Judaism

“Finding Respite”

After the horrors of the Holocaust were made public, many Jews were under the impression that with the establishment of the State of Israel, its miraculous rebirth and development, the perfidious scourge of anti-Semitism would somehow abate and eventually vanish. For a while there was, what seemed to be, a universal sensitivity. But, only sixty years later, that sensitivity has vanished, and there is now a virulent outbreak of anti-Semitism in countless countries throughout the world, even on the streets of New York and Los Angeles.

“Restoring Lost Possessions--Revisited”

The mitzvah of returning a lost article is not a matter to be taken lightly. The Italian commentator Menachem Recanati argues that in certain instances restoring a person’s lost article can be the equivalent of restoring a person’s life.

“Justice--the Source of Security of the Land of Israel”

The fact that the Torah links the proper practice of justice by the Jewish people to the security of the land of Israel is of extreme importance, especially in light of the perils faced by the State of Israel today.

“Giving Charity Kindly and Generously”

The Torah introduced the revolutionary concept of charity to the world. Despite its virtually universal acceptance today, it was not always looked upon favorably in many societies.