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☆ Opinion | Is the Internet the Enemy of Progress?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Ross Douthat | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

But it’s 29 years old, written when the true internet era was still just a gleam in Al Gore’s eye. You could further argue that the passage predicted the Great Stagnation that Tyler Cowen identified in 2011, the productivity slowdown and disappointing economic growth that followed the initial 1990s-era internet boom. Writing for Quillette, he argues that globalization and homogenization have reduced cultural competition in roughly the way that the “Lost World” passage describes. It’s not just that we’re forgoing opportunities to improve our macro cultures. Shouldn’t we expect that macro cultures, when selection is weak, will drift into dysfunction just as firm cultures do?

Persons: Marc Andreessen, Michael Crichton’s, Crichton’s, Ian Malcolm, ” Malcolm, Al, John, Tyler Cowen, Malcolm, Crichton, Robin Hanson, It’s, Hanson, ” Organizations: Benetton, Western, George Mason University Locations: Bangkok, Tokyo, London, Al Gore’s, John Hammond’s, Davos, South Korea

Most Jewish men are required to serve nearly three years in the military, followed by years of reserve duty. Netanyahu asked the court Thursday for a 30-day extension to find a compromise. Israel’s Channel 12 reported Friday that the state provides only 7.5% of all funding for the institutions. “Without the Torah, we have no right to exist," said Yitzchak Goldknopf, leader of the ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism. But the powerful bloc of ultra-Orthodox parties — longtime partners of Netanyahu — want draft exemptions to continue.

Persons: —, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, David Ben Gurion, Anshel Pfeffer, Israel's, “, ”, Aryeh Deri, Haredim, Yitzchak Goldknopf, NETANYAHU, Benny Gantz, Netanyahu — Organizations: JERUSALEM, Jewish, Haaretz, Shas, Cabinet Locations: Gaza, Israel, Jewish

☆ Domestic Politics Drive Divisions Between Biden and Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Cassandra Vinograd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Relations between President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel appear to have sunk to a new low, with both men pressed hard by domestic politics and looming elections. Mr. Netanyahu, however, allowed his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, to remain in Washington for talks. In a recent interview, Mr. Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, accused Mr. Biden of tacitly supporting Israel’s enemies. Mr. Biden called it “a good speech” without endorsing the call for new elections. But Mr. Biden is far more popular in Israel than Mr. Obama was and a serious break with Washington would deeply undermine Israel’s security and its future.

Persons: Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Mr, Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Nadav, Ben, ”, Yahya Sinwar, “, ” Mr, Biden “, Smotrich, Chuck Schumer, Washington, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton —, Obama, Aaron Boxerman Organizations: Security, West Bank, Mr, Palestinian, U.S . Congress, Israel, United, Washington Locations: Gaza, United States, Washington, Rafah, Israel, New York

☆ Israeli cabinet members say they oppose Ultra-Orthodox conscription plan in threat to coalition government
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Mick Krever | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Tel Aviv CNN —Two of the three members of Israel’s war cabinet signalled their opposition to government proposals on the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox men into the military, setting up a potential collapse of the government coalition. An outline of the Israeli government’s plans for reforming the exemption emerged over the weekend, but it appears as though the government will once again attempt to delay that legislation. “I will not be a party to any proposal that is not agreed upon by all parts of the coalition. Malach said that “there is a high chance that the Supreme Court will say that it’s not acceptable.”A longstanding debateIsrael has, since its founding, exempted Haredim from mandatory military service. In 1998, the Supreme Court ripped up the longstanding exemption, telling the government that allowing Haredim to get out of conscription violated equal protection principles.

Persons: “, Yoav Gallant, ” Gallant, Benny Gantz, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Gantz, –, Netanyahu –, ”, ” Gilad Malach, Malach, Haredim, Knessets, Netanyahu, Gallant, ” “ Organizations: Tel, Tel Aviv CNN, Israeli, ”, CNN, Channel, Kan, “, National Unity, Israel Democracy Institute Locations: Tel Aviv, Washington, Israel

☆ Why ultra-Orthodox conscription could threaten Israel’s coalition
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Mick Krever | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In Israel’s nascent days, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion agreed with Haredi rabbis to exempt from military service 400 men studying in religious schools, or yeshivas. Now, those piecemeal attempts to maintain the Haredi exemption may be running out. When the government came to power in late 2022, forming the most right-wing coalition in Israel’s history, the Haredim sensed an opportunity. The Israeli military has had a significant number of soldiers wounded in Gaza and has instituted massive call ups. It’s no longer just politics.”A delicate momentSome in the Haredi political leadership, perhaps recognizing the delicate political moment, have been generally cautious in defining a position.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ” Yohanan Plesner, David Ben, Gurion, Israel –, Haredim, Knessets, IDI, Yoav Gallant, ”, Netanyahu, – Benny Gantz, –, ” Gantz, Plesner, ” Moshe Roth, Ofer Shelah, Yitzhak Goldknopf, Ari Kalman, “, doesn’t, Bnei Brak, Roth, Nechemia, it’s, It’s Organizations: CNN, Israel Democracy Institute, IDI, Israel’s, Institute for National Security Studies Locations: Israel, United States, United Kingdom, Gali Baharav, Gaza, Bnei

☆ Gaza War Is Shifting Ties Between Secular and Ultra-Orthodox Israelis
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Patrick Kingsley | Natan Odenheimer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In a neighborhood of Jerusalem, ultra-Orthodox Jewish residents cheered a soldier returning from military service. At a religious seminary, similarly devout students gathered to hear an officer talk about his military duties. The Hamas-led attack on Israel last October has prompted flashes of greater solidarity between sections of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish minority and the secular mainstream, as fears of a shared threat have accelerated the integration of some of Israel’s most insular citizens. As Israel’s war in Gaza drags on and Israeli reservists are called to serve elongated or additional tours of duty, long-simmering divisions about military exemptions for the country’s most religious Jews are again at the center of a national debate. Unusually high numbers have expressed support for or interest in military service, according to polling data and military statistics, even as the vast majority of Haredim still hope to retain their exemption.

Organizations: Hamas, Jewish Locations: Jerusalem, Gaza, Israel, Israel’s

☆ An Israeli City Where Compromise and Division Swim Side by Side
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Patrick Kingsley | More About Patrick Kingsley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Religious difference often drives tension in Israel, not only between Israelis and Palestinians, but also among Jews themselves. For months, the plan has provoked arguments among families and neighbors and drawn hundreds of thousands of mainly secular Israelis into protests. The demonstrations have grown to include a wide swath of society, bringing scientists, businesspeople and military reservists into the streets. Secular and ultra-Orthodox Jews often live in separate areas, with their children educated in separate school systems, generally allowing each community to live by its traditions. And in some cases, people actively embrace a fusion of cultures: Singers from religious backgrounds increasingly play at secular venues to mixed audiences.

Locations: Israel

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Persons: Dow Jones Locations: israel

☆ Britain's Orthodox Haredi Jews wary of state intrusion in education
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Jonathan Saul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

This special faith-based education is profoundly important to Hamilton's strictly Orthodox Haredi Jewish community, which numbers 80,000 in Britain. All children in Britain from the age of five must be in full-time education. "Every child has the right to a safe and suitable education," said a spokesperson for the Department of Education. Underlying the tensions at play between the community and secular state, the government's educational standards office Ofsted, which inspects schools, said in 2021 the school's secular curriculum was too narrow. "Hear our pain and our deep request to leave us alone to allow us to keep our identity," said Rabbi Herschel Gluck, a Haredi community leader.

Persons: Yossi Hamilton, Asher Gratt, Randall Hardy, Flick Drummond, Elyon, Peter Cziborra Hamilton, Hamilton, Shakeel, Rabbi Herschel Gluck, Jonathan Saul, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Jewish, Conservative, Department of Education, REUTERS, Ofsted, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, England, Israel, British, Birmingham

An official in Netanyahu's office played down concerns, saying: "The prime minister along with the finance minister intend to pass a responsible budget in the coming weeks that will serve all Israelis. "The finance clerks don't understand Haredim," ultra-Orthodox lawmaker Yizhak Pindrus told Kan radio. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the funds would fix years of injustice toward the Haredim, whose children often are packed into derelict classrooms. Government figures already forecast Israel's economic growth will ease in 2023 from 6.5% in 2022 to about 2.7% and down from the 3% forecast in January. "Netanyahu has sold Israel's economy and our children's future in order to stay in power," said opposition leader Yair Lapid.

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