A not-too-farfetched reading of the end of Chapter 45 can indicate that only one person intended to go down to Egypt to stay there. “… And bread and food for his father for the journey” (45:23). “He saw the wagons Yosef had sent to carry him…” (45:27) “Israel said, ‘My son Yosef still lives: I will go and I will see him before I die.’” (45:28) more

For many reasons, this was a sad week in our country. The obvious reasons loom over Newtown, Connecticut and words cannot express how sad and empty we all feel. There are no good answers when children are harmed, much worse killed. They are the most vulnerable among us and they look to us; they rely on those older, wiser and hopefully more reasoned to keep them safe and guide them into adulthood so that they can do the same. We have failed in so many ways. more

Have you heard the one about how to tell the gefilte from all the other fish in the sea? Simple, it’s the one with the carrot on its head.....or what type of cigarettes do Jewish mothers smoke? Gefiltered.... badam bam. more

Now that the election is over, Barack Obama no longer has to appeal to supporters of Israel or haters of terrorism. Progressive Jews no longer have to lie—calling him a great president for Israel. As he told Russian president Medvedev after the election, he will have more flexibility. more

t should have been one of the most powerful and exciting days of my life; I can still see all the guys, in their dress uniforms, preparing for the final ceremony; instead, it was one of the most depressing. more

With Chanukah still very much on our minds this week, it has been my want to check out some recent and not so recent writings concerning this loved and popular holiday. Among those most recent anthologies received lately is one containing some of the most incisive writings on Jewish related topics by one of the most astute observers of the contemporary scene, Rabbi Avi Shafran. more

While earning my B.A. at SUNY Albany, I learned that Theatre of the Absurd is a style of Drama, which expresses the belief that human existence is meaningless, and, therefore, all communication breaks down. Logical plot construction and argument gives way to irrational and illogical speech and actions and an ultimate conclusion, which is silence. more

To be honest, that year, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to Chanukah, and hadn’t really had much time to think about it. Our armored battalion had recently come down from a few months up in Lebanon and, while I was thankful we would be spending the winter in Israel and not up in the freezing cold mountains of Lebanon, we were still in the process of overhauling the tanks; not a particularly enjoyable task. more

While in a supermarket in Brooklyn the other day, I spotted a package of “cauliflower pizza.” Not sure which was more eye catching, pizza made of cauliflower or the price, $24. Granted, there were four pieces in the package, but they were thin and about 3” x 5”; I could have eaten all four by myself. Of course, wasn’t sure I would actually want to. Do not get me wrong, I love cauliflower and I love pizza, but not sure why I would want cauliflower crust pizza. more

There are many ways to analyze Yosef’s strategy with his brothers--what was his intent, his plan, and his goal in having them go through all the “tzurres” he gave them over their younger brother and their father. The superlatives run from “cruel” to “brilliant” and from “vindictive” to “well thought out.” more