On a whim, I checked out the website of a renowned Judaica store to see what’s available these days. That the only Judaica I really buy these days are books, and I felt a little out of … more

Imagine that we lived in a world of universal peace and harmony, in which war is simply unknown and there is no idol worship. Moreover, picture a time when the Beit Hamikdash stands in all its … more

Two months ago, this column reported that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found traces of radioactive activity at a site in Iran that was labeled the “atomic warehouse” … more

The parsha of Pinchas contains a masterclass on leadership, as Moses confronts his own mortality and asks G-d to appoint a successor. Great leaders care about succession. In parsha Chayei … more

My wife and I moved to the Jewish community of Baltimore almost 50 years ago. The fond memories we have of the time we spent there begin with our first Shabbat in town. It was then that I met two … more

People have called him many things — kind, loving, helpful, funny. I’ve heard him described as meticulous. But to me and my siblings, he’s simply Dad. This year my father … more

It’s impossible not be astonished and humbled by the bravery of the Iranian people. From bus drivers to university teachers, once again a cross-section of Iranian society has taken to the … more

It was a very bad week for the presidents of Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania. But as much as the discomfort and job security of the … more

By Rabbi Avi Billet Issue of Dec. 5, 2008 / 8 Kislev 5769 A web site which caters to the chareidi community picked up my column on Parshat Chayei Sara in which I argued that Rivka was a … more

A review of “1492: The Year the World Began” by Alan Jay Gerber Issue of January 1, 2010/ 15 Tevet 5770 It is not unusual for a book’s title to include a year. 1776 and 1912 are … more