Last week, Israelis received a somewhat shocking reminder that in certain circles, the dubious pastime of fanning the flames of ethnic division for political gain remains alive and well.

In a post on its Russian-language website, Prime Minister Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party attempted to persuade Russian-speaking immigrants not to vote for the Likud. But instead of engaging in appeals to reason by highlighting policy differences and underlining ideological disputes, the ostensibly enlightened representatives of the ruling elite chose instead to resort to a shameless slur.

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You've probably never heard of a town called Kanczuga in southeastern Poland. It is a tiny point on the map, just another one of countless thousands of villages in Eastern Europe where, over the centuries, Jews lived, worked and dreamt of redemption.

They toiled to scratch out a living in conditions of poverty that would seem unimaginable to our generation, endured antisemitism and hatred far beyond our understanding, and yet managed to maintain a vibrant Jewish life. Among them were members of my family.

But 80 years ago this month, all that was cruelly shattered.

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In the waning hours of the IDF's brief Operation Breaking Dawn in Gaza last weekend, as multiple blows were delivered to the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, the Israeli media chose to deploy a rather uncommon adjective to describe the outcome.

"Fenomenali", one talking head after another opined, Hebraicizing the English word "phenomenal" to sum up the army's impressive and rapid-fire achievements.

And to be sure, it appears that Israel's exploits truly were superb.

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Last week, Israel's intellectual scene received a long overdue injection of some good old-fashioned common sense, when the country hosted its first-ever Conservative Political Action Conference.

Founded nearly five decades ago in the United States, CPAC has become the largest and most important gathering of political conservatives in America, serving as both a platform and a laboratory for fresh ideas and policy prescriptions.

The initiative has expanded internationally, seeking to connect like-minded conservatives from different countries and backgrounds and build a global and influential network.

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It is a short video clip, just 33 seconds long, one that is both harrowing and horrifying in equal measure.

The scene is an ancient holy site, cherished down through the generations. Unseen gunmen off-camera can be heard firing a seemingly endless barrage of bullets at dozens of worshippers penned up in a small courtyard who are forced to duck for cover. Their only misdeed was a desire to exercise their basic right to pray safely and in freedom.

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