To Err is Vital
In a few days, astute students of Daf Yomi will encounter a hint to a hidden life lesson of indescribable worth. If, that is, they look closely at the mishna on 103a in massechta...
Author: Avi Shafran
Understanding Sotah
An article I wrote about the oddity, indeed, uniqueness, of parshas sotah, for My Jewish Learning, a site intended to offer Jews seeking to learn more about their religious heritage, can be read here.
Criminality in the Streets and in the Cloud
As sad as it is ironic, those who have seized the opportunity during protests over the killing of George Floyd to vandalize police vehicles and attack officers, deface buildings and loot stores are perpetuating...
De-Camping
At this point, no one knows if sleep-away or day camps, including Jewish ones, will be functioning this summer. And, if they will be, whether all children who want to attend them will be...
The Real Story Behind the Vaccine Story
One of the Covid-19 vaccines being studied has yielded encouraging results. That good news should yield us something too: a sense of awe at the accomplishment. Earlier this week, the biotech company Moderna, which...
Why Me? Because Me
Amid the much physical, economic and psychological suffering being borne by so many during the current health crisis, some have, no doubt, thought — perhaps even given voice to — the age-old expression of...
What All The Critics of “Unorthodox” Are Forgetting
While I have not viewed the Netflix series “Unorthodox” and have no plans for doing so, there is a thought I wanted to share about the offering that doesn’t require having watched it. My...
Response to Rabbi Yitz Greenberg
An article I wrote for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and which appears in the Jerusalem Post and other JTA subscriber media, about an offensive and misleading column by Rabbi Irving (“Yitz”) Greenberg in the...
Adam and the Eco-Fascists
Yes, it would be a great name for a punk rock group. But the Adam in the title refers to the original one, the first man. And the eco-fascists are contemporary environmentalists gone wild....
How Coronavirus Sparked an Open Season on Haredim
A piece I wrote for Haaretz about the vilification of haredim over past weeks with regard to the current coronoavirus crisis can be read here. If you are unable to read it online, feel...
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