Kutshers And The New Kosher Catskills

Posted on: May 5th, 2010

For Yossi Zablocki, Kutsher's was supposed to be there forever, as permanent as the mountains along Route 17. It was after all, for him and many others like him, much more than just a place to camp out for the summer and the holidays. It was an entire world - a brighter, greener, more tranquil world than the one he passed through each day as an attorney in lower Manhattan.

Transformation of Ruins: A Gush Katif Wedding

Posted on: February 17th, 2010

Those of you who've been reading my postings over the years might remember my strong bonds to Gush Katif, and particularly to Kfar Darom. Every once in a while, for one reason or another, I find myself flipping through photos that I took, prior to its destruction. It is very difficult to view the pictures; my guts begin churning and sometimes it's even worse. The displacement of so many people, the abandonment of our land, and the catastrophic consequences, culminating in 8,000 rockets fired into Israel, the Gaza War, and of course, the present challenges of Goldstone were so totally unnecessary. All of these results were predicted, time and time again, before the expulsion, but were totally ignored by Sharon and Co. It is still beyond comprehension.

Traveling In Israel With A 12-Year-Old

Posted on: October 16th, 2009

Seeing Israel is one thing. Seeing Israel through the eyes of a 12-year-old is another, especially when the child is your grandson or granddaughter.

Pennsylvania Labor Day Trips

Posted on: September 2nd, 2009

If you're looking to sneak in one last day trip before the kids start yeshiva, then the obvious place to look is Pennsylvania, filled with numerous kid-friendly theme parks. Two great ones for all children under the teenage years are Sesame Place in Langhorne, and Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster.

Lipa, Disney, and Lulav and Etrog

Posted on: August 19th, 2009

Observant Jews looking to travel far from home once had to confine themselves to day trips and packed sandwiches.

Lipa, Disney, and Lulav and Etrog

Posted on: August 19th, 2009

Observant Jews looking to travel far from home once had to confine themselves to day trips and packed sandwiches.

Panama City And The Panama Canal

Posted on: July 29th, 2009

Ask most Americans what they know about Panama and they will declare, "Panama Canal and General Noriega," the deposed dictator now in prison.

Coming Home To Touro: Our Colonial Legacy

Posted on: July 29th, 2009

It's a story that's familiar to every student of American history. In 1620, the Pilgrims fled England aboard the Mayflower and founded the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, where they could freely practice their religion. A little known, but equally significant, historical event took place just a few years later in 1658, when another group seeking a haven from religious persecution sailed into Newport Harbor in Rhode Island and founded Congregation Jeshuat Israel.

Coming Home To Touro: Our Colonial Legacy

Posted on: July 29th, 2009

It's a story that's familiar to every student of American history. In 1620, the Pilgrims fled England aboard the Mayflower and founded the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, where they could freely practice their religion. A little known, but equally significant, historical event took place just a few years later in 1658, when another group seeking a haven from religious persecution sailed into Newport Harbor in Rhode Island and founded Congregation Jeshuat Israel.

New Caribbean Synagogue Joins One Of The Oldest In The Hemisphere

Posted on: May 13th, 2009

WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO---It's not everyday, or every year, or every decade, or even every century, that a beautifully-designed, 180-seat, air-conditioned synagogue rises in the Caribbean, let alone a modern Orthodox one.