Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon passed away Saturday at the age of 85. He never recovered from the devastating stroke he suffered eight years ago, on Jan. 4, 2006. Some of the obituaries will vilify him, others praise him, and on both counts they are wrong. Ariel Sharon was an enigma wrapped in a paradox. more

It’s a brand new Seasons. The completely remodeled supermarket, for many years branded as Supersol, is the latest enhancement in a world of increasingly upscale kosher shopping experiences. And its opening, anticipated by the end of January, will likely supercharge the relatively quiet Lawrence business district. more

Rambam Mesivta third annual “Tefillah Week: Rerouting the Routine,” capped off an amazing first half of the school year. more

About 2-1/2 years ago, I was helping my dear friend Ellen Finkelstein set up for her a shalosh seudos in honor of her son’s bar mitzvah. more

The Jewish community in Brooklyn’s trendy Park Slope neighborhood recently celebrated the opening of the William and Betty Katz Center for Jewish Life, a 3-story center that boasts mikvaot for men and women, as well as a visitors center and guest rooms. Its opening will serve to further strengthen Jewish life in Brownstone Brooklyn. more

Is it a spa? It sure looks like a spa. more

In 2006, the Goodman family’s son Yosef was killed in a tragic training accident when his parachute failed to open properly. Incredibly, having become entangled with his officer’s chute, Yosef z”l bravely chose to cut himself loose rather than cost his officer’s life. A few days later, sitting in the Goodman home, I learned just how special Yosef Goodman really was. more

The battle is waged against Amalek, and as it finishes, we are told that “Yehoshua weakened Amalek and his people with the sword." The Torah’s word for weakened is vayachalosh, but its translation is not so clear. more

Parents and students alike were inspired by Davis Renov Stahler (DRS) Yeshiva High School’s annual Yom Iyun on Jan. 1, as they learned together about the concept of emunah (faith), as well as its practical applications in life. more

The pro-Israel campus groups Hillel International and the Israel on Campus Coalition were denied the right to present a discussion at the Jan. 9-12 Modern Language Association convention in Chicago, an event seen as a possible precursor to an MLA academic boycott of Israel that would mirror recent boycotts by the American Studies Association and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association. more