D esserts can be daunting! I am not talking about the difficulty of the recipe — though some can send me into a total cold sweat — but just about the issues called “choice … more

If you’re a Jew looking for sympathy in these sucker-punch days of hyper-antisemitism, find a way to transport yourself back to the early 1990s, a time when Holocaust memory — … more

The words that come to me as I absorb with great sadness the sudden passing of Joseph Lieberman, of blessed memory, are from the verses describing his namesake, Joseph in ancient Egypt: How all who … more

Issue of Jan. 23, 2009 / 27 Tevet 5769 A disappointing showing To the Editor: The front page article of The Jewish Star touting 10,000 people showing up at a rally for Israel, that is so … more

Chateau Le Crock 2001 By Adam Neustadter Issue of May 8, 2009 / 14 Iyar 5769 Never does a week pass without someone asking me to recommend a wine. Don’t get me wrong, I love to do … more

Parshat Toldos by Rabbi Avi Billet Issue of November 20, 2009/ 3 Cheshvan 5770 One of the fun exercises I like to employ when studying Chumash is to attribute vague or ambiguous statements … more

The Rabba Controversy by Rabbi Heschel Billet The recent decision of one Orthodox rabbi to ordain women with the title ‘Rabba’ has created a lively debate within Orthodox Jewish circles … more

Issue of June 11, 2010/ 29 Sivan, 5770 Dear Aviva, I have a very big problem with my ex-husband. He does not pay any child support for our adolescent child. He is remarried and has four kids with … more

Parshat Lech Lekha By Rabbi Avi Billet Issue of October 15, 2010, 7 Cheshvan 5771 The word “Tardemah” — an unconscious state — appears only twice in the Torah: Bereishit 2:21 — … more

Dear Aviva, I’ve been friends with someone for the past 20 years. We grew up near each other and were in school together from elementary all the way to college. Now that we both have our own families, I am realizing more and more that she is (and has always been) a very jealous and negative person. She never seems to actually care about me or what I’m going through. I don’t even know why she’s kept up the connection this long. If I first met her at this point in my life, I probably would avoid her. Am I stuck with her just because there is a history? And is there any good way to cut ties without enraging her? more