There is something special about meeting up with an old friend one hasn’t seen in years. I recently had just such a special experience, when I spent a weekend in a community where a friend … more

Who am I?” This is the most powerful question. For many of us, there are no easy answers. We are uncertain of our own identities. Social scientists believe that this question is typically … more

When I was a young boy, I had two distinct images of a strong man. One was of Charles Atlas. If you remember him, you are no longer a youngster. Pictures of Charles Atlas appeared on the rear … more

He was an old man, frail, tired, and bereaved. News of Hitler’s advancing army preoccupied him, and he was overwhelmed, if not broken, by the requests for advice he was receiving from hundreds of … more

There are many persons in this week’s parshah of Bereshit. Some are obscure, like Kenan and Mahalalel. But in addition to Adam and Eve, two others, Cain and Abel, are very well … more

We have all been brought up to believe in the importance of progress. For the past several centuries, the goal of philosophy, religion, culture, and certainly science has been to develop ideas … more

Who would you consult if you wanted to know a thing or two about the perfect society? Would you ask a politician? A professor of government? A philosopher expert in theories of utopia? Or perhaps … more

Many years ago, I explored a new yeshiva at a transition point in my life. I was barely 19 years old, and I was trying to decide whether I would pursue an exclusively Talmudic education or … more

My wife’s maternal grandmother was a wise old woman. She was raised in the Old City of Jerusalem, where she accumulated wisdom from her family and the diverse Jerusalemites who lived all … more

The Jewish community in the United States is pleased and proud to live in a democracy. What is a democracy? It is often described as a society in which all are equal. But this description falls short … more