In 1860, a relatively unknown one-term congressman named Abraham Lincoln stunned the country by prevailing over three prominent rivals — William Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates — … more

Sometimes others know us better than we know ourselves. In the year 2000, a British Jewish research institute came up with a proposal that Jews in Britain be redefined as an ethnic group and not … more

The two old men couldn’t have been more different from each other, yet they both taught me the identical life lesson. The first, a cagey old Irishman, was one of my mentors in postgraduate … more

Chapter 23, verses 2-4 list a number of male types who may not enter “k’hal Hashem,” the community of G-d. On a simple level, the verses seem strange. The first two individuals – men who have become sterile on account of external, or unnatural incidents – are likely Jewish men. As is the “mamzer,” the product of two Jewish people who participated in a Torah-forbidden relationship. Don’t they enter the community of G-d the moment they are born? more

There are differences of opinion as to the origin of the word Afikoman--the most common suggestion I’ve seen is that it is a Greek term--and, as far as its translation goes, while it is not entirely clear, it is largely considered to mean “dessert.” more

I noticed the jeep in the distance almost immediately, raising a dust column you could see for miles. We were on maneuvers in the Negev desert, and there wasn’t anything else around but us, so we knew immediately the jeep had to be headed our way. Twenty minutes later the jeep pulled up and a man with colonel’s oak-leaves on his shoulders got out. Our commander jumped down for a hurried conference. We were happy for the brief respite; I was in the middle of tank commander’s course, and any break from the grind was always welcome. more

From the start of Genesis, we have been reading one long story extending over many centuries. It began with the creation of man and proceeded with the narrative of the transformation of a small … more

We’ve heard the clichés that are used to convey the importance of social groups and realization that people cannot “go at it alone” — “No man is an … more

An interesting cast of characters have parshas named for them: Noach, Yisro, Korach, Balak, Pinchas (Chayei Sarah includes a name, which comes after her death). Each has his own story of … more

How does one make life meaningful? How do we make sure that we are living every moment to its fullest potential? This week’s portion, Shemos, contains a powerful indication to Judaism’s … more