Emes Ve-Emunah: A Breathtaking Distortion of Chanukah and Judaism
Chanukah is not a holiday about our violent intolerance of others as Binyamin Zahav seems to suggest. It is a holiday of freedom from anti religious tyranny imposed by a kingdom bent on eradicating our faith and traditions.
Emes Ve-Emunah; Rav Avrohom Chaim Levin, ZTL
Rav Levine was a Gadol. He exemplified the Midah of Emes and he openly stood his ground on principles in which he believed - even when challenged.
Refuting a Rebuttal
There are people on both sides of the ideological aisle that insist that their perspective trumps the other. Those scientists that are not guided by faith will discard everything that science contradicts. Those that insist on the literal interpretation of entirety of the Torah narrative will deny the science no matter how clearly the science is demonstrated as fact.
Emes Ve-Emunah: The Truth about the Gaza Protest
What is Israel supposed to do? Bring their own slingshots and Molotov cocktails?! Of course they are going to protect themselves and the rest of Israel in the most efficient way possible. All while respecting human life.
What Modesty is, and What it Isn’t
Should it take a secular newspaper--the Wall Street Journal-- to give us Musser about what Modesty really means? I really think we need a little self-examination about what motivates our consumerism these days.
Blaming the Wrong People
Admittedly, the optics are bad. Viewing this event out of context does make Israel seem trigger happy. But it is imperative to look at the historical context of this situation and see who is really to blame for the very real suffering of Palestinians living in Gaza.
Emes Ve-Emunah: A Win? Or a Defeat?
Progressive Orthodoxy can afford to retreat. Not because they have won, as they think but because they have lost even if they don’t realize it yet. If they insist on maintaining this new innovation of 'women rabbis; they will eventually write themselves out of Orthodoxy
Emes Ve-Emunah: Polish Death Camps
Except for the righteous gentiles among them, the Poles were perhaps the most eager participants of all nationalities in helping Nazis send Jews to the death camps of any other country.
Emes Ve-Emunah: Israel Must Remain Orthodox
"Though I may disagree with some of the things Rabbi Riskin has done of late, when he’s right, he’s right. And when it comes to whether Israel should remain an Orthodox state, I couldn't agree more that it should."
Emes Ve-Emunah: #MeToo? Really?
Rabba Hurwtiz is wrong in blaming opposition to women being in the Rabbinate on a pre-existing male power structure. Poskim of virtually every mainstream Orthodox organization stated that women cannot be rabbis and serve in that capacity regardless
What Now?
One can say whatever they wish about the President or his ulterior motives. But one cannot deny the significance of what he has done for the Jewish people.
Emes Ve-Emunah: What They Really Want
Thought the fight over the Kotel was about egalitarianism? Wrong. Conservative leader, Rabbi Steven Wernick, has made that very clear: "The issue is about legitimization, it’s about recognition,"
Emes Ve-Emunah: An Unbridgeable Gap?
Why do committed Liberal Orthodox Jews have more of a propensity to be less observant? I believe they generally see values other than those of Torah overriding traditional Torah based ones - whenever they conflict
The Fallacy and Destructiveness of Stereotyping
I think we should all just step back from our prejudices about those outside our camp, and see the world for what it really is a collection of human beings whose character ranges in the same ratio with respect to the entire spectrum of ethics, honesty, and kindness.
Will ‘A Jewish Father’ End Up with Jewish Grandchildren?
Taking your children out of a religious school and placing them in a secular school - even a good one - should never be an option. Because if you care about their religious future at all
Orthodoxy Needs a Legitimate Left Wing
Orthodoxy must retain Jews in ways that do not compromise Halacha and do not cross the important lines of tradition. That is how the left wing of Orthodoxy used to be. but is no longer-and that is why a true left wing must emerge
The Elephant in the Room is Islam
It has been Islam that is the source of the ideology that motivates these terrorists. Overwhelmingly, the violence perpetrated against the civilized world (primarily Europe) has been done in the name of Islam.
Orthodox Schools as the Model for Public Education
America's public school system is a failing enterprise and needs radical changes to restore it to former greatness. Examining certain Orthodox schools may provide some inspiration
Yes, I am an Optimist!
In my wildest dreams, I never thought an Orthodox Jew would be a top adviser to the leader of the free world. And yet that is exactly what Ivanka Trump has been to her father, the president
Extremism and Protesting WoW
Once again at the Kotel, WoW did their monthly thing at the Kotel, promoting Feminism, definitely NOT Torah Judaism
Emes Ve-Emunah: Is the Future of Modern Orthodoxy Doomed?
There are 2 opposite reasons students will want to study in Israel for a gap year: Either they are happy with their upbringing-home, school and community or they hate it and want “religious rehab.”
Emes Ve-Emunah: The Dignity of Difference
All mainstream Orthodox religious authorities and institutions have rejected the idea of female rabbis, except of course, Open Orthodoxy rabbis and the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance
Emes Ve-Emunah: Marrying Out in the 21st Century
In the author's view, one should never give up hope that a child will be convinced to return to his roots even after they marry out.
Emes Ve-Emunah: A House Divided
This issue of ordaining women is not a Charedi versus Modern Orthodox battle. Only the fringe of liberal orthodoxy embraces it; The entire spectrum of Haredi to centrist-Modern rejects it.
Emes Ve-Emunah: A Religious Community in Crisis
Monsey has gone from a bucolic small town to a center of conflict where both sides having strong arguments.
On Moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem
‘Is moving the US embassy to Jeruselam worth it?’ Is it the right thing to do? What will be the actual repercussions of this move? Is moving the embassy to Jerusalem worth the ‘price’ of doing that?
Emes Ve-Emunah: Achdus – Where I Stand
It is one thing to reside in the left wing of Orthodoxy. It’s another to cross lines that virtually all other segments of Orthodoxy said should never have been crossed.
What If?
There is no doubt who Trump will blame if a Mid East peace deal doesn’t work out. Trump has already indicated that it is Palestinian violence against Israel that is to blame-NOT the settlements.
Good Riddance, Mr. President
The bloggist provides a decidedly alternative perspective but arrives at the same and right conclusion: Mr. President, I say Thank you. But ‘Good riddance!
Emes Ve-Emunah: Will All of American Jewry Eventually be Orthodox?
The direction non-Orthodox Jews are going is clear. Heterodoxy has failed while Orthodoxy has succeeded, strong evidence that it is Halacha that has kept us alive throughout the millennia