Parshat Naso

Throughout my years of studying the story of Shimshon HaGibor, whose miraculous story of his birth is detailed in this week’s haftarah, I have struggled with understanding this biblical personality—both his successes and his failures. Some might recall that I

The Apter Rebbe was known by his sefer, Ohev Yisrael. And as his name suggests, he was an exceptional proponent of the mitzvah of loving one’s fellow Jew. He was accustomed to say that in every single Torah portion there is an allusion to ahavas Yisrael.

One of his chassidim once asked where such

As Jews, we are often subject to attack and have had many seek to deny us the right and the ability to defend ourselves. We seek the fulfillment of the comforting and strengthening words of the Birkat Kohanim, the priestly blessing taught in this week’s parsha (6:22-27): “May God bless you and keep you; May God shine His radiant

Gittin 3b, 86 and b

This article is intended as a general background on gittin. For any practical questions regarding gittin, please consult your posek.

“When a man marries a woman …, if she is displeasing to him or if he has evidence of sexual misconduct on her

This is a very interesting work. Herzl made entries from June 1895 until May 1904. He died a few months later at 44. These entries cover the years of his critical activities. He wrote about his Jewish state in 1896 and arranged for the first ever Zionist Congress in 1897. After that, Herzl spent 1897 through 1904 placing the need

The introduction to the sefer Ein Yaakov shares a version of a midrash in which a number of sages debate the most important pasuk in the Torah. Various sages offer promising candidates: “Hear O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is One”: “And you shall love your fellow person as yourself.” But the final pasuk quoted in the

(Courtesy of JFSCNJ) Sincere thanks to the members of Congregation Israel of Springfield and their families for participating in a Yom Chesed to benefit Tomchei Shabbos of Elizabeth, Hillside and Springfield (Shabbat package program) and the JFSCNJ (Jewish Family Service of Central New

In continuation of our enthusiastic endorsement of the many chesed organizations in our communities, we are happy this week to introduce everyone to the very important work being done by Areyvut.

How and when did the organization get started?

About 200,000 people gathered for the funeral of HaRav Yerachmiel Gershon Edelstein, zt”l, one of the most senior haredi rabbis in Israel and the spiritual leader of the Degel HaTorah Knesset faction, who died on Tuesday morning, May 30 at the age of 100.

It is ironic that right after you lose someone, something comes up that makes you realize how much you relied on them. For example: For some 44 years I had a rebbe-chaver, a combination of mentor and friend, in Rabbi Dr. Seth Mandel, zt”l. Rabbi Mandel not only held a doctorate in linguistics from Harvard, specializing in semitic

(Courtesy of Rabbinical Alliance of America) On Sunday, May 21, Rosh Chodesh Sivan, family and friends of Joar bat Yehuda, Mrs. Sylvia (Azoula) Ivry, z”l gathered together at Congregation Etz Chaim of Flatbush, where the renowned Rabbi Simcha Silverman serves as rabbi. This Rosh Chodesh Sivan conference of the

Sometimes I think that my thoughts are from another planet.

I grew up during a time when teenagers were anxious to get jobs and make their own money. During high school I worked every day after school at our shul office, helping them send out mailings, answer the phones and use the mimeograph