My interest in the relationship between a person and their clothing goes back to my early days in graduate school. I was taking a course on human personality, under the tutelage of a remarkably … more

A year ago, 17 families’ worlds and lives were turned upside down, as were the lives of countless relatives, friends and communities with the horrific shooting in Parkland, FL. A … more

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

In one of the opening statements of his essay “The Lonely Man of Faith,” Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik writes, “The nature of the dilemma can be stated in a three-word sentence. I am lonely.” … more

Many years ago, long before we founded Yeshivat Orayta, I was privileged to direct a program called Isralight, which was what some would call a kiruv, or outreach, program. The students, mostly … more

T his week’s Torah portion describes the “fundraising campaign” of the ancient Israelites in connection with building the Mishkan, the temporary sanctuary while they were in the … more

Our parasha, Terumah, focuses upon the mitzvah of constructing the Mishkan (portable desert Sanctuary). The verse that conveys this commandment is found early on in our Torah reading: “And … more

Our parasha, Mishpatim, contains the ethically-infused mitzvah “mi’devar sheker tirchak” (“Distance yourself from a false matter,” Shemot 23:7). In his Torah … more

The Kotzker Rebbe offered an imaginative scene relating to the Revelation at Mt. Sinai.  While all the Israelites gathered to receive G-d’s words, a group of elitists started to leave in … more

What do you want to be when you grow up?” That was once the standard question to ask an eight- or nine-year-old when trying to make conversation. Somehow, every child had an answer, which … more