In what will be one of this season’s most popular commentaries, Rabbi Moshe Weinberger of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere has written a translation of Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook’s “Orot Teshuvah.” Entitled “Song of Teshuvah Volume One” [Penina – Urim Press, 2011] this new work is the result of over seven years of a shiur that Rabbi Weinberger gave on Friday mornings at his shul. more

Koren Publishers have once again blazed a new trail in translation and commentary with the Koren Rosh Hashana Mahzor, an all-new English translation and commentary by British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. more

Ten years is a long time in the life of any human being. For a book reviewer this daunting subject is a challenge in that this is a topic that deserves more than just cursory treatment. Thus, I … more

With this summer’s unusual earthquake and a hurricane now safely behind us, our minds and reading habits are shifting towards the high holidays and new school year. more

No, this is not about some politically correct feminist work. “Shaarei Simcha” [Ktav Publishing House.2007] is a delightful carefully researched and comprehensive prayer guide and bencher for every English speaking Jewish household. more

According to the teachings of Rav Kook, while most blessings are of rabbinic origin, one of the most popular ones is to be found in this week’s parsha, Eikev, the Grace After Meals - Birkat HaMazon. more

With the summer season nearing its end we now become ever more mindful of the upcoming season of the High Holidays and their themes and observances. However, we first have coming up next week what Rabbi Abraham Twerski calls the greatest of our holidays, Tu B’Av. more

This Shabbat we begin the last phase of the Torah reading cycle with the Book of Deuteronomy, Sefer Devarim, and timed to this is the recent publication of a new collection of Devarim sichos, informal talks from Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, zt”l, dealing with some of the deepest mystical aspects in chassidic thought translated by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger. more

The recent visit to Cape Canaveral to witness the launch of the last space shuttle by a group of very talented students of Yeshiva Katana of Inwood and the publication of a new book dealing with that very subject will serve as the focus of this week’s review. In his new book, “Intergalactic Judaism” [Urim Publications, 2011] by Rabbi David Lister of the United Kingdom, the subject of the Jewish take on space travel and related activities and studies is dealt with in depth. more

Sometimes an eloquent quote reflecting an event can take on a life of its own and reflect events not originally intended by its author. Such was the case recently in a quote made by Rabbi Haskel Lookstein reflecting upon the fi re that destroyed his shul, Kehilath Jeshurun of Manhattan. Noting that there were no casualties the rabbi made an interesting , and in retrospect, timely observation in describing the “catastrophic” fire. more