The very words, Chillul Hashem (the defamation of G-d’s name), should make every observant Jew cringe by its very sound and meaning. Much grief has been experienced by our people because of … more

A few months ago, I asked William Schabas, the Canadian academic who this week resigned as head of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s probe into last summer’s war in Gaza … more

As revelations about Hillary Clinton’s emails and her reckless oversight of American secrets in her possession raises the question of whether there is a “perp walk” in her future. … more

Ordinarily, a piece broken glass lying on the ground is unsightly litter at best, a danger to bare feet and pets at worst. But not in the Middle East; there a piece of broken glass has the power to … more

An excellent scholarly essay by Rabbi Norman Strickman, professor of Jewish Studies at Touro College, peaked my interest in the legacy of Judah Ha-Levi the famed rabbi and leader of 1,000 years ago … more

Another week, another centennial. Following the Balfour Declaration’s milestone, it’s now time to look back on the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, where a communist insurrection in … more

What role does the synagogue play in people’s lives? Here are several models. The ‘hospital’ synagogue: This refers to people who come to the synagogue in emergencies — … more

Google the phrase “Europe’s Childless Leaders,” and you’ll find quite a few articles, written about a year ago, discussing the fact that a significant number of European heads … more

Towards the beginning of Parashat Tzav we find a depiction of the general korban mincha (“meal offering”), and a similar personal offering brought by the High Priest, Aharon. Both … more

My dad told me that every Friday my grandmother cooked two meals in tandem — Shabbat chicken, or brisket, or “gadempte fleische,” on one side of her tiny counter and, in her big, … more