Expressing Gratitude on Thanksgiving
My Rebbe, Rav Ahron Soloveichik, permits celebrating the day with a festive family turkey dinner.
Is it True that ‘No One Really Frum Has a TV’?
With this comment Rabbi Schneierson wiped out of Orthodoxy most of observant Jewry including many Haredim.
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.
Serving God and Empowering Women
{Originally posted to the author's website, Emes Ve-Emunah}
The inevitable finally happened. Rabbi Avi Weiss has dispensed with his prior refusal to call his female...
The ‘Tznius Chase’: Is This Photo Immodest?
This is the 'tznius chase,' a subset of the 'Frumkeit race,' also known as the move to the right.
The Gap
Once again, I am impressed by the level headed approach taken by a moderate Charedi.
Get a Grip: Lapid is not Hitler or a Russian Czar
There is only one word that can explain the over the top reaction by Haredi establishment to this: Paranoia.
Kiddush HaShem in the Midst of a Tragedy
It’s difficult to place any kind of silver lining on this event. People are still suffering...There is no sliver lining for them. But I believe that a Kiddush HaShem should be made public. There are two of them I’d like to highlight.
Orthodoxy – Then and Now
The religious parties’ agenda is to undo the progress they saw as regress made in the last Keneset
The Injustice of Moral Equivalence
The media coverage is so consistently biased against Israel, I’m surprised that there aren’t more Americans that blame Israel for all that’s wrong in the world.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield
If we can’t make them realize the folly of their ways, we can at least try and stop them from profiting from it
‘What If I Don’t Want to be Gay?’
For the record, all those who try and interpret this act out of its Issur-prohibition are mindboggelingly foolish, in my view.
The Whole World is Watching
Chumros-YES! But when it comes to the Chilul HaShem described in the article they couldn’t care less
To Inform or Not to Inform – That is the Question
With all the bacteria a mouth is known to contain - and the possibility that it might contain bacteria or viruses that are very harmful to a vulnerable 8-day-old child while an adult carrier might not even be aware of it - it is not exactly rocket science to know that putting your mouth on an open wound is not a good idea.
Cost/Benefit – An Analysis of a Jewish Education
If one looks at the range of tuition one would have to pay per child, one might get sticker shock. It doesn’t take a genius in math to multiply those figures by 5, or more, children.
The Road Paved with iPhones
There are many Halachic reasons to disqualify a witness. Owning an iPhone is not one of them.
The Holocaust as an Expression of Kindness? Seriously?
Rabbi Avigdor Miller did not want to publish this work during his lifetime. He felt that so soon after the Holocaust it would upset survivors
Emes Ve-Emunah: I Want, I Want, Want…
Is the Judaism commitment by young women in her community so shallow they'd leave if disappointed?!
Strange Bedfellows
Haredi leaders could not care less if Israel retains Judea and Samaria - as long as their Mosdos (religious institutions) get funded.
Achdus with Chabad
Despite Chabad’s success in spreading Torah, they are not really integrated with the rest of Orthodoxy.
Emes Ve-Emunah: Two Torahs? Now More than Ever!
There is apparently one Torah for Jews in America, and one for Jews in Israel.
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: Restoring Our Image as a Light unto Nations
How disappointing it is that a declaration made about Jewish ethics in Jewish leadership is needed.
Is Learning Torah ‘Sharing the Burden’?
Once again we see a great rabbinic figure who apparently does not understand what it is that really upsets the non-Haredi public, including many observant Jews.
Is Hatred for Haredim Due to Media Bias?
The record number of kipa-wearing Jews in the new Knesset surely shows that secular Jews do not really hate religious Jews.
Is This Man a Charedi Hater?
In its most recent edition, Ami Magazine has accused Professor Samuel Heilman - a distinguished Professor of Sociology at Queens College of hating Charedim. I am all too familiar with accusations like this as I am often accused of being a Charedi hater myself. But the truth is that neither I nor Professor Heilman are such a thing.
The Right Approach to Yom Ha’atzmaut
When President Obama was newly elected, he made a trip to the Middle East to address the Arab nations. He spoke about Israel’s right...
Idealism Delayed is not Idealism Denied
the Islamic Jihad terrorists that ambushed Yehuda were caught. They will now face Israeli justice. But that will hardly comfort the bereaved. His loss will be felt for a lifetime by all that were close to this gentle and kind man.
Stop Deriding Black Hatters!
In the spirit of 'elu v’elu' we should just agree to disagree and respect each other’s views and lifestyles as long as they do not impinge on the rights of others.
Does the Very Air in Israel Make One Wise?
I don’t know what is in the air in Israel that makes some people think that they are doing the right thing by God in sticking knives into the heads of their opponents.