105 Years Young
All her life, from early childhood, Grandma has been meticulous in living a fully observant Jewish life. Her devotion to mitzvot was such that at age 99, when the U.K. was in full lockdown during Covid, she cleaned and kashered her home for Pesach entirely on her own – just months before her 100th birthday.
Why Did You Stay Alive?
Eliyahu shared his own pain. I’m Elyakim’s father, he said. He was a security guard at the Nova festival. He saved lives and was killed doing so. And you, Nachman, you survived. Tell me, why did you survive?
Nachman had no answer.
Achieving Moral Clarity in a Confused World
Our justice and our morality are the truth. I’m learning Torah now – chassidut, parashat hashavua. How did I not know about this treasure until now? You shouldn’t have to lose a child, or turn 57, to begin asking who you are and why you’re here.
Don’t Share
We live such public and exposed lives today, yet in this week’s parsha we are reminded to seek the blessing of privacy.
A Time for Gratitude
I’m not sure whether people fully grasp the magnitude of the miracle. Just the day before, the floors of the building that was hit had been cleared. Entire departments had been relocated to reinforced areas.
Carrying the Light Forward
Some 200 years ago, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov wrote a statement that I find amazing: The time will come when being an upright and simple person will be as revolutionary as being the Baal Shem Tov.
Focusing On The Pesach In Our Relationships
We ate matzah – boom! We received an injection of faith for the entire year. This dose of faith is absorbed into our bodies and souls. It doesn’t matter how we felt. Consciously or unconsciously, we have been transformed by this experience.
PURIM: Underneath the Costume
In everyday life we frequently meet people who seem to be walking around in disguise. One is disguised as someone arrogant, another as someone vulgar, and a third as someone apathetic – but what we see is not a true reflection of who these people really are.
These Are My People
For 210 years, they labored in Egypt under extremely harsh conditions. But like a small child with a dirty shirt, they didn’t even realize how inappropriate it was for them to be slaves.
A Special Note For The Kotel
It was difficult for him to write without errors, but his ambition was so extraordinary. It would have been worth it to me to stand there for hours in the sun or the rain just for the opportunity to help him in his quest.
Are You Sure You’re Getting All The News From Israel?
There have been many events expressing unity and support that have taken place in the Jewish world in recent days, but many of them have not been reported in the press. It seems that only a rowdy demonstration, a fight on Twitter, or a sharp exchange in the Knesset are considered newsworthy.
Inspiration From Kiryat Shmona
Indeed, this enemy gives Yaakov an enormous blessing. He bestows upon him a new and much more powerful name: ‘No longer will it be said that your name is just Yaakov, but also Yisrael.’ And this is our name until today.
Higher!
If Sandberg symbolizes what is happening now to our brethren in the Diaspora, we are on the right path. This phenomenon has already been given a name: The Jews of October 8, the Jews who woke up the day after.
Holocaust Survivors Defy Terror
After the Nazis failed to murder them, Hezbollah tried to do so, but they won’t succeed either, wrote Yaron.
In Your Blood You Shall Live
We must continue to dream big: The magnitude of the evil perpetrated against us on October 7 was shocking. It turns out, that we can also be surprised by the good.
What Message Would You Write On A Sign Over The Ayalon Highway?
Israel will be the source of light, Jews from around the world will return to the Land, and the humiliation and hatred Israel once suffered will be replaced with universal admiration.
Ribo, New York, And Redemption
The mitzvot enable us to take the most basic things of all: our bodies, our possessions, our most physical parts, and to sanctify them.
Saying Goodbye To Hersh Goldberg-Polin
Rachel spoke: I want to thank G-d right now in front of all of you for giving me this magnificent present of my son Hersh. For 23 years I was privileged to have the most stunning honor to be Hersh’s mama. I’ll take this moment to say thank you.
Their Last Day Of Saying Kaddish
As this period of Kaddish comes to a close, one bereaved family asked me to thank the general public on their behalf.
Caution: Prosperity Ahead
The Book of Devarim describes the great danger of living in a prosperous society that offers people everything they desire and in large amounts. It’s challenging to live in poverty – but it’s also challenging to live in wealth.
Fasting On Tisha B’Av This Year
This year, Tisha B’Av was not just symbolic, but painfully real. It is not a coincidence that our enemies are threatening to attack us on that day, G-d forbid.
Muhammad Deif & Donald Trump – Making Sense Of What Happened
When you feel that the world is going mad, it is important to return to our sources. Our Torah portion this week reminds us that what we are experiencing today has occurred before.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe: 30 Years Since His Passing
In America, where he arrived from Europe in 1941, mitzvah observance had become moribund, increasingly disconnected from the modern world. The Rebbe reversed this trend by demanding more Torah, more Jewish brotherhood, more Jewish education.
The Reality Outside Vs. The Reality Inside
Who are the sources of our information regarding the war? After five get-togethers and lectures in the United States that included difficult questions on the situation in Israel, I understood how important it is to check our information sources.
When Those Around Us Despair
When faced with uncertainty, confusion, or disillusionment due to current challenges, turning our thoughts positively towards the past and the future can empower us with perspective and inner strength.
To Learn From Our Mistakes And Continue On Our Journey
.Shabbat Shalom
The Ten Commandments – More Relevant Than Ever
A Jewish student from MIT visiting Israel told me, after describing the hypocritical protests on behalf of Hamas that took place on her campus: What our world needs the most now is faith, vision, and a clear moral compass.
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