What brought about the deaths of Aharon’s older sons in this week’s parsha, Shmini? Most discussions analyze the specific nature of the particular service they were performing. Were they … more

At my family’s seder this year, we read, as we always do, from the traditional Sephardic Haggadah, in keeping with the customs of the Jewish communities from Spain and Portugal. Our guests need … more

Judy’s been putting the dishes away, so we’re reprinting her post-Pesach column from 2012. The last of the Pesach dishes, pots and pans, etc., have been stored away. The chametz dishes … more

Sunday is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Any serious student of history will recognize that there are moments, all too rare, when a door stands open, waiting for a person, a people, or … more

When Mark Rosenblatt touched down at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on April 5 and powered on his cell phone, he got the surprise of his mobile technology life. Rosenblatt received a text message … more

Human history is filled to the chronological brim with episodes of a welcome peace, and bloody wars. Each has its reason for existence and each fills the pages of history with murder and heroism, … more

The Jewish Star has rachmones for Judy, who catered an event last weekend and then faced the Task. So we gave her the week off and are reprinting a pre-Pesach column from 2013. I might as … more

A group of Palestinians tried to burn some Israeli Jews to death March 23. Just another day in the Middle East. The four attackers drove up to the perimeter of the Jewish community of Beit … more

At Alan Gerber’s request, we’re reprinting his reviews of two Haggadahs that he holds in high regard — one by Rabbi David Fohrman of Woodmere, the other by Rabbi Aharon Marcus, who … more

There was an illuminating report from Paris in the Wall Street Journal last week that related how Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, has been consulting a group of French bankers … more