Rabbi Binny Freedman
452 results total, viewing 61 - 70
It was known as shavua tirgolot, the week of training drills. It sounded pretty innocuous, but as it turned out, it was a week of hell. The IDF prides itself on being prepared for any eventuality, … more
It was the loneliest, most depressing night of my life. After almost a year of training, with only a couple of days to go before getting my bars and finishing officer’s course, I had been ordered … more
Some time ago, at a Rosh Chodesh prayer service at the Kotel, things got ugly. As they had been doing for nearly 25 years, a group of women from a range of Jewish backgrounds, known as the … more
This Shomot-week column by Rabbi Freedman was previously published. His fresh columns will resume next week. There is a puzzling story in this week’s portion, Shemot, which occurs just … more
Jerusalem, 1948. The newly born State of Israel was struggling against vastly superior Arab forces, and Jerusalem, the heart and soul of the Jewish people, was under siege. There was only one major road to Jerusalem from the west, where the majority of Israel’s population and her food and supplies production lay, and the Arabs had successfully blocked access to the capital to all but the bravest of travelers. more
I remember the first Mishnah I ever learned, and it wasn’t in a classroom. The synagogue we attended when I was five years old had a strict decorum, and I recall the challenges this … more
There is an amazing story told about Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was on a speaking tour across India as part of his non-violent struggle for independence from the British. more
He looked like a teenager, until he began to tell his story, and then his face took on a sadness that aged him…. Avi (not his real name) had only recently finished his regular army stint in the IDF, and was due to fly to South Africa as part of a very special educational mission to work with less-affiliated Jewish teens in South Africa. more
There are so many things in life that are impossible to understand, and yet every now and then, we are afforded the opportunity to get a glimpse, as if through a momentary clearing of the fog, of what it’s all about. How important is it for us to comprehend all that we do? Where lies the balance between pure faith on the one hand, and our need to understand, on the other? more
A few weeks ago, at a now much publicized Rosh Chodesh prayer service at the Kotel, things got ugly. As they have been doing for nearly 25 years, a group of women from a range of Jewish backgrounds, known as the Women of the Wall, gathered at the Kotel to pray the special morning prayers of Rosh Chodesh, celebrating the new month in the Jewish calendar. This group included women wearing tallitot and Tefillin, and reading from a Torah scroll. Many ultra-Orthodox Jews (a label that needs defining--beyond the scope of this article) arrived to protest, and things soon got out of hand. more
« Prev | 1 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 46 | Next »