(Sept. 11, 2026 / JNS)

I always begin my annual column asking readers to play along with me and predict the events of the coming Jewish year by reminding them that as bad as things seem to be now, they can still get worse. That’s never been more apt than during the last three years since the Hamas-led Palestinian attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The Jewish world is still reeling from the atrocities of Oct. 7 and the just but costly war that ensued as Israel sought to prevent Iran and its terrorist proxies from being able to repeat those horrors. But elsewhere, not only was Jewish suffering erased; the mainstream media also acted as Hamas’s stenographers. They flipped the script and spread a fake narrative in which the side that is intent on Jewish genocide was portrayed as solely the victims of the conflict and the actual victims of aggression were falsely depicted as carrying out genocide.

This blood libel has not only spread across the globe but is now accepted as truth by much of the press, as well as those in academia, the arts and popular culture.

It grew even worse in the last year as the smearing of Israel became normalized to the point where The New York Times even ran a preposterous story falsely accusing Israelis of training dogs to rape Palestinian Arab men.

The problem has only worsened the post-Oct. 7 global surge of antisemitism. It has now made itself felt in American politics as left-wing antisemitic candidates like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Michigan Democratic senatorial candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and others allied with the Democratic Socialists of America seem to represent the future of one of America’s two major parties.

And while the majority of those on the right support Israel and reject antisemitism, there’s no denying that Israel- and Jew-hating podcasters and commentators on the right, like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, have retained large online audiences. Just as troubling is the refusal of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, the current frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination for 2028, to condemn or disassociate himself from Carlson and his followers.

Israel’s military victories over Iran and its allies, while successful, have exacted a toll in hardship and blood in the Jewish state, with so much time in the last year spent in shelters as a result of rocket and missile attacks by Iran and its proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. Add to that the grind of duty by reservists in the Israel Defense Forces, which affects entire families.

With a Knesset election slated for Oct. 27 and the fall midterms in the United States looming in November, we can expect 5787 to start with heightened divisiveness rooted in intractable political divisions.

But no matter how you feel about any of this or which side you plan to vote for, it’s still incumbent on us not to lose what’s left of our sense of humor, even as we try to account for our misdeeds.

Before the Almighty writes down how much worse (or better) it will be for us in the proverbial Book of Life, I present (with apologies, as always, to the late New York Times columnist William Safire) the latest edition of my annual Jewish Pundit Quiz.

As for last year’s quiz, for a change, I did better than usual with answers that were more right than wrong.

I was right about Benjamin Netanyahu remaining as prime minister until 5787. I was half-right about the war in Gaza. It is over, though Hamas is still far from being completely defeated. I was right about a Palestinian state still being a fictional entity while being recognized by a growing number of countries around the world. I was wrong to say that the Abraham Accords would be neither expanded nor contracted; Kazakhstan joined in November. I was not right about campus antisemitism intensifying, although it’s not clear whether the Trump administration will continue to prioritize the issue. I was not exactly right about the latest Oscars ceremony being hijacked by “Free Palestine” activists, as there was only one presenter—actor Javier Bardem—who used the show to promote anti-Israel propaganda. I was right about a continued increase in political violence; Mamdani being elected mayor of New York City; late-night comedy show Trump-bashing; and Netanyahu not being convicted of the flimsy charges associated with his endless corruption trial.

My answers to this year’s quiz are located at the bottom of the article. Save it until next year to see which of us was right this time.

And remember, if you are worried about the outcome, teshuvah (“repentance”), tefillah (“prayer”) and tzedakah (“acts of justice and charity”) may avert the severe decree.

1. The winner of the Oct. 27 Israeli Knesset election will be:

A: Benjamin Netanyahu, whose coalition will win another decisive victory and continue his record tenure in office.

B: Gadi Eisenkot, who will combine his center-left supporters with an Arab party to form a coalition.

C: Avigdor Lieberman, head of the small Yisrael Beiteinu Party, who will be the compromise candidate to form a coalition after the major parties fail.

D: No one, as the election results in a stalemate with Netanyahu remaining in power until a new election in the spring.

2. The major legislative achievement of the new Knesset will be:

A: Enactment of a law finally ending the mass exemption of Haredi men.

B: A far-reaching judicial reform package that curbs the out-of-control power of the Israeli Supreme Court and attorney general’s office.

C: Expanding free-market reforms that will further reduce government involvement in the economy

D: Follow-up legislation that makes it easier to implement a death penalty for terrorism bill passed earlier in the year.

E: Nothing, as a deadlocked Knesset is completely non-functional.

3. By Rosh Hashanah 5788, the war in Gaza will:

A: Remain in a tenuous ceasefire with Hamas still in control of 30% of the Gaza Strip.

B: Have resumed as Israel, with U.S. support, takes up the job of eliminating Hamas, which will be far from complete.

C: Have been formally ended as Hamas disarms and the Board of Peace begins rebuilding the Gaza Strip.

4. By Rosh Hashanah 5788, the Islamist regime in Iran will:

A: Still be in power and in control of the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S. abandons the conflict.

B: Still be in power but forced to give up its nuclear ambitions and efforts to threaten shipping in the Persian Gulf.

C: Have been toppled by a popular uprising after U.S. troops take over the Strait of Hormuz.

D: Reform itself and shift to less aggressive policies while remaining Islamist and undemocratic.

5. The 2026 midterms will result in:

A: Democratic control of both the House and Senate

B: Democrats winning the House, and Republicans retaining control of the Senate.

C: Republicans hold onto both the House and the Senate.

D: Republicans retain control of the House, while Democrats win the Senate.

6. The biggest winner of the 2026 midterms will be:

A: President Donald Trump, whose undiminished influence helps the GOP win.

B: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who becomes the first African-American to be elected as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

C: Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, whose election to the Senate in Michigan will make him the country’s leading leftist and antisemite, and the first Muslim senator in U.S. history.

D: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, whose landslide gubernatorial re-election victory fuels his 2028 presidential campaign.

E: Mike Rodgers, whose defeat of El-Sayed in Michigan ensures the GOP’s control of the Senate.

7. By Rosh Hashanah 5788, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028 will be:

A: Vice President JD Vance

B: Secretary of State Marco Rubio

C: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz

D: Donald Trump Jr.

E: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

8. By Rosh Hashanah 5788, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 will be:

A: California Gov. Gavin Newsom

B: Former Vice President Kamala Harris

C: New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

D: Pete Buttigieg

E: Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff

9. In the next year, the most important American congressional battle will be about:

A: Democratic investigations of the president and his cabinet.

B: Republican efforts to continue to crack down on illegal immigration, and limit visas and refugee admissions.

C: The Democrats’ third impeachment of Trump, though once again, he won’t be convicted in the Senate.

D: Republican efforts to repeal the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution to allow Trump to run for a third term.

E: Democratic efforts to block legislation combating antisemitism.

10. The following event will not happen in 5787:

A: Benjamin Netanyahu will be pardoned for corruption charges after leaving office.

B: Vice President JD Vance will continue to refuse to denounce Tucker Carlson for his antisemitism.

C: Secretary of State Marco Rubio will endorse JD Vance for president.

D: Antisemitic violence will continue to escalate around the globe fueled by blood libels against Israel.

E: Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) crosses the aisle and joins the Republican Party.

Tobin answers: 1. D; 2. E; a. B; 4. C; 5. B; 6. B; 7. A; 8. C; 9. C; 10. A

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of JNS. Follow him: @jonathans_tobin.