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

With Purim now safely behind us, we are now ready to give our full attention to what is one of the most popular holidays on the Jewish calendar, Pesach. In a recent essay by Shira Schechter, the Madricha Ruchaniyah of Stern College, titled “Purim and Pesach: Two Holidays, One Theme,” she notes the spiritually symbiotic link between these two festivals: “Every year as Purim approaches we already begin looking towards Pesach. more

What brought about the deaths of Aharon’s older sons? Most discussions analyze the specific nature of the particular service they were performing. Were they drunk? Were they wearing the proper clothing? Did they enter an area prohibited to them? Did they perform a service reserved for their father alone? Did they merely bring a strange fire? more

At a Washington news conference, held at the Offices of the George Soros-funded Center for American Progress, archeologists working for the Smithsonian have announced an incredible find, a revised copy of the U.S Constitution dated 1790. This document was passed by the original 13 States with the intention of supplanting the version ratified in 1788. The chief archeologist on the project called the document “Dead Potomac River Scrolls,” because they were found in a previously unknown cave on the bank of the Potomac. more

Dear Aviva, My husband”s business has slowed to a tiny trickle and I can”t seem to find work. We got a loan modification, got approved for SNAP, HEAP, Child Plus, and Medicaid. The yeshivas have been amazing-one tuition committee was so understanding that they are now paying us to send our preschooler there. The problem is my husband”s wanton spending. He insists on unloading the few dollars we have on frivolous things like groceries and the water bill. more

David’s Harp is usually a satirical humorous column. In honor of Purim when we are inebriated to the point that everything is turned upside down and we don’t recognize the difference between Mordechai and Haman, the hero and the villain, this space will be serious. more

They screamed, they begged and cajoled trying to point out the truth, but everyone called them liars. When people pointed out that the $500 billion dollars cut from Medicare was being double counted … more