Join our Community

Support ToI and remove all ads

Learn more

English
Français
עברית

Get The Daily Edition
Account
Sign In
- Sign in
- Join our Community

Open Search form

Israel & the Region
Jewish Times
Israel Inside
Tech Israel
Real Estate Israel
The Blogs
Podcasts
Video
Newsletters
Partners

Input search

English
Français
עברית

Latest Articles
Latest Alerts
Israel & the Region
Jewish Times
Israel Inside
Tech Israel
Real Estate Israel
The Blogs
Podcasts
Video
Newsletters
Partners
Community
- Join our community
- Sign in
- About The Times of Israel
- Advertise on The Times of Israel
- Contact us
- Download our App
  - For IOS users
  - For Android users
- Get the Daily Edition
- Follow us
- © 2026 The Times of Israel , All Rights Reserved
  
  Terms and conditions Privacy policy Your Privacy Rights

Input search

The Daily Edition

What Matters Most On Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Facebook
Twitter

View previous edition

View next edition

Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, December 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Israel has spent $788m on vaccines, could double sum — Health Ministry

By Stuart Winer

Knesset Finance Committee hears previously undisclosed sum, also approves $598 million for other aspects of COVID-19 response

Sisters Shuruq Jubran (R) and Amna Kahwaji who died of coronavirus complications within weeks of each other in March 2021. (Courtesy)

Sisters, aged 23 and 31, die of COVID 10 days apart after giving birth

A medical staff member displays the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination site set up in the Marseille soccer Velodrome stadium, during a presentation to the media, in Marseille, March 15, 2021. (AP/Daniel Cole)

Major European nations suspend use of AstraZeneca shot, as WHO says it’s safe

By Frank Jordans

ArchaeologyIAA: Scroll finds 'a wake-up call' for more urgent searches

Bible scroll fragments among dazzling artifacts found in Dead Sea Cave of Horror

By Amanda Borschel-Dan

Parts of books of Nahum and Zechariah, world’s oldest woven basket, 6,000-year-old mummified child, Bar Kochba Revolt coins among stunning finds from daring Judean Desert rescue op

Podcast: Daily Briefing Mar. 16 – The daring mission to save Dead Sea Scrolls

A pregnant woman wearing a face mask and gloves holds her belly as she waits in line for groceries in Waltham, Massachusetts, May 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Live updates (closed)

Israeli study shows vaccination of pregnant women immunizes fetus too

Research followed dozens of women vaccinated during the third trimester, with women and fetuses all showing similar antibody levels

7:38 pm

Report: Meshi-Zahav to claim all sexual encounters were consensual
7:37 pm

Abbas, Biden will speak on the phone soon -- Palestinian prime minister
7:07 pm

Hamas, Fatah agree to electoral code of conduct

A light emitting watercress. (Seon-Yeong Kwak/MIT)

Plant nanobionics

With light-up plants and email from spinach, lab turns over a new leaf on flora

Pioneering so-called plant nanobionics, an MIT research team has found ways to use tiny sensors to hack into the signals plants send and alter the way they act

An illustrative image of an Atlas craft (Courtesy)

Not a bird, not a plane: Startup hopes to hit skies with ‘eco-friendly’ blimps

By Jake Epstein

A fuel tank owned by a Europe Asia Pipeline Company factory just outside of the southern city of Ashkelon, where a fuel leak occurred in late November 2020. (Environmental Protection Ministry)

Green Police open criminal probe into state-owned pipeline over benzene leak

Paid post

For a unique Passover, try The Kveller Haggadah

It goes deep into Jewish traditions in a kid-friendly way. This haggadah from Jewish parenting site Kveller is a must-read for your seder.

How can this Passover be different from all others – even last year’s?

Zoom seders are back. But this time, we are already experts in homemade rituals. We’ve even discovered some benefits to a virtual gathering

This rabbi has seen the future, and it sounds like Clubhouse

The live audio social media platform provides a space for young diverse participants to have a new kind of conversation about Judaism

A portrait of Hans Globke, the under-secretary of state and chief of staff of the West German Chancellery, from 1953 to 1963. (CC BY-SA, Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Official at heart of Nazis’ racial laws worked to help Israel go nuclear

Hans Globke, who wrote notorious guidebook on anti-Jewish Nuremberg Laws, later helped prepare secret $5.5b loan for development of Dimona reactor, Times of London reveals

French Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot poses next to an oil painting by Gustav Klimt painted in 1905 called 'Rosebushes under the Trees,' during a ceremony at the Orsay museum in Paris, March 15, 2021. (Alain Jocard/Pool Photo via AP)

France to return Nazi-looted Klimt artwork to rightful Jewish heirs

By AP

Screen capture from video of actor Yaphet Kotto, left, with Roger Moore in the film 'Live and Let Die.' (YouTube)

Obituary

Yaphet Kotto, Jewish actor who was first Black Bond villain, dies at 81

By AFP and ToI Staff

Star of ‘Live and Let Die’ who also featured in ‘Alien’ and played Idi Amin in movie about Israel’s Operation Entebbe, said Judaism was a guiding force in his life

Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro (Mike Lovett/ Courtesy of Brandeis University via JTA)

ObituaryCarl Shapiro, Brandeis benefactor who lost millions to Madoff, dies at 108

By Penny Schwartz

Jewlia Eisenberg (Courtesy of Charming Hostess via JTA)

ObituaryMusical intellectual and Jewish radical Jewlia Eisenberg dies at 50

Illustrative: The frontispiece of a 1912 edition of the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion.' (Wikipedia/ Public Domain)

Capitol police officer suspended after Protocols of Zion found at security post

Zach Fisch, chief of staff to Rep. Mondaire Jones, says ‘horrified’ after discovering copy of virulently anti-Semitic book that alleges Jewish cabal controls the world

Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

2 men charged in assault of US Capitol officer who died after riot

By MICHAEL BALSAMO and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER

George Washington High School in San Francisco, California, March 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

California school curriculum turns into Jewish-Arab battle of narratives

By Jocelyn Gecker

Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid give a press conference in Tel Aviv, March 16, 2021. (Tal Schnider/Times of Israel)

In pitch to undecided voters, Lapid urges them not to back small parties

By Tal Schneider and ToI Staff

Yesh Atid leader makes exception for Meretz, declines to declare himself a PM candidate; warns Netanyahu will form ‘racist, homophobic’ government if elected

Yesh Atid chair Yair Lapid, left, speaking with Labor MK Merav Michaeli during a plenum session in the Knesset on June 5, 2013. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Labor joins Meretz in saying it will back Lapid as next prime minister

Ra'am party chairman and Joint List MK Mansour Abbas at the Knesset in Jerusalem on November 11, 2020. (Hadas Parush/ Flash90)

Ra’am said to be leaving door open to cooperation with anti-Netanyahu bloc

Supporters of the Palestinian Fatah movement march with a poster of female terrorist Dalal al-Mughrabi, who took part in the 1978 Coastal Road massacre in Israel, during a rally marking the 55th foundation anniversary of the political party in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on January 1, 2020. (Musa AL SHAER / AFP)

Female terrorists become Palestinian role models on International Women’s Day

Dalal Mughrabi, who killed 38 civilians in 1978, and Fatima Bernawi, who served 10 years for failed Jerusalem bombing, honored in special broadcast on official PA TV

(L-R) Yesha Council director Yigal Dilmoni, Palestinian Workers Association chair Muhammad Arif Masad and Yesha Council chair David Elhayani in the Jordan Valley on March 15, 2021. (Yesha Council)

Settler head urges vaccinating Palestinians, paid for by tax revenues sent to PA

Hamas's new deputy leader Salah al-Arouri (seated, left) and Fatah's Azzam al-Ahmad (seated, right) sign a reconciliation deal in Cairo on October 12, 2017, as the two rival Palestinian movements work to end their decade-long split following negotiations overseen by Egypt. (AFP/Khaled Desouki)

Palestinian rivals Fatah, Hamas set to meet in Cairo to discuss elections

By Aaron Boxerman

Then-defense minister Avigdor Liberman, left, with Knesset Finance Committee chair MK Moshe Gafni during a Finance Committee meeting at the Knesset on December 6, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)

Analysis

Haviv Rettig Gur

Seeking to buoy support, UTJ and Yisrael Beytenu find common cause in mudfight

Ramping up rhetoric in race’s final leg, leaders of the Haredi and secular parties see in each other the perfect nemesis to drive turnout among their supporters

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, speaks with then Education Minister Naftali Bennett during a plenum session in the Knesset, on December 5, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Netanyahu, Bennett tussle over prospect of coalition with Lapid

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the annual Jerusalem Conference of the Besheva group in Jerusalem, March 14, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Netanyahu calls off campaign event in south after threat from Gaza terror group

Top health official: Virus ‘diminishing,’ but new variants a huge concern

Restrictions on gatherings to begin to ease next Sunday, as venues given access to rapid tests; former virus czar says ‘reckless exit from lockdowns’ caused many needless deaths

Medical technicians test passengers for COVID-19 at the Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on March 8, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Medical technicians test passengers for COVID-19 at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on March 8, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

UAE, Bahrain, some EU states said set to allow travel for vaccinated Israelis

A vial with Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in a medical room, in Moscow, Russia, December 5, 2020 (Pavel Golovkin/AP)

Russia said to press Israel to recognize its Sputnik V vaccine

In this Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 file photo, Israel's offshore Leviathan gas field is seen from on board the Israeli Navy Ship Lahav during a rare tour in the Mediterranean Sea, Israel. (AP/Ariel Schalit)

Analysis

With gas alliance moored to Turkey tensions, Israel tacks toward energy security

While the launch of the EastMed gas forum saw some internal spats, deals are coming together to counter Ankara’s bid to horn in on resource; though the tide may be changing

A helicopter flies over Turkey's drilling ship, 'Fatih' dispatched towards the eastern Mediterranean, near Cyprus, on July 9, 2019. (Turkish Defence Ministry via AP, Pool)

Turkey tells Israel, Greece, EU to seek permission for work in east Med waters

By AFP

Candles depicting haredi Orthodox Jews are on sale in Poland. (Jewish.pl/Jan Gebert via JTA)

Latest ‘Lucky Jew’ figurines in Poland: Candles that promise ‘financial success’

By Cnaan Liphshiz

Good luck charms sold by candle companies depict ultra-Orthodox Jews counting money; some Polish Jews say products reminiscent of Nazi crematoria

A fence in Vienna surrounds the statue of Karl Lueger, the anti-Semitic former mayor of the Austrian capital, October 6, 2020. (Joe Klamar/AFP via Getty Images/JTA)

Austrian study finds 31% are biased against Jews — and that’s an improvement

By Cnaan Liphshiz

Dawit Tekelaeb, left, and Daniel Gad star in the Israeli Oscar contender 'White Eye.' (Tomer Shushan via JTA)

Israeli short film ‘White Eye’ focusing on African migrants nominated for Oscar

By ToI Staff and JTA

Director Tomer Shushan’s 20-minute movie, shot in one take and revolving around a stolen bicycle, alleges Israelis are blind to racial bias in the country

Sacha Baron Cohen earned an Emmy nomination for playing Abbie Hoffman in 'The Trial of the Chicago 7.' (Nico Tavernise/Netflix via JTA)

From ‘Mank’ to an Israeli short film: A Jewish guide to the 2021 Oscars

By Emily Burack

Alana Haim, Danielle Haim, and Este Haim, of the sister act Haim, attend the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, March 14, 2021. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy via JTA)

Few Jewish winners, but many Jewish highlights at the 2021 Grammy Awards

By Emily Burack

More Headlines

Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, co-founder of ZAKA, speaks at a conference in Jerusalem, March 7, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Police said to suspect ZAKA officials hushed reports of founder’s alleged crimes

Israeli students at the Orot Etzion school in Efrat wear protective face masks, as they return to school on May 3, 2020. (Gershon Elinon/Flash90)

Comptroller report says education system ‘not meeting 21st-century standards’

A British expert collects tar samples from a beach for detailed analysis as Israel prepares to sue the London-based International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund over a disastrous oil leak in the Mediterranean Sea in February, 2021. (Environmental Protection Ministry)

Amid plan to seek compensation, UK expert visits Israeli beaches for tar samples

Illustrative: An Israeli family seen during the Passover Seder on the first night of the 8-day long holiday, in Rishon Lezion, March 30, 2018. (Nati Shohat/Flash90/File)

Don't let my people goCOVID czar: People asked for restrictions to avoid hosting Passover Seder

Members of the Shalva band perform Simon and Garfunkel's 'Bridge over Troubled Water,' accompanied by Emirati musicians and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, March 2021. (YouTube screenshot)

Building bridgesShalva band sings ‘Bridge Over Troubled Waters’ with Emirati artist

Illustrative: A Kosovo government official takes a self-photo during a signing ceremony held digitally, in the capital Pristina, establishing diplomatic ties between Kosovo and Israel, February 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

PA, Hamas condemn Kosovo for opening embassy in Jerusalem

By AFP and ToI Staff

Defense Minister Gantz at the launch of a "resilience center" in Kibbutz Kabri on March 15, 2021. (Screenshot/Defense Ministry)

Gantz warns Hezbollah not to ‘test’ the power of the IDF

Illustrative: Lesbian couples Chen Ying-hsuan, right, holds Li Li-chen's hand during a military mass weddings ceremony in Taoyuan city, northern Taiwan on Oct. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Vatican says Church ‘doesn’t have power’ to bless ‘sin’ of same-sex unions

By AFP

Illustrative. Israeli soldiers take part in operations in the West Bank. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF troops shoot two suspected of firebombing West Bank settlement

Illustrative image: School buses lined up in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn on April 24, 2019. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images/JTA)

Orthodox Jewish groups welcome $2.75b for private schools in COVID relief bundle

By Andrew Silow-Carroll

Illustrative: A knife in a male hand. (iStock)

Man, 36, stabbed to death in brawl outside Netanya kiosk

View Edition by Date

February	March 2021					April
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

The Times of Israel

Daily Edition

Free to Your Inbox

The email is either missing or invalid.

By signing up, you agree to our terms You hereby accept The Times of Israel Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and you agree to receive the latest news & offers from The Times of Israel and its partners or ad sponsors.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Israel & the Region
Jewish Times
Israel Inside
Tech Israel
Real Estate Israel
The Blogs
podcasts
video

terms and conditions
privacy policy
Your Privacy Rights
about us
advertise with us
Jobs at The Times of Israel
contact us

Community

Join our community
Sign in

Get the Daily Edition

Enter your email address

Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Whatsapp Follow us on X Follow us on Youtube Follow us on Telegram Follow us on Threads Follow us on Bluesky

© 2026 The Times of Israel, all rights reserved

Concept, design & development by

Developed by

Powered by

Never miss breaking news on Israel

Get notifications to stay updated

You're subscribed

Register for free
and continue reading

Registering allows you to manage your newsletters and alerts and helps us improve your experience. It takes just a few seconds.
Already registered? Enter your email to sign in.

Email address

Please use the following structure: example@domain.com

Or Continue with

By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. Once registered, you’ll receive our Daily Edition email for free.

Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition

Register to continue

Email address

Or Continue with

Log in to continue

Email address

Something went wrong.
Please try again in a few minutes..

Sign in or Register

Email address * Password *

Incorrect password. Please try again or choose an option below.

I forgot my password / Send me a sign in link

Or Continue with

check your email

Check your email

We sent an email to you at .

It has a link that will sign you in.

Click the link in that email to complete your registration.