For all of us, the year 2020 has been like no other, no less so for those of us working to bring you the news from Israel. Sitting at my desk I have often wondered if readers have been so occupied with politics and pandemics that Israel and the fate of the Jewish people has been pushed to the back burner.
And yet, Israel Today’s readership is way up after transitioning to our fully digital magazine with close to 5 million sessions in 2020.
Live Meetings
We knew that many of you have been at home, so we began a series of Members Events bringing you live discussions on what’s happening in Israeli politics, society, and the Jewish world. We even launched a Book Club for our Members.
Our most popular Members Events were the Virtual Tours Around Israel lead by Sharona Limon, who gives us fascinating insights in the culture, history, and biblical context of some of the most important sites in Israel. Our most popular tours last year were “Magdala By the Sea: At the Crossroads of Jewish and Christian History” and “Tour of Caesarea-Philippi Banias: Who Holds the Keys to the Kingdom. On our next tour scheduled for February 9th, we will visit the Judean Desert and around the Dead Sea and take a look at the life of David before he become king.
Our exclusive “Chat With a Former PLO Terrorist” and how a devoted Muslim is now fighting for Israel and the Jewish nation was especially appreciated.
All Members Events including tours are recorded and can be accessed here.
New events are updated on our Home Page and in our free Newsletter Summary which you can sign up for on the Home Page or at the bottom of free articles.
The Bible and Corona
With everyone talking about it, we expected that some of our most popular reports would be on the coronavirus. But here at Israel Today, “As you read the Bible in one hand and the news in the other,” our most popular reports for 2020 were atypical.
- “What the Bible Says to Us in Times of Corona”
- “Are the Prophecies About Coronavirus True?”
- “Are There Jewish Prophecies About Coronavirus?”
Of course we kept you up-to-speed on the latest news from Israel on the pandemic as well as all “the news that others omit” like:
Messiah at Hand?
Understanding the times we live in is a big part our DNA here at Israel Today. Our journalists and reporters live and work here in Jerusalem and around the country with decades of experience in what’s happening on-the-ground in Israel and the Jewish world.
Jewish prophecies and predictions about the Messiah were a popular subject with our readers this year, and understandingly so as all of us, Christians and Jews, are trying to get a grasp on what in the world is going on lately! One of our goals is to give our readers a glimpse into what Israel’s leading rabbis think about the Messiah and how the future might unfold, though our staff may not necessarily support their perspectives.
These articles were read by hundreds of thousands of readers in 2020:
- Israeli Rabbi Say He’s Already Holding Meetings with the Messiah
- Top Rabbis: Look at the Signs, Messiah is Coming!
- Top Rabbi: Messiah’s Name Will Soon be Revealed
- Earthquake Hits Israel and Other Strange Passover News
“Everything is political”
This is a favorite saying here in Israel, where pragmatism rules. It’s like the rabbinic saying, “Without bread there can be no Torah.” Israeli politics are always important to Israel Today readers as we understand that Israel, Jerusalem, the Land, and the Jewish people are crucial to the very future and well-being of humanity. Our seasoned journalists provide us with up-to-date insights and clarity into the oft confusing world of Israeli politics, often with a biblical or spiritual perspective.
Here are some popular titles:
Israel’s Political Divide: A Battle for the Soul of the Nation – Can Israel continue to be a Jewish State in a post-modern world? The stakes are high, and the battle is raging for the future of Israel and her Zionist hopes.
The Supreme Court Vs. the Jewish State – Israel’s (secular) Supreme Court is threatening to undermine the national homeland for the Jewish people.
Analysis of Historic Agreement Between Israel and the UAE – How the UAE has opened the floodgates, from our new and youngest Israeli journalist.
A few more that caught peoples’ attention in 2020:
Beating Antisemitism with a Drum – Exclusive interview with a centenarian Holocaust survivor that struck a chord in readers’ hearts.
Islamic Cleric: “The Quran proves that Eretz Israel belongs to the Jews” – How Islamicists are fighting for the Jewish people’s right to Jerusalem and the Land of Israel
EXCLUSIVE: In the Name of the People of Israel – Is Israel to be “like all the nations”? Are the foundations of what it means to be a Jew in Israel being undermined?
Methuselah’s Edible Offspring: Ancient agriculture is alive and well in Israel
Many of these reports are exclusive for Members Only. If you haven’t already, perhaps now is the time to join us?
While you’re here, try using our Search feature by clicking on the magnifying glass at the top right-hand corner on any page in our site. You will find archives going back many years with information and reports on culture, archeology, faith, Middle East conflict and just about anything that has to do with Israel that you are interested in.
We love to hear from our readers with your ideas and comments. Please write to us with suggestions for articles and how we can serve you in the coming year, or visit us on Facebook page and leave a comment or message.
Shalom and peace on Jerusalem and all Israel in this New Year.
