I remember that ride, passing Agam Karun (Karun reservoir) and then the road below the Beaufort fortress, imagining what that would have been like if the PLO still controlled that high ground. … more

Why was Abraham the first Jew? What happened to Noach? Last week at Yeshivat Orayta, we met a living legend, who, less with his words and more by the glint in his eye, provided the answer. On Oct. … more

Seconds, then minutes. The boat overturned in the murky waters of the Yarkon River, trapping the woman who had been energetically rowing moments before. Even the air bubbles had ceased. A small crowd … more

I was recently given a copy of Dr. Hagi ben Artzi’s book on the Six Day War, Megillat Sheshet Hayamim, based on the IDF’s post-war analysis. It contained the following fascinating … more

Holocaust survivor Marlit Wendel shared her incredible story with my students … more

Chapter 28 in this week’s parsha of Ki Tavoh is one of the most difficult and harrowing chapters in the entire Torah … more

Achi!” “My brother!” These were the words that always greeted me when I got to the meeting point for reserve duty every year, and it was the most common word on everyone’s … more

This past week in Israel, the challenge of running a modern day state against the backdrop of a 3,000 year old tradition again came to the forefront. Tens of thousands of commuters, including … more

Is there any comfort? It’s been ten years since that terrible summer of 2006 and the Second Lebanon War, and many of us have moved on. But for the families whose loved ones never returned, it … more

What motivates some people to do more than just appreciate the blessings they have in their lives and to actually be a vehicle for blessing? This week’s portion, Ekev, contains one of the … more