Welcome to Clarity
During my many years in public life, I always said that the rarest characteristic of leaders—and the one I admired most—is clarity. Human affairs are encrusted with fog, and nowhere is it thicker than around Israel. To see Israel as it really is—and its relations with America and the world—one must cut through many layers of that fog. Seeing the real Israel requires clarity.
Welcome to Clarity, my Substack on Israel, America, and the world. On Clarity, access the deep and multifaceted expertise on Israel I gained over the course of more than half a century of high-level involvement in its domestic and foreign affairs.
As the ambassador to the United States, a Member of Knesset and Chairman of its Classified Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, and as the Deputy Minister of Diplomacy in the Prime Minister’s Office, I helped shape Israel’s foreign policy. I know the issues, the interests, and the stakes. I have represented Israel on six continents.
Since the 1970s, I have lived in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and the Negev, and know the country throughout. As an IDF officer and veteran of several wars, and an undercover emissary for Israel abroad, I have first-hand experience in ensuring Israel’s security.
I earned four degrees in Middle Eastern History from Columbia and Princeton, and have taught at Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown. I was the Middle East commentator for CBS and CNN, and the author of three New York Times bestselling books on Israel, the Middle East, and America. My insights uniquely blend history with keen contemporary analysis.
I have clarity on Israel and I want to share it with you. My name is Michael Oren and I will show you Israel as you’ve never seen it before—its politics, society, and people. I will reveal the complexities of Israel’s crucial relations with the United States and Israel’s place in a rapidly changing world.
It is to you who care deeply about Israel, its rich past, complicated present, and challenging future, that this Substack is dedicated. You deserve nothing less than clarity.
Here on Clarity I will be publishing exclusive longform pieces as well as contributions from the writers on Israel I respect. Additionally, there will be some of my favorite essays and articles from the past.
Join me in clearing away the fog. The view, I promise, will be startling.
Welcome,
Ambassador Michael Oren
Get featured on Clarity
We accept guest submissions on topics such as Israel, Middle Eastern history, American history, and culture across the Jewish world.
Interested in contributing to Clarity? Contact Editor-in-Chief Ben Ross at ben@michaeloren.org.
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Get Involved
Ambassador Michael Oren is the founder of Israel Advocacy Group. During this most fateful juncture in our history, Ambassador Oren is calling on all who care about and love Israel to make IAG a force for safeguarding its future. Join the fight for Israel’s right to exist and get involved in IAG here.
Ben Ross, Editor-in-Chief of ‘Clarity’ and Assistant to Ambassador Michael Oren
Ben served as a Lone Soldier in the Nahal Brigade before studying at the University of Chicago, where he earned his BA degree in History and his Master’s Degree from the MA Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS). Today he works in research and communications. He lives in Tel Aviv and prefers hummus with pine nuts.
Aviva Schreiber, Deputy Editor and Social Media Consultant
Originally from New Jersey, Aviva attended Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY) and completed Sherut Leumi as a tour guide before starting her career in social media creation and management. She has continued to guide tours in Jerusalem at The Herzl Center and manage social media while earning her Political Science & Communications degree from Bar Ilan University. Aviva believes hummus is best when it’s homemade.
Howard Tobochnik, Research Assistant
Born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Howard made aliyah in 2017 and now lives in Tel Aviv. He has worked as a researcher and data analyst for Tel Aviv University, the World Bank, the Knesset, and think tanks on topics including sustainable development, Israel-Asia relations, and public policy. Howard generally orders hummus masabacha.
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