Jewish Identity
Why I Dislike the Term ‘Chosen People’
I cannot begin to tell you how much I dislike the expression "The Chosen People". It is not that I have any problem...
Stories of the ‘Jewish Pope’ – Rabbi Israel Meir Lau
Israel Meir Lau, the former Chief Rabbi of Israel -and both former and current Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv - shared the stage of the 92Y in New York with Rabbi Menachem...
Message to My Daughter Under the Wedding Canopy
Mushki, given the paucity of my experience in conducting Jewish weddings, I feared that I'd perform the ceremony imperfectly and my own daughter would end up living perpetually in sin. So, I...
The IKEA Sukkah
Once upon a time we were a rural, agricultural people. Our founding forebears left the corrupt big city world of Nimrod, Babylon and Ur and migrated to the Land of Canaan (via Kurdistan.) There, for...
Why Do We Act the Way We Do?
Philosophers are divided over the ethical question of why humans behave the way they do....
A Universalist Rosh Hashana Message: Resurrection of the American Undead
As a child growing up in America the only time I heard about vampires was...
How Humble are You?
In the fall, while much of the world turns its attention towards football, the Jewish...
In the Belly of the British Tabloid Beast
I came to the UK for a debate on the future of the Anglo-Jewish Chief...
Jewish Soldiers Celebrate First Jackson “Aleph House” Graduation
Last week, two Jewish soldiers celebrated their graduation from basic combat training at the new...
Why I Dislike the Term ‘Chosen People’
I cannot begin to tell you how much I dislike the expression "The Chosen People". It is not that I have any problem with...
Stories of the ‘Jewish Pope’ – Rabbi Israel Meir Lau
Israel Meir Lau, the former Chief Rabbi of Israel -and both former and current Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv - shared the stage...
Message to My Daughter Under the Wedding Canopy
Mushki, given the paucity of my experience in conducting Jewish weddings, I feared that I'd perform the ceremony imperfectly and my own daughter...
The IKEA Sukkah
Once upon a time we were a rural, agricultural people. Our founding forebears left the corrupt big city world of Nimrod, Babylon and Ur and...
Why Do We Act the Way We Do?
Philosophers are divided over the ethical question of why humans behave the way they do. There are and have been different theories, "labels" such as...
A Universalist Rosh Hashana Message: Resurrection of the American Undead
As a child growing up in America the only time I heard about vampires was once every ten years or so with the inevitable Dracula...
How Humble are You?
In the fall, while much of the world turns its attention towards football, the Jewish People have traditionally turned their attention inward to begin the...
In the Belly of the British Tabloid Beast
I came to the UK for a debate on the future of the Anglo-Jewish Chief Rabbinate but quickly got mired in commenting on the News of...
Jewish Soldiers Celebrate First Jackson “Aleph House” Graduation
Last week, two Jewish soldiers celebrated their graduation from basic combat training at the new Aleph House just days after the orthodox Jewish community of...
The Work of a Young Jewish Innovator
I recently had the honor of attending the ROI Summit in Jerusalem, a gathering of young Jewish innovators from around the globe funded by the Charles...
Revisiting Zionism – Can Israel Survive Without a Soul?
Defiance The spies Moses sent to survey the land had done their job well. They convinced the entire nation that the advance to the Land of...
Why Chabad and Jewry Urgently Needs an Institute of Jewish Values
Forgive the imperfections contained in this column. I am writing it quickly and late at night in order to respond to Chabad feedback I have...
Anorexia and Corrupt Values in Jewish Dating
The New York Times article last week about the explosion of anorexia and eating disorders in the orthodox community highlights a tragedy that has long...
Divided Matzah, Divided People: The Secret of the Afikoman
Afikoman For children, it is the highlight of the seder. Over the years they discovered that because the seder could not be concluded until this...
