I’m not a strong proponent of prenuptial agreements as I think that they often spoil the romance. Moreover, the prenuptial agreements which mainstream rabbinical organization utilize, ostensibly to … more

Off the White House presidential bedroom suite in the bathroom, Mr. Obama is brushing his teeth this morning. Young Sasha enters. “Daddy when are you going to stop the Wiki-Leaks?” The … more

I was in a local restaurant the other day and I couldn’t help overhearing a few young women talking at a nearby table. (Admittedly, listening in was not exactly polite on my part, but it was very … more

Misrepresenting the RCA To the Editor: The Jewish Star’s article on the brain death controversy in the Orthodox community (“Is Brain Death Enough?  The RCA Says Maybe”; January 21, 2011) … more

Two weeks ago a giant of Torah learning passed away. Rabbi Zechariah Fendel was, after Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, one of the most prolific and articulate Jewish writers of our time.Each of the over dozen … more

Dear Aviva, I am a devoted and supportive husband. However, there are times when I feel like my wife makes too many demands on my life. In one recent instance, I had gone to hear a speaker on a … more

There has been a running controversy in circles that are committed to Jewish Law over “brain death.” Traditional sources require the heart and lungs to stop functioning. In olden days a mirror or … more

As I walked through the doors of Noi Due I was immediately stuck by how wonderful the restaurant smells. The aroma, a combination of dark Italian coffee and freshly baked bread, permeates the small … more

During one of the classes I teach on weeknights, our topic turned to the different kinds of love mentioned in the Torah. One insightful participant commented that if G-d tells us to look out for … more

Not that anyone is counting, but this is my 180th article for this fine newspaper. In article 88, I described a wedding I attended in Williamsburg. When I went out to make a phone call, I observed a … more