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Charedi Extremists and the Tsarnaev Brothers
Extremist Charedi confronting an officer at one of their many protestsThe comparison between the terrorist Tsarnaev brothers and Charedim in Israel who commit violent acts during public demonstrations...
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The Seven Branches of Wisdom
Rav Ahron SoloveichikThe following is the message I gave to my grandson Yitzchok. It was delivered yesterday on the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah and is based on the words or my Rebbe, Rav Aharon...
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Clucking His Tongue
Eytan KobreEytan Kobre has got be one of the most annoying defenders of the Charedi status quo in Israel on the face of the planet! He rarely fails to upset my sensibilities. His ‘holier than thou’...
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Creeping Fundamentalism or Pride, Charity, and Vitality?
Getty images - via the ForwardUpon reading Jay Michaelson’s description of Charedi society in the Forward, I had a very uneasy feeling. Not because he didn’t quote examples of a great many problems in...
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Keeping Jews Jewish
Photo credit - the ForwardI recently attended the wedding of a wonderful Baal Teshuva couple whose parents are Conservative Jews. One of the honored guests was their parent’s Conservative Rabbi....
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Exonerating the Friedmans
Jesse FriedmanI realize this is not the kind of news advocates for victims of sex abuse want to hear. But - as reported on both VIN and the New York Post - Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice is on the...
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Dealing with the ‘Evil Empire’
Well… if this doesn’t take the cake, I don’t know what does. Perhaps the next step will be putting pressure cooker bombs in army barracks. From Arutz Sheva: Posters appeared in Jerusalem on Thursday...
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The Importance of Supporting Israel Now
As this post is being written, there should be a parade taking place in New York in support of the State of Israel. I am happy to report that the OU is in full support of this parade as indicated at...
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Unconditional Love - Setting the Bar Too Low
Jesse Eisenberg as an OTD teen in Holy RollersA couple of weeks ago, there was a controversial article in Mishpacha Magazine* (dated May 22, 2013) by Rabbi Shneur Aisenstark, Principal of Beis Yaakov...
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Lakewood or Chofetz Chaim?
Rabbi Avrohom StulbergerI have always been impressed with the students of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim. I do not recall ever meeting anyone from that Yeshiva that I wasn’t thoroughly impressed with. My son...
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A Lack of Midos
“What’s the Matter with Kids Today”. That is the title of a song sung by actor Paul Lynde from the 1960s musical Bye Bye Birdie. Whenever I see a story like the following one, it makes me think of...
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Power’s Moment of Truth
Samantha PowerPresident Obama’s choice to replace outgoing UN Ambassador Susan Rice – who was ‘promoted’ to national security adviser – is Samantha Power. (For some reason that name makes me think of...
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WoW, Charedim, and Learning from History
Photo source: Reuters via the Jerusalem PostOnce again we are going to witness an event this Sunday that may become violent. Innocent people may be hurt. And the negative press for religious Jews could...
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Stop the Vilification
IDF combat soldiersI must give credit to Mishpacha Magazine Editor and Chief, Rabbi Moshe Grylak. He was honest in an editorial describing an experience that in my view ought to be had by every Charedi...
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Does Elu V'Elu Mean Tolerating the Intolerable?
Anti Israel rally by Satmar in New York yesterday - Photo source: VINThese men too are my brothers. Although it is getting more difficult than ever to think of them that way. Most people know the...
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‘I Told You So’ Is the Wrong Attitude
Murder suspect Hagai Felician in custody - Source: YnetI have to say that the smugness by which some websites have trumpeted their ‘I told you so’ attitude about the erroneous assumptions in 2009 that...
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What Is the Ideal Jewish Education?
Partial 8th grade class photo from the late fiftiesCan you guess who is in the center?Last night I had the privilege of watching one of my granddaughters graduate from elementary school. What...
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School’s Out - for the Summer!
Rabbi Yakov Horowitz sent me the following note: “Please consider posting relevant parts of this information on your site so we can get the message out before summer camp and keep our kids safe(er).”I...
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The Ordination of Women in Orthodoxy
Guest Post by Anonymous Newly ordained Maharats Friedman, Finegold, and ScheierThe young woman who penned this post is a personal friend of mine. She wishes to retain her privacy and asked that I not...
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Jonathan Rosenblum’s Hit Piece on Dov Lipman and the RCA
Rav Yosef Chaim SonnenfeldI am truly disappointed in one of my Charedi heroes, Jonathan Rosenblum. I can already hear my detractors saying ‘I told you so’ or saying that my beliefs about moderate...
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