The episode of the spies was one of the most tragic in the entire Torah. Who sent them and to what end is not entirely clear. In this week’s parsha, Shelach, the text says it was G-d who … more

Just as there were six million victims, so were there at least six million stories. One of those stories seems to have occurred many times, because I’ve heard it told by quite a few … more

Imagine that we lived in a world of universal peace and harmony, in which war is simply unknown and there is no idol worship. Moreover, picture a time when the Beit Hamikdash stands in all its … more

A black and white image of a Jew being beaten in the streets of Vienna. Jews being forced onto trains and deported. A column of Jews with despairing faces, forced out of town, herded down a … more

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan translates Bamidbar 15:15-16 as follows: “Among the group that may marry one another, the same rule shall apply both to you and to the proselyte who joins. It is an … more

Rabbi Abraham Twersky once stated: “Color is an emotional experience. Techeiles [blue] is the emotional reminder of the bond between ourselves and G-d and how we get closer to G-d with … more

According to the United Nations webpage devoted to last week’s commemoration of World Refugee Day, every minute 20 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror. I am … more

HANC’s kindergarten CAHAL class staged a Tony Award-worthy performance at their graduation on June 18, with each child coming up to the microphone to deliver their lines, as well as singing and … more

It’s not too early to think about the Fourth of July, that red, white and blue holiday that celebrates the birth of our country. I love America, I love July 4th … more

Two weeks ago, I attended the graduate school commencement of my daughter Jordana. En route on the LIRR, my mind wandered down memory lane, to the first of my childrens’ graduations. First … more