On the way to Rosh Hashana services today, I asked my 11 year old son how his prayers (with his father) the day before had gone. He said he was getting bored, so he started to read the stories below the prayers. He read about the one where the rabbi had his limbs amputated. I […]

I am regularly accused of being an apologist for the Orthodox community by those who have left observance and are angry, while simultaneously accused of being too negative by community insiders who don’t want to discuss the problems. I hope my analysis will not disappoint either group. I’ve always tried to approach issues with nuance, […]

Police are searching for a group of teens who allegedly committed two attacks on Orthodox Jews in Williamsburg over the weekend, the local Shomrim organization attests. At 12am on Motzei Shabbos (early Sunday morning), a video captured two young men chasing a Jewish man on Lee Avenue between Taylor Street and Roebling Avenue. The harassers […]

Twenty-one years ago today, I was in Israel on a work trip and decided to meet a friend for lunch in Jerusalem. I had grown up with non-kosher Sbarro’s at home and going to Israel and eating the kosher versions of my favorite non-kosher foods from my youth was always fun. My friend and I […]

Orthodox Judaism is backwards. Antisemitism isn’t that big of a deal. Jews aren’t a minority. These are just some of the things the secular media guides me to say almost every time I’m approached for a story. Over the years, because of this, I’ve become extremely hesitant to work with them, even if they promised […]

Estee Ackerman, 20, is equal parts grace and determination. She has been crushing ping pong tables since she was just eight years old — achieving high national rankings — and continues to work at the sport.  She’s well-respected in the world of table tennis — she’s currently ranked 40th in the United States and 7th in Israel […]