A few weeks ago, at a now much publicized Rosh Chodesh prayer service at the Kotel, things got ugly. As they have been doing for nearly 25 years, a group … more

We all nod in agreement when we hear the phrase, “Two Jews, three opinions.” We similarly chuckle when we hear the anecdote about the Jew who was discovered after years of living … more

On the face of it, what Korach and his fellow rebels said was both true and principled. “You have gone too far,” they told Moses and Aaron. “The whole community is holy, and G-d … more

Imagine the following: You are driving ever so slightly above the speed limit. You see a police car in your rear-view mirror. You slow down. You know perfectly well that it is wrong to exceed the … more

This week’s parsha, Shelach, contains one of the most challenging stories in the entire Torah: the story of the spies. It’s an incredible moment in Jewish history. With the … more

Imagine standing at a crossroads. We have all been there. We have all experienced moments in our life’s journey when we had to make a crucial choice and decide whether to proceed along one … more

The namesake of our parasha, Shelach, is found in its second verse: “Send out for yourself (shelach lecha) men who will scout the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of … more

Our parasha, Beha’alotecha, contains Ha-shem’s command to Moshe to create the first Sanhedrin to assist him in his juridic responsibilities: Then Hashem said to Moshe, … more

I no longer remember which Israeli artist colony I was visiting. Perhaps Jaffa. But I will never forget the crude, almost primitive paintings on exhibit, each different in color, style, and … more

How do we balance the old with the new, the ancient and venerable with the latest and the greatest? How do we speak to a generation that views tradition as antiquated relics of the past? Is old … more