The source of Rabbinic commandments is in Devarim chapter 17, when Moshe decreeds that the Sanhedrin, based at the place “G-d will have chosen,” will declare laws. “You must do … more

A court is a place every healthy society needs, but no one really wants to visit. A date in court to face a judge is not something most people look forward to. An army has its own system … more

In the course of setting out the laws of war, the Torah adds a seemingly minor detail that became the basis of a much wider field of human responsibility, and is of major consequence … more

Our parasha, Shoftim, begins with the celebrated words, “Shoftim v’shotrim teeten lecha b’chol sh’arecha” (“You shall set up judges and law enforcement … more

Who would you consult if you wanted to know a thing or two about the perfect society? Would you ask a politician? A professor of government? A philosopher expert in theories of utopia? Or perhaps … more

A new work, “The Jews Should Keep Quiet,” details the relationship between President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, and the Holocaust. The author is the distinguished Shoah … more

The year is 1970. Imagine yourself at age 17, experiencing an enjoyable summer in Israel with friends and family. You’re looking forward to going home to Trenton, New … more

In July 1939, eight months after Kristallnacht and seven weeks before Hitler would invade Poland, Congress killed a bill that would have allowed 20,000 Jewish refugee children into the United … more

Forty Jews were arrested on Sunday — Tisha B’Av — at a Manhattan protest against Amazon’s work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. More than 1,000 demonstrators … more

You know that thing when you pick up the leash and the dog runs to the front door, ready for his walk? That’s me when my wife asks if I want to go to Trader … more