Of the three major festivals on the Jewish religious calendar, Shavuot is the shortest, with a one-day observance in Israel and two days in the Diaspora. However, when we consider that this … more

In what crazy, upside-down world does a Palestinian Arab randomly stab Jews in Jerusalem, get shot dead by Israeli policeman and then become the focus of an Associated Press article with a … more

I am the type of person who has always believed that the only way to learn about something important is to buy a book about it. For example, I have been fortunate to have traveled widely and to … more

As a country, two things we have learned from Barack Obama are that if things are going lousy, blame the previous administration, and if your successor fixes your mistakes, take credit for … more

In October 2020, Sweden will host an international summit to combat anti-Semitism. When Stefan Löfven, the Swedish prime minister, announced the parley last Friday, he didn’t disclose … more

By the time you read this, the sun will be shining again, spring will have returned, and last week’s record snowfall in Denver will be a distant memory. I am tickled pink with the charming … more

Who could be surprised by the story that grabbed the attention of the Jewish world this past weekend? When Felix Klein, Germany’s first Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight … more

The first three words of our parasha, Bechuchotai, present a significant interpretative challenge. The phrase, “Im bechuchotai teleichu” could readily be translated, “if you … more

The famous 19th century blood libel in Russia that came to be known as the Beilis Trial was much more than the trial of just one man. Judaism as a whole stood accused, and its faithful defenders … more

This week we read the Tochacha, the terrifying curses that happen to Israel if it betrays its Divine mission. If Israel loses its way spiritually, say the curses, it will lose physically, … more