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Rights and the Search for Meaning
Selfie – which means taking a picture of yourself - is the Oxford Dictionary ‘Word of the Year’. The ‘Word of the Year’ is an annual project for this esteemed standard bearer of the English language....
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Promiscuity versus Societal Repression of Sexuality
Illustration by Kurt Hoffman in the ForwardThere is way too much promiscuity in western culture. Ever since the sixties, having casual sex outside of marriage is practically the norm. Pornography...
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The End of the Charedi World as We Know it?
R' Shmuel Auerbach - Photo Credit: Arutz ShevaThe draft is one big step closer to reality today. Most issues have been settled. The only thing that seems to be remaining before it is voted into law is...
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And They Think it’s Funny!
I was sent the video below this morning. It is upsetting at so many levels, I don’t even know where to begin. What could have been a major Kiddush Hasehm has turned into a major Chilul HaShem. It...
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Ultra Orthodox Does Not Mean Extremist
Photo credit: The ForwardI hate labels. Especially when it comes to Judaism. That may sound strange coming from someone who uses them constantly in this context. But it’s true. I do hate them. On the...
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A Night to Remember
The GreenlandsLast night was a huge Nachas night for me. I attended a banquet that honored my daughter, Rivkie, and my son in law, Rabbi Micah Greenland, for their 12 years of service to Midwest NCSY....
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‘What If I Don’t Want to be Gay?’
Psychotherapist, Rabbi Benzion Sorotzkin, Psy.D. - Photo credit: ForwardOne of the hottest topics of our day is the subject of homosexuality. This is an issue I’ve discussed many times. It is a painful...
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The Million Shekel March
Prayer rally against the draft from June of 2012 - Photo credit: Times of IsraelThis is truly astonishing. From Matzav: The “Million Man Atzeres” prayer gathering announced earlier this week will take...
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How Low Can a Politician Go?!
Chief Asheknazi Rabbi Dovid Lau addressing students at KBY, a Hesder YeshivaCharedi Knesset member Rabbi Moshe Gafni is a real piece of work. He makes the political revenge allegations against New...
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Rhetoric that Makes their Views Difficult to Respect
Rabbinic leaders meeting in Bnei Brak last week about the draft - Photo credit: VINI could not believe what I was reading. Not that I haven’t heard similar rhetoric before. But somehow this time it got...
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Charedim, Israel, and Daas Torah - The Way it Is
R' Aharon Leib ShteinmanIs there any real leadership in the Charedi community in Israel today? Not according to Jonathan Rosenblum. At least not in the Lithuanian Yeshiva world in Israel. This may come...
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So…What’s So Good about Charedim?
Beth Medrash Govoha (Lakewood Yeshiva) - Photo credit: VINOne of the pitfalls of my observations of and comments about the Charedi world is that it brings out some truly nasty comments from some of the...
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Taken to the Charedi Woodshed
Protesting the 'war against religion' - Photo credit: VINFormer Director of the Office of Management and Budget, David Stockman will be remembered by me for one reason. It was under his tenure that I...
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The New (Orthodox) World Order
R' Yoel Teitelbaum - The Satmar RebbeThere has always been a strong difference of opinion about the State of Israel between Charedim and Religious Zionists (RZ)… the former rejecting its validity and...
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Same song. Different message. Now this is more like it. Doesn't this video say it all? (Hat tip - Menachem Lipkin)
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Mesorah? Or Radical Departure?
Guest Post by Gershon DistenfeldMishpacha Magazine Cover Gershon was educated in right wing Modern Orthodox day schools and high schools. He attended Yeshiva University and is currently (and for many...
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A Day of Glory for Torah?
Image from last week's 'prayer rally' in Israel - Photo Credit: B'Chadrei CharedimToday is the big day. But to my mind - not in any positive sense. It is the day where the divisions in Orthodoxy will...
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Charity or Work? - Charedi Poverty in Israel
Typical scene in a Kollel The two biggest issues facing the Torah world in Israel now are the draft of Charedim into the army and the extreme poverty of that same demographic. And they are not...
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The Casualties of War
Sign carried at the Israeli Atzeres typifies the Charedi view of the Israeli governmentI was saddened to learn of the firing of Yori Yanover, former editor of the Jewish Press online as a result of an...
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A Time for Healing
Bet Shemesh Mayor Moshe AbutbulThe mayoral elections in Bet Shemesh are over. The incumbent Charedi mayor, Moshe Abutbul won. And frankly I am happy about that. Not because I supported him. I didn’t....
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