Spirituality/Tradition
Judaism and the Blessing of Love
At 176 verses, Naso is the longest of the parshiyot. Yet one of its most moving passages, and the one that has had the...
The Reason Why the Jews Accepted the Torah
One of my favorite Midrashim describes God’s attempt to find a nation willing to accept His Torah. The Midrash depicts the nascent Jewish nation’s willingness to embrace the Torah, and juxtaposes their enthusiasm with the...
The Expulsion of Jews from Lithuania and Courland on Shavuot 1915
Shavuot 1915 was one of the largest single expulsions of Jews since Roman times.During this bleak period, more than 200,000 Jews in Lithuania and Courland were abruptly forced from their homes and into dire circumstances. With the...
Would You Convert Like Yitro?
As we are confronted with a serious increase in the number of Jews who have not only left the fold, but are actively involved in anti-Jewish sentiments inside and outside of Israel, it would perhaps...
Remembering a Stunning, Brave Girl — and a Light of Hope
“Is it me, or is it always either really hot or really cold here?” my...
Conflicting Claims to the Land of Israel: What Every Yeshiva Boy Studying Basic Talmud Knows
One of the great tragedies of the modern Jewish state is that the Zionist movement,...
How Dangerous Times Can Help Us Lead Better Lives
On May 10, 1940, the Nazis invaded Holland. Just four days later, the Dutch army...
The Unity of Jerusalem
There is a recurring theme associated with Jerusalem: that of Jewish unity. Jerusalem is the city of...
If We Really Listen, We Can Still Hear God
Bamidbar is usually read on the Shabbat before Shavuot. So the sages connected the two....
Judaism and the Blessing of Love
At 176 verses, Naso is the longest of the parshiyot. Yet one of its most moving passages, and the one that has had the greatest...
The Reason Why the Jews Accepted the Torah
One of my favorite Midrashim describes God’s attempt to find a nation willing to accept His Torah. The Midrash depicts the nascent Jewish nation’s willingness...
The Expulsion of Jews from Lithuania and Courland on Shavuot 1915
Shavuot 1915 was one of the largest single expulsions of Jews since Roman times.During this bleak period, more than 200,000 Jews in Lithuania and Courland...
Would You Convert Like Yitro?
As we are confronted with a serious increase in the number of Jews who have not only left the fold, but are actively involved in...
Remembering a Stunning, Brave Girl — and a Light of Hope
“Is it me, or is it always either really hot or really cold here?” my husband asked as we walked through Montefiore Cemetery in Queens. There...
Conflicting Claims to the Land of Israel: What Every Yeshiva Boy Studying Basic Talmud Knows
One of the great tragedies of the modern Jewish state is that the Zionist movement, which birthed it, was (and still largely is) dominated almost...
How Dangerous Times Can Help Us Lead Better Lives
On May 10, 1940, the Nazis invaded Holland. Just four days later, the Dutch army surrendered, and three days after that, the entire country was...
The Unity of Jerusalem
There is a recurring theme associated with Jerusalem: that of Jewish unity. Jerusalem is the city of Peace, although it has been conquered 36 times in its long history....
If We Really Listen, We Can Still Hear God
Bamidbar is usually read on the Shabbat before Shavuot. So the sages connected the two. Shavuot is the time of the giving of the Torah....
Material Goods Do Not Make Us Happy or Fulfilled
“Your threshing season will last until your grape harvest, and your grape harvest will last until the time you plant. You will have your fill...
The Truth About the Mikvah
If there is one mitzvah in Jewish life around which misconceptions swirl, it is ritual immersion in a bath as the mikvah. The canard is that mikvahs are...
Former World Champion Boxer Rabbi Yuri Foreman Set for Friday Return to Ring
Former world champion boxer Yuri Foreman, who is also an ordained Orthodox rabbi, is set to return to the ring on Friday afternoon. The eight-round junior middleweight...
Ancient Synagogue in India Holds First Shabbat Service in Decades, With Congregants From Four Continents
An ancient synagogue in India recently held its first Shabbat service since 1972, Religious News Service (RNS) reported. According to the report, congregants from four continents gathered at Cochin’s...
Ahead of ‘Celebrate Israel’ Parade, ‘Today’ Host Calls Holy Land ‘Heaven on Earth’
Kathie Lee Gifford, co-host of NBC‘s morning show Today, talked to The Algemeiner on Friday about her passion for Israel, ahead of next week's pro-Jewish state parade in New York City, which...
