When you dig into your Thanksgiving turkey this year, remember that it’s not only an American tradition, and an opportunity to express gratitude for our great country, but a mitzvah. Surprised? Let me explain. The Torah, in Leviticus Chapter 7, discusses a “korban todah”—a “thanksgiving sacrifice.” The commentator Rashi explains that a person brought such […]
Don’t expect to fight over the drumstick this Thursday. With Covid-19 cases reaching record levels, most people will be celebrating Thanksgiving without a houseful of friends and family, a Turkey Day tradition. But fear not, fellow Americans. Orthodox Jews have some creative and inspiring ways to turn that Thanksgiving frown, upside down. That’s because, they’ve […]
It’s not everyday that a teenager saves someone’s life, let alone in the middle of a marathon. But in 2014, that’s exactly what Akiva Pudell did, who was a senior at MTA yeshiva high school at the time. From a Modern Orthodox family in Teaneck, New Jersey, Pudell was already trained as an EMT before […]
Dear JITC- How do we know that God created the world out of kindness? How do we know that God doesn’t lie? Thanks, Jake Dear Jake- I must confess that this is one of the more interesting questions I’ve received, as well as one of the more challenging in that if one assumes the worst […]
This Yale MBA Student Is Close To Making Olympic History — Again When you believe that failure doesn’t exist, you’re willing to take a leap of faith regardless of the outcome. A.J. Edelman’s faith has taken him to great heights: MIT as an undergrad, championships in hockey and skeleton, the 2018 Olympics, and an MBA […]
Over the past few months, Covid-19 has shut down synagogues, forced minyans to move outdoors and kept many people home alone for the holidays. But for Robyn and Gregg Stern, Covid did something quite unexpected. It was the impetus for them to commit to being shomer Shabbos. “My wife and I had an ‘a-ha’ moment,” […]
