A Radical Israeli Movement Revealed - The Hilltop Youth Speak for Themselves | 10@9 | 2026.04.16

My love for Israel is deep and fierce. My desire for Israel to be better flows directly from that love. This issue is not new. Many of us have been speaking about it for years. But in the past two months, something has changed - both in intensity and in kind. A significant and largely overlooked story is unfolding in Israel, in two parts, concerning violence by Jews against Arabs in Yehuda and Shomron. It has received less attention than it deserves, overshadowed by the war with Iran and ongoing attacks from Hezbollah. Today, I present two primary sources. The first is an interview with Elisha Yared, who identifies himself as a leader of the Hilltop Youth. He describes his worldview, his strategy of what he calls “initiated friction,” his desire to increase Arab emigration, and his tensions with Israel’s military and intelligence institutions. The second is a document recently delivered to Israeli security officials titled: “Summary of the Past Month in the Struggle Against the Arab Enemy in the Holy Land.” It details incidents including reported injuries to Arabs, arson against mosques, destruction of Arab property, uprooting of olive trees, and attacks on Arab villages. My goal is simple: to present these voices as clearly and fairly as possible - in their own words. Tomorrow: the response. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FLcsC6xz5TmkirT1qObkA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mining-the-riches-of-the-parsha/id1479615142?fbclid=IwAR1c6YygRR6pvAKFvEmMGCcs0Y6hpmK8tXzPinbum8drqw2zLIo7c9SR-jc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG5GR8zygw4ZNsSmO Please contact Rabbi Whitman ([email protected]) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.