The Value Of
It is easy to be judgmental. Some might say that being judgmental is a necessary survival skill because it allows people to evaluate if they are being threatened. Those who…
Partners Throughout
The relationship between two people sharing authority can often be difficult. Nevertheless, in the early Talmudic era, the leadership of the Jewish people was usually shared between two…
On the 15th of Av: What Hoshea Did
How can one action be both praiseworthy and unacceptable at the same time? Such was the conundrum of Hoshea ben Elah, the last King of Israel (the Northern Kingdom of Ten Tribes).After…
Charitable Intentions
It would be nice if we lived in a world where everyone was honest. Unfortunately, the news is full of stories of dishonesty, and phone scammers and identity thieves abound. The fact that…
Moshe Sharett
Diplomat, writer and politician, Moshe Sharett (originally Shertok), the second Prime Minister of Israel, moved with his family to British Mandate Palestine from the Ukraine in 1908, when…
Helping Others
How well do you know your neighbors? One of the most common comments about society today is how much more isolated people are from one another than they were in the days of a more…
Mimouna
Jews rejoice on Passover to celebrate their redemption from slavery in Egypt. Because of Passover’s connection to redemption, there is much hope that the final redemption will soon be at…
Her Other Name
Do you have a Hebrew name that’s different than your legal name? The custom of giving children both secular and Hebrew names is not a modern tradition, but rather goes back to ancient…
A Hero in Hollywood
Like many of the Jews who found success in the early decades of Hollywood show business, Ben Hecht (1893 - 1964) was the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants. When Hecht was born, the family…
The Tragic Story of Bar Kamtza
According to Jewish tradition, God allowed the Second Temple to be destroyed because of Sinat Chinam, senseless hatred between the people of Israel who were unable to get along with one…