A Jew defining (and dressing) himself as Ultra-orthodox goes on a stabbing rampage at the LGBT pride parade in Jerusalem, murdering a 16 year old girl and seriously wounding five others. Iranian … more

Ah gutten vinter,” my father wished me as I departed after Simchat Torah, the last of the holidays. Back in the day, that was the traditional greeting with which one signed off the High Holiday … more

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau in his commentary on Pirkei Avot (Artscroll-Mesorah, 2006) teaches us, from Rav Shimon, that “a wise person always looks to the future. He weighs the consequences of his … more

As we undertake the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), we find many instructions that have been made more understandable to us through the numerous books of illustrations and charts the describe … more

I don’t know if Wayne LaPierre is anti-Semitic. In many ways, I don’t care if Wayne LaPierre is anti-Semitic. But the executive vice president of the NRA gave a speech a couple of weeks … more

Not a day goes by when the State of Israel does not draw some attention somewhere in the world. This has become the norm. Yet not so long ago, mentions of our holy land were restricted to a few … more

The upside of all the rain we’ve had this past month is that the rhubarb in my yard is phenomenal this year. The leaves are two feet across and the stalks are two feet high and as thick as … more

    The mourning for Miriam is wholly inadequate, and it opened the door for the unfortunate events of Mei Merivah, which concluded with a need for different leadership to bring the … more

With the holidays upon us, I find that I need more oven space than I have. I do have a great oven — three racks, six burners and lots of space — but with a big crowd it is never … more

One of the greatest gifts we have in this world is the ability to make choices in our lives. Though sometimes, we might wish we didn’t have to make those choices. The choices we make … more