Rabbi Shlomo Brevda, Influential Torah Scholar, Passes Away

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

Inspirational Torah leader Rabbi Shlomo Brevda, zt”l, passed away last Tuesday at the age of 81. Rabbi Brevda authored numerous books and traveled to many parts of the world delivering mussar and words of encouragement to people of all ages. He was well known for his research of the Vilna Gaon, publishing many of his writings.

Letters To The Editor

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

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The Israeli Election

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

The right-wing parties in Israel have been gaining traction in the run-up to next week’s election, and to our mind that is a good thing. It is crucial that the world come to appreciate the broad resurgence among Israelis of the notion of a vibrant and dynamic Jewish state in the land of its biblical patrimony.

The President And Gun Control

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

We certainly agree with Vice President Joe Biden that the massacre last month in Newtown, Connecticut, that took the lives of twenty elementary school children “touched the heart of the American people so profoundly” that it “requires immediate, urgent action.” And we would hope Congress and the president can avoid the partisan bickering that has caused so much gridlock in Washington and reach a solution to the problem of firearm violence in America.

What Really Constitutes ‘Compassion’? (Pt. II)

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

How do we teach our children, and more importantly ourselves, the art of kindness and compassion? How do we become better people? Is there a university that teaches us kindness, sensitivity or consideration for one another?

Obama’s Nominees Harmful To Israel, Soft On Terrorists

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

President Obama spent his first term pushing from power longstanding Arab allies in Egypt and Tunisia, seeking to engage the now blood-soaked Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, pulling his punches against Iran’s nuclear program, and putting “daylight” between his administration and Israel.

Remember King For Fighting Hate Against All

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

For those of us who closely follow the progress in America in the battles against racism and anti-Semitism, the observance of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday this year has particular relevance.

To My Father On His 13th Yahrzeit

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

So much has happened in the past few months and now the month of Shevat is suddenly upon us. And in a few days (Shevat 10) it will be your 13th yahrzeit.

Quick Takes: News You May Have Missed

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

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Al Gore, Heavyweight Phony

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

Al Gore has been in the news again, and even some of his biggest admirers are upset with Gore’s decision to sell his Current TV cable network to Al Jazeera, which is owned by the oil-rich Islamic monarchy of Qatar, for $500 million.

Undecided Voters Hold Key To Margin Of Bibi’s Presumed Victory

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

JERUSALEM – While it appears likely that incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will head Israel’s next government, there are growing indications that his future coalition government could look substantially different from the current one.

Obama: ‘Israel Doesn’t Know What Its Own Best Interests Are’

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

The same reports of tension between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu that persisted leading up to November’s U.S. election have re-emerged as Israelis prepare to vote on Jan. 22.

Community Currents – January 18, 2013

Posted on: January 16th, 2013

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Orphans No More

Posted on: January 11th, 2013

Having said several kapitlach of Tehillim, I decided it was time to check out my surroundings. Here I was sitting in a posh heimishe dental office in Williamsburg, serenaded by soft music, and surrounded by proper reading material. Thanking Hashem one more time that it was my friend in the dental chair and not myself (such a loyal friend that I am), I decided to indulge in some reading. The first periodical that I picked up had an article that caught my eye and heart. It was entitled Orphans No More. I could not put it down!

The Mistaken Burial

Posted on: January 11th, 2013

When Alexander Yannai, king of Judea, appointed Rabi Shimon ben Shetach as president of the Sanhedrin, peace and tranquility reigned in the land. Prosperity came to the people as they followed in the ways of the Torah.

Living In My World

Posted on: January 11th, 2013

Taking the words from my mouth, Twisting them, stretching them, turning them round and round, Negating their true meaning, as it was meant to be heard, You hear what you want without really listening.

How To Love Going To Work – Every Day

Posted on: January 11th, 2013

The thing about work is that it isn’t fun. If it were, it would be called play. Most people grumble about going to work, and look forward to their time-off – especially when it is paid. And yet, polls show that most people, given the choice, would prefer to work. It’s when we get to the office that we begin to moan and groan. What’s the point in that? If we spend the majority of our waking hours at work, we might as well enjoy it! Here are some ways we can accomplish that.

Gelernter’s Kings of Israel

Posted on: January 11th, 2013

The recent works of David Gelernter, artist, author and professor of computer science at Yale University, compel us to listen and really see. His statements in the gallery video are riveting and his images, especially the Kings of Israel series are revelatory. It is in the dialectic between these two distinct approaches that we can understand his insight into the past and be guided into a present appreciation of Jewish Art.

It’s a Thin Line: The Eruv and Jewish Community in New York and Beyond

Posted on: January 11th, 2013

Jewish law prohibits carrying an object from a private domain to a public domain (or vice versa) or within a public domain on the Sabbath. One who intentionally carries, knowing the prohibition on the Sabbath is libel to the death penalty by a Jewish court. The creation of an eruv establishes, where possible, an extended private domain in which such carrying is permissible.

Beating Test Anxiety

Posted on: January 11th, 2013

Avital walked into the test feeling great. She had studied the night before and she was sure to ace her grammar test. But, suddenly, when her teacher passed out the test paper, Avital found her palms sweating and her heart racing.