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Pivoting Toward the Center?
R' Dovid Leibel (VIN)Last night I had the privilege and pleasure of attending the 75th annual banquet of Arie Crown Hebrew Day School (ACHDS). Privilege because of the values it espouses which these...
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The Graphic Diary of Anne Frank
The Graphic Diary of Anne Frank (JTA)As the child of Holocaust survivors, I stand second to no one when it comes to honoring the memory and the sanctity of the 6 million Jews that were, humiliated,...
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Mentchlichkeit - Civility as a Kiddush HaShem
Stephen L. Carter (Wikipedia)There is a prayer that is said 3 times every day at the end of prayer services. It begins as follows: Aleinu L’Shabeach L’Adon HaKol – which loosely translated is ‘It is...
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Five Ponzi Schemes and Frauds
There is a troubling article in YWN’s mailbag which says the following:Sadly, our community has seen its fair share of Ponzi schemes, phony investments, and thieves who prey on fellow members of their...
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When Criticism Crosses a Line
Image for illustration purposes only (Slate Magazine)Is Criticism of Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jews 'Antisemitism'? So reads the headline of a recent Ha’aretz editorial. Their answer is that it is in...
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A Historic Meeting - But Will it Change anything?
Toldos Avrohom Yitchak Rebbe and Jerusalem Mayor, Moshe Leon (VIN)It’s a good sign. But as I indicated in another context, it is too little, too late. And may in the end be completely meaningless with...
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Yes! We Can Walk AND Chew Gum
Is the current Yeshiva system the ideal paradigm for educating the Jewish people? I think it is safe to say that it is. Without it, ignorance about Judaism would prevail and endanger our very existence...
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The 'Sins' of the Fathers
Leaders of the Reform Movement at a hastiy called conference (JNS)What a tragedy. These were my thoughts after reading a JNS story about a moment of crisis for the Reform Movement. The tragedy is that...
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Despicable People
Light Rail protesters on Bar Ilan Street in Jerusalem (VIN)There are few people that enrage me more than than religious extremists. The worst of which seem to live in either Meah Shearim or the West...
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When Sympathy Goes Too Far
An ultra-orthodox rabbi and LGBTQ Jews (Ha'aretz) It’s really sad that this needs to be said. But it does: A man lying with anther man as with a woman is a serious violation of biblical law. So too is...
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Emulating Jewish Chicago
JUF beneficiary, Yeshiva Tifferes Tzvi in Chicago (Hamodia)When it comes to supporting Jewish education, I’m not sure whether a study undertaken by the Jewish Federation for Northern New Jersey is...
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Tucker Carlson
Tucker Carlson Tucker Carlson is a dangerous antisemite. Dangerous - not because he would ever physically attack one of us. He probably never did and never would. He might even condemn things like the...
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What Kind of Country Will Israel Be?
Will Israel's future look like this? (BMG)There is a fascinating debate published at Cross-Currents between Dan Perry, a secular journalist and Rabbi Heshy Grossman, a Charedi Mechanech who used to be...
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Orthodoxy as a Pejorative
Brandeis ad in the New York Times Magazine (JNS)One of the most divisive events of the last couple of centuries was when the Reform Movement was founded. While I’m sure their goal may have been to be...
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The Sheer Evil of Hating LGBTQ People
(Tablet Magazine)One of the issues I have with the LGBTQ community is the way in which they express pride in their sexuality. More about that laterNo, I have not had a change of heart. I am as...
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Speaking Truth to Power
Rabbi Natan Slifkin (Mizrachi)In the Charedi world, the thought of contradicting what the Gedolim say is tantamount to Kefira - denial of the truth of Torah! Unless there are differences of opinion...
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Correcting the Racism of Affirmative Action
Supreme Court Justice, Clarence ThomasFinally! The United States is living up to its credo of equal opportunity for all - as well as Martin Luther King’s dream of not judging people by the color of...
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Thank You, President Trump!
Trump’s 3 appointees: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett No - I have not changed my view about the former president. He is not fit to be president of anything, much less of the United...
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Ignorance is NOT Bliss
Image from the Times for illustration purposesDéjà vu all over again. This redundant phrase was one of the many humorous catch phrases coined by New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra who had a unique...
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Media Bias Takes a Holiday
Prime Minister Netanyahu at a security briefing about Jenin (TOI)I’m not sure what to make of this. But in two separate mainstream reports. (one by PBS and the other by CBS – video below) about the...
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