There are few things in life that can elicit a collective gasp from everyone in a room. A real shocking twist in a novel is limited to the reader, while the same twist in a film might be expected by … more

One of the most enduring images of last summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro captured Islam El Shehaby, an Egyptian judo competitor, or judoka, turning his back on the outstretched hand of … more

UNESCO’s history-defying vote asserting that the Temple Mount is sacred only to Muslims, echoes anti-Israel propaganda across the Middle East and ignores that the ancient Greeks, Romans, … more

The public kriah (reading) of King Solomon’s Megillat Kohelet is one of the highlights of Shabbat Chol Hamoed Succot. According to many commentators, it is a précis of its author’s … more

What an irony. I always knew that the first commentary on a Sukkot machzor describing the rather sharp medieval reaction to a British-based Simchat Torah service would come from the pen of a former … more

I’ve been baking challah for about 34 years. I added honey, margarine, sugar and cinnamon, way before it was in vogue. I always wanted to find a recipe I loved for a water challah … more

The U.S. State Department denounced the latest terrorist attack in Jerusalem by condemning “the statements glorifying this reprehensible and cowardly attack.” At first, it might seem … more

Sukkot is related to the way the Jewish people lived while wandering in the desert for 40 years, building tents called sukkot that sheltered them. In their wildest dreams, I don’t think they … more

Seconds, then minutes. The boat overturned in the murky waters of the Yarkon River, trapping the woman who had been energetically rowing moments before. Even the air bubbles had ceased. A small crowd … more

The Torah commands us twice to rejoice on Sukkot. For Shavuot it only says to rejoice one time. For Pesach “joy” is not mentioned at all (it’s difficult to rejoice when … more