Yearly Archives: 2012

A daily dose of Hebrew.

According to IndexMundi.com, "home of the Internet's most complete country profiles," which contains detailed country statistics, charts, and maps compiled from multiple sources, the...

Expect an interesting conundrum on the opposition side.

Yishai presents, as he does every year, a class given by Rabbi Lawrence Keleman about the origins of Christmas

The problem nowadays is that an insane interpretation of international affairs seems to be a quality defining who 'the best people are.'

The glorious day of the inglorious man is here. And someone else is paying. Any someone else who isn't him.

A call to the paper's editorial offices resulted in utter bewilderment.

Due to the overwhelming huge response and registration for the January 1 conference, it has been moved to a much larger venue.

The highly decorated Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf died in his home in Tampa, Florida. The cause of death was not immediately known. Known to his soldiers...

On Thursday, Israel's High Court reviewed the appeal by Arab MK Hanin Zoabi (National Democratic Assembly) of the Knesset Elections Committee's decision to disqualify...

Grieving requires a new language.

They say there’s no bigger nightmare than starting to go out / You’re playing emotional mind games that involve another’s feelings, no doubt / Your hopes atop a roller coaster, but soon to be set in loops / Where you’ll have to make good conversation again, over your cream-of-broccoli soup.

For the last two years, Lipa Schmeltzer has traded his microphones for textbooks and the concert stage for the classroom.

The beautiful Banias Nature Reserve includes two main areas: the spring area and the waterfall area. And if it’s hard for you to choose which one to visit – choose both. They are equally beautiful and fascinating and a celebration of water and lush flora awaits you.

The rather large grasshoppers all have different human faces. The trees have human bodies with branches sprouting out of their heads. The animals in the Peaceable Kingdom garden seated at Isaiah’s feet are painted purple, pink, blue and red. Welcome to the visionary world of Nahum HaLevi’s Latter Prophets.

The family: Yossi (38), Yamit (33) and daughters Tohar (4.5), Romi (2) and a new baby girl. Background: Yamit is the daughter of Ezra and Malka Mordechai, the first couple in Gush Katif. Ezra arrived in Gush Katif as a bachelor in 1974 and was one of three community founders. Yamit was raised in Netzer Hazani, the first established Gush Katif community.

Dear Dr. Yael: I am the oldest child in a family of seven; one of my sisters is a year younger than me. Even though we basically have the same responsibilities, somehow I always get stuck with all the household chores. My sister has a tendency to take her time, all the while doing one job. Honestly, sometimes it takes her three hours to do the dishes. She says it is because she is a “schlep.” She actually gets angry with her when I ask her to move quicker, saying that “I am not understanding of her feelings” and “she needs time.”

During my formative years, one of my rabbeim once told our class that he wished to tell us something very profound, something we may have a hard time believing: “I want you all to know that every student in this room has the capability to become one of the gedolei hador.” I recall that at first that comment encouraged and inspired me. But within a short time, I began to feel very dejected. In fact, I have thought of that comment many times since then and it took me a long time to understand what bothered me about it.

Parshas VaYechi describes the last days of Yaakov Avinu’s life and it is therefore appropriate that the haftorah is a description of the last days of Dovid HaMelech’s life (the beginning of Sefer Melochim). But is that the only association? The last days of someone’s life? If so, there are other examples of the last days of someone’s life in Navi that could have been chosen. There must be deeper connections between the lives of Yaakov and Dovid.

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My own experiences within the shidduch system has caused me to question it considerably.

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Chabad Lubavitch of Utah recently hosted its annual Chanukah menorah lighting ceremony at that state’s Governor’s Mansion in Salt Lake City.

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Mr. Farber looked out his kitchen window and admired the snow all around. It had piled up during the night, covering everything with a beautiful blanket of white. While he was eating breakfast, Yaakov and Elisha knocked on his door. "Do you want your snow shoveled?" asked Yaakov.

Size Is Indicative Of Importance ‘He Took Out Wood to Cook an Egg…’ (Shabbos 89b)

Many commentators on the far left scolded those who would suggest a connection between culture and success – imputing racism to such arguments.

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Question: I was at a brit where the father and grandfather of the boy argued over who should be sandak. The grandfather had served as sandak once before, but he persisted and, as they say, “might makes right.” I am curious as to your view on this matter. M. Renkin (Via E-Mail)

A Brooklyn fishmonger was indicted for throwing a cup of bleach in the face of a Chasidic rabbi who advocates for victims of sexual abuse in the haredi Orthodox community.