermines the equality of non-Jewish citizens, the writers maintain.

Celebrating Lag Ba’omer, a heroic chapter in Jewish history - opinion

During Bar Kochba’s revolt against the Romans, a terrible epidemic struck Rabbi Akiva’s students, and 24,000 men lost their lives. The epidemic suddenly stopped on Lag Ba’omer.

 The real festivities begin when a huge bonfire is lit at midnight on Lag Ba'omer.

New Ben-Gurion Airport exhibit showcases 3,000 years of Jewish history

Travelers at Ben-Gurion Airport can explore Israel’s rich 3,000 year history with a new archaeological exhibition that will be open until 2026.

A stone from the western wall is rolled through Ben-Guiron Airport.

On This Day: David Ben-Gurion won Israel's first election

The elections were not for the Knesset, which did not exist yet, but for the Constituent Assembly, a body tasked with formulating a constitution for the emerging state.

 Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion.

Grave of Kfar Etzion pioneer rediscovered 80 years after her death

The grave of Tziporah Eliash, a Kfar Etzion pioneer, was buried with her daughter in the cemetery that saw many heart-wrenching funerals, including the Convoy of 10 and the Convoy of 35.

Grave of Tziporah Eliash in Kfar Etzion cemetery.

Not just gelt! Coins belonging to second king of the Hasmonean dynasty in miraculous discovery

Dr. Shay Bar, Dr. Yoav Farhi and Dr. Mechael Osband, who led the excavation, discovered the 80/79 BCE-style coins on Friday - the third night of Hanukkah.

Researchers unearthed 160 coins belonging to the second king of the Hasmonean dynasty from a Hanukkah-era excavation