Optics and Essence
While Democrats and Republicans were trading verbal punches – and misinformation – about immigrant children last week, an adult immigrant riveted the attention of a crowd, and then the world, as he saved a...
Category: Judaism
The Israeli Rabbinate’s New Standards
An article I wrote for Haaretz about Israel’s official rabbinate “blacklisting” some American rabbis, disallowing their vouching for people’s Jewish credentials can be read here. Even if you’re not a Haaretz subscriber or registrant, if...
Increasing Disdain for Religious Americans
A piece I wrote for Forward at its request about the Supreme Court Masterpiece Cakeshop decision can be read here.
Human Uniqueness
In the course of a public roundtable discussion about immigration and crime, a few days before Shavuos, President Trump made a comment that provoked some outrage. “You wouldn’t believe how bad these people are,”...
Open Orthodoxy Update, Parshas Naso
We will be happy to stop publishing these updates, just as soon as they drop the word “Orthodox” from their name. But there remains much to report.
Checking Out… and Checking In
Dr. David Goodall is no longer with us. The 104-year-old scientist travelled to Switzerland from his home in Australia last week, weary of life and in a wheelchair, but not otherwise disabled or seriously...
Moving Commentary 7: Yom Haatzmaut
As Thursday evening gently prodded Yom Haatzmaut revelers to begin closing down, my day was just beginning. Radio stations in America were asking for local commentary, and in a few cases, I was elected....
Plane Talk
The Israel Airports Authority has rejected a billboard urging female airline passengers at Ben-Gurion Airport not to give up their seats to Orthodox men who don’t want to sit next to women. The billboard,...
Open Orthodoxy Update, Parshas Tazria-Metzora
If they did not mischaracterize themselves as Orthodox, none of this would be particularly newsworthy. We will be happy to stop publishing these updates, just as soon as they drop the word “Orthodox” from their name.
Chastened By a Midrash
I don’t find it terribly hard to be tolerant of others’ political points of view, even when they are far from my own. I try to be mindful of the fact that, as Chazal...
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