I love baking and decorating with chocolate. Many years ago before I started catering, I began a chocolate business, not quite knowing much about chocolate but learning along the way. After ordering … more

The final pasuk of our parasha is somewhat difficult to understand: “Moses spoke to the children of Israel in accordance with all that the L-rd had commanded Moses.” (Sefer Bamidbar 30:1) … more

Before Parshat Pinchas buries itself in the sacrificial order for each holiday (what becomes the Maftir reading for those days), we hear the story of Tzlafchad’s daughters. Without … more

An Arab member of Knesset’s public support of a terrorist who murdered an American-Jewish peace activist led to the Knesset last week to enact a law that could, under difficult circumstances, … more

We experience different levels of surprise and shock. Regardless of how intellectually internalized something is, once it takes place, it is a different story. The radical Islamist ideology that … more

I agree with Cornel West. I never thought I would find myself writing those words. West, a leading African-American author and intellectual, is a vicious critic of Israel. He supports the … more

The first of our two parshiot (Matot and Masei) contains a rather quizzical pasuk: “Eleazar the kohen said to the soldiers returning from battle, ‘This is the statute that the L-rd … more

The listing of the travels of the Israelites in the wilderness finishes, in Parshas Masei, with these verses: “They left Almon Divlathaymah and camped in the Avarim mountains in front of Nebo. … more

My husband Jerry was living the life as a senior in BTA’s super garbage class in 1973. Things could not have been going better, as he was naturally fun-filled and irresponsible. Then, a … more

How could anyone have thought this fellow was suited to be a gunner? His name was Shachar, which means the dawn, and the joke was that with him around it was always dawn, because he blotted out the … more