Saturday, December 20, 2025 - The Christian Science Monitor Daily

The long, emotionally exhausting ordeal of hostages held in Hamas tunnels, and the general trauma of October 7th, has led to a visible rise in religious belief among Jewish Israelis. As one hostage notes: “God will always listen. He does not get tired.” Also: today’s stories, including why Latin America’s authoritarian leaders are leaning into Christmas; a remembrance of Rob Reiner from our film critic; and which traditions our staff and contributors partake in to tap into the true meaning of Christmas. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.