Commentary Magazine

Ilan Ramon and the Words That Soared
Reflecting on the legacy of the man who sanctified God from the heavens.
Featured Essays

Moshe Dayan’s Tragic Blunder
The worst decision in Israel's history still has extremely negative effects today.

Look On Our Works, Ye Mighty
How Percy Bysshe Shelley's “Ozymandias” is an oddly perfect Hanukkah poem.

The Prime Minister and the Minyan
Among Israel's founders, only Begin sensed the key role that tradition would play in the future Israeli society.

A Nation Under God: Jews, Christians, and the American Public Square
Jews, Christians, and a “Nation under God."
Explore More

When Moses Went Through DeMille
Cecil B. Demille's great film reminds us that Moses’s story is one of family loyalty…

Thanksgiving Was Born From America’s Struggles
The history of the Pilgrims, the early Republic and the Civil War shaped a holiday…

The Wedding Canopy in Abu Dhabi
There's no better symbol for the Abraham Accords than a remarkable Jewish wedding in Abu…

The Meaning of a Yom Kippur Prayer
Kol Nidrei, one of the most awe-inspiring and misunderstood parts of Jewish liturgy, dramatizes the…