IRAC by the Numbers
In a recent post, I asserted that IRAC — the Israel Religious Action Center, affiliated with the Reform movement — was spending its money fighting Orthodox Judaism, and failing to provide a full and...
Author: Yaakov Menken
The Internet and the Orthodox Teen
Yesterday evening, Baltimore was host to a sober and honest analysis of the risks posed by new technology for teenagers, especially Orthodox ones. And to give away the plot, the conclusion was that the...
Wrong Team on the Wrong Field
Another confrontation is brewing, as Israel’s Education Minister intends to reduce funding to schools which do not teach a “core curriculum” — including Charedi schools, despite recent tests in which Charedi students demonstrated superior...
Shoot First, Ask Questions Never
The following statement barely needs comment. Blogs operate without such outdated concepts as fact-checking and seeking comment from both sides… and statements such as this one are the inevitable if sad result: Statement of...
What about Blowing the Esrog on Shavuos?
From the Sacramento Bee: The month preceding the “Ten Days of Awe” begins with a thorough housecleaning to get rid of anything with leaven, which is likened to sin in the Torah. It also...
Smelly Justice
In this week’s Torah reading, Parshas Shoftim in Deuteronomy, Israel is commanded to have judges and officers, those who maintain both justice and order. A judge in particular is required to be entirely unbiased,...
When Political Correctness Trumps Religion
Despite the encouragement of the Jerusalem Post’s editorialists, and despite several signatures from friends and colleagues in Jewish outreach, I believe that last week’s “Statement of Principles” regarding those “in our community who have...
Conversion Bill Hysteria
The Rotem Conversion Bill in Israel has, as we know, generated a lot of press. I suppose it is unsurprising to many to find that the coverage has been so intellectually dishonest — claiming...
Matisyahu Made Him Cry
Matisyahu, for those who don’t know, is an American Jewish kid who grew up listening to reggae, became a BT, started singing Jewish-oriented reggae and became a (very) popular artist. His lyrics speak about...
The New Israel Fund’s Israel Problem
Several weeks ago, an activist for disabled children, “Shlomit,” attended a seminar conducted by the New Israel Fund. She self-identifies as “left-wing, Zionist, and religious,” and she supports criticism of Israel. But she was...
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