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Shavuos - Zman Matan Toraseinu
Na’aseh V’ Nishma. When the Torah was given to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, We all decared ‘We will do (the Mitzvos) – and we will listen’. The question is, why did we first promise to do?...
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Warped Religious Values, Terror, and Prevention
Some of the 49 victims massacred by Omar MateenBirds of a feather. Even though they are of different religions, Yishai Shlissel and Omar Mateen have much in common. What’s that you say? One is a devout...
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Radical Islam? Or Jihadists?
It isn’t just a name. While I agree with the President that using the term ‘Radical Islam’ is not a policy, it is more than just a debate about nomenclature. It is about recognizing the source of the...
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Will Satmar Win the Battle but Lose the War?
How will these young Chasidim support their families?One of the issues dearest to my heart, is the issue of educating our people. Both in Limudei Kodesh (religious studies) and Limudei Chol (secular...
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Is the President Pro Israel?
Susan Rice and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuAnyone that still believes that the President or his National Security Advisor, Dr. Susan Rice are anything but pro Israel, is surely blinded by...
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Outing a Charismatic Sexual Predator
Meir PogrowI am not inclined to dwell on stories of sexual abuse. Not because I don’t think they are serious issues. Of course I do. They are perhaps among the most serious issues affecting the...
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The War Between the Jews
Rabbi Shlomo Amar speaking at egalitarian section of the Kotel (TOI)I am an Orthodox Jew. Orthodoxy by definition rejects the legitimacy of heterodox movements. That should be clear for a variety of...
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A Chasidic Commitment to Better Education
Assemblyman Dov Hikind attending the event (VIN)There was a story in VIN yesterday about something called ‘Yeshiva Education Expo’. It was an exposition featuring students displaying and discussing the...
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Of Torah Dedications, School Budgets, and Tuitions
Converted fire truck often seen at Torah dedications in ChicagoHaving served on the boards of several schools here in Chicago, I have come to realize how difficult it is for them to meet their budgets....
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Learning From the Pogrow Scandal
Shayna GoldbergShayna Goldberg is a very wise and accomplished young woman. She is a Yoetzet Halacha and the Mashgicha Ruchanit at Bnot Chul, a Bet Midrash for women in Israel. Shayna has written a...
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Why Do They Leave?
Image from theForward for illustrative purposes onlyOne of the subjects that I have discussed a lot here is the phenomenon of leaving Orthodoxy (...commonly referred to as going OTD - off the Derech....
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Changing Course in Dealing with Sex Abuse
Rabbi Yaakov PerlowSomething remarkable happened at the recent Torah U’Mesorah convention.I have always had tremendous respect for my 12th grade Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, who now heads the Agudah...
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Honoring Commitments
Rav Gedalia Dov Schwartz, Av Beis Din of the RCAI have bent over backwards supporting the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. I am a firm believer that the Jewish nation’s very essence can only be determined by...
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An Avoidable Tragedy
Esti Weinstein (Times of Israel)I’m the last one to tell anyone how they should live. Especially the Chasidim of Ger (pronounced Gur in some circles). This Chasidic group has been around a long time...
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How Accurate Does a Survey Need to Be?
Rabbi Dov FischerThis is one of those situations where I both agree and disagree. Rabbi Dov Fischer has written a thoughtful analysis on Cross Currentsof a recent survey that calls into question some...
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Good Intentions – Bad Idea
Rabbi Doniel HartmanI’m not a fan of Rabbi Doniel Hartman of the Shalom Hartman Institute. And his latest book, Putting God Second is one reason why. The very title is problematic in that it says that...
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Say it Ain't So
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker visiting students at SCHI (website)It’s really hard to criticize a place like SCHI (The School for Children with Hidden Intelligence). That’s because of what it does –...
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Is Better PR Really the Answer?
Josh Nass (Jew in the City)Joshua Nass seems like a nice guy with great Jewish values. Josh is a young Orthodox Jewish professional who runs a successful public relations firm. He wrote an op-ed in the...
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Why OTD - Response to Rabbi Dov Fischer
by Mark Trencher - Guest ContributorNishma President, Mark TrencherLast Wednesday, I responded to the thoughts of Rabbi Dov Fischer as expressed on Cross-Currents. Rabbi Fischer was responding to a...
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A Holy Jew from Whom We Can All Learn
President hugs Elie Wiesel before a 2012 speech at the Holocaust Museum His name was Elie Wiesel. And he was abused. But not in the way we use that word today. I am talking about are his experiences as...
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