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When Harry Met Sally
The 1989 film, ‘When Harry Met Sally’ explored the question of whether it was possible for a man to be friends with a woman without seeing her in sexual terms. This question is as relevant now as...
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When Will the Chumra Chase End?
The Agudah Moetzes - not Frum enough? (Wikipedia)I am so tired of Chumros being touted as Jewish Law. And once again this is exactly what has happened with Hamodia. While not saying so explicitly,...
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A Birthday Election
US Senator from Illinois, Mark Kirk (Wikipedia)I feel great. Much the same as I did in my last decade. And the one before that… and the one before that.I turned 70 today. Which is not that much of an...
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Stunned!
President-elect Donald J. Trump declaring victory this morning (LA Times)There are many words that can describe my feelings this morning. But I think ‘stunned’ is the best among them. I am stunned –...
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Of Trump, Protests, and Israel
Thousands protest Trump's election (ABC News)It’s really hard to talk about anything else right now. Everybody seems to have just one thing on their mind – President elect Trump. Who he is; how he got...
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A Brand New Day - Looking at the Bright Side
Trump advisor, Jason GreenblattI can’t help it. I hate to keep talking about the election, but it is dominating discussion everywhere. And as I said yesterday, it’s hard to focus on anything else right...
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Peace, Israel, Orthodox Jews, and Trump
President-elect Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu (TOI)I am embarrassed to say that most Orthodox Jewish voters voted for Donald Trump. At least that is the case in New York and Chicago. I completely...
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Sexual Abuse – Knowledge is Power
Dr. Shira BerkovitsThere was a fascinating interview on a Jewish radio program that dealt with sexual abuse. Although much of what was said on the show is by now rather well known, I found additional...
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Give Him a Chance
It’s hard... really hard to move away from the Trump phenomenon. I tried to do that yesterday. But Donald Trump’s victory in the election has sucked just about all the air out of the room. It’s the...
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Not a Pretty Picture
How much bloodshed does a settlement like this generate? (YWN)This is what gets me angry. When we speak about Israeli settlements, the one that is currently in Amona is what most people think of. Amona...
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Whither Modern Orthodoxy
Logo of YU - Modern Orthodoxy's Flagship Yeshiva (Forbes)One of my not so happy predictions about the future of Judaism in America is that Modern Orthodoxy will become so overwhelmed by the rise of...
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You've Got to Accentuate the Positive
Jarred Kushner and his wife Ivanka TrumpOne of the more troubling aspects of the Trump’s election and pending Presidency is the way the media and entertainers - the vast majority of whom are political...
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The Frumkeit Chase: Emulating Chasidim
RMF and wife in the JO (Somehow Frum) One of the things that has disappointed me about the direction Orthodox Judaism is taking is the way the Lithuanian Yeshiva world has embraced the trappings of...
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Torah True Judaism - Looks Can Be Deceiving
Charedi violence in Jerusalem (2009) - note onlookers' approving smiles (J-Post)There are Charedim. And then again, there are Charedim. Actually I believe there is a wide spectrum of Charedim and not...
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Of Accommodating Extremes and Photo-shopping History
Picture advertising Beis Yaakov in the 1940s (Lehrhaus)I really have to wonder how Chasidic women feel about how they are treated in certain Chasidic circles. I realize of course that most of them feel...
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The Israeli Chief Rabbinate Must be Overhauled
Removing distributor certification. A case of rabbinic abuse of power? (TOI)It’s becoming increasingly difficult to defend the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. Once again it seems they have used their...
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Thanksgiving 2016 - A Lot To Be Thankful For
Victory celebration with my family at "The Great Escape"A lot has happened since last Thanksgiving. Some of it beyond belief. Like the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series. And Donald Trump winning...
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Is a Two State Solution Possible?
Prof. Eid Ahmed, Head of Surgery at Hadassah HospitalRabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein in his latest contribution to CrossCurrents has praised the way Arabs and Jews get along at Hadassah Hospital. In fact he...
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Sol Werdiger: A Walking Kiddush HaShem
Sol Werdiger and Oh Joon (YWN)One of the things that bother me the most in the Jewish world is the tremendous amount of Chilul HaShem that all too many Orthodox Jews are responsible for. It sometimes...
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Truth? …or Lies and Embellishments?
It appears that Yeshiva World News has taken down the storyabout the Orthodox Jewish businessman and the South Korean Diplomat.I don’t know why they did this. But I suspect it might be because there...
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