I remember one of the guys I was in yeshiva with, trying to convince me not to sign up for Officer’s course. I would be forced to spend an additional year and a half in the army, without … more

To the best of my counting (and I’m happy to hear a correction), the Torah mentions the concept of Shabbos once in Bereishis, six times in Shemos, four times in Vayikra, twice in Bamidbar … more

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch says the Obama administration deleted references to Islamic State from the transcript of the Orlando killer’s 911 calls because mentioning the group would … more

Among the greatest words in the Hebrew language is chesed whose definition varies with its use. In his book, “Amazing Chesed” (Jewish Lights, 2013), Rami Shapiro informs us of some of … more

That we should love the stranger, the ger, is the fourth mitzvah in Maimonides’ Hilchot Deot (laws of ethical relationships). And as one is not meant to remind a person that he or she is a … more

The end of our parasha contains a very difficult narrative in which Miriam and Aaron speak against their beloved brother, Moses: Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he … more

One of the disturbing episodes in the parsha concerns the people who are complaining about the manna, bemoaning a lack of meat as they remember the fish, fruits and vegetables (cucumbers, melons, … more

In the days since the massacre of 49 people and the wounding of hundreds more by an Islamist gunman at a nightclub in Orlando, America’s political leadership has sounded more discordant than … more

After Newtown, the collective grief was overwhelming, I couldn’t bear to write about it. What, really, could one say about a massacre of little school children? At the time, I thought, after … more

Rabbinical experience comes in many shades and sizes. Recently two distinguished rabbis, each with a direct connection to our Five Towns community, penned essays dealing with the challenges faced by … more