I'm thinking By Micah D. Halpern Issue of October 16 2009/ 29 Tishrei 5770 How far would you go to save your child? What rules would you break? What deals would you make with the … more

Parshat Behar-Bechukoti by Rabbi Avi Billet Issue of May 7, 2010/ 23 Iyar 5770 “The Living Torah” is the late Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan’s translation of the Chumash. In addition to the … more

Parshat Ki Savo Issue of August 28, 2010/ 18 Elul, 5770 by Rabbi Avi Billet My grandmother gets "nachas" from reading this column. She told me a few times that one of the things she enjoys … more

Now that the election is over, Barack Obama no longer has to appeal to supporters of Israel or haters of terrorism. Progressive Jews no longer have to lie—calling him a great president for Israel. As he told Russian president Medvedev after the election, he will have more flexibility. more

It is a conversation I will remember forever. We were in the midst of basic tank training, enjoying a brief respite from the grueling pace of maneuvers and marches. more

In Parshat Emor, the Torah tells us, “You shall then count for yourselves seven complete weeks after the day following the [Passover] holiday when you brought the omer as a wave … more

Boy do I wish I had been in Denver last week. It’s at a time like this that I feel true love and homesickness for my hometown. When I sat down to watch the Super Bowl with some friends, one … more

The prohibition of imbibing blood is one of the well-known mitzvot found in our parasha (Vayikra 17:10-11). In it we find the unusual expression, v’natati panai, which is explained by both … more

Last week I received a profound teaching from the esteemed rabbi of the iconic Bialystoker Synagogue, Rabbi Zvi Romm, themed to the recent bigoted rant by a so-called Jewish historian, Dr. Hasia … more

In considering the furor around President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to appoint Stephen Bannon, the CEO of the hard-right news website Breitbart, as his chief strategist, let’s start … more