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An Angry and Threatening Letter
Rabbi Ysocher KatzI like Rabbi Ysocher Katz. I really do. Although I never met him, I believe him to be a highly intelligent, sincere individual who has changed his Hashkafos from those of Satmar...
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A Public Condolence Call
I have been informed of the Petirah (death) of Rabbi Ysocher Katz’s father. I am not in the habit of offering public condolences. Although I do occasionally post eulogies, they are done either because...
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Blaming the Jews
Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (JTA)Jews get stabbed in Israel and the Secretary of State says it’s about the settlements. I am so sick and tired of this nonsense...
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Too Much Information
Love. That’s the American way to get married. A couple meets, falls in love and gets married. Very Hollywood. But not always very practical. There are plenty of people that fall in love and end up...
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“As Compared to What”?
This is a question asked in a Jewish Journal article penned by 3 people about the now commonly held view that Conservative Judaism is a failure. That perception is based on the startling survey results...
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The Right Choice
Yeshiva University President Richard JoelEven though I did not attend the school, if there is one institution that most reflects my worldview, it is Yeshiva University (YU). While our Hashkafos may not...
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Erasing Women - Again!
R' Greenland, Mordechai, Noam Shimon and DonnyHow far has this Mishegas gone? Even the New York Daily Newsnow censors pictures of women. At least as far as my family is concerned. My daughter is in a...
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The Sorry State of Chasidic Education
Amy Sara Clark, Naftuli Muster, BRIC host Brian Vines, and Ezra Friedlander If there was ever any evidence that Chasidic schools in New York are failing their students, an article in VIN is it.There...
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I Love Lucy
Arab/Muslim Reporter Lucy AharishThere are Arab Muslims like Lucy Aharish. Probably a lot more than most of us realize. She is a reporter for an Israeli TV station and she tells it like it really is....
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Netanyahu is Not the Enemy
The Arab 'Hitler' - Haj Amin al-Husseini I am loath to talk about this. There is so much hatred for the current and longest serving Prime Minister of Israel, that I’m sure I will be bashed for my own...
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Chasidic Loyalty Gone Amuck
Aron RottenbergThere are a lot of people that respect Rabbi David Twersky, the Rebbe of Skver. But I am not one of them. Why do they respect him? He has established an enclave of Chasidim that isolates...
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Why the President Deserves Our Gratitude
President Barack Obama with Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuI have been very critical of President Barack Obama and his administration of late. It is criticism that in my view is richly deserved. To...
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What Do Women Really Want?
Sharon Shapiro of Kol B'Isha ErvaHow many Jews want to be a rabbi? In any denomination? My guess is that the answer is not too many. Most men have other goals in life. This question was asked by Sharon...
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On the Anniversary of His Assassination
Rabin, Clinton, and Arafat on the White House lawnI was not a big fan of Itzhak Rabin. Well, I actually had mixed feelings about him. Part of me looked at him as a hero. More about that later. If I had...
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Controlled Exposure or Isolationism?
For those that have no clue about biblical criticism, it involves an academic scholarly analysis of the bible. Modern scholarship draws upon a wide range of scholarly disciplines like archaeology and...
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If You Kill Anyone, Don't Kill Charedim!
Imagine a bank full of hostages. The hostage taker is upset at the bank for not giving him a loan so he can save his house. He blames the bank and all of its employees. And has threatened to kill...
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The Agudah, the Internet (Again), and Going OTD
Rabbi Zweibel addressing a past Agudah ConventionIt may come as a surprise to many that I am a fan of Agudath Israel. Surprised because of the many critical posts I have written about them in the past....
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What is… ‘The Derech’?
by Guest ContributorIs this image (a Chasidic Rebbe burning Chametz) how we inspire our youth?As often happens, I received a private communication about one of my posts. This one was about Friday’s...
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The Equality of Women in Judaism
One of the things I view as essential to concepts of equality and justice in which I so strongly believe is to treat women with the same dignity and respect as men. As such women - like men - ought to...
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The Nail in the Coffin of Claimed Orthodoxy
R' Gedalia Dov Schwartz and Dr. Norman LammI have to be honest. I am truly saddened by what has happened at Yeshiva Chovevei Torah. There was so much potential there. Rabbi Avi Weiss actually founded a...
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