In Israel, when the two-minute siren sounds at 11 am on Yom Hazikaron, the Jewish State's Memorial Day, the nation comes to a halt. As we saw just two weeks ago, cars on streets and highways pull over, and drivers and passengers get out of their vehicles to stand and observe a moment of sile…
Israel’s Yom Ha’atzmaut — Independence Day — is particularly meaningful for my family. My uncle brought his family to the country from Poland in 1936, and he and my aunt fought on the streets of Tel Aviv in the War of Independence in 1948. My grandmother’s sister and her husband es…
It is one of the most recognized tunes at the Passover seder. Dayenu — it would have been enough.
Every year, the lyrics take us through the Israelites’ escape from Egyptian slavery and their journey through the desert, as we sing about each gift — each miracle — that G-d bestowed a…
Gadol hama'aseh yoter min ha'oseh.
Rabbi Elazar taught us that one who causes others to do is greater than one who does. For it is said, the work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness shall be calm and confidence forever (Bava Batra, 9a).
His idea is fairly straig…
The language is painful to hear, particularly coming from fellow Jews.
Knesset Member Moshe Gafni called Reform Jews "a bunch of clowns who stick a knife in the holy Torah."
MK Yisrael Eichler criticized an Israeli Supreme Court decision allowing non-Orthodox Jews to use public mikvaot, li…
