From the other side of the bench by David Seidemann Issue of August 28, 2010/ 18 Elul, 5770 We laid Aunt Judy to rest this past Sunday. Next to her are my mother and my late uncle. I … more

This past month, I have been honored to attend three weddings that exemplified the solution to the so-called shidduch crisis, couples representing very different backgrounds, with love triumphing. A story worthy of publicizing. I brought my dancing shoes, a shiny Borough Park suit, and practiced my handstands for the mitzvah of sameach chasan v’kallah. But there was one item that I left in my parked car, and for good reason. The facts below have been slightly altered to protect the parties’ identities. more

President Obama has constantly urged Israel to take risks for peace with its Arab neighbors. Despite the murderous rhetoric coming from the entire PA, from Abbas on down; despite never-ending murderous rock and rocket attacks by PA Arabs against Israeli civilians; despite repeated public refusals to recognize Israel’s right to live as a Jewish State of any size, with any borders, President Obama has repeatedly urged Israel to continuously take more risks for peace. more

With Tisha B’Av now safely behind us, can Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur be not too far ahead? The High Holiday season will occur on the cusp of Labor Day weekend, one of the earliest such seasonal placements in memory. Due to this scheduling oddity, I have deemed this a major factor in the early consideration of the literary aspects that play an important part in the observance of these holidays. more

Last week the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Corker-Menendez Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act. The bill may turn out to be nothing more than window dressing, with Congress not … more

The past week has seen new revelations calling into question the efficacy of the P5+1 deal with Iran, and the truthfulness of what the Obama administration is telling the American people. Yet despite … more

In his commentary on the Counting of the Omer, “The Siddur Illuminated By Chassidus, Shabbos” (Merkos/Kehot, 2015), Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, formerly of Cedarhurst, now of Jerusalem, teaches … more

One of the highlights of this week’s parasha, Chayeh Sarah, is Abraham’s considered effort to find a proper wife for his beloved son, Isaac, from among the daughters of his birthplace. … more

Our parasha, Terumah, contains the commandment to construct a holy place for the Master of the Universe, in this instance, the Mishkan (portable desert sanctuary): “And they shall make Me a … more

It’s funny how the moment Purim ends, the switch to Pesach is immediate. It’s not too early to start discussing specific components of the seder, such as charoset. Ben and Jerry’s … more