Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Under the widely accepted International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, those opposed to the existence of the one Jewish state of Israel are antisemitic. It also calls those who impose a double standard when it comes to Israel’s actions as being antisemitic as well. Since the IHRA definition was created in 2016,…

Around ten years ago, I had the privilege to interview the late, great Charles Krauthammer. I traveled to Washington to meet the legendary figure, and it is the personal conversation we had after the interview that has stayed with me. I have had the good fortune to interview many famous individuals, but Krauthammer remains one…

The tattooed number on Jerry Wartski’s arm has become slightly dull after eighty years, but it has not faded. Nor have the memories of the inferno he survived during the years of the Holocaust. Around the globe, Holocaust survivors and Jewish communities around the world others gathered this past April 24 on Yom HaShoah to…

As we approach the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s term, it’s essential to acknowledge the complexity of the challenges the president faces. While some express optimism, others have concerns. Rather than focusing on party affiliations, let’s recognize that America and the world need meaningful change. This includes economic reform, resolving conflicts in the…

The decision by the Israeli Cabinet to fire Shin Bet head Ronen Bar is a proper decision as Bar himself admits to a massive error in judgment that led to the disaster of Oct. 7. Bar admits to having received alerts including Hamas changing their cellphone sim cards and other preparations by members of the terror…

With the spotlight on the Middle East, including talk of refugees from Gaza, Syria and elsewhere, there is little memory of the tragic story of the Jewish refugees from the Levant. In 1948 there were 856,000 Jews living in ten Arab countries. Today there are fewer than 3300. Only seven Jews remain in Syria, a…

As he prepares to be confirmed the next United States ambassador to Israel, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee visited the Ohel, the resting place of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, in Queens, N.Y., on Sunday, March 23. A long-time friend of the Jewish people, Huckabee and his wife, Janet, prayed at…

As horrible as Simchat Torah was in 2023, falling on October 7 that year, Yom Kippur two weeks earlier was also a tragedy. That was the day Jews physically fought other Jews in Tel Aviv over how to organize a public prayer service in the large central Israel city. The lesson of both Yom Kippur…

It is a privilege to study at a college, university, graduate school or professional school in the US. Non-citizens afforded this opportunity are indeed fortunate. Although many of the institutions of higher learning tout their devotion to academic freedom, the current scenes on campus bear no resemblance to genuine critical thinking and the civil exchange…

Evangelical Christians and some in the Jewish community are pushing the United States to recognize Israeli sovereignty over around 60% of Judea and Samaria (which some call the West Bank), land that is currently referred to as Area C under the Oslo Accords and is under Israel’s control. Though U.S. President Donald Trump has not…