Author: Yaakov Menken

Dear Friends, After reading the letter forwarded the other day, I feel obliged to add a few words. I attended the opening of the Berlin Memorial yesterday, and asked the architect, Peter Eisenman, whether...

Received via email: An article in the Arizona Republic on the new Holocaust memorial in Berlin (“Memorial divides Berlin,” Sunday May 8, 2005) reports: “The memorial is a maze of 2,711 unadorned concrete rectangles,...

The above is said when completing Tractate “Brachos” of the Talmud, and those who are studying the Daf Yomi, a page of Talmud daily, completed this, the first tractate, on Tuesday. Yes, I’m a...

For Jewish day school children everywhere, one potential highlight of the holiday season is a biannual ritual known as the “Chol HaMoed trip,” a family outing taken during the “intermediate days” of Pesach and...

With everyone busy preparing for Pesach [Passover], I thought to pass along the following: Ner L’Elef, a training institute for Jewish outreach and leadership based in Jerusalem, has published a Seder Guide written by...

While the Catholic Church may have undertaken to change its attitude towards the Jewish People more than a generation ago, I think it is taking somewhat longer for Jews to change their attitude towards...

In response to Toby Katz’s entry about Terri Schiavo’s death, “Michael” made the following comment: If you starve an animal to death, you will be put in jail. Why is Terri worse than an...

For all the talk of “triumphalist” Orthodoxy, the Agudah (and everyone else) has been remarkably muted about what transpired across America a few weeks ago. The Siyum HaShas was greeted with enthusiasm, to be...

A translation: Siyum HaShas means Completion of the Talmud. People make a small celebration to mark the Siyum, completion, of a single tractate of Talmud or one of the six orders of the Mishnah....

Someone pointed out to me that Mikey Butler’s first yahrtzeit was about this time — 3 Shevat was Jan. 13 this year (he passed away on Jan. 26, 2004). He was, according to his...