As a parent, grandparent, and psychologist, I am often considered to be something of an expert on parenting and child-rearing. In that capacity, I have frequently been asked to review or give an … more

Our parasha contains a phrase that is found in the first bracha of the Shemoneh Esrei: “God your Lord is the ultimate Supreme Being and the highest possible Authority. Great, mighty and … more

The first chapter and a half that begins Parshat Eikev contains what we might describe as the opposite formula of the “Tokhachot/Rebukes” that appear in Bechukotai and Ki Tavo. In those … more

Talmud Bavli, Baba Batra 14b-15b, teaches that the Tanach was written by a community of writers. While the entire Torah is Torat Moshe, Sefer Devarim stands out most prominently as Moshe’s … more

There is biography, and then there is autobiography. Our biography is the way others see us. Our autobiography is the way we see ourselves. Typically, there are sharp differences between the … more

Beloved by his entire generation and revered for his incredible knowledge of Torah, he was given the chance to get out of 1939 Poland; safe passage to America had been secured and a new life was … more

On March 27, 2012, to celebrate the diamond jubilee of the Queen, an ancient ceremony took place at Buckingham Palace. A number of institutions presented Loyal Addresses to the Queen, thanking her … more

Maxim Cohen was born in Morocco and made aliyah as child. He enlisted in the IDF, but left Israel with his parents after the Six-Day War to live in France. On Yom Kippur in … more

It was a typical park bench conversation. I hadn’t seen my friend for quite some time, and we both were delighted when we ran into each other by chance that afternoon. We … more

The phrase, “aleh hamitzvot (these are the commandments),” appears twice in the Torah, in the concluding pasukim of Sefer Vayikra and Parashat Masei. Vayikra 27:34: … more