On Nov. 18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Lincoln Center in New York City. Anyone who has ever been to a Perlman concert, knows that getting on stage is no small achievement for him, having been stricken with polio as a child, with braces on both legs and walking with the aid of two crutches. more

Chanukah, the time of year when it’s actually acceptable to eat foods prepared in oil, gamble and expect gifts every night for eight nights. Let’s be honest, how many of us really take the time to learn about the history, interesting and unknown facts and folklore of Chanukah. more

Last Thursday the United Nations completed the journey it began in November 1974 when it invited a mass-murderer born and raised in Egypt to speak to its General Assembly. At the time, Yasser Arafat said he brought with him an olive branch of peace, and a gun. To the day he died, Arafat turned down every opportunity to use the olive branch, but never skipped a chance to use the gun. more

The subject of the life’s journey of Joseph, Yosef Hatzaddik, is the subject of weekly Torah readings till the end of December, which includes the festival of Chanukah. more

Chanukah, the time of year when it’s actually acceptable to eat foods prepared in oil, gamble and expect gifts every night for eight nights. more

A program that included a Siyum HaShas, videos, Torah insights and speeches, commemorated and memorialized a brief life whose influence continues to bring joy and inspiration to children and adults in the Five Towns-Far Rockaway community and worldwide. more

In another first, Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Zev and Mrs. Renee Friedman met this week in Jerusalem with the girls of the first alumni class of Shalhevet High School for Girls. more

NCSY, the International Youth Movement of the Orthodox Union, is planning a record-breaking menorah lighting for this weekend on the first night of Chanukah in Connecticut. Over 1,000 menorahs, or … more

Last Sunday, The Chesed Fund and Baltimore Jewish girls traveled to Bayswater, New York to put on an extraordinary carnival and day of entertainment for those still recovering from Hurricane Sandy. more

I recently overheard two fathers of teenagers comparing their approaches to their sons’ shul attendance on Sundays and other “days off.” One of them came to me afterwards to discuss his related concerns about “texting on Shabbos.” With a little insight from Parshat Vayishlach, perhaps there is a simple answer to both questions. I accept that I may be hopelessly naïve. But the stand I propose at the end of this will not be, if followed, what turns your children away from Judaism. Much bigger issues bring about such a result. Having said that, let us see how we can find parenting-inspiration from our forefather Yaakov. more