Author: Yaakov Menken

Recently, my wife and I took our kids to a theme park for younger children. I made two observations — besides how expensive it is to take a family with several children to even...

I received the following communication, which was written anonymously on an individual level, yet on behalf of all of us on a communal level. In essence, it says that the Government of Israel’s withdrawal...

An interesting article in the Jerusalem Post, from the director of an outreach center in Rana’ana, Israel, discusses the rebuilding of Jewish institutions in European communities whose Jewish populace was essentially wiped out. He...

“They’ve Got Rhythm,” says the article, accompanied by a large photo of participants in a Jewish drum circle. It dominates the front page of the Washington Jewish Week, and runs for several additional pages....

[This is the second time in as many entries that I find myself posting shortly after another who is greater in chochmah (wisdom), who wrote something that everyone should see. I just hope that...

This morning, President George Bush performed a “recess appointment,” bypassing the Senate confirmation process and sending John Bolton to the United Nations. The politics of this could be discussed ad nauseum, and preferably not...

Several days ago, Rabbi Adlerstein commented regarding the deleterious effects of television, and wrote that children whose classmates were free of its influence could perceive the difference between themselves and other children even in...

I just spoke with a wonderful man named Rabbi Dovid Vandervelde. He is a real estate manager, and serves as the (unpaid) president of a licensed adoption agency. You may have received an email...

Many years ago, one of the Rabbis teaching through Torah.org was embarrassed to realize he had sent out a weekly message concerning the Torah Reading for Parshas Bila’am. It was a very understandable slip,...