The Samurai Who Saved Thousands of Jews from the Nazis
Often, when tragedy strikes, many seek to uncover a silver lining by searching for heroes and their selflessness. On the pantheon of such heroes during the Shoah (the Holocaust) is Chiune…
Brother Against Brother
The origins of sibling rivalry, brother against brother violence and even, God forbid, fratricide, can be traced back to the first family in human history, when Cain killed his brother…
Use Your Fame to Benefit Judaism
Utilize every opportunity to help Judaism and Jews, especially exerting any influence you may have.
Celebrate Judaism’s Distinctness
As Jews who live in exile, we must never forget those critically important components of our religious personalities that are distinctly Jewish.
The Sadducee King Yannai
Alexander Jannaeus (Yannai or Y’honatan in Hebrew) served as the second Hasmonean king of Judea from 103 BCE until his death in 76 BCE. The third son of John Hyrcanus, he succeeded his…
Hail The Accuser
In the era of social media, it is almost an everyday occurrence to be asked to sign a petition or to “like” a cause. When Emile Zola, the celebrated French novelist, published J’Accuse on…
Make Judaism Relevant
To make Torah relevant to our lives today, use allusions to modern day phenomena, reference contemporary culture, or apply cute stories to explain broader concepts.
Recalling Pain Can be like Re-living It
Be sensitive to those who recall difficult episodes they have encountered. Such recall can be as painful as the events themselves and can yield post-traumatic stress.
The Pope and the Jewish Prayer for Rain
Did you know that several centuries ago, a Pope impacted Jewish law? Most Jewish events of note are based on the Jewish calendar. That’s why it’s surprising to learn that the date when…
Pray for Rain!
For those living outside of Israel, the custom is to begin this evening adding a prayer for rain in the Ma’ariv (evening) service. Rain is essential for the sustenance of humankind and…