This Shabbat we commemorate the start of the Pesach holiday season with Parshat Hachodesh. Next Tuesday marks Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Recently, the Orthodox Union released an interesting book on this subject, “Yerach Tov: Birkat Hachodesh in Jewish Law and Liturgy,” by Rabbi Elchanan Adler of Yeshiva University. more

Some time ago, at a Rosh Chodesh prayer service at the Kotel, things got ugly. more

After 22 years of separation, Yaakov was finally to be reunited with his beloved son Yosef. Yaakov and family came to Egypt where Yosef had risen to a position second only to Pharaoh. The Torah … more

The hatred spewed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) has gone from bad to worse. In a Sunday evening Twitter rant, she suggested that Republicans support Israel because rich Jews bribe GOP members of … more

Pesach is the oldest and most transformative story of hope ever told. It tells of how an otherwise undistinguished group of slaves found their way to freedom from the greatest and longest-lived … more

Why is Chanukah an eight-day holiday? With respect to the eight days being contingent on a miracle of a small amount of oil lasting eight days, there are many answers for the question. But in … more

There are few feelings that leave us more challenged, hurt and insecure than the feeling we get from being ignored. Part of this may stem from our need to feel we have what to contribute. One … more

Prince Charming doesn’t always find Cinderella, and stories do not always have “happy” endings, as most of us learn the hard way. I remember once, after a harried chase, … more

June is flying by. Shavuot has passed and the grill is waiting to be called up for active duty, if only the weather would cooperate. Soon it will be Father’s Day. I remember always being … more

According to tradition, Shavuot — the two-day holiday that begins on 6 Sivan (this year, the evening of Thursday, May 25) — marks the Israelites’ receiving of the Ten Commandments … more