You are snuggly under your blanket or in your sleeping bag when all that peace and serenity comes to an abrupt halt. Shouting and yelling, darkness turning into abrupt harsh light, sleeping bags … more

August 6, 2010/ 26 Av, 5770 Who is the most desperate, destitute member of the Jewish society? It’s a loaded question and there is no correct answer. Unless you specify from whose perspective. … more

What is the power of a hug? Sometimes it’s all about the context. Recently, someone sent me a story regarding a fellow named Yankel, a survivor of Auschwitz who began his journey there … more

In 1897, Theodore Herzl convened the first Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland. Though he defined himself as a secular Jew to whom Judaism was just an afterthought he gave form to a 2000 year old dream: the longing of the Jewish people to return home to the land of Israel. more

Eli Wiesel describes one of the most painful moments he ever experienced as a push from behind. Shouting, chaos, dogs barking and attacking, SS guards with guns shouting commands in German which … more

In 1860, a relatively unknown one-term congressman named Abraham Lincoln stunned the country by prevailing over three prominent rivals — William Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates — … more

I noticed the jeep in the distance almost immediately, raising a dust column you could see for miles. We were on maneuvers in the Negev desert, and there wasn’t anything else around but us, so we knew immediately the jeep had to be headed our way. Twenty minutes later the jeep pulled up and a man with colonel’s oak-leaves on his shoulders got out. Our commander jumped down for a hurried conference. We were happy for the brief respite; I was in the middle of tank commander’s course, and any break from the grind was always welcome. more

How does one make life meaningful? How do we make sure that we are living every moment to its fullest potential? This week’s portion, Shemos, contains a powerful indication to Judaism’s … more

Walk in to any Jewish home and ask yourself: what distinguishes it as a Jewish home? There is actually no ritual, biblical obligation concerning the Jewish home, save one: the mezuzah. more

Recently, the media reported that two days before his execution, Adolph Eichmann penned a letter to then-President Yitzchak Ben-Zvi begging for clemency. Facing his imminent death by hanging (the … more