The Import of Empathy
The other day, waiting to board a bus, I was moved to think about empathy. Unfortunately, the prod came in the form of the opposite, crass selfishness. A young woman approached the group of...
Upon the End of 25 Years of Deception
For months, as the Women For the Wall fought for the right of women to pray at the Wall undisturbed, we have heard from many, even within the Orthodox community, that really W4W should...
Open “Orthodoxy”?
A rejoinder to my recent essay on Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and “Open Orthodoxy” was published here . Below is my response to that posting, written in my capacity as Agudath Israel of America’s spokesperson....
Now What? Considered Reaction to the Pew Report (Part One)
The best and worst reactions to the Pew Report that I have seen came from outside the Orthodox world. This paragraph in the Washington Post tidily summed things up: That which is continually diluted...
I Am A Doctor
By Sharon Rais-Tessler [Editor’s Note: OK, I have a weakness for creative writing] I am a doctor I am not G-d I know I’m not But I was taught That man is G-d What...
Going Off the Rail
We English-speaking Orthodox are blessed with an abundance of attractive publications ranging from a daily newspaper to weekly magazines and newspapers. There is much good writing and useful information in these publications and although...
Poem On The Parsha
by Yossi Huttler [Editor’s note: I met a friend at a chasunah recently, whom I had not seen in a while. The conversation turned to a topic that I hear more frequently these days,...
A Contrarian Approach to Kiruv
I unintentionally shocked a Jewish journalist several months ago. I had invited the non-Orthodox reporter to Agudath Israel of America’s offices to introduce her to the organization’s various divisions and projects, and to some...
True and Tragic Colors
Agudath Israel of America’s recent statement regarding the ostensibly Orthodox “Yeshivat Chovevei Torah” took that institution to task for crossing a particularly bright red line by inviting non-Orthodox Jewish clergy to make presentations at...
Female Haredi Professors
Curiously, the text of the original Haaretz article has changed – to their credit. The story about Dr. Malka Schaps, a newly appointed dean at Bar-Ilan, now only claims that she is the only...