There is a tale of Rosh Hashana in the book of Nechemiah. It was in the initial years of the Return from the exile of 70 years following the destruction of the first Temple. The crowd that … more

If you ask most Jews, “What is the name of the next holy day after Rosh Hashanah,” they would probably respond with, “Yom Kippur.” They would answer in this fashion, since it … more

The banging on the door was a shock, but everyone knew what it meant. The summer of 1938 was not an auspicious time to be Jewish in Berlin, yet Hans was not Jewish, or at least he was not Jewish … more

Psalms 35:9,18: And my soul shall exult in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation. … I will thank You in a large assembly; in a mighty people I will praise You. An extremely … more

This is the final Shabbat of 5777. We have been listening to the sound of the shofar each weekday morning throughout the month of Elul. This Motzai Shabbat, we will begin the recitation of Selichot … more

Our parasha, KiTavo, contains a verse which underscores the unique relationship that obtains between Hashem and the Jewish people when we are loyal to His holy Torah: “And it will be if you … more

One of the more disturbing images from the great rebuke in our parsha, KiTavo, “Your corpses will be food for all the birds of the sky and beasts of the land, and no one will be … more

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman published an article in 2014 regarding a Gallup poll exploring the linkages between education and long term success in the work place. The research questioned … more

One of the major shul-based practices of the month of Elul is listening to the clarion call of the shofar following the morning recitation of Psalm 27, “L’David Hashem ori … more

I recently read a vignette which touched me: A fellow, on his way home, saw a Little League baseball game being played in a park. Sitting down on the sidelines to watch … more