Two homes in Woodmere were burglarized over the Rosh Hashana holiday while their occupants were away. more

Rabbi Yissocher Frand exhorted listeners at the Young Israel of Woodmere to draw on the inner strength of the Jewish people to strive to improve themselves. In a rousing speech between Mincha and Maariv on Tzom (the fast of) Gedaliah on Sunday, Rabbi Frand, rosh (head of) yeshiva of Ner Yisroel of Baltimore, discussed what he “did on my summer vacation,” when he was the scholar in residence on a tour of Italy. more

“Nothing shakes up the kishkas as much as the confessions of Yom Kippur. “So intrinsic are they to Yom Kippur that they are supposed to appear in every service — ten times in all, which is thought to correspond to the ten times the high priest invoked the Tetragrammaton in confessing for himself, his household, and the whole people on Yom Kippur.” So teaches us, Rabbi Reuven Kimmelman in a recent essay entitled, “Confession and Its Discontents” [“Sin and Confession in Judaism” Jewish Lights, 2012]. more

Please forgive my sharing with you a letter I wrote to myself. It was important to write it, following the lesson of the Chasam Sofer (see below), so that the message would come across and not go right out the other ear. Dear Me, In the seventh chapter of the Laws of Teshuvah (Repentance), Maimonides reminds us that even not-so-obvious “sins” require a repentance of some kind. more

Barely minutes after the news broke that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was planning a major effort on Capitol Hill to garner support for the Obama Administration’s plan for a limited military operation against the Syrian regime, the conspiracy theorists were having a field day. more

The question of possible American action in Syria is dividing the country, and reasonable people on all sides of the political spectrum can be found supporting or opposing any action. more

When Jonathan Greenstein holds an antique Jewish ceremonial object in his hand, it’s not just a question of monetary worth, but a study in Jewish history. Greenstein is the chief expert and president of J. Greenstein Gallery on 417 Central Ave. in Cedarhurst and is the host of “Jewish Gilt,” a Jewish “Antiques Roadshow” type show, where the owner of the Judaica item presents it to Greenstein for evaluation. The second in the series will be available for viewing soon on the Jewish Channel on cable TV and FIOS. more

The horrible events of Sept. 11, 2001, occurred just seven days before the start of the new Jewish year of 5762 and only three days after the penitential season began for Ashkenazim with the first recitation of the penitential prayer service known as S’lichot. more

Simcha Weingot “shlugs” kaporos for his wife Suri and family Sunday at Aish Kodesh in Woodmere. more