A year after meeting on a dating app, Sapir Cohen and Sasha Troufanov were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023. Cohen spent 55 days in hell under Hamas; Troufanov 498 days under Islamic Jihad. Finally free and reunited, they tell The Journal their story.
Penn Homecoming 2021 at AKA Rittenhouse Square
Lisa Ellen Niver
The best part of going to the University of Pennsylvania was the lifelong friends I made. We stayed together for homecoming in Nov 2021 at AKA Rittenhouse Square. It is luxurious with a perfect location. We went across the street to The Love restaurant and walked to campus for the football game.
I spoke at RealArts@Penn, part of the Kelly Writers House, with students who are aspiring writers.
Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.
Editor's Picks
Israel and the Internet Wars – A Professional Social Media Review
The Invisible Student: A Tale of Homelessness at UCLA and USC
What Ever Happened to the LA Times?
Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?
You’re Not a Bad Jewish Mom If Your Kid Wants Santa Claus to Come to Your House
No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center
Latest Articles
Israel Consul General Was Coordinator of Event That Was Violently Interrupted by Pro-Palestinian Protesters
Rabbis of LA | Rabbi Kahn Looks Back on His Two Years Helping Israelis
“Your Children Shall Return To Their Homeland”
Angels are on the Way – A poem for Parsha Vayishlach
Brothers for Life Supports IDF Soldiers, Western Wall Notes, Mayor Nazarian
A Moment in Time: “A Minor Inconvenience”
Enough Is Enough: We Are Running Out of Time to Protect Our Jewish Community
Protecting our community is foundational to Jews feeling safe enough to express our First Amendment rights, like everybody else in America.
When Distance Is Remote
Amy and Nancy Harrington: The Passionistas Project, the Jewish-Italian Connection and Pizza Dolce
Taste Buds with Deb – Episode 135
Jewish Photographer’s Book Will Make You Want To Rock and Roll All Night
“When I was young, I wanted to be Jimmy Page. That job was already taken. So I learned how to work a camera and photographed Jimmy Page.”
Stories of Jewish Heroism and the ‘Yiddish Sherlock Holmes’
These 15 stories by Jonas Kreppel feature the “Yiddish Sherlock Holmes” who saves Jews from various plights within the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the early 20th century.
‘Marty Supreme’: Josh Safdie’s Film About a Relentless Quest for Success
Inspired by real-life Jewish table-tennis legend Marty Reisman, the film traces Marty’s upbringing in the Lower East Side and the intertwined forces of his family identity and fierce ambition that drove him.
A Moroccan Journey — My Father’s Life
The name Messod means blessing and good fortune and my father was fortunate to live a life overflowing with both.
Table for Five: Vayishlach
A Difficult Birth
Days of Hell and Love
A year after meeting on a dating app, Sapir Cohen and Sasha Troufanov were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023. Cohen spent 55 days in hell under Hamas; Troufanov 498 days under Islamic Jihad. Finally free and reunited, they tell The Journal their story.
When the Plaques Say “Respect” and the Wall Says “Jews Don’t Belong”
Hate against Jews is hate. Say it. Mean it. Enforce it. Or stop pretending this institution has the moral confidence to protect the students in its care.
Print Issue: Days of Hell and Love | December 5, 2025
A year after meeting on a dating app, Sapir Cohen and Sasha Troufanov were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023. Cohen spent 55 days in hell under Hamas; Troufanov 498 days under Islamic Jihad. Finally free and reunited, they tell The Journal their story.
This is Why I Don’t Do Podcasts ft. Elon Gold
Pro-Palestinian Protest Turns Violent at Wilshire Boulevard Temple Event
The shards of broken glass nearly hit Jolkovsky and others in attendance.
Rosner’s Domain | Bibi’s Pardon: Quid Pro Nothing
The basic question about any deal is simple: does it or doesn’t it include a concrete, enforceable process that marks the end of the Netanyahu era? All other concessions are insignificant.
Revisiting Un-Jews Who Undo the Deepest Jewish Bonds
The “un-Jews” continue to undo timeless Jewish connections.
We Need Real Solutions to Our Housing Crisis, Not the Fool’s Gold of the 50-Year Mortgage
No amount of creative financing can resolve the core issue at the heart of America’s housing crisis: an acute shortage of homes.
Friend or Folly?
The Cantonese-Speaking Hasid and the American Dream
As Silk’s memoir, “A Seat at the Table: An Inside Account of Trump’s Global Economic Revolution,” captivatingly details, his unique story is a testament to the power of faith and the promise of America.
On Hate, Condescension and Political Extremism
To understand the full nature of the political and social rift within Israeli society, it is necessary to explore the realm of emotions.
Feld Entertainment’s Juliette Feld Grossman on Disney on Ice’s Return to LA
“It’s so gratifying to bring families closer together and create these special moments that become lifelong memories.”
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.