Dr. Dov Levitan of Ashkelon College and Bar Ilan University has penned a most learned essay themed to last week’s Torah reading of Bha’alotcha entitled, “On the Connection Between the Menorah and the Land of Israel.” more

How ironic that a recently published history of the struggle to liberate Soviet captive Jewry begins with two words — Yosef Mendelevich. “When They Come For Us We’ll Be Gone,” by the skilled journalist and essayist Gal Beckerman [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010], describes the death and life struggle between Judaism and community Mendelevich personified, and which defined a generation of Jewish youth both in the Soviet Union and America. more

This isn’t going to go down well for Eric Holder and the administration. NBC News reported that Attorney General Eric Holder personally approved the decision to go after Fox News’ James Rosen; then on Friday, the Department of Justice told Reuters that the NBC report is correct, possibly setting up the Attorney General to be indicted for perjury. more

First, apologies to my husband Jerry and my daughter Jordana, who I inadvertently left out in my shout outs last week, when thanking everyone for helping me while I was helpless with a broken rib. They both went above and beyond and it was greatly appreciated. Of course, there were times when Jerry was a bit “un” helpful. more

To the best of my counting (and I’m happy to hear a correction), the Torah mentions the concept of Shabbos once in Bereishis, six times in Shemos, four times in Vayikra, twice in Bamidbar (including this week’s parsha, Shelach) and only once in Devarim. Add to this at least 16 times it is referenced in the remaining 19 books of the Bible, and we have a significant day in the Jewish calendar. more

I remember one of the guys I was in yeshiva with, trying to convince me not to sign up for Officer’s course. I would be forced to spend an additional year and a half in the army, without any spiritual environment to safeguard my religious ideals. “Atah titkalkel,” he said, “you will be corrupted.” more

So there we were, stuck in horrendous traffic on the way to the Klein bris. We left an hour and half to get to Teaneck, but rain, traffic and accidents slowed everything down. We got to the shul 9:05 and Jerry thought that maybe it was too late to even go in. I said we should at least run in to say mazal tov (as you’ll see, no good deed goes unpunished). more

Our holy Torah is composed of both halachic (legal) and narrative portions. While there is usually nearly universal consensus that a particular law exists, halachic passages are often the focus of diverse interpretations regarding their pragmatic application. Thus, an entire genre of Jewish literature has arisen whose sole purpose is to determine the practical ramifications of both Torah and Rabbinic laws. In many ways, the creation of this unique and dynamic body of literature has continued unabated since, at the moment of the Sinaitic Revelation, our forebears declared “Naaseh v’nishmah” (“We will do and we will accept,” Sefer Shemot 24:7). more

In the first Nissan month following the Exodus, the Torah tells us that the Israelites observed Passover, bringing the Korban Pesach (Paschal lamb offering) at its proper time (Chapter 9). The tale that follows is of a group of people, who were unable to participate in the Korban Pesach on account of their being in a state of tumah (a spiritual state of impurity). more

Dear Editor, I was pleased to read your article about Dr. Eyal Gur [FIDF helps Israeli veteran MD run, bike and hike, May 17]. Dr. Gur for many years had been a member of Beit Halochem, the sports and rehabilitation centers of the Zahal Disabled Veteran Organization. This is the organization that is supported by the FIDV 5Towns 5K. In the past he had even been a speaker for Beit Halochem. more