Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson was the most recent to make this outrageous point last week during an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN. Since then, he's taken a lot of heat, and for good reason. But he's certainly not the first person to make the assertion.

On this important day, I can live with these dual feelings: an immense pride as a Jew in the glories of the Jewish state, and a realization that the challenges facing Israel are profound and require new initiatives.

As we mark the end of another year with the advent of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, we pause to take stock of the year that has passed, to learn from ourselves, our experiences and our mistakes as we move forward to build a better future.

These three young men were killed by hateful people who had no regard for humanity or the values of life treasured by most. Until the world truly understands this evil and acts to combat it, cultures of hate like those responsible for taking the lives of Naftali, Eyal and Gilad will sadly continue to flourish.