On the 250th anniversary of the American republic, Robert reflects on gratitude, wealth, and our tendency to focus on what we lack instead of what we have.

Drawing on Ecclesiastes, the American experience, and observations from his own life, this dispatch (a new feature) dwells on what it means to be content in an age of abundance, and why counting our blessings may be the beginning of wisdom.

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Benjamin Netanyahu recently sparked controversy by declaring that "history proves that Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan." Critics called the remark cynical, even blasphemous. But the real problem with the statement is not that it's wrong, but incomplete.

In this episode, Robert explores the worldview undergirding Netanyahu's remark, tracing it through Will Durant, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, and the founding logic of modern Zionism. Along the way, he examines a deeper question: What really decides history—power or belief?

The answer sheds light not only on Israel and the Jewish people, but on one of the central tensions of the modern world.

"Netanyahu Speech: Transcript," Times of Israel (Mar. 20, 2026)

"No Offense Meant by Jesus Genghis Khan Comparison, Netanyahu Says," Times of Israel (Mar. 20, 2026)

Vladimir Ze'ev Jabotinsky, "The Iron Wall" (1923)

What does a handwritten copy of Psalm 145 reveal about one of history's greatest scientists? 

Robert explores a newly-discovered note in Galileo's personal copy of the Almagest and argues that the astronomer's worldview was shaped not by hostility to faith, but by a radical conviction that God—not the earth, the sun, the state, or even the Church—stood at the center of things. 

Along the way, he examines Galileo's relationship to the Bible, the legacy of the Reformation, and the Hebraic tradition's enduring skepticism toward human authority. At a moment when every ideology seeks to place something at the center of the universe, Galileo's forgotten prayer points toward a different possibility. 

After more than a decade working on issues related to Christians, Jews, and Israel, Robert has come to believe that the conversation we're having is far too small. In this episode, he reflects on a recent discussion about Israel, Gaza, and the war that followed October 7, and explains why he launched Hebraica. 

Robert explains that, while political and military questions matter, they're just one part of a larger story—one involving history, religion, culture, language, and the messy relationship between Jews and Christians.

Along the way, Robert discusses the importance of humility, the biblical story of Jacob and Esau, and why understanding our brother may be the most important task of all.

Links:

"What Does It Mean to Support Israel?," Zealots at the Gate (June 3, 2026)

Christians and Jews share a common scripture, a common moral vocabulary, and a common God. They also share a long and often painful history.

In this episode, Robert explores the paradox at the heart of the Judeo-Christian tradition: how two communities so deeply connected could become so deeply estranged.

What do we mean by "Hebraic culture"?

In this episode, Robert explores the idea that Jews, Christians, and others who trace their deepest beliefs back to the Bible belong to a vast but invisible cultural community. Using an analogy from the Muslim world, he explains why he believes Jerusalem continues to exert a powerful influence on people far beyond the city itself—and why understanding our origins may help us better understand ourselves.

In this introductory episode, Robert Nicholson explains the idea behind Hebraica: the existence of a vast but often invisible world of Jews, Christians, and others who still see reality through the moral imagination of Jerusalem.

What is the Hebraic tradition? Why does Jerusalem continue to exert such gravitational pull on the imagination? And what does the rebirth of Hebrew culture mean for Jews, Christians, and the modern world?