Conversion Confusion
Israel’s Orthodox Rabbinate has been under siege of late, over the issue – once again – of conversion. And once again as well, the media abound with misinformation. This time, though, some of it...
Category: Judaism
Yevamos 63 and Embracing the Normal
Most weary Daf Yomi travelers will admit that an interlude of aggada is a welcome respite from the rigors of Yevamos . Parts of Daf 63A, however, were personally jarring. They took me back...
Of Rabbis and Alibis
Since several commenters criticized my fellow contributor Yonason (pardon the Hebrew!) Rosenblum for omitting an individual’s rabbinic title, I thought I’d post a recent correspondence of mine with a JTA editor on the very...
On Making Money
Most of us tend to be impressed by talents that we completely lack: the ability to hit a fastball thrown at 100 mph, dunk a basketball, solve differential equations. Me? I’m fascinated by those...
Democracy and media manipulation
Surprisingly, a recent panel on Israel Radio at Haifa University did not draw the media attention it deserved. At that panel, Hanan Naveh, the chief editor on the Israel Broadcasting Authority’s news desk at...
The Jews Killed Their Mouse
Perhaps Aksa-TV was getting too much flak for using a Mickey Mouse clone to teach children to “annihilate the Jews.” So they decided to take him off the air — but by having a...
Dating in Context
Much dating takes place out of context. The courting pair visits restaurants, hotel lobbies, theatres, parks and museums in their efforts to decide whether they are suited. This is vital: quality time spent together...
Responding to (Some) Critics – Part II
Having successfully silenced critics of my piece “Who’s to Blame?,” I decided to do the same this week with respect to another post, “Negating the Past; Dishonoring the Present.” I began “Negating the Past;...
Pride and Puissance
In the end, despite pleas to spare Judaism’s holiest city the shame of a spectacle celebrating the rejection of Judaism’s moral code, the “Gay Pride” parade took place as planned in Jerusalem. Had hundreds...
Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word
If a Jewish Rip Van Winkle (Rip van Finkle?) were to awaken today and read the papers, he would wonder if he had ever really been asleep. Names that were in the headlines when...
Recent Comments