“I wish that I had hope, but it’s been destroyed.” A young Israeli woman reflects on her relationships with her Israeli Arab and American Jewish peers.

Israel from the Inside with Daniel Gordis · Sep 8, 2026 · 42m

It was around a Shabbat table a few weeks ago that today’s guest, Tamar Frank, and I got to talking. As we chatted, she shared her experiences in a program designed to build bridges between Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews, as well as at a well-known American summer camp. She attended both programs hoping to foster connections across ethnic lines in Israel and across the ocean with Jews abroad.

What she discovered is that it was much harder—perhaps even impossible—than she had imagined.

As we gather at this season to formulate our hopes and prayers for the coming year, it is critical to…