"October 7 was like a nuclear bomb in Israel," Kahalani said. "No one can explain what happened, not even me as a commander. It was a revolution. Everything changed. Lebanon is not a threat to Israel's future. They have a leader who looks like Goliath from the Bible, but he doesn't control Hezbollah. We can contain them and defeat them."

Video: Avigdor Kahalani at the Israel Hayom summit

He said he remains astonished by what has unfolded in Syria. "Syria is an unbelievable story. I commanded forces against them for many years, and now I see my friends across the border walking several kilometers deep into Syria. I could never have imagined that in my wildest dreams."

Kahalani was asked whether the Israel Defense Forces should remain on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon. "We are there, and I think we are negotiating over it. We will withdraw back to the border only once we have a security agreement with them. Being on the summit of Mount Hermon is not my dream. It's nice, but it's not such a big deal for security."

Can peace be made? "When I was a child, when the dogs saw a cat, they wanted to eat it. I don't believe them. I believe they want to kill the Jewish people, and in the jungle we live in, if you're soft and gentle they'll eat you. I believe these people will wait around the corner and one day try to take back the Golan and destroy our state. Right now it's quiet because they have their own problems, but don't trust them."

Kahalani then turned to Iran and Operation Iron Wolf. "We defeated them together with the Americans. We overcame enormous obstacles. We never thought we could fly 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) from Israel and win. It's a source of pride. We had to defend ourselves, and I think this war, from a distance of ten to twelve years from now, will change our entire country. It will bring quiet."

The post Kahalani: 'Years from now we will realize that the war with Iran changed us for the better' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

On November 16, 2025, that same prime minister decided to establish a governmental commission of inquiry into the massacre and disaster of October 7. Yariv Levin, Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, Zeev Elkin, Avi Dichter, Gila Gamliel, Orit Strock, Amichai Chikli, and Amichai Eliyahu will determine the commission's mandate, and the commission will decide which period it will examine.

The cabinet summary stated that the composition of the commission will reflect broad national consensus. The page on which those words were written nearly folded itself and ran to the shredder. Yariv Levin, the justice minister, for example, whose January 4, 2023 speech on the judicial overhaul set Israel ablaze, and who refused to meet senior IDF officials on the day the law canceling the reasonableness clause was passed and hear their warnings.

Can he appoint a commission that will generate broad national consensus? Will bereaved families, survivors of the disaster, families of the hostages, and evacuees from the Gaza border communities and the north believe this is a commission backed by the public? That it has credibility and a genuine desire to investigate itself? For some reason, I find it hard to believe.

At the Israel Hayom conference held the day before yesterday, Finance Minister Smotrich told Amit Segal that he opposes a state commission of inquiry because of his distrust of Justice Amit, yet continued honestly to say that he also opposes a governmental commission of inquiry: "Not a commission of inquiry appointed by someone who ought to be investigated," with the meaning obvious. Netanyahu repeats obsessively that most of the public opposes a state commission of inquiry. Israel Hayom and other Israeli media outlets have shown the opposite: there is overwhelming support for a state commission.

But let us set aside the polls and the supposedly momentary public mood, because the prime minister also claims he will establish a commission acceptable to the entire public. An argument so demagogic it does not require deep thought to dismantle it. Suppose I run a red light, am caught, and choose to contest it in court. I would have a winning argument: most of the public does not want to stop at red lights. The law does not matter, only the will of the people.

Seriously, Mr. Prime Minister and cabinet members who voted for this folly: Is there law in the State of Israel? Then follow it. It is that simple. A conservative Supreme Court justice like Justice Sohlberg will carry out the requirements of the law in a balanced way, without background noise, acceptable to both sides. Just as Menachem Begin and Golda Meir did when they established state commissions of inquiry even though they knew the consequences could harm them.

The prime minister would do well to stop the charade of a fake commission of inquiry that torments tens of thousands of families and fulfill the demand he shouted from every stage: investigate the investigators according to the law, including you, Benjamin Netanyahu, and reach genuinely independent conclusions that are not influenced one way or another.

The post Netanyahu, establish a state commission of inquiry appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Facing considerable criticism, Herzog addresses these challenges in a special interview with Israel Hayom set to be published on Independence Day. "I've been called 'the Kaplanist president' and 'the Bibist president' – which perhaps shows that I am maintaining balance. I take great care to remain balanced and act responsibly," he said. "The President's Residence is one of the few places where everyone is still willing to come and talk. That is my role: not to take sides, but to help heal the divide."

On the issue of the hostages held by Hamas, Herzog remained cautious. "The war has two objectives – the defeat of Hamas and the return of the hostages. It doesn't have to be an either-or situation; there is room for actions that could achieve both. We can change the reality while also bringing the hostages home," he said.

"Certain statements, especially from the president, could harm efforts. When a president says certain things, it might drive up the price [of negotiations], so there are things I will not say," he added.

Herzog also spoke about his efforts to mediate discussions regarding the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the events leading up to the October 7 attacks. "Even among those opposing the commission, there is agreement that there must be an investigation. The debate is about how the commission should be formed. I believe the Commission of Inquiry Law is the right tool, but it allows flexibility that must be used wisely," he explained. "I met with the president of the Supreme Court, and he, in his nobility, said, 'Okay, I will forgo my honor and consult with my deputy [Justice Noam Sohlberg], whose legal school of thought is different, so we can create trust.'"

Addressing the criminal cases facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Herzog said: "When I hear [former Supreme Court President] Aharon Barak say, 'Go for a plea deal,' I think we need to listen. It's time to talk about it. It makes sense."

'Strangling each other'

The president revealed that he attempted to mediate the dispute between the prime minister and the head of the Shin Bet security agency. "I spoke with the prime minister and the head of the Shin Bet. Instead of focusing on threats, we are busy strangling each other. I tried to calm things down between them," Herzog said.

On the issue of military conscription for the ultra-Orthodox community, Herzog noted that "there are currents within the ultra-Orthodox public that are more willing to hear the army's plans. I don't like the attacks on the ultra-Orthodox; I am in favor of dialogue."

Herzog sharply criticized Chief Sephardi Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, who recently said that military draft orders should be thrown "into the garbage." "I was appalled by those remarks; my insides turned over. It is completely unacceptable to me. I believe many people in the ultra-Orthodox community were uncomfortable with those statements as well. After all, we are sacrificing our sons and daughters," Herzog said.

Looking back at the 2005 disengagement from Gaza, Herzog said, "It is clear to me now that the disengagement was a mistake. Not the desire to separate from two million Palestinians – that was logical – but the act itself, which, due to the Palestinian Authority's weakness, led to a Hamas takeover in Gaza."

The post Herzog: 'The war has two objectives – it does not have to be an either-or situation' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The halo we're gazing at floats above Deni Avdija's head, who is at the peak of his career and posting star-level numbers in the best basketball league in the world. In March so far, he's posted impressive averages – 23.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game, becoming a candidate for player of the month. No Israeli has ever reached such numbers, and he's only 24, likely still far from his career peak.

But the numbers are just part of the story. Behind them stands a young man who isn't truly aware of his status in Israel. From 7,500 miles westward, Avdija doesn't fully grasp that he's a mega-star and a source of Israeli pride, certainly in a period when we're searching for symbols of national success.

Portland has fewer than 500 Israelis and is far from Israeli centers like Los Angeles, New York, or Miami. Avdija blends into the local population, one of them. The disappointment when people in Israel heard about the trade that moved him less than a year ago from Washington to a basketball team playing in the most remote place in the US, one most stars don't want to go to and whose future looked gray, turned into the best thing for the Israeli's career takeoff.

And him? He still feels like that same young man who looks everyone in the eye. He remains true to himself, shakes everyone's hand, signs for kids until the arena lights go out. He enjoys the moment but knows when and where to put his ego in the right place. A local hero inside and outside the "Moda Center" arena in downtown Portland. A player who took a failing team and united it. This season might not end with a playoff appearance, but the direction is clear – and the present is just the door to the future for the one who will likely be remembered as the greatest Israeli basketball player.

More than just a basketball player

For four days we shadowed Avdija up close. At the training facility, before and after games, in the locker room, on the court and off it. We saw his relationships with teammates, with his coach Chauncey Billups, and with the fans who wear the best-selling jersey in Portland – number 8.

Q: Do you know what they say about you? What they think?

"What do they think about me? Not really. I know I'm a good player and they probably think I play well."

Q: Do you understand that you're a national pride for an entire nation?

"I honestly don't know that. I feel like I'm just doing my job. You're embarrassing me. I don't know how to react, but that's the truth. I'm a person, that's my truth.

"I remember October 7 as if it happened yesterday," he shares. "The events caught me at home (Avdija was playing in Washington at that time), I was almost asleep because it was nighttime here, and then my friend, a fighter in Yahalom, called and told me 'Listen, there's crazy chaos in Israel, I wanted to let you know. A disaster happened, turn on the news.' I go downstairs, turn on the TV, and see everything live when I'm thousands of miles from Israel."

"I'm happy people see me as something beyond basketball because I also feel I'm beyond 'just a basketball player.' I don't share much about myself, don't appear much in front of cameras, but I love influencing people and giving back to the community, and I love Israel, so I'm glad people think that way. I know my mom is proud of me, that my family and friends are proud of me, but... when you say an entire country, it's moving to know that, honestly."

Q: Do you miss Hebrew?

"A little, yes. You know, Portland isn't really an Israeli colony. There are Israelis here, but I haven't really met many and it's a really small number, very few.

"When I get to other arenas in the US, it's crazy. That's where I experience the Hebrew 'madness' and it's fun. I hear Hebrew all the time at games in New York, LA, and elsewhere, the crowd constantly cheers me on. The support I get at away games is insane."

Q: You're currently a basketball star in Israel, a mega-star, but everyone who knows you says you connect with people at eye level. How do you not let it go to your head, especially during this period?

"I don't know. Listen, I hear that, supposedly, when players reach the league, even from the first time they step on the court, their character changes. It's either you have it or you don't. I've been in the league for five years, and I think it's too late for me to change and be like them. I want to look at eye level, and not be arrogant. I can't, that's not me. I was raised differently, my parents raised me to behave in a certain way."

Q: Do you connect more to your Israeli identity? Is it part of your identity in the league?

"I grew up with friends in the neighborhood on a basketball court, so I was always connected to my Israeli identity. It was always part of who I am. Every time I see people or meet friends, I feel I'm Israeli, and also of course I'm a regular person, like them. Has my awareness strengthened? Yes, I can say yes. I really love the country and talk a lot about Israel, also with the guys from the team, and I'm proud of being Israeli.

"For example, I bring them (Portland players) food from my mom's home, sweets from Israel. I bring them gifts for holidays like Christmas, as is customary here, and then I show them the culture I grew up in.

"On the other hand, there are also times when I forget about it. Many times you're at home, and everything around is in English and very American, so after five years in the US you get used to it. It's not simple."

"They are the saviors of the country"

On Simchat Torah 2023, the day of the massacre in the Gaza border communities, Deni found himself going through his most difficult and painful day since arriving in the US.

"I remember October 7 as if it happened yesterday," he shares. "The events caught me at home (Avdija was playing in Washington at that time), I was almost asleep because it was nighttime here, and then my friend, a fighter in Yahalom, called and told me 'Listen, there's crazy chaos in Israel, I wanted to let you know. A disaster happened, turn on the news.' I go downstairs, turn on the TV, and see everything live when I'm thousands of miles from Israel.

"At first I was like everyone else, I didn't understand the magnitude of the event. I saw this Hamas pickup truck in Sderot and you don't really understand, we're not used to such events, it's a once-in-a-generation, once-in-a-lifetime event. I had to go to sleep because there was morning practice the next day, but I couldn't fall asleep, half clutch, how can anyone sleep? My friends from the neighborhood are fighters, who can sleep? The next morning the team gave me rest, meaning I didn't practice. They understood the situation and sent me home. It was a shock for me, unequivocally."

Q: Do you have friends in combat roles?

"I have good friends from childhood in Shayetet 13, in Sayeret Matkal, the most combat there is. Right away I tried to check with each one what's up with him, and what's happening in general. They told me stories when I returned to Israel, in retrospect. Each of them shared what he went through during the battles, crazy stories of life and death."

Q: How do you feel when you hear these fighters, your friends, your generation, the hero generation that people thought was an indifferent generation that only cares about itself?

"I feel small next to the events, very small. I admire my friends, and our soldiers in general, it's an unimaginable sacrifice for the country. When soldiers come here to watch games, for instance delegations of combat shock victims or wounded who come to visit me here – I meet with them and am moved by them, by their deeds, by their courage under fire and by their coping afterward.

"I tell them: Listen, you are more important than me, it's more of an honor for me to meet and talk with you than it is for you to come see me. It moves me a lot because these are people – and I know how important the country is to me, I grew up there, I love returning in summer and enjoying everything we have – without whom we wouldn't have this. They are the saviors of the country."

Q: The hostages – how much do you live with them day to day?

"Wow, I live with them. During the release days I was constantly in front of the TV and it moved me so much. All the survivors who came out of captivity recently moved me, and one of them especially – Omer Shem Tov from Herzliya. He's an amazing guy, we have mutual friends and it was crazy to see him return home – so it's clear that I live with it. I live with all the hostages, all of them without exception. The situation isn't simple, but I try to stay as informed as possible. I'm very connected to everything happening in Israel, unequivocally."

Q: Has it made you different? Is the Israeli flag something different for you now?

"I'm not a person who will constantly engage in advocacy now, or constantly be out there, but I'm of course very, very proud of being Israeli. I also maintain a healthy and good relationship with the team. They tried to understand what happened on October 7."

Q: Did they ask you questions? Was there anyone who was angry at you because you're Israeli, who tried to justify the other side?

"They asked me questions, sure, but mainly from a place of lack of knowledge. They wanted to know, understand, and empathize with what I went through. I don't know if anyone was angry, I didn't encounter such a thing, and with a smile – I don't think anyone has the courage to come and tell me they support the other side, so I don't think so. Even if there are people who thought differently, I don't think they would come and tell me that. You know, I've played with players of many nationalities, but within a team there's no connection to origin."

Q: And at arenas where you've been in the US, have you received boos?

"It hardly or never happened to me at arenas. It happened more on social media, but I didn't look at it. Threats were definitely there. I received threatening messages on social media, but I don't read them. I play in a league that's one of the most watched in the US, they know I'm the only Jewish player in the NBA, so naturally people saw me as a target for their hate arrows toward Israel."

Q: Did the NBA management or Commissioner Adam Silver, who is Jewish, talk to you?

"Adam Silver spoke with me a day or two after October 7. He called and said his heart is with me and the residents of the country, asked if all my close ones are okay and showed genuine touching concern. I didn't expect it, but it was amazing. I had support essentially from the league management, yes. I've also learned to be smart, not just right. That's something I strongly believe in, part of my maturation process here."

"Threats were definitely there. I received threatening messages on social media, but I don't read them. I play in a league that's one of the most watched in the US, they know I'm the only Jewish player in the NBA, so naturally people saw me as a target for their hate arrows toward Israel."

As part of that maturation, Deni is expected to lead the Israeli national team in the upcoming European Championship (EuroBasket), which will take place in August.

Q: How much are you looking forward to this summer, to the Israeli national team, to a locker room that speaks Hebrew?

"Wow, I miss the guys and love the national team very much. It's a privilege to play for the national team, an unequivocal privilege, especially after October 7. To give everything for the country – and we have an excellent group of players. I believe Ben Sherf will reach the NBA, I hope for him next year, and succeed here. He will build himself for this league. I understand he has an excellent mentality.

"I was always connected to the national team, especially after we won gold medals twice in a row at the U20 EuroBasket. In general, it's a meaningful experience to be on the national team, not to mention its leader – Coach Ariel Beit Halachmi. I really love him. He gave me a chance, wasn't afraid of my age, and believed in me. It's a privilege to work with such a person."

"I came to work"

To understand Deni's life, you need to understand where he lives. Oregon state is located at the western edge of the US, immersed in endless green with waterfalls at every corner, ancient forests, and lakes. The enormous Columbia River crosses it, and the Pacific Ocean is to its west. A postcard of paradise.

Portland is a quiet city, whose highlight is the many rose gardens and Nike's world headquarters (a city within itself), with thousands of employees, which is part of the landscape, pride, and character of the city. It's two hours from Seattle, and the Blazers are the westernmost team in the league.

Within this quiet, Deni lives, and he loves and appreciates every moment. His head is only on work and he says that of course people recognize and talk to him, but don't bother him, and he can comfortably sit in a restaurant. The place embraces, and the city is crazy about the basketball team, unites around it.

In the late 80s and early 90s, with the big star Clyde Drexler, the team had good years. It finished with the best records in the league and reached the finals series twice, but lost the first time to Detroit Pistons' "Bad Boys" and the second time to the Chicago Bulls, which featured one Michael Jordan.

"I'm not a person who will constantly engage in advocacy now, or constantly be out there, but I'm of course very, very proud of being Israeli. I also maintain a healthy and good relationship with the team. They tried to understand what happened on October 7."

In recent years the team has experienced failures, but in the last season, together with Deni, a huge change has occurred, and as of writing these lines it's fighting for a spot in the "play-in" stage, which could lead to playoff participation – the real deal of the best basketball league in the world. Accordingly, the many empty seats that were in the arena have gradually filled back up, and at the games we attended, the 20,000-seat arena was almost completely full. There's a show in town.

The team is also one of the youngest in the NBA. It doesn't have a superstar, but it has players from several countries and symbolizes freshness and connection that doesn't currently exist in the team sport, which in the US also has a lot of the individual.

At the large training facility located outside the city, in a place where even the word serenity doesn't adequately describe how quiet it is, you see the cohesion and camaraderie of everyone – and Deni is the leader. He isn't crowned as such and didn't take the leadership with noise, but with friendship, with simple daily actions, and with a personality that can contain everyone and still has enough room for itself. The team bond that Deni created was tested both on October 8 and throughout the war.

Q: Portland is not Tel Aviv, it's absolute quiet

"Let's put it this way – many places in the world are not Tel Aviv. It took me time to get used to, but I found a lot in this serenity, a lot of calm. I'm surrounded by amazing scenery, which gives inner peace. Portland is an amazing place for me. You're talking to me about Tel Aviv, a city that never stops, but ultimately I came here to work. Of course I want the sea, the sun, and Israel's weather, but I very much appreciate this place, the nature and the people who embrace and love me. The team is the heart of the city, and I see it everywhere."

Q: Do you feel you're living your dream?

"Maybe I'll surprise you and many others – my dream at the very-very-very beginning was to be a soccer player. I really wanted to be a soccer player. I played basketball for fun, but I didn't think I would be in the Israeli premier league and certainly not in the NBA, and I definitely didn't think there would be all this madness around me.

"Now I can say that I am living the dream, but more than basketball it's life itself. Seeing places, meeting new people, creating friendships, and influencing others. That's actually the dream I'm living right now.

"I feel I'm able to touch the lives of other people, and sometimes I don't even understand how much. For example, something that seems very simple to me, like saying hello to a child, or other small daily things. For me it's not much, but for that child it's something he will never forget. That's a principle I take for life.

"It took me time, also as I grow older, to understand how much small daily actions truly influence – and it doesn't have to be just because I'm a basketball player, it can also be going to the supermarket and telling someone to have a good day, or saying 'I like your shoes and your shirt.' You understand how much influence you have on other people, not just if you're a famous basketball player, but also if you're a person in general – and it's clear that if you're also a public figure, you need to use it well."

The last year, and especially the last two months, cemented Deni's status as a fan favorite, alongside players like Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe, who are also very popular. In the arena you see quite a few jerseys with the number 8 and the name Avdija on the back. Fans we stopped to talk with describe him as the man who changed Portland this year, and mainly there were two words that repeated in everyone we approached – winning mentality and passion.

But it's not just the crowd. The local station broadcaster, who has been broadcasting Portland for 33 years, tells us that "there's something different about him. You see a player who wants to be better and better.

"Deni also interacts with the crowd like a European player – he excites the fans, turns to them during the game to cheer, connected to the city. This isn't taken for granted in a league like the NBA, which lacks emotion in most players, lacks passion, most are egoists. Here, largely thanks to Deni, there's a team, and it's contagious to everyone in the city."

"I brought atmosphere"

After five years in the league, and especially given the huge improvement this season and particularly in the last two months, the question arises whether Deni can make the jump and become a leading player in the NBA. "I think I'm a legitimate player," he says, "like, define legitimate. A player who can play on any team today and also be among its leaders? Unequivocally I think so. You know, here and there, there are teams I fit more and teams I fit less, but yes, I'm legitimate."

Q: Have you gotten used to the situation that you're basically, like most NBA players, a kind of "tradeable"? Because in fact, unlike in Israel, here you're a kind of tool of the club. If they want, you move from Washington to Portland overnight.

"It's something you live with and are aware of. There are things not dependent on me. The thing I do control is being the best on the court. That means training every day, investing in my body. Besides that, what they want to do with me – that's theirs. Life as a player is not an easy routine.

"I don't think what I say can truly reflect to readers what happens behind the scenes of an NBA player. Many people see me on the court, 48 minutes, and that's it. No one knows what happens in between, the flights, a night here and then the next night another game. Everything is relative, but life is different outside the cameras."

Q: I was with you in the team's locker room, and one of the things I saw is that you have a lot of togetherness. There are no stars and you're a cohesive, young team, and no one is above everyone. There's a kind of brotherhood.

"There's no ego here. I mean, clearly there is, but it's positive on the court, not in the locker room. We're almost the youngest team in the league, so there's a kind of brotherhood. I can tell you that when I came the connection between the players was a little more, how do I say it, give me a word..."

Q: Distant? There was less connection? You connected?

"I think I brought in some atmosphere. Also because I come from outside, the only European on the team, Serbian on my dad's side and of course Israeli. I have a different culture. You can see our togetherness on the court, and I think I did bring a kind of spirit to the team. Even people who were quieter got into things and are part of everyone."

Q: And where is your ego? It seems like you don't have an ego.

"No, no, no, no, no. Don't exaggerate. I'm a person, I have an ego. Everyone has an ego. I have nothing to be ashamed of with my ego. But it's in the right place, I put it in place and it erupts when it needs to erupt. This means I still stand my ground, I still don't let people move me right or left too much – I have my way, and on the court I take my ego as much and when I need to."

"A special relationship"

Unlike many other stars, certainly in the NBA, Deni isn't very active on social media, can't connect to the event. In the past he thought about opening a vlog and staying in touch with his fans in Israel, but was unable to do so. His authenticity is who he is, not presenting another "character" that doesn't match his personality.

On the other hand, on the court he allows himself to release emotions, including physical battles and trash talk even with those considered contenders for the GOAT title, the Greatest Of All Time, like LeBron James. The last publicized incident with James happened just a month ago, actually on Instagram. The Israeli posted a picture of himself from a game against the Lakers, in which he's seen dribbling for an attack with James on his knees behind him, and added a small – but meaningful – smiley.

"People make a story and turn it into too much, but this is the NBA," Deni smiles. "What I did to him has been done to him so many times in his career, I'm not the first and not the last who will do this to him. I know that the moment he sees me on the court he knows who I am, because you know – we actually have a pretty good match-up. I give him his respect, he is after all a player's player."

Q: Why don't you post much content on Instagram, or on social media in general?

"I'm not a person who shares a lot. Why? I don't know, I don't like it. Not many Israeli players have played in the NBA and there's a whole audience that's interested in it, but personally, I don't know... it could be that it will change one day and I'll fit jumping into social media. I try to post content occasionally of course, you know, because it's part of life today."

Q: Your mom lives with you here in Portland, she's your enveloping and embracing place.

"Oh, it helps me tremendously that mom is here. I grew up as an only child and most of the time with friends around, and the moment they took me to the US from this environment, where I'm embraced, then my mom is that place. I was very connected to friends in Israel. I grew up alone at home, and what does it mean to grow up alone? That I have no one to argue or play with, so I found people to do that with outside the home. I love my mom more than anything, but sometimes it's hard. I see other friends from the team or in the league with brothers and sisters, and for me it's different."

Q: Do you two get along together in the same house?

"Me and mom? Sure. You know, there's a spacious house, so I have my part of the house, because ultimately I'm a grown child already, and she has her space. She enjoys it here very much, and I enjoy so much that she's here. The bond between us is the best bond there ever was between a mother and son. Sometimes she still sees me a bit as a child, because there's nothing to do, she's a mom, it will always be so."

Q: What, does she say: wake up on time, get up?

"No, I actually wake up fine, I don't have awakening problems. I consult with her about life, about crossroads and decision-making both professionally and in personal life. We have a special relationship."

Q: And your father, former star in the Israeli league Zofer Avdija, does he come to Portland a lot?

"The relationship with him is very good. We don't talk every second, we're not like that. He watches me in every game."

Q: Does he criticize you?

"I'll tell you a funny story. One of the people filmed what was almost my winning score against the New York Knicks, while sitting in the crowd right above my dad. Now, since I was small, all my life, dad always sat in the highest place in the arena and wouldn't react to anything, no matter what happens. He wouldn't talk, wouldn't do anything.

"After I scored the winning point against the Knicks [in fact it wasn't a winning basket – Portland lost in the last second after Deni scored what seemed like an important and prestigious winning basket, but a second before the buzzer the Knicks scored an amazing point that gave them the win], I see in the video my dad with hands in his pockets. I have a basket that at that moment I thought was a winning basket, the whole crowd is going crazy, and my dad is like that, not reacting. A winning basket in the NBA! After the basket I look up, he looks back, and I tell myself of course, he's with hands in his pockets."

Q: Did that disappoint you?

"No, not at all. I'm used to him always sitting furthest away, and not talking about basketball. He never came to any of my practices in my career, but he's an amazing dad, embracing in his ways. Mom is the physical hugger. I unequivocally won with these parents, luckily for me."

"Not a robot"

Regarding his personal life, Deni keeps to himself and isn't an extroverted person, except in one area – he has become a fashion icon, and there are already those who imitate his style of dress.

Q: How do you manage with all this halo, of an NBA star in the city?

"In Portland? I'm very focused on my career. I know I have the summer, a few months after the season, to enjoy and be at home. When I'm in season I'm focused, focused. Of course I'm not a robot, I go out a bit with friends from the team and also alone. I also travel, Oregon is an amazing region to travel in. I'm definitely not sitting at home all day and just basketball-basketball-basketball, that would drive me crazy too."

Q: Do you watch basketball at all outside your games?

"No, no. I watch my games, but I won't sit down and watch Boston against Golden State. It's very hard for me with sports in general, maybe precisely because I'm an athlete. There are many athletes who are addicted to sports, but I, don't know why, actually the opposite. I really love and connect to music. I have different taste and I'm diverse. I love all the old Israeli stuff, Shlomo Artzi, Arik Einstein, Shalom Hanoch, Meir Ariel. There are times I like Mediterranean hits. I have both sides.

"I also have the whole English music thing, for instance if I'm now in treatment, or massage, or brought ice to calm the body – I put on jazz. Yes, I listen to jazz. I don't have a favorite artist, I just type 'jazz music' in the app and connect. In my first years here, and now it's coming back to me a bit, there's also hip hop music, which is very loved by many players in the league."

Q: Do you feel the attitude toward you is different? Is it hard for you? Maybe the best place outside the court is to be with your friends, there you're the same Deni they grew up with?

"I miss my friends, of course, but I've discovered a side of myself that I could never have discovered if I hadn't come here. I managed to get to know myself, to be my own best friend. It's really getting to know yourself deeply. Usually when you're in Israel you're constantly surrounded by people, things to do. Always in action, you don't really have time to connect with yourself, with what you truly love. The moment you're alone it brings out things I wouldn't necessarily bring out in Israel – whether it's painting, or sitting to prepare music I love for myself."

Q: What, you paint? What else do you do?

"Yes, I paint with a brush. Not drawing, brush and oil paints. I also love cars. I have collector's cars together with dad. We both love it very much. He drives collector's cars, he has two, and I also want to buy another one. I get to drive here and I enjoy it, sometimes to a restaurant, sometimes to practice, I really love life.

"In front of the camera I try to maintain formality, aware of myself. I'm a professional basketball player, not neighborhood. But outside the court I'm the most normal person, going to enjoy with friends, eat something, to the beach."

Q: In ten years, when you're approaching retirement, let's say at age 35-36, and more than that – what do you want to be remembered from all this, from this period in your life?

"Wow. That I had a career, had a life, saw, fulfilled. I think I don't want to say I could have been better, but that I gave everything on the court, maximized my potential. In the end, what person doesn't want to maximize the potential and gifts God gave him?

"I don't want to look back at my career and say ah, I decided to take this shot and maybe I would have won this game in a bigger way. I think it's just the knowledge that I gave everything. That's an amazing thing in itself to know that I gave 100% and that nothing changed me, that I remained the same Deni."

"Deni is a better player than I thought, I let him lead the team"

Deni's coach in Portland is Chauncey Billups, a great former player and NBA Hall of Famer, who starred for the Detroit Pistons and won a championship with them in 2004.

Billups, one who has seen everything in basketball, tells us honestly that he didn't expect Deni to become one of the team's stars so quickly. "I didn't know how good Deni was," he smiles. "I knew he was an excellent rebounder and saw he was a wonderful shooter, but not one who scores 30 points per game. He's really better than I thought he would be. His movement with the ball is wonderful. When the ball is in his hand he's excellent, and also without the ball he reads the game excellently.

"He's still learning, and will be even better. His game, his shots, his decisions, everything will improve. He's very mature, and still everything is early for him, and he just keeps improving. I let him lead the team, and I also learn with him and from him.

"Also regarding Deni's support system, we opened the door for his family and his staff. Matan, his agent, joined us for a few trips and we understood the significance of the connection between the organization and the people around the player. My relationship with Matan is not between just another agent and coach, we have a special relationship and I told him that Deni will undoubtedly fulfill his potential.

"Deni is a player who is pleasant to coach. He's serious about the game. Young, but so mature in his game and takes the profession seriously. He's a winner, has no selfishness, a team player – and especially I love that he's a tough player. He plays with his heart and he's talented, knows everything – to score, to penetrate inside, to play strong defense. He has a wonderful personality and it's fun to get to know him as a person and be in his company. Deni is a leader in the team, and I'm crazy about the fact that he plays with fire and full of passion. He's a real leader."

Much more than basketball

The story of Deni Avdija is a combination of uncompromising character, investment and hard work, and a supportive environment

The NBA is a life dream for anyone who holds a basketball in their hand. Few succeed in reaching it, even fewer make an impact. Still, it's one of the most demanding and difficult organizations in sports. 82 games in a season, endless flights and travels, almost every day in a different city. A routine with a halo, ego, respect, and big money, but not simple.

Until a player gets used to the city, the club, the players, one morning he might receive a notice from the employer: "Pack everything, you're moving to a new city tomorrow." For the player it means a new life, and he has to find his place in a new club, under the examining eye of the media and with a fan base thirsty for success, and countless direct and indirect factors to deal with, where the distance between success and failure is minimal.

Avdija arrived from Herzliya to Washington. He gradually adapted to the league, the demands, the club – until one night they told him he was moving to Portland, the capital of Oregon state at the western edge. And despite everything, within less than a year he became the face of the organization. He dealt with the difficulties and didn't drown, but persisted. With stubborn and uncompromising character and with arduous work, movement after movement in endless practices that no one sees, for example in the gym where he gained 29 pounds of muscle mass – everything changed.

After ten months in Portland, Deni is a basketball star, the real deal. Four days closely following him only intensified the feeling that he's not just another star, he's much more than basketball.

And this happens because the greatest thing about the Israeli hasn't changed – the person. Deni Avdija – zero pretentious arrogance, everything natural, without effort. With authentic humanity and genuine modesty he remains Deni from Herzliya, who knows he's a basketball star. With the enveloping parents Sharon and Zofer, and the agents who are much more than agents – Matan Siman Tov and Doug Naushtat – this is a story with a promising beginning, a wonderful middle, and a continuation (knock on wood) that they write about in fairy tales.

The post 'More than basketball, it's life itself': Inside Deni Avdija's dramatic week appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

In the gray, rain-soaked city of Portland, a 24-year-old Israeli is creating basketball history. Deni Avdija, posting unprecedented numbers of 23.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game in March, has become a serious candidate for NBA Player of the Month – a height no Israeli has ever reached. Beyond the statistics lies a humble young man who remains grounded despite his meteoric rise, balancing the pride of representing Israel during difficult times with the pressure of elite professional sports.

Portland has fewer than 500 Israelis and is distant from Israeli centers like LA, New York, or Miami. Avdija blends into the local population, one of their own. When Deni was traded from Washington to Portland less than a year ago, many Israeli fans were disappointed. Portland is considered the most remote NBA city, a place few stars want to play, with a team whose future seemed bleak. However, this move has unexpectedly become the perfect opportunity for Deni's career to flourish.

And him? He remains true to himself, shakes everyone's hand, and signs autographs for children until the arena lights turn off. He enjoys the moment but knows when and where to keep his ego in check. A local hero inside the Moda Center in downtown Portland and beyond. A player who took a struggling team and unified it. Perhaps this season won't culminate in a playoff achievement, but the direction is clear – and the present is just the gateway to the future for who will likely be remembered as the greatest Israeli basketball player ever.

Not just a basketball player

For four days, we shadowed Avdija as closely as possible. In the practice facility, before and after games, in the locker room, on the court, and off it. We observed his relationships with teammates, with his coach Chauncey Billups, and with the fans who wear the best-selling jersey in Portland – number 8.

Q: Do you know what they say about you? What do they think?

"What do they think about me? Not really. I know I'm a good player and they probably think I play well."

Q: Do you understand that you're a national pride for an entire nation?

"I honestly don't know that. I feel like I'm just doing my job. You're embarrassing me. I don't know how to react, but that's the truth. I'm a human being, that's my truth.

"I'm happy that people see me as something beyond basketball, because I also feel I'm more than 'just a basketball player.' I don't share much about myself, I'm not often in front of cameras, but I love to influence people and give back to the community, and I love Israel, so I'm glad people think this way. I know my mom is proud of me, my family and friends are proud of me, but... when you tell me an entire country, it's moving to know that, honestly."

Q: Do you connect more with your Israeli identity? Is it part of your identity in the league?

"I grew up with friends in the neighborhood on a basketball court, so I was always connected to my Israeli identity. It was always a part of who I am. Every time I see people or meet friends, I feel that I'm Israeli, and of course I'm also a regular person like them. Has my awareness strengthened? Yes, I can say it has. I love the country very much and talk a lot about Israel, also with the guys on the team, and I'm proud to be Israeli.

"For example, I bring them [the Portland players] food from my mother's home, sweets from Israel. I give them gifts for holidays, as is customary here, and then I show them the culture I grew up in.

"On the other hand, there are also times when I forget about it. Many times you're at home, and everything around you is in English and very American, so after five years in the US, you get used to it. It's not simple."

"Very proud to be Israeli"

On Simchat Torah 2023, the day of the massacre in the Gaza border communities, Deni found himself experiencing the hardest and most painful day personally since arriving in the US.

"I remember October 7 as if it happened yesterday," he shared. "The events caught me at home [Avdija played in Washington at that time], I was almost falling asleep because it was nighttime here, and then my friend, a combat soldier, called and told me 'Listen, there's crazy chaos in Israel, I wanted to let you know. A disaster happened, turn on the news.' I went downstairs, turned on the TV, and watched everything happening live while thousands of miles from Israel.

"At first, like everyone else, I didn't understand the magnitude of the event. I saw that Hamas pickup truck in Sderot and you don't really comprehend, we're not used to events like these, it's a once-in-a-generation, once-in-a-lifetime event. I had to go to sleep because there was morning practice the next day, but I couldn't fall asleep, how can anyone sleep? My friends from the neighborhood are IDF soldiers; how can I sleep? The next morning, the team allowed me to rest, meaning I didn't practice. They understood the situation and sent me home. It was a shock for me, without a doubt."

Q: The hostages – how much are you thinking about them in your daily life?

"Wow, a lot. During the release days, I was constantly in front of the TV and it moved me so much. All the survivors who came out of captivity recently moved me, and one of them especially – Omer Shem Tov from Herzliya. He's an amazing guy, we have mutual friends and it was crazy to see him return home. I think about all the hostages, every single one of them. The situation isn't simple, but I try to stay as informed as possible. I'm very connected to everything happening in Israel, without a doubt."

Q: Has this changed you? Does the Israeli flag mean something different to you now?

"I'm not a person who will constantly be doing advocacy now, but I am of course very, very proud to be Israeli. I also maintain a healthy and good relationship within the team. They tried to understand what happened on Oct. 7."

Q: Did they ask you questions? Was there anyone who was angry with you because you're Israeli, who tried to justify the other side?

"They asked me questions, sure, but mainly from a place of lack of knowledge. They wanted to know, understand, and be part of what I went through. I don't know if anyone was angry - I haven't encountered anything like that. And honestly," he says with a smile, "I don't think anyone would have the courage to come and tell me they support the other side. Even if there are people who thought differently, I don't think they would come and tell me that. You know, I've played with players from many nationalities, but within a team, where you're from doesn't matter."

You're right to question this translation. A more accurate and natural translation of this question would be:

Q: Have you experienced any negative reactions or hostility from crowds during games in the US?

"It has almost never happened in the arenas. I've encountered it more on social media, though I don't pay attention to those platforms. Yes, there have definitely been threats. I've received threatening messages online, but I don't read them. I play in one of America's most-watched leagues, and people know I'm the only Jewish player in the NBA, so naturally some have targeted me with their anti-Israel hatred."

Q: Did the NBA leadership or Commissioner Adam Silver, who is Jewish, reach out to you?

"Adam Silver called me a day or two after October 7. He expressed that his heart was with me and with everyone in Israel, asked if my family and friends were safe, and showed genuine concern that really touched me. I hadn't expected that call, but it meant a lot. The league leadership has definitely been supportive. Through all this, I've also learned to be smart, not just right. That's something I strongly believe in - it's part of how I've grown during my time here."

"I came here to work"

To understand Deni's life, you need to understand where he lives. Oregon sits on America's western edge, blanketed in endless greenery with waterfalls around every corner, ancient forests, and serene lakes. The mighty Columbia River cuts through the state, with the Pacific Ocean bordering its western shore. It's truly a paradise postcard.

Portland is a quiet city whose highlights include numerous rose gardens and Nike's world headquarters (essentially a city within itself) with thousands of employees – all defining elements of the city's character and pride. It's two hours from Seattle, and the Blazers are the westernmost team in the league.

In this tranquil environment, Deni thrives and appreciates every moment. His focus remains entirely on his work. While people recognize and speak with him, they respect his space, allowing him to dine comfortably in restaurants. The community has embraced him, and the city rallies passionately around its basketball team.

During the late 80s and early 90s, led by star Clyde Drexler, the team enjoyed tremendous success. They posted the league's best records and reached the finals twice, losing first to Detroit's "Bad Boys" Pistons and then to the Chicago Bulls featuring Michael Jordan.

The team has struggled in recent years, but this season with Deni, they've undergone a remarkable transformation. Currently, they're competing for a "play-in" spot that could lead to playoff qualification - the ultimate achievement in basketball's premier league. Accordingly, the previously empty arena is filling up again, and during our visit, the 20,000-seat venue was nearly at capacity. The excitement has returned to Portland.

This is also one of the NBA's youngest teams. While lacking a superstar, it features players from multiple countries and represents a freshness and unity often missing in American team sports, which tend to emphasize individual achievement.

At their spacious training facility outside the city, in a setting where "serenity" hardly captures the profound quietness, you can witness the team's cohesion and camaraderie - with Deni at the center. He didn't seize leadership loudly but earned it through friendship, daily actions, and a personality that welcomes everyone while remaining authentic. The team chemistry Deni fostered has remained strong throughout the challenges since October 7.

Q: Portland is nothing like Tel Aviv – it's completely quiet.

"Let's be honest – many places aren't like Tel Aviv. It took time to adjust, but I've found value in this tranquility. The stunning surroundings provide inner peace. Portland is wonderful for me. Yes, Tel Aviv never sleeps, but I came here to work. Of course I miss Israel's beaches, sunshine, and climate, but I truly appreciate this place - its nature and the people who've embraced me. The team is this city's heart, and I feel that everywhere."

Q: Do you feel like you're living your dream?

"Maybe I'll surprise you and many other people – my dream initially was to be a soccer player. I really wanted to be a soccer player. I played basketball for fun, but I didn't think I would be in the Israeli Premier League and certainly not in the NBA, and I definitely didn't think there would be all this craziness around me.

"Now I can say that I am living the dream, but more than basketball it's life itself. Seeing places, meeting new people, creating friendships, and influencing others. That's actually the dream I'm living right now.

"I feel like I'm able to touch the lives of other people, and sometimes I don't even understand how much. For instance, something that seems very simple to me, like saying hello to a child, or other small everyday things. For me it's not much, but for that child it's something he'll never forget. That's a principle I take for life.

"It took me time, even as I mature, to understand how much small daily actions truly impact – and it doesn't have to be just because I'm a basketball player, it could also be going to the supermarket and telling someone to have a good day, or saying 'I like your shoes and your shirt.' You understand how much influence you have on other people, not just if you're a famous basketball player, but also if you're a human being in general – and obviously if you're also a public figure."

"I added a certain energy to the team"

After five years in the league, especially given his tremendous improvement this season and particularly these past two months, the question arises: Can Deni make the leap to becoming a standout NBA player?

"I believe I'm a legitimate player," he says. "But define 'legitimate.' A player who could start on any team and be among its leaders? Absolutely, I think so. Some teams are a better fit for me than others, but yes, I'm legitimate."

Q; Have you gotten used to the situation where you are, like most NBA players, a kind of "tradable asset"? If they want, you move from Washington to Portland overnight.

"It's something you live with and are aware of. There are things that aren't up to me. What I can control is being the best on the court. That means training every day, investing in my body. Besides that, whatever they want to do with me – that's their business. A player's life follows a demanding routine.

"I don't think what I say can truly reflect to readers what happens behind the scenes of an NBA player. Many people see me on the court, 48 minutes, and that's it. No one knows what happens in between the travels, a night here and then the next night another game. Everything is relative, but life is different away from the cameras."

Q: We were with you in the team's locker room, and we noticed how close-knit you all are. There are no ego-driven stars, just a cohesive, young team where no one puts themselves above the others. There's a real sense of brotherhood.

"There's no ego here. I mean, clearly there is, but it's positive and on the court, not in the locker room. We're almost the youngest team in the league, so there's a kind of brotherhood. I can tell you that when I came, the connection between the players was a little more, how do I say it, give me a word..."

Q: Distant? There was less connection? 

"I think I helped create a positive environment. I think part of it is because I bring an outside perspective as the only European on the team, with my Serbian heritage from my father's side and, of course, being Israeli. I bring a different cultural outlook. You can see our unity on the court, and I believe I've added a certain energy to the team. Even the quieter players have opened up and now feel like they're truly part of the group."

Q: And where is your ego? It seems like you don't have an ego.

"No, no, no. Don't exaggerate. I'm a human being, I have an ego. Everyone has an ego. I have nothing to be ashamed of with my ego. I put it in place, and it emerges when it needs to emerge. That means I still stand my ground, I still don't let people move me so much right or left – I have my way, and on the court I take my ego as much and when I need to."

"Special relationship"

Unlike many other NBA stars, Deni isn't very active on social media and doesn't feel drawn to that aspect of celebrity. In the past, he considered creating a vlog to stay connected with his Israeli fans but couldn't bring himself to do it. His authenticity defines who he is – he refuses to present a manufactured persona that doesn't reflect his true character.

On the court, however, he allows himself to express emotions freely, engaging in physical battles and exchanging trash talk even with LeBron James, one of the contenders for the greatest player of all time. Their most recent publicized interaction happened just a month ago on Instagram. Deni posted a photo from a game against the Lakers showing himself dribbling past James, who was down on his knees, and added a small but meaningful smiley face.

"People blow these things out of proportion, but that's the NBA," Deni smiled. "What I did to him has happened countless times in his career – I'm neither the first nor the last to make such a play against him. When he sees me on the court, he knows who I am. We actually match up pretty well against each other. I respect him – he's truly an exceptional player."

Q: In ten years, when you're approaching retirement around age 35-36, what do you want people to remember about this period in your life?

"Wow. That I built a successful career, lived a full life, experienced things, and achieved my goals. I don't want to look back saying I could have been better – instead, that I gave everything on the court and maximized my potential. After all, who doesn't want to make the most of the gifts God gave them?

"I don't want to reflect on my career thinking, 'If only I'd taken that shot differently, maybe I would have won that game more convincingly.' I just want the satisfaction of knowing I gave everything. There's something truly special about knowing I gave 100 percent while staying true to myself – that I remained the same Deni throughout."

"Deni is better than I expected – I trust him to lead the team"

Deni's coach in Portland is Chauncey Billups, a legendary former player and NBA Hall of Famer who starred with the Detroit Pistons and won a championship in 2004.

Billups, who has seen everything basketball has to offer, candidly admits he didn't expect Deni to become one of the team's stars so quickly. "I didn't realize just how good Deni was," he smiled. "I knew he was an excellent rebounder and saw he was a great shooter, but I didn't expect someone who could score 30 points per game. He's significantly better than I anticipated. His ball-handling is outstanding. He excels with the ball in his hands, and even without it, he reads the game brilliantly.

"He's still developing and will improve further. His game, shooting, decision-making –everything will get better. He's remarkably mature, yet still early in his development curve. I've entrusted him with leadership responsibilities, and I'm learning alongside him.

"Regarding Deni's support system, we've opened our doors to his family and personal team. Matan, his agent, has joined us for several trips, and we understand how important the connection between the organization and a player's inner circle is. My relationship with Matan goes beyond the typical agent-coach dynamic – we have a special connection, and I've assured him Deni will absolutely fulfill his potential.

"Deni is a pleasure to coach. He takes the game seriously. Though young, he approaches basketball with remarkable maturity and professionalism. He's a winner without a trace of selfishness – a true team player. I especially appreciate his toughness. He plays with heart and possesses comprehensive talent – shooting, driving to the basket, and playing strong defense. His personality is wonderful, and it's a joy to know him personally. Deni is a leader on this team, and I love his passionate, fiery playing style. He's a genuine leader."

Much more than basketball

The NBA represents the ultimate dream for anyone who picks up a basketball. Few reach this level, and fewer still make a significant impact. It's one of the most demanding organizations in sports—82 regular season games, constant travel, almost daily relocation. A lifestyle offering glory, respect, and substantial wealth, but challenging nonetheless.

Just when a player adapts to a city, team, and teammates, he might wake up to hear: "Pack everything – you're moving tomorrow." This means starting fresh in a new environment, under media scrutiny, with fans expecting immediate success, and countless factors to navigate when success and failure are separated by the thinnest margins.

Deni Avdija came from Herzliya to Washington. He gradually adapted to the league, its demands, and his team – until one night they told him he was moving to Portland, Oregon's capital at the westernmost edge of the country. Yet within a year, he became the face of the organization. He confronted challenges without faltering, persisting instead. Through stubborn determination and grueling work – countless repetitions in practices nobody witnesses, adding 28.7 pounds of muscle in the gym – everything transformed.

After ten months in Portland, Deni has become a legitimate basketball star. Our four days with him reinforced that he's not just another player – he represents something beyond the sport itself.

This is possible because his fundamental quality remains unchanged—his character. Deni Avdija displays zero arrogance; everything about him is natural and effortless. With authentic integrity and genuine modesty, he remains that same boy from Herzliya who happens to be a basketball star. Supported by his parents Sharon and Zufer, and agents who function more like family – Matan Siman Tov and Doug Neustadt –his story features a promising beginning, an impressive middle, and a future that (knock on wood) reads like something from legends.

The post From Israel to NBA: Deni Avdija's rise to stardom appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Over the past week, while the entire country has been remotely following his remarkable displays on the court, we had the exclusive opportunity to accompany Israeli sports' biggest star for several days in Portland.

This comprehensive journey, which will be fully detailed in an extensive and exclusive interview with Avdija, will be published this coming weekend in a special double issue of "Shishabbat" magazine and on the Israel Hayom website.

Beyond being 'just a basketball player'

This summer, Deni Avdija will don the Israeli national team uniform and attempt to guide the squad to success in EuroBasket. He's expected to collaborate with several leading Israeli basketball players, including Yam Madar, with whom he's previously achieved significant accomplishments in youth competitions.

Avdija maintains a particularly strong connection with national team coach Ariel Beit Halachmi, under whose guidance he won two European Championships at the Under-20 level (2018 and 2019).

"I really love Ariel, he is the leader of this team," he explains. "He gave me a chance and believed in me. He wasn't afraid of my age – it's a privilege to work with such a person."

Q: Do you understand that you are a national pride of an entire nation?

"I really don't know that. I feel like I'm just doing my job. You're embarrassing me, I don't know how to react to that, but that's the truth. I'm a human being, that's my truth.

"I'm happy that people see me beyond a basketball player, because I truly feel that I am beyond 'just a basketball player.' I love to influence people and give back to the community. I love Israel, so I'm happy that people think that way. I know my mom is proud of me, and my family and friends are proud of me, but when you tell me an entire country feels this way – it's moving to know that, honestly."

The full interview will be published over the weekend

The post 'I love Israel': Deni Avdija opens up on his NBA stardom appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

"This is the battle of our lives. Jews are afraid to speak up for fear of being identified. You can't wear a kippah at America's largest and most prestigious universities. Jewish students in Berlin and Munich had no chance to change their situation, but here in America, we have the mandate to change this. We must help our students on campuses fight back," says Alan Dershowitz, a prominent US Jewish legal scholar.

These words from Dershowitz need to be read repeatedly to comprehend the magnitude of the crisis facing American Jewry amid a wave of antisemitism, along with the challenges of maintaining Jewish-American identity and fundamental questions about previously stable aspects of identity.

On the 20th floor of the Yale Club in New York, with Manhattan's powerful urban landscape as a backdrop, an outsider might not have grasped the intensity of the storm affecting those present. The conference was organized by the Israeli group Shurat HaDin, led by attorney and activist Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, bringing together major influencers and advocacy organizations across the spectrum of American Jewry – all united in a common goal: creating unity and cooperation between activist organizations in combating antisemitism and eliminating this phenomenon.

Unprecedented Hatred

"Hamas' deadly attack a year ago shocked Israel both at home and abroad. Instead of embracing innocent victims, the world turned against Israel with unprecedented hatred, blood libels, calls for genocide, and violence. Our enemies celebrated the massacre of Jews, distorted facts, ignored acts of assault, and openly supported Hamas. Our goal is to fight back on the public relations front and ensure every Jew feels safe anywhere in the world," Darshan-Leitner said.

The 86-year-old Dershowitz doesn't shy away from describing the reality he sees in light of the terror prevailing on campuses, even if it deviates from American political correctness. "Professors and deans with anti-Israel agendas stand and knowingly lie. They teach students false academia. Today, to be something in America, you must be anti-Zionist. I spoke with two deans – both pro-Israel, and they refuse to speak. They're afraid, they're silent. They're trembling with fear. We're in great danger – more than during McCarthyism."

Beyond the current crisis, the senior legal expert looks ahead with a dark forecast, "These people on campuses represent America's future – they'll soon be writing for The New York Times, sitting in major companies doing business with Israel. In a few years, they'll be in government, and they'll all be anti-Zionist. This is a clear and present danger to Israel and American Jewry.

"Consider the situation at UCLA: If you identify as a Zionist, 14 fraternities will prevent you from speaking and suspend you. This is literally Berlin University 1933 at the beginning of anti-Jewish contempt. This is a critical problem, and that's why we must respond and be present as American Jewry. Fight, not lower our heads thinking this is a passing storm – this is classic antisemitism."

"Uniting Hearts and Minds"

Among the conference speakers was comedian Michael Rapaport, who had never visited Israel before the war. Since then, he has visited five times and become an influential voice in the US, fighting against pro-Palestinian incitement. Rapaport represents the activist Jew who refuses to bow down, stands against hatred, and fights back.

"I cannot stand idly by in the face of such events, everything happening in Israel, 101 hostages and their families, and the hatred here at home. It's frustrating, but it's what unites us. So many hearts have been broken. So many family trajectories stopped in their tracks," Rapaport said. "We did nothing to deserve this hatred. On Oct. 8 morning, here in New York, while people in Israel were still being slaughtered, burned alive, and assaulted, pro-Palestinian activists came to Times Square and celebrated – 'from the river to the sea'! They can't claim there was a false 'genocide' then.

"I won't give any justification to these terrorists who carried out the massacre. We're neck-deep in anti-Jewish rhetoric, and now violence too. I never thought I'd have to admit that in 2024 New York, Jews would need to be afraid. I'm disgusted by what happened at the formerly prestigious Columbia University.

"We need to fight with our hearts, our prayers, our minds – stand strong and not take a step back. Don't consider any alternatives. I encourage all of you to stand tall. Learn more about your Judaism. Learn about our history. Stand tall and proud. No guilt. We've done the guilt thing long enough. No more shame. We've done enough. No stammering."

When Rapaport finished speaking, it seemed the audience needed someone like him to speak to them at eye level, in New York vernacular, without fear, instilling the hope they so desperately need. "In Israel, soldiers fight for the Jewish state; here, each of us is a warrior for Judaism and Israel."

British historian Douglas Murray then took the stage. Responding to Nitsana Darshan-Leitner's question about what makes him such a staunch defender of Israel and the Jewish people, he replied, "Journalists should be honest and try to expose lies. The bigger the lie being spread, the greater your duty to unravel it.

"The blatant injustice toward Israel, the way this small country is the subject of so many condemnations worldwide, the deep unfairness in media coverage of Israel, and the lack of empathy toward Israel. Israel is the only country in the region where an American would want to live, yet so many want to destroy it," Murray added. "I've seen the IDF in action from the front line. I've seen these impressive men and women carrying out missions that no one should have to perform. They do it out of love, not hate, and above all this, they have to bear the world's condemnation."

A Matter of Numbers

When asked why he thinks so many hate the Jewish state, he responded, "It's a numbers game – there aren't many Jews in the world compared to the number of people who hate Jews. Israeli media has a small budget compared to Al Jazeera. There's an illusion that if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, peace will break out across the world. This is exactly the clever Soviet framing from the 1960s regarding Israel, the ANC framing that this is the human rights issue of our generation, and if you solve it, you'll be justified like Nelson Mandela. And that's what minds have been misled to believe.

"The idea that solving the Palestinian crisis will solve many problems is fundamentally flawed. Even Blinken said we need to focus on a 'two-state solution.' All this has become official policy of both Left and Right politics."

Murray didn't skip over the hatred spreading in America among progressive pro-Palestinian organizations, "Most professors and students in America think they know the world. If they know one thing, it's 'don't be a Nazi.' They don't understand that they themselves can be the Nazi. When they chase students at Columbia and scream at them 'go back to Poland' because they wear a kippah, they can be the Nazi.

"If any other minority received the treatment American Jews have received in the past year, there would be endless investigations. But that's not happening. To you, American Jews, I call to build alliances. Don't forget your friends who were always there. Be united."

The post 'The battle of our lives': US Jewish community confronts campus antisemitism appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Have you seen what has blackened there?

It is a field of thorns, my boy,

That was abandoned in summer

And now it is a plowed field.

Have you seen what is white?

My boy, it is a field of weepers,

Its tears turned to stone

Its stones cried flowers.

Natan Yonatan, "Yesh Prachim (There are flowers)" / 1971

Today, these lines echo across a nation transformed by tragedy. We mourn Staff Sergeant Roy Bareket, who fell in the heroic battle of Nahal Oz. We grieve for Carmel Gat, murdered in Hamas tunnels, and her mother, Kinneret Gat, who faced evil with defiance moments before her death in Be'eri. We remember Noy Aviv, killed at the festival in Re'im; Lieutenant Colonel Tomer Grinberg, who fell fighting in Gaza; and Master Sergeant Meir Abargil, an investigator at the Sderot police station, killed defending his city. We honor Shahar Aviani, security coordinator of Kfar Aza, and Alon Shamriz, tragically killed by friendly fire after escaping captivity – freedom was cruelly snatched away at the last moment.

For 1,689 fallen, casualties, and murdered, the field of weepers never ends. It stretches on, its furrows deepening within us, refusing to fade. Every Israeli now carries a daily burden, an anguish that has lingered since October 7, 2023. It weighs on our souls, refusing to let go or disappear, even if the routines of daily life occasionally push it aside. None of us remains the same person since that fateful Saturday; our collective soul has darkened. The wound bleeds, and even when it scars, true healing eludes us.

Yet, amid this pervasive grief, we all seek solace – a glimmer of hope to cling to, a light that might penetrate the dark tunnel in which our lives are now shrouded. That bright light will shine when the 101 hostages return to us – to the embrace of Merav, Einav, Eli, Shelly, Ayelet, Ditsa, Shai, and the other parents whose hearts are captive in Gaza, and with them, an entire nation held hostage. There can be no hope, no healing for our society and our life-seeking nation if we do not exhaust every possibility to bring our daughters and sons home. We think of those taken from beds where they once felt safe, their sanctuaries violated. We remember those who danced carefree at a festival and the soldiers who stood nearly alone against a barbaric onslaught – the very nightmare they had long warned about, their calls unheeded until that terrible morning.

Achievements in Lebanon or strategic gains against Iran cannot for a moment divert our attention from this primary goal. The return of the hostages remains the war's supreme objective – the vital breath our nation needs to draw again.

This is how we can rebuild the trust between citizen and state. It's not just the government, which breached its social contract, that must make amends at any cost – no price is too high for the pain of these families, for the suffering of a nation. The military and security establishment must ensure that commanders at every level keep decision-makers focused on this paramount goal. And we, the citizens, bear responsibility too. Even as we seek refuge in the distractions of reality TV, cultural events, or weekend getaways, we must ask ourselves: If we fully embraced the suspended animation of the hostages' families by being like them and being laser-focused on having their loved ones returned, would it have spurred greater action? Would it have rekindled the spirit of mutual responsibility that has seen our nation through past ordeals?

As a country living under a cloud of pain and suffering for what feels like an interminable year, we cling to the hope that it is indeed darkest before dawn.

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Israel's top security officials have no doubt that going into Rafah is only question "when" and not "if". This week, as the whole world has been issuing warnings that Israel must not enter the southernmost city in the strip for fear of a catastrophe, military officials have reminded us that people said the same before the troops entered Gaza City and the Shifa Hospital; the military officials have also had to remind us that people were concerned it would not be able to show the same level of performance after the first ceasefire, only to prove the doomsayers wrong.

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People also warned the army not to enter the central refugee camps and Khan Younis, and that it would have to halt operations if there were to be a major incident in which many troops would be killed – and unfortunately there was such an event –  and yet the fighters' have continued making inroads to all parts of the Gaza Strip. 

The gloom and doom before entering Rafah will ultimately be proven ill-advised as well. 

"Time works for those who work with it," senior security officials told Israel Hayom. The population will be relocated, the tents placed in a new area, and aid centers and temporary hospitals set up by foreign countries in Rafah will be dismantled and set up elsewhere where the Gazan population will reside. There are currently 1.5 million people in Rafah, after the relocation about half a million people will be there, it's really the origami art when folding the page into six parts – we folded from the north of the strip towards Wadi Gaza, and from there to the coastal areas, then to Khan Younis, now to the population in Rafah, and it will move automatically to a new place. This is not a mission that is beyond our capabilities, and of course it can be accomplished, security officials say.

The IDF fought and dismantled Hamas battalions in the north of the strip even as 300,000 locals were there. The situation in Rafah is not unlike what we have seen over the past four months of fighting. Although it is slightly more complex, the four complete Hamas battalions in the area will be dismantled.

Three months ago, when the maneuver was only just starting, people began envisioning the situation we would face in Rafah, almost to a tee. In a briefing by a security official to journalists, Israel Hayom was told, "It will take time. When the brigade can move from north to south of the strip freely and in a short period of time, we will know that we are in the right place to achieve the goals." We have now reached this situation.

A brigade can now perform in one single night what a division had performed in a few days. Almost the entire Hamas command field staff has been hit. The terrorist organization's chain of command no longer runs from the top down; every order is just locally communicated on the ground. A deputy now makes decisions that used to be made only by Hamas brigade commanders. 

On October 7, the IDF was dealt a crushing defeat. While the families of the captives and dead feel this on a daily basis, among the army chiefs, a bubble has emerged right when the fighting started; in this bubble, the IDF has managed to dismantle almost all of Hamas' capabilities. The terrorists' command and control capabilities have been crushed, there is no free passage for the population from south to north, while only 25% of the residents remain in their place. The images Hamas has been spreading of it supposedly reasserting control of the strip through its policemen are a two-minute show for the local cameras; immediately afterward they are eliminated or disbanded.

But even in the fighting bubble, commanders have a duty to remember the worthy and most noble goal – the return of the kidnapped. The security establishment has been working hard, with significant maneuvering while trying to avoid areas where, according to intelligence estimates, the captives are held – all while devising and implementing more plans.

This is the army's ultimate moral duty – to deliver results. Meanwhile, the civilian echelon must know how to leverage these gains in negotiations for the return of the captives, and in ensuring our future for the next few decades.

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The post The IDF will get the job done in Rafah despite gloom and doom appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

This piece was originally supposed to go to press right after the war. I wanted to wait until we could truly mourn the dead and lament the loss of the thousands that have left our midst; until we could finally hear silence instead of sirens; until the IDF reservists who had been called up would be back home; and until our lungs could take in more air and our society could reel and lick it wounds. 

Wartime is usually not the right time to render verdicts; when the cannons are heard, the muses are silent, the old adage says. This is generally correct because the challenges are immense and the fighting is still ongoing; thus all other matters should be shoved aside. The fighters need to feel that the people have their back, that we have unity, and that the home front hugs them. The love and solidarity Israelis have shown since that terrible Shabbat is one of a kind. 

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Having said all that, something happened two days ago that broke the camel's back: It had become apparent that while all of us were rising above our anger and disputes, there was one entity that continued engaging in sparring and divisions. It is perhaps time to say it loud and clear: No more; stop with this. 

Had it been just a one-off tweet or a statement that reopens wounds, an apology would suffice and we would move on. "He apologized; he made a gaffe; we are at war and we must keep a stiff upper lip," people said after the first time. But then it just continued: another controversial statement, another accusation, another clarification, and another apology, and we are back to square one. Instead of having everyone rise above the fray during this critical period, we see political mudslinging. 

The non-stop political bickering while the war is raging; the jockeying for positions in the post-war reality; the cabinet ministers blurting out incendiary and inciting rhetoric only to be reprimanded and then doing it all over again as if nothing had happened all in the name of political survival. And I haven't even mentioned the lack of responsibility on their part. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is focused on the war, no doubt, but Bibi Netanyahu is focused on saving his skin. He looks at his predicament and thinks about the day after the war while prosecuting it; he is thinking about the ways to preserve his governing Coalition, stay in power, and keep his political viability over the years. 

Perhaps it is because of the people around him – political advisors, communication advisers, close associates – and the lack of real contact with the average Israeli. He has been shielded from the undercurrents that have been simmering with indescribable rage and agony across the board. 

We are going to win the war because we are an incredible people; we all know we have no other place to go, and that is why we will emerge victorious. The real concern is what happens after the war. It is clear that Netanyahu will not throw in the towel – unlike the IDF senior brass, the intelligence officials, and practically everyone else who is responsible for the Oct. 7 debacle. Every statement that he utters is designed to lay the groundwork for him staying in power; every gaffe and the apology that immediately follows. 

I dread the prospect of Israel having won the war in Gaza only to lose its collective solidarity as a nation; I fear the chaos that will reign here – which will make the judicial reform protests pale in comparison. 

We have already seen what such domestic strife causes – it makes everyone lose. I believe that deep inside, Netanyahu is a patriot, but there is no one around him to tell him the following: "It's game over; you will not be able to continue in the war's aftermath; you should lead Israel to victory – but then step down; stop throwing blame all around, take responsibility and accept that the buck stops with you, as the leader who has been in charge for the past 14 years. It's over, step down and exit stage right once the war is behind us."

But it won't happen; all the signs point to that. Therefore, maybe it's time to think out loud rather than in a whisper: Benjamin Netanyahu needs to go as soon as possible.

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