The annual Manischewitz cook-off is more than food; it is a media spectacle with celebrity chef judges, public officials, and journalists from newspapers, magazines, television stations, and blogs covering this national live cooking competition. more

As with every year, this year being no different, we are witness to the issuance of new commentaries on the Haggadah that serve to help enrich our appreciation of the annual observance of the Pesach Seder. more

Rabbi Yerachmiel Yisrael Yitzchak of Alexander, Poland explained the following rabbinic passage in a most creative and instructive manner. The rabbis taught, “[Tzara’at] blemishes come upon a person on account of the sin of lashon hara” (Erachin 15b and other places). The rabbi of Alexander explained that those who speak Lashon Hara are often altruistic in intent. more

“Hello Ahmed, this is Mahmed. Sorry to call on your cell phone number but it’s important; we have a little problem, do you have a moment?” Mahmed answers Ahmed. “Sure habibi tell me what’s going on.” Ahmed explains, “I’m proceeding with the boycott campaign against the Jews and Israel just like we planned.” Ahmed interrupts. “Very good, how is the Facebook page coming along?” Mahmed says, “Well that’s the problem. more

The April Issue of Playboy features Helen Thomas. I assure you that Thomas’ appearance is this month’s Playboy interview is offensive and obscene without any pictorials involved. more

You say Shma with your children and tuck them into their beds. After a tiring day of work, you have almost reached your day’s end as well, and soon you flick off your own light and climb into your warm, inviting bed. House lights are turning out one by one throughout your neighborhood until the whole town is sleeping in undisturbed darkness, peace, and serenity. more

Dear Aviva, With Purim now behind us, I am starting to get my usually Post-Purim/Pre-Pesach anxiety attacks. I get so nervous and panicked about having to clean and cook and organize for Pesach, and every time I think, of all that I have to do, I get so overwhelmed. I either don’t do anything at all or take my anxiety out on my family by yelling about some trivial thing. How do I stay calm these next few weeks? I wish I could wiggle my nose and have Pesach get done for me. more

Often it is said that our community is moving to the right in its religious observance, but there is one missing aspect of this rightward shift. Throughout the centuries, Jewish communities have admirably maintained their unity through batei din, local rabbinic courts that settled civil matters between individual Jews. Their judgment was final, and it was anathema to ignore or disrespect their rulings. more

Sergeant Poloni pulls up to the residence where Officer Mann already has the perimeter surrounded. “What’s the status?” Poloni asks. “We’ve got the Jewish extremist trapped in the building,” Mann informs. “He’s not going anywhere for maariv.” more

Stuxnet is the virus, which has infected the computers of the Iranian nuclear centrifuges, causing them to be damaged. The job of the centrifuge is to purify uranium so it could be used for reactors and/or weapons. Until recently Iran had repeatedly denied that the computer worm had affected its nuclear program. In November, the UN said Iran had temporarily halted most of its uranium enrichment. more