I didn’t sleep through the night for a month after October 7th. I woke up at 4am, frustrated because I needed the rest, but something wouldn’t let me rest. Like many Jews, I learned about the massacre from a police officer who stands guard at a local synagogue. As chag (the holiday) carried on, people […]
College campuses across the US have been occupied by radicalized students, doing the bidding of the Islamic Republic of Iran and their proxy, Hamas. Students claim that they are protesting the Israeli government’s treatment of Gazan civilians, but their true intentions are shown by the unchecked excesses of their movement. When a student holds up […]
In the past year, dozens of high profile comments worldwide have been called “anti-Semitic.” While labeling them this way may discourage the speaker from using similar rhetoric in the future, that isn’t always the case. Additionally, not every act of violence, teasing or, hate against Jews is the same in intent or outcome. In the […]
All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. – J.R.R. Tolkien The journey to and from Orthodox Judaism can leave people bruised. If you’re coming in, your family may reject your choices and your new adopted community may waste no […]
One of Us In November of 2017, my wife and I watched the movie “One of Us.” The Netflix documentary highlighted the stories of four people who were trying to leave the insular hasidic communities in the New York area and joined the Footsteps organization. The stories were touching, saddening, and confusing. The images I […]
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article handles mature topics and is the second of a two part series. The first installment broached the topic from a philosophical standpoint, this second part discusses the practical how-to’s of speaking to your son. Several months ago I wrote about how Orthodox Jewish fathers can talk to their sons about puberty. […]
