Over the last seven months, circumcision has appeared as a regular conversation topic in media outlets. Between metzitzah discussions, European nations becoming enlightened about circumcision and banning it (historians note that all that has changed in Europe, is that European anti-Semitism now comes in the guise of liberalism – to save the babies!), and the pro vs anti circumcision debate which continues to rage on in the blogosphere, there is no shortage of topics to be covered. more

Well, it is almost here, Election Day, that is. In just two weeks the nation goes to the polls to elect the next president and the excitement can be felt in just about every social venue, with this column being no exception. more

“Hi, good morning, I just wanted to note the Oct 12th paper ‘The crouching sin,’ by Rabbi Avi Billet was outstanding, outstanding, loved it and spent the whole week talking about it, debating it, he’s wonderful, loved it, thank you. That’s it.” Editor’s note: It was delightful to have received this voice message, but the caller didn’t leave her name or her phone number. Please be back in touch. more

The thirtieth debate of this presidential season (including all the GOP primary debates) took place in our ancestral homeland—not Israel, the other one, Boca Raton. And while many of the town’s residents may have been asleep when the debate began, this third and last contest between the two presidential candidates may have been the most interesting from a strategic standpoint. more

Just when I thought I had heard every adventure about my husband’s youth, he came up with another one over the weekend. While sitting around our dining room table with good friends, he recalled a weekend, long ago, at a hotel in the Catskills. more

Of all the Biblical heroes, those we might call the “good guys,” Noach gets the worst rap. When we are first introduced to him, we are told he was a tzaddik (righteous man) “in his generation.” Rashi famously pounces on the added term, suggesting that he was a good guy in his generation alone, but had he lived in the generation of Avraham, he would not have been a person of significance. more

He looked like a teenager, until he began to tell his story, and then his face took on a sadness that aged him…. Avi (not his real name) had only recently finished his regular army stint in the IDF, and was due to fly to South Africa as part of a very special educational mission to work with less-affiliated Jewish teens in South Africa. more

With the world swirling around us with the turmoil of violence and murder, all at the behest of governments and their terrorist surrogates, it behooves us to take a close look at the biblical saga of the Tower of Babel and its role, in antiquity, as the harbinger of the totalitarian rule that has become commonplace today. This week’s essay will be devoted to reviewing several works that deal with this theme from our religious perspective. more

To the Editor: Rabbi Avi Billet’s column of October 12, 2012, “The Crouching Sin,” is one of the most courageous and meaningful columns I have seen in a long time. more

Any sports fan will tell you that if you leave the game talking about the umpire or referee, that official did an awful job. The same thing goes when talking about political debates. more