Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Today is Day 154 of the war. Arabic affairs correspondent Gianluca Pacchiani and reporter Gavriel Fiske join host Jessica Steinberg on today's episode.

Pacchiani speaks about expectations for Ramadan, a usually celebratory period, as East Jerusalemites wonder what kind of access they and Palestinian Arabs will have to the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.

Fiske speaks about back-to-school again in the southern city of Sderot, where some 60% of the community returned home after months of being evacuated around the country, and their hopes for a different reality after years of rocket attacks.

Fiske also looks at the unexpected spike in online schools for Arabic, as Jewish Israelis want to learn how to speak Arabic, for different kinds of reasons.

For the latest updates, please look at The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Live blog March 8, 2024

In East Jerusalem, hopes for a calm Ramadan mix with fears of Al-Aqsa restrictions

In Sderot, a first day of school for ‘the second time’

‘It’s a bit stressful’: Schools in Sderot reopen after five months of war

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Israeli border police officers visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Flash90)

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