If you were a prisoner in Auschwitz and were one of the “lucky” ones, you were put to work in a place they called “Canada.” This was the collection center in Auschwitz where … more

After nearly 50 mitzvot are described and demonstrated in Parshat Mishpatim, mostly related to damages and other person-to-person circumstances, the laws enter the realm of the holidays as we are … more

In the summer of 1935, even after two years, they still didn’t get it. Germany had begun to gear up for the 1936 Olympics and Goebbels, the Nazi minister of propaganda, had made it his … more

Two words we read towards the end of our parsha, Mishpatim, — na’aseh ve-nishma, “We will do and we will hear” — are among the most famous in Judaism. They are what … more

A standard question to ask an eight-year-old used to be, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Every child had an answer, which ranged from “fireman” to … more

Na’aseh v’nishmah — we will do, and we will hear and understand — are two of the most celebrated words that appear in Parashat Mishpatim (24:7). In some ways, this … more

Nothing in parshat B’shalach touches capture our attention as much as the events surrounding the splitting of the sea. The stubbornness of Pharaoh and his army is a tragic tale of greed, … 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

I couldn’t believe it. One of my trusted old reference books failed me for the first time. I am an old-fashioned guy and I still use books for reference rather than resorting to the … more

Our parsha, Beshalach, begins with an apparently simple proposition: “When Pharaoh let the people go, G-d did not lead them on the road through the land of the Philistines, though that was … more