In our social-media era, emotions set the tone. That is why the discourse around the crisis between Ukraine and Russia has been so wrought with emotion. We see this in efforts to find the faintest of personal connections to an acquaintance originally from Ukraine, insults directed at Russia's President Vladimir Putin, and criticism of those who did not leave the scene of the fighting in time. As this discourse tends to be rather shallow, it is easy to miss a few significant points.

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Westerners are barely able to understand Putin's actions. Those who are not well-versed in the Russian rhetoric Putin uses – for example, his talk of Moscow acting to "de-Nazify Ukraine" – would be surprised by the offensive, which is aimed not just at Ukraine but at everything he sees as Western aggression. Those unfamiliar with the terminology of Mother Russia, Putin's previous moves, or the systematic way in which he has been annexing Ukraine through military and civilian means since 2014 would indeed be stunned by the current invasion.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shown himself to be highly conscious of the power of media in the campaign. His conduct has bolstered both the sense of the righteousness of the Ukrainians' path as well as his will to fight for his citizens. Zelenskky has also succeeded in enlisting other countries to fight alongside him. He has not disappeared from the world stage. Every day, he releases new video clips in which he addresses his fellow fighters. He relays these messages in Ukrainian and English.

Zelenskyy has encouraged Ukrainian citizens to share video clips, interviews, and images that depict what is transpiring in the country and the blows they are delivering to Russian forces, but also those that show Ukrainians at their most vulnerable, with the rest of the world. He is not ashamed to, on one hand, show his unwavering patriotism and ability to stand up for himself, and on the other hand, explicitly say he needs help to fight the violent, Russian side.

In contrast to the inexperienced president, Russia's leader has been largely silent.

Zelenskyy's conduct led Western countries to stand unconditionally as a complementary force for a country that is fighting mainly with traditional weapons like tanks and missiles on the battlefield and Molotov cocktails in the streets. It does not have advanced cyber weapons, sophisticated intelligence, or nuclear capabilities to our knowledge.

This is the first time that Western states have so clearly come together to support one side in a war and used nearly all of the economic tools at their disposal to send the clear message that they mean business. US President Joe Biden and the West were initially disparaged for making clear they would not be sending any troops into Ukraine, but critics are beginning to understand that they have launched a new kind of campaign that has the potential to bear fruit.

In the war for hearts and minds, in particular, a war that is being conducted in accordance with the West's "Hollywood" view of there being one weak side and one strong side in a conflict, Zelenskyy's strategy is working big time. As proof, see the enlistment of an increasing number of world leaders in support of Ukraine and the mass rallies around the globe in support of Kyiv. In the battle for hearts and minds, Russia has already lost.

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Several days ago, the world welcomed the year 2022. In Israel, there was no shortage of celebrations, with many calling the holiday Sylvester. However, for over a million of us, this is the holiday of Novy God ("New Year" in Russian).

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I was born in Israel and studied at a girls' religious school, and the civil new year was never part of my world. Because we, the Jewish people, have Rosh Hashanah. I remember my mother, who made aliyah from Moldova in 1978, and my father, who immigrated from Latvia in the 1980s, were very careful to preserve this outlook.

The story of Novy God was seemingly never my story. My identity was always Israeli and at home, we only spoke Hebrew. Even my siblings, who were born in Moldova, are completely Israeli.

Moreover, as an elementary student, I remember my mother "suddenly" developing a Russian accent. Later, of course, it turned out that as a nurse she trained other nurses who immigrated to Israel, and the course was conducted in Russian. Throughout my young adulthood and today, the Israeli society will label me as Russian, a label that I always avoided. Only years later I understood that I was given to me because "Israelis" thought I looked "Russian."

In the last 10 years, I find myself more and more preoccupied with questions of identity. One such persistent question is to what extent pieces of my Russian identity fit into my fully Israeli identity? To what extent is the Russian language which I acquired throughout the years part of my and my parents' identity?

Novy God has become an event that allows me and many others to bridge the gaps in our identities. The holiday enables us to take the "Israeli" identity and the "Russian" identity of our parents and see how they co-exist and enrich each other.

On Novy God, I always listen to my mother's stories of how this holiday was the only non-Communist holiday in the Soviet Union. It was a holiday that was celebrated in every republic, where families gathered to eat traditional foods like herring and Olivier potato salad. It was a day full of joy and free of worries – a rarity in Soviet times.

This tradition has been reborn in Israel as well. On Novy God, we raise a glass and watch celebratory programs broadcast on Russian television.

When mother asks to sit with her and raise a glass and watch a Russian concert, it is not something "gentile," and certainly it has nothing to do with "Sylvester." It is rather a family experience and a chance to connect to my Israeli roots that made it possible to celebrate in a Jewish state, as well as to my parents' homeland.

And no, we never had a Christmas tree at home. S novym godom!

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On Saturday, Jan. 1, when the world welcomes the secular New Year 2022, a new kind of celebration will be held in Israel for the first time: Novy God Shabbat.

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Kibbutz Ein Tzurim, a religious kibbutz in southern Israel, will welcome immigrants from the former Soviet Union who want to mark the traditional Novy God holiday while observing the Jewish Sabbath.

The event is scheduled to take place at the kibbutz's Yaacov Herzog Center. In addition to the Shabbat candle lighting, guests will be treated to zakuski – a selection of alcohol and Russian small plates – a traditional eastern European "kabbalat Shabbat," a meal featuring kosher food from the former Soviet states, cards and chess, and dialogue about the guests' Russian-Israeli identities.

Girls taking part in the IDF preparatory program that the kibbutz hosts will also take part.

Yonaton Dobov, CEO of the Herzog Center and an advocate for Russian-speakers in Israeli society, said, "Novy God is an opportunity for dialogue and to get to know the cultural wealth of a million immigrants from the FSU, who have a place in the Israeli story.

"This year, we took it one step forward to hold a full Jewish Shabbat that also expresses our roots from there. Two weeks ago, all the places were taken, and I'm happy to see that there is demand for this special integration," Dobov said.

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The fifth coronavirus infection wave in Israel, due to the Omicron strain, is a matter no less disturbing politically than epidemiologically. The current government that was formed after two years of instability is having difficulty breathing.

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It seems to have recovered from the virus of never-ending elections but has now fallen ill to political "long COVID." The visible symptom is acute shortness of breath that prompts the government to make a drastic decision and immediately repeal it. 

Tracking by the Shin Bet internal security agency and mandating the "green pass" vaccine certificates in malls are just two small examples. Every Knesset member has the power to overrule government decisions. 

From Eli Avidar, through Mazen Ghnaim to Abir Kara, every lawmaker can publicly announce which decisions they fancy and which don't, and the government is quick to adapt to each whim.

Then there are the political polls. Unlike Yesh Atid, the future of right-wing parties in the coalition is uncertain. 

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's Yamina barely crosses the four-seat electoral threshold, and Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope fails to do it altogether. In contrast, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reducing the gaps. 

As such, statements by Bennett, who has lost any real authority, have become mere publicity events. 

Make no mistake, the Omicron strain is not the cause of the political crisis. It simply provides a glimpse into the current government's underground currents. The weekly fights between Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked and Ra'am over electricity and citizenship are an opportunity to understand the extent to which the coalition estimates its chances of longevity. 

Justice Minister Yair Lapid is not immune to this disease either. He needs Yamina and New Hope, for without them his best option is to become opposition leader again. Most political commentators estimate that the rotation between Bennett and Lapid will not occur – and these estimates are the direct result of the current state of affairs. 

The situation is completely different for Defense Minister Benny Gantz. Contrary to the uncertain future of fellow coalition members, he may be headed straight toward premiership. The ultra-Orthodox are courting him and Likud has officially offered him the position of prime minister for an entire term. 

The most important thing – to overthrow the current government. Polls suggest that neither side will be able to form a government in the next election without Gantz. It seems that the chairman of Blue Hope, a center-right party, is the only one who can go with both the Left and the Right. In the next negotiations, he is expected to demand – and most likely receive – a premiership rotation agreement. 

Both Jerusalem and Washington recognize the power of the defense minister. This week Channel 13 News reported that United States President Joe Biden has not been answering Bennett's phone calls for weeks. Gantz is the one who flies to Washington to speak with the US administration on matters relating to Iran. 

The demands he presented in the state budget were also accepted without question, even though it involved the controversial matter of billions of shekels that were designated for military pensions. The same is true of the probes Gantz wanted to set up for the submarine affair and the Meron disaster. 

The fact that Gantz is in such a favorable position leads to constant suspicion of him by elements in the coalition. Gantz keeps his plans close to his chest, does not rule out any option, and leaves uncertainty around his intentions and flirts with everyone (for example, even though he proposed setting up a commission of inquiry into the submarine affair, he publicly praised Netanyahu publicly.

One cannot know whether Gantz will have the courage to respond to the courtships of Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox, but those who underestimate his power are reading his political map incorrectly. 

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The Israeli American Council kicked off its annual conference under the headline "Israel. Together." in South Florida, Thursday.

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The 2021 IAC National Summit was the first in-person Jewish American organization event held since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Organizers took steps to prevent infection, including through the holding of outdoor events and COVID testing.

Some 2,800 people are set to attend the three-day event at the Diplomat Beach Resort. The opening session was set to include a conversation between Israel Hayom Editor-in-Chief and Likud MK Nir Barkat, as well as another conversation between analyst and host Yoav Limor and Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan.

Organizers hope the conference will provide an additional opportunity to establish Israel's role in the US Jewish community and help validate the role Israelis living in the US play as a "living bridge" to the Jewish state.

The IAC conference will host various panels, including on boycotts of Israel in the US, anti-Israel curriculum in the US education system, the unity of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, as well as the Iranian nuclear threat.

Among those set to address the conference are Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Erdan, Israel's Consul General in New York Assaf Zamir, and other key US figures such as Rep.  Ritchie Torres (D-NY).

Shoham Nicolet, co-founder and CEO of the IAC, told Israel Hayom ahead of the conference that Israelis living in the US are no longer observing events from the sidelines. He said Israelis played an integral role in Jewish public life in North America. Nicolet offered the leadership role the IAC took on during Israel's Operation Guardian of the Walls in the Gaza Strip in May as one example.

"It's no secret, certainly in the last two years [of the pandemic], that there is a continued retreat in the Jewish American communities from the connection to Israel, and the IAC in some places fills in this gap," Nicolet said.

"On one hand, our conference encourages both discussions and debates as to what needs to be done today and what the future should look like, but clearly this is a shared future. The common denominator is that everyone loves Israel," he said.

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The defense portfolio is held by the man who, for better or worse, is considered the median between the Right and Left in the coalition government. Blue and White party head Benny Gantz has the keys to the portfolio that contains not just explosive security material but material that could prove politically explosive to the already fragile coalition. He is required to make decisions that could on one hand do damage to the most important issue for the Left and on the other hand, embarrass Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, lawmakers from the New Hope party, and more importantly Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, who continues to view the Right as her ideological home.

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In recent weeks, while coalition party heads have earned broad media coverage over their intra-coalition squabbles, Gantz has been playing to both sides.

On one hand, he decided to bolster the Palestinian Authority following the IDF's Operation Guardian of the Walls in May. He sat with PA President Mahmoud Abbas in a meeting that caused quite a political brouhaha. As a side note, that meeting was scheduled while Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu was still in office and was postponed by Gantz at the last minute so as not to harm the establishment of the so-called "change government." Within the framework of efforts to bolster the PA, Gantz has angered members of the Right and given Bennett quite the headache. But it wasn't only the Ramallah visit that was responsible. Let us not forget his authorization of the construction of over 1,000 housing units for Palestinians in Area C after over a decade in which nowhere near as many units were approved. Add to this his approval for the registrations of Palestinians who fled the Gaza Strip as well as other undocumented individuals in Judea and Samaria in the Palestinian population registry, a step many on the Right see as desecration of the status quo.

At the same time, though, Gantz continues to play to the Right. Just last week, with Bennett's support, he authorized the construction of thousands of housing units in Judea and Samaria through the Civil Administration's Higher Zoning Committee. He also designated six Palestinian human rights groups terrorist organizations and played a role in the compromise deal for the outpost of Evyatar. I am still waiting to see how Meretz leader and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz and his fellow party member Yair Golan will swallow that move. At the time, Gantz told his close associated he made the decision to avoid an eviction more violent than the one we witnessed in Amona and so as not to shock the coalition.

In this shaky coalition, Gantz is a political and security anchor. He enjoys his status as an authority on all things defense and as such is seen as acceptable to a wide range of elements from settlers to the Democratic US administration. At times, this status makes his moves more palatable. No one would suspect Gantz of being more concerned with politics than Israel's defense. On the other hand, from a political perspective, everyone is comfortable attacking him and maintaining coalition integrity.

At a government meeting earlier this week, Bennett said Gantz was responsible for designating organizations with ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine as terrorist groups. New Hope Ministers Yoaz Handel, Ze'ev Elkin, and their fellow party members attacked him for his decision to meet with Abbas. On the other hand, Meretz and Labor party members can attack Gantz for decisions pertaining to construction in Judea and Samaria or the publication of those terrorist group designations, allowing them to abstain from attacking Bennett instead.

Gantz also enjoys his role as the man in the middle because it allows him political prominence, and perhaps because that is who he really is. He is a little of everything. And in the long run, he and his people believe it will only be to his benefit.

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Last week, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked went on a diplomatic trip to the United Arab Emirates as the guest of Emirati Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

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What stood out about Shaked's visit was not how extravagantly she was welcomed, or how she flew in Al Nahyan's private helicopter, and not even the one-on-one meeting between the two that lasted three whole hours. What stood out the most was Shaked's interview with Emirati news outlet The National. 

In it, she said the Israeli government will not discuss the establishment of a Palestinian state under current Prime Minister Naftali Bennett or Foreign Minister Yair Lapid when he takes over as part of a rotation arrangement. She even corrected the interviewer who called settlements in Judea and Samaria "illegal," asking to refer to them as "disputed territories," as per international law.

Shaked chose to say these statements precisely during her visit to Abu Dhabi. Since the swearing-in of the new government last June, coalition officials have been busy with the Palestinian issue, and have even visited Ramallah to that end. Moreover, a lot of debates have taken place over Lapid's political plans – in particular, the "economy in exchange for security" plan in the Gaza Strip – which in the foreign minister's view, will create "more favorable conditions for future political negotiations."

Such political moves have put right-winger Shaked in a particularly tight corner. Especially, since she has tried to position herself as the rightist in a government whose main job, it seems, is to not get into subjects on which its members disagree. 

That is why she wisely decided to use the opportunity of being interviewed by an Arab media outlet to convey a very clear message to right-wing voters in Israel, and to yet again exhibit the character trait that has so often been attributed to her before: courage.

As far as Shaked is concerned, if her right-wing voters remember that she was the first senior Israeli minister to have the courage to speak her political truth about the Palestinians – and to an Arabic-language media no less – her trip was a success.

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In the course of a few hours, Avishag Samberg went from being a private, almost anonymous individual to Israel's national champion – a source of pride and inspiration for tens of thousands of youngsters throughout the country.

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But her public visibility is not the only thing that soared in that short period of time. Gedera – the town in the Judean foothills where she lives – also suddenly became famous. The head of the local council and the town's residents have been embracing Samberg for some time, and last Thursday evening held a reception for her in the courtyard of the council headquarters, with hundreds of participants. At the reception, which was broadcast live on various websites, Samberg received a NIS40,000 stipend from the head of the council.

Let me just remind you of the Gedera where I grew up. We moved there from Rishon Lezion after my mother saw an advertisement on a trip there with me and my twin brother. The move from the big city in the center of the country to Gedera was a shock. Why? In my generation, nearly no one knew where Gedera was, and the major news we talked about was the renovation of the small town's central bus station thanks to Avri Gilad's program "Katan Aleynu."

Of course, the term "central bus station" described a few benches and an open concrete space where someday three stores were supposed to open if we got lucky. The most talked-about delicacies were the bourekas on the main highway and the falafel at the entrance to the town. Actually, they're still talked about, as is the quantity of the town's fast-food businesses per capita – apparently among the highest in the country.

In general, people had a very hard time remembering the name "Gedera," always confusing it with Hadera. I remember my days in junior high school when reports about a terrorist attack in Hadera were broadcast on the news and my worried classmates would call me at home to see how I was since cellphones were a rarity in those days. There were dozens of calls in which I thanked them for their concern, explaining that I lived south of Rehovot – very far from the scene of the attack in Hadera.

I assume the Olympic medalist from Gedera did not grow up constantly hearing the sentence "You're the first person I know from Gedera" or the taunt "Isn't Gedera the place you see on the bus to Beersheba?" Avishag was born into a different reality, in which Gedera's different parts are connected by highways and the town boasts a school of martial arts, five high schools, and a well-developed support system operated by the local council to assist the town's youngsters.

Nevertheless, Avishag's achievement is, above all, her own. Not Israel's or Gedera's, much as we'd like to think so. Samberg beat the odds, winning the bronze medal thanks to years of strenuous effort, willpower, and, apparently, her unique personality.

Politicians and their cronies would do well to avoid breaking an Olympic record in hypocrisy; after all, the state's support of athletes is shameful. Let Samberg leverage her success in the private sector and obtain a marketing campaign or two so she can finance her way to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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President Isaac Herzog's swearing-in speech last week was both impressive and important. It was a speech that combined Jewish, historical, social, and international motifs.

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He touched us all when he spoke about his legacy and his parents, and me personally when he talked about his mother's confrontation with old age. Most of his declaration about what he intended to do was devoted to domestic issues in Israeli society. The rifts, the polarization, the different sectors.

Especially in light of the round of diplomatic conversations that Herzog has been holding with world leaders these past few days, including King Abdullah of Jordan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas – I am choosing to emphasize a section at the end of his speech, which talked about his commitment to helping the state of Israel's status in international public opinion.

"I am committed to helping the government of Israel defend Israel's righteousness in the world … battle antisemitism and hatred for Israel … stand alongside IDF soldiers and commanders, including in niche battles in the arena of international law…"

Since the term of the late President Shimon Peres, it has seemed as if diplomatic activity has been abandoned for the sake of dealing with domestic issues in Israeli society and the Jewish world. Diplomatic activity that puts the justness of Israel's path at the forefront of the world stage, does not apologize, and take action against modern-day antisemitism.

Herzog brings years of experience in these areas. The doors of the world are open to the president of Israel, and he has the authority to develop an immense enterprise that can propel Israeli outreach forward. Cooperation with national leaders and presidents, people of influence, organizations, and of course with Prime Minister Bennett and Foreign Minister Lapid, will double the power of the president's activity in the world.

This will also be an important legacy for generations to come, and who knows – might even help one of us with a shared goal.

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The story of Meir Rubin is horrific. Any man or woman whose hair didn't stand on end when they heard it should take a closer look.

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A dad was taking his two small children, ages three and six, for a camping trip on summer vacation. Out of nowhere, terrorists showed up and set several fires at the nature preserve. They also tried multiple times to get to the family and apparently murder them, even chasing them through the hills outside Jerusalem.

When Rubin eventually found a police car, the police office chose to check him out and at a certain point, instructed him to hit the gas and speed up, lest the terrorists get their hands on him, even though the police were between him and them at this stage.

Of course, this is a loose version of events.

Meir Rubin is the CEO of the Kohelet Forum, an honest man who loves the people and the land, a law-abiding citizen. At least, that's how I know him. You can't put him into the classic box of "religious settlers with kippas" who break the law and so on, as the media often does. This is a family man who went camping with his two young children, and criminals tried to kill him.

Of course, this points to a bigger problem: a lack of deterrence. But that's not what this piece is about. I'll leave that to experts on security and law enforcement, the various "former" officials.

What's more important is the strategy that can be extrapolated from the incident. This is how every MK and government minister should operate. This is a win-win situation. It will generate positive media coverage as well as practical steps by the government. Of course, the first person to really tackle the issue will benefit most. What needs to happen now is an unrestrained medic campaign that won't let this issue drop as time passes and will prompt MK and the cabinet to address the issue. Not only articles about and interviews with Meir, because he's already doing these.

All MKs need to bring their parliamentary tools to bear and flood the Knesset with the issue through questions, debates, letters, and more. This time, it's not the coalition vs. the Opposition. Both sides need to enlist and take action so that there is no repeat of the event. Coalition chairwoman MK Idit Silman would do well to convene a special committee meeting to discuss the case; Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy would do well to call a special discussion in the Knesset plenum, and the public security and justice ministers and even the Prime Minister's Office would do well to take practical steps about police work and changes to existing laws and regulations, as needed.

All this needs to happen, not because it's about Meir Rubin and not because it happened in the Jerusalem hills, but simply because of the realization that today, it happened to a certain person in a certain place, but it's the kind of thing that can happen to any citizen of Israel at any time. Just think what would have happened if the three-year-old or six-year-old had been harmed. What would the headlines be shrieking if they had? A warning light has been turned on that is alerting elected officials of the need to address the problem before something worse happens.

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