Clik here to view.
The Real Danger and How do Deal with it
Charedim using their smartphones (Ha'aretz)Some time ago, a prominent Charedi Rav in Chicago made the following offer to members of his Shul. Although not a verbatim quote (I don’t recall his exact...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Children at Risk
Professor Marci A. Hamilton (Wikipedia)It’s really hard to argue with her. Marci Hamilton is the ‘Chair in Public Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University’. She has published an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Under the Category of 'No Good Deed Goes Unpunished'
Yona Weinberg at his 2009 sex abuse trial (NY Daily News)On June 24, 2009 Yona Weinberg, a social worker who worked for the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services - and Bar Mitzvah tutor, was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Isolation from the Culture Doesn't Work
What kind of Chinuch produced this obscene gesture?Is this what isolation from society brings? An obscene gesture?! (See photo) I would not be posting this picture if it weren’t a matter of public...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A YCT Student’s Encounter with Satmar
Jonathan LeenerI am not surprised at all. The hospitality of the Chasidic world is legendary. To a Satmar Chasid there is no such thing as judging a fellow Jew’s religiosity. A Jew is a Jew. Jonathan...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Godliness Versus Narcissism
On this – the day before Yom Kippur, talk of Teshuva is appropriate. Rabbi Yaakov Sussman, a Rosh Yeshiva at the Hebrew Theological College addressed a group of its alumni, supporters, and our families...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Rav Dovid Cohen on Reporting Sex Abuse to the Police
Rav Dovid CohenBy now it is rather well known that the Agudah Moetzes requires that all suspicions of child sexual abuse be first reported to a rabbi so that he can decide whether the suspicions are...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Defining Modern Orthodoxy as Centrism
Centrist leader, R' Aharon Lichtenstein, ZTL I found the debate between Rabbis Avrohom Gordimer and Michael Chernick enlightening. The truth is that I agree and disagree with both of them - although I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Erring on the Side of Safety
Guest Contribution by a Noted Religious PsychologistR' Henoch Plotnik signed on to the Kol KorehI was sent the following from a respected religious psychologist that chooses to remain anonymous. He...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Unacceptable Provocation by Religious Zionist Jews
Birchas Kohainm (priestly blessing) at the KotelThis is not going to be a popular view among my Religious Zionist friends. But I believe it is Emes. There was an Arab protest (mostly religious Muslims...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Misguided Motivation
There is an interesting – if sad video in Ynet (which can be seen below)about those women in Israel that wear Burkas. Ariela Sternbuch went undercover (no pun intended) into this world to see what it...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Family Comes First
Rav Meyer MarylesMy son and his family are here for a family Simcha and for Sukkos. This is a rare occasion. My entire family is in Chicago. All 4 of my children, their spouses and all of my...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Shemini Atzeres - the Season of Simcha
The Chasam Sofer makes a very interesting comment about Shemini Atzeres. He says that this particular Yom Tov does not have any special symbol or Mitzvah act that enhances our observance of the Yom...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Women - and Charedi Publications
Hamodia Publisher Ruth Lichtenstein (Columbia Journalism Review)I am not a fan of Hillary Clinton. For a variety of reasons unrelated to this post. But there one positive thing that may come out of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why Do They Embrace Orthodoxy?
I often say that there are two types of people that fascinate me. Those that are raised as Orthodox Jews and abandon it - commonly called ‘Off the Derech’ or OTD. And those who go the other way – non...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Syria and the Putin Option
Russian President Vladimir PutinI have been reluctant to post my feelings about this because I’m sure it will be an unpopular view on both sides of the political aisle. But I believe it is the truth...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Intermarried Rabbis
Can Chelsea Clinton's husband become a rabbi?I don’t know how any serious person of faith – much less a Jew - can be a member of a movement that denies the existence of God. And yet that is exactly...
View ArticleClik here to view.
You Don’t Have to Be Jewish to Find God
David Gregory as he appeared on Meet the PressAs is often the case when someone suffers a severe setback in their lives, David Gregory has turned to religion. For those that don’t know who that is,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Riling Up Wild Animals
Students just outside Mir Yeshiva buying pepper spray (VIN)I do not understand why anyone would go into a house full of wild animals and rile them up - causing them to attack and kill. Even if those...
View ArticleClik here to view.
On the Other Hand...
Scene at a stabbing in Ra’anana todayChicago just had another Tehilim Assifa at KINS, the largest Modern Orthodox Shul in Chicago. It was called for the purpose of crying out to God to spare our people...
View Article