Earlier this year, as the turmoil in Syria started to get a sense of reality, I stated to my students, some of whom were of Syrian heritage, that the one factor that will indicate to us the seriousness of the civil unrest in Syria, will be what ultimately happens in Aleppo, the commercial center of Syria. more

I must admit I’m a bit envious of my kids. My friends say they would love to live their children’s lives. We are a fortunate generation in so many ways and thankfully our kids reap the benefits with the ability to study what and where they wish. more

Although it’s been almost 30 years since I’ve been to Grossinger’s for Shabbat Nachamu, every year, as it rolls around, I reflect back on the wonderful memories I have of those days gone by. Of course my kids don’t understand why everyone’s parents lament that Grossinger’s isn’t around any more. It was a place where everyone went. more

To the Editor: I would like to thank you for your accurate portrayal of the twelve teens from the Five Towns who were honored, with Camp Koby, by the Israeli Knesset. Unlike another Five Towns Jewish publication, who chose to alter the picture of our Orthodox children by lengthening their skirts and sleeves, you presented our children as they are – modern Orthodox, Yeshiva kids (from both HAFTR and HALB) who are respected because of their hearts and Middot and not by the clothes they wear. Alan Heller Lawrence more

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness …Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities” Unlike the classic Dickens work, this week’s Presidential campaign was a tale of one city: Jerusalem, and the different way it was handled by the two different campaigns. One handled it as if this was the age of foolishness, the other as the age of wisdom. more

It was just about two weeks ago that we woke to news stories on radio and television about anti-Israel ads that were posted in train stations along commuter routes to New York City. In a slow news week, many news stations covered the “outrage” over what the Anti-Defamation League referred to as the “deliberately misleading and biased” messages that graphically demonstrated how Israel has been consuming “Palestine” since 1948. These ads were the work of a wealthy ex-Wall Street financier, Henry Clifford, who is now the chairman of The Committee for Peace in Israel and Palestine. more

Beloved by his entire generation and revered for his incredible knowledge of Torah, he was given the chance to get out of 1939 Poland; safe passage to America had been secured and a new life was waiting and ready for him and his entire family. more

The book of Devarim begins (1:12-18) with Moshe reminding the people of how, when the Law was first given, he was unable to personally deal with every dispute. At the time, he appointed a tier system of judges over specific population sizes to work with the people. Moshe would serve, in a sense, as the equivalent of the Supreme Court (sans the politics), as the highest arbiter of the law, whose decisions are final. more

In a rare observation concerning the saddest day on the Jewish liturgical calendar, Ahuva Gray, Chicago born granddaughter of sharecroppers from Mississippi, and an adult convert to the Jewish faith, wrote about Tisha B’Av in her exquisite autobiography entitled, “Journey to the Land of My Soul.” There is much to be learned from these wise words, a sample of which I choose to share with you this week: more

A call for regulating automatic weapons more