Bamidbar Chapter 26 is largely dedicated to another census of the Israelites, this time counting the people in the final months before they enter the land of Israel.  Owing to the midrash … more

F or many of us when we read the word aggadah , we assume that the subject deals with legend. However, after you read the book under review this week, the very concept of aggadah will take on a new, … more

Whatever else is said these days about anti-Semitism, it remains the case that being accused of it is a surefire way of gaining name recognition among thousands, if not mil-lions, of people who would … more

On Friday, UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) doubled-down on its hatred of Israel and the Jewish people by denying their biblical connection to the old … more

W hen headlines started pouring in about Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu rejecting the American Conservative and Reform communities by denying them a place to pray at the Kotel, I was upset. I … more

If you haven’t encountered the term “Shi’a corridor” yet, chances are that you will soon, particularly if the ongoing confrontation between the U.S. and Iran in Syria … more

F or many years I have made a concerted effort to be more punctual. I used to be terrible and I really worked on it. In my mind 10 or even 15 minutes was still within the realm of punctuality. … more

A fter meeting with Jared Kushner in Ramallah last week, an angry Mahmoud Abbas, not used to a U.S. presidency making demands of the Palestinian side, accused the American delegation of favoring … more

The mitzvah of the Parah Adumah (Red Heifer) is found at the beginning of this week’s parasha, Chukas. Its purpose is to purify an individual who has become tamei (ritually impure) due to … more

This column was originally published on Sept 27, 2016. I dedicate this week’s essay review to the sacred memory of a dear friend, Rabbi Gershon Burd, of blessed memory, executive director … more