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Daniel Gordis is the author of “Saving Israel: How the Jewish People Can Win a War That May Never End.” He is the senior vice president of the Shalem Center in Israel and has rabbinic ordination … more

A few years ago, I attended a lecture given by Dor Yeshorim, an organization founded in 1983 to test prospective Ashkenazi Jewish couples for genetic diseases. 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

The recession has had a profound affect on individuals and families and the Five Towns community is no exception. Since the meltdown in 2008 many area residents have found themselves without a job, or working for less than what they had been earning. Many find it hard to make ends meet, or find a job. more

From Samson to Judah Maccabee, Ze’ev Jabotinsky to Hanna Senesh, there is a valiant history of tough and brave Jews who made tremendous marks on the world. While the image of a Jew has not always been that of a “tough” people, it is important that the world sees tough Jews. more

We complete cycles each day: the circadian rhythm that drives our waking hours is a cycle; eating three meals a day is a cycle; commuting in rush-hour traffic is a cycle. Some cycles, though, become meaningful through repetition. There are many cycles on the Jewish calendar, too. more

Chanukah, the time of year when it’s actually acceptable to eat foods prepared in oil, gamble and expect gifts every night for eight nights. Let’s be honest, how many of us really take the time to learn about the history, interesting and unknown facts and folklore of Chanukah. more

Tragedy has struck. Aharon’s two older sons are dead, victims of their own efforts in bringing a ‘strange fire’ into the Mishkan. Now their corpses must be removed from a room only their father and brothers may enter, yet these very people are the ones who are prevented from entering because they have a job to do, and responsibilities which can not fall by the wayside – the inevitable outcome of their becoming “tameh” through contact with the deceased. more

In the Midrash Rabba’s introduction to Megillat Eichah (paragraph 4), Rabbi Abahu compares the experience of the nation of Israel in the land and being exiled to the experience of the first identified man in the Torah, Adam. “Like Adam, they violated the covenant.” Adam was placed in the garden, was commanded, he violated the command, was judged, expelled, and G-d lamented over his downfall. Israel had the same experience: brought into Israel, commanded, they violated the command, they were judged and expelled. G-d lamented over their downfall. more