The Power of Propaganda
In recent weeks, several celebrities have achieved notoriety for making anti-Semitic slurs. Their slurs were far from original and, thank God, far from potent. Indeed, such attacks…
Random Acts of Kindness
An entire generation of North Americans hear the words “random acts of kindness” and immediately think of Oprah Winfrey. Without question, the queen of afternoon television has done…
Symbolic Foods
Since Rosh Hashana is the day of judgement, it is customary to eat simanim,* foods with symbolic meanings that invoke God's blessing. We also recite a short prayer before eating them.…
The Baal Shem Tov
Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, known as the Baal Shem Tov (literally Master of the Good Name, often referred to as the BESHT), was born in 1698, in Okop (Ukraine). While there is little record…
In Cases of Illness
The advances in medicine in the last century at combating illness and extending human life have been astounding. At the same time, now that we now know so much more of the causes and…
The Baal Shem Tov
Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, known as the Baal Shem Tov (literally Master of the Good Name, often referred to as the BESHT), was born in 1698, in Okop (Ukraine). While there is little record…
National Freedom Day
Today, February 1st, is both National Freedom Day and the first day of Black History Month National Freedom Day was initially advocated for by Major Richard Robert Wright Sr. (1855-1947),…
Random Acts of Kindness
An entire generation of North Americans hear the words “random acts of kindness” and immediately think of Oprah Winfrey. Without question, the queen of afternoon television has done…
Tu b’Shevat
While it may seem as if winter has just begun, it may be a good time to invoke a bit of optimism and look beyond the turbulent weather and remember that spring is just around the corner.…
Indirect Damages
“An eye for an eye” as is set forth in this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, (Exodus 21:24) is one of the most commonly quoted phrases from the Hebrew Bible. This phrase, of course, is…