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seder night
Passing the Legacy: Pesach letter to my child
My Dear Child, It is now a quiet moment late at night. After an exhausting day of Pesach cleaning, you have sunk into the sweetest of sleeps, and I am sitting here with a pile of Haggadahs, …
israel
Has the body of Israeli hero Eli Cohen been recovered?
The Syrian opposition recently reported that the remains of Israeli spy Eli Cohen were delivered to the Russians in preparation for their return to Israel. The reports also gave details about the …
opinion
We need another Reagan plan for Israel
Since Ronald Reagan is by far the president most admired by Republicans in modern times, perhaps GOP leaders and members of Congress should remind the current president of Reagan’s …
israel
Jews urge Trump to recognize annexation
A coalition of more than a dozen conservative groups, most of them Jewish, sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday tacitly asking him to respect a potential Israeli annexation of …
americana
BBQ to rodeo, culture links Jewish, US cultures
Bluegrass music, barbecue, rodeo, motorcycle clubs, fireworks: five things one doesn’t normally expect to intersect with Jewish culture. But those are the topics explored in a five-part …
bds
Campus BDS Roundup
Omar Barghouti, founder and leader of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, was denied from entering the United States last week. …
memory
Shoah crimes can be forgiven: Brazilian prez
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has come under fire for saying that the crimes of the Holocaust can be forgiven. “We can forgive, but we cannot forget,” Bolsonaro …
the vote
Here’s what Israelis had in mind on election day
Benjamin Netanyahu won the election. Benny Gantz, his rival, came close but lost. That much we know. But why did Israelis vote the way they did on Tuesday? What issues drove the prime …
israel
Airbnb will not ban Judea-Samaria rentals
In a reversal of a 2018 policy announcement, Airbnb will not remove West Bank settlement listings from its website. The policy change came in a court settlement Monday between the vacation rental …
israel
No-vote payments by anti-Zionists
A group of Satmar Hasidim cut personal checks to religious Israelis who committed to not voting in Tuesday’s election. The campaign has been aiming to essentially crowdfund a total of $12 …
ncyi gala
Young Israels celebrate for the love of Trump
Sunday night’s National Council of Young Israel dinner was a feast for Trump lovers, with a tasty helping of old fashioned patriotism and a side dish of religion. The annual gala, which drew …
food
‘Old school’ Passover popovers make a comeback
Passover popovers fall into the category of “old school” Jewish food. Like mandel bread or matzah brei, they’re one of those dishes my grandmother always made during the holiday. …
2020
Buttigieg calls Pence a ‘Pharisee,’ angering Jews
Pete Buttigieg has a word he likes to use to describe Vice President Mike Pence: “Pharisee.” Jewish scholars would like him to stop doing that. Buttigieg, the 37-year-old mayor of …
opinion
Why is Omar’s Islamophobia dodge working?
Imagine if there was a member of Congress who openly supported an anti-Semitic movement, issued multiple statements promoting traditional themes of Jew-hatred and then gave a speech at a …
the vote
Kids are all right, more conservative over time
Like lots of millennials who have catapulted to fame, May Golan got her start on the Internet, blogging about life in her South Tel Aviv neighborhood. From there she gained a platform as a social …
perspective
Checkpoint Palestinians: What it’s really like
I believe in the Jewish people’s right to live in our homeland. That profound belief has no bearing on the rights of others to live here as well. …
power
Russia sees itself as the ‘final judge’ in Syria
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been engaged in a flurry of discussions recently, at least some of which are likely tied to Iranian activities in …
ISRAEL
Next for Golan: Homes, farms, biz and hi-tech?
The decision by President Donald Trump to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights is a welcome shift that lines up with the reality of Israel’s permanent presence in that …
This week in Torah
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True leadership is humble
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Why Judaism counts up
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Pesach: Imagine that!
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Pesach and the Jewish task
Why do we say ‘Mah Nishtana’ only on Pesach?
One of the best-known parts of the Haggadah is the section known as “Mah Nishtana,” where one or more children at the Seder ask the Four Questions. It is based upon the following …
Kosher Bookworm
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Rabbi Yaakov Bender’s new ‘Chinuch Haggadah’
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The Jewish Journey Haggadah
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‘Unlocking the Haggadah’
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The Observant Jew
Recently a fascinating book of essays was brought to my attention, titled The Observant Jew, by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz. In this volume there is an essay titled “Pesach: Being …
Who's in the Kitchen
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60th birthday surprise
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A smart television needs smart humans
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Pesach panic begins
And so the Passover countdown begins. I have to admit, I do get a little kick out of listening to people panic about preparing for Pesach before Purim even arrives. Every now and then …
Kosher Kitchen
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Finishing up prep for Pesach by making extra
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Here’s a fresh approach to Passover desserts
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Two new recipe books that speak to the soul
By the middle of Passover, the only thing I crave is lettuce and cucumber. It is the start of my clean eating time; I’m ready to replenish the house with only foods that are clean and fresh …
View from Central Park
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RIP, Capt. Bacos
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The price Esther paid
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For 37 years, not forgotten
Two sets of Jewish bones were found this past week. One was in Brest, Belarus. The other — after 37 years of waiting — was the remains of IDF Sergeant Zecharya Baumel, killed in the …
Viewpoint
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South Africa: one step forward, two steps back
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Anti-Semitic murderer disappears behind a French smokescreen
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Revisiting Assange’s anti-Semitism
When the fugitive WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange first holed up in the Ecuadorean embassy in London seven years ago, “Brexit” was an unknown word, Donald Trump was still hosting The …
Politics to Go
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Democratic acceptance of hatred continues
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It’s all Iran, stupid!
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Crown Heights honor for Sharpton
Medgar Evers College, a branch of CUNY, the public City University of New York system that’s located in the middle of Crown Heights, has proposed granting an honorary doctorate to Al …