Controversy continues to simmer in the upscale Boston suburb of Newton over the use of biased and substandard instructional materials to teach students about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. more

The Senate passed the “Comprehensive Immigration Bill” by a wide margin. The bill was full of pork — it had something for everybody with the one exception that it did not have anything for those who wanted the United States’ borders secured. The border security amendment praised in the press had holes in it so large you could drive a space shuttle through any of them. more

Have you ever been locked out of your car or home? In the past, it rarely happened, as I tended to leave my front door open. I figured no one was going to try to break into the front door (actually, they could have just walked in). Yes, I know, it wasn’t very smart. There were times as well, when inadvertently, I, or my daughter Jordana, would forget to lock our cars. more

This week we will mark three years since the passing of Rav Yehuda Amital. He always appreciated simplicity, and educated his students not to depend on others, but rather to think and act in an independent fashion. more

As the Torah depicts the early travels of the Israelites, small details from famous stops are recalled. “They crossed the Red Sea toward the desert. They then traveled for three days through the Eitam Desert, and they camped in Marah. From Marah to Elim — in Elim there were 12 water springs and 70 palms. … They left Alush and camped in Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.” (33:8-14) Does the Torah intend to list stops on the journey, or to recall significant events? more

Dear Editor: I read, with great interest, the article “Irish eyes aren’t smiling on Israel” [The Jewish Star, June 28] and the quote from Paddy Monaghan asserting that the Irish “are relational people. Israel needs to take the time to explain…” Unfortunately, my two trips to Dublin, in the 1970s and 1982, convinced me otherwise. more

For those Jews who have wanted to “mainstream,” they got it. We’re now part of the Bravo equal opportunity bashing brand in their offering, “Princesses: Long Island.” Along with the Housewives of Beverly Hills, New York, Orange County, New Jersey, Atlanta and a whole lot of Shahs, Bravo has now turned to us, to prequel how “perfectly normal” people can become fighting lushes with extensions, implants, and lips the size of canal boats. more

“You and your crew of 34, Daniel. You are the last Israelis. You are all that is left. But you have no home. You must go somewhere else,” Gabriel Cohen, an IDF emergency contact officer stranded in Greece, informs the captain of the Israeli submarine “Dolphin” in Noah Beck’s latest novel, The Last Israelis. Israel has been destroyed in a nuclear attack, and now Daniel and his crew must choose their course. more

One hundred and fifty years ago this week, a battle was fought that was destined to define our nation for all time — not through the strategic military prowess of our troops, although that was a factor, nor through our overwhelming military might, but rather through a two minute speech that was to be given over four months later on that same battle site. more

The second of this week’s portions, Massei, begins by describing the many journeys of the Jewish people in the desert on their way to entering the land of Israel. Describing each stop along the way, the Torah delineates no less than 42 separate places the Jewish people passed through on their way to Israel. more