Where Rav Shlomo Zalman Found Kivrei Tzadikim
From Chief Rabbi Lau’s book, Light of the World (Oro shel Olam), page 380: A student in the Kol Torah Yeshiva in Jerusalem, approached his Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l and asked...
Wisdom From a Miner
I met Luis Urzua today. Luis was the shift foreman of the trapped Chilean miners, and widely credited for maintaining the unity of the group through their ordeal. Several of us remarked to him...
Agudath Israel statement on “Magen Tzedek”
May 3, 2011 Agudath Israel Statement Regarding “Magen Tzedek” Upon consultation with its rabbinic leaders and in accordance with their direction, Agudath Israel of America issued the following statement: A new seal for kosher...
Agudath Israel on successful military operation in Pakistan
May 2, 2011 Agudath Israel Statement on the successful military operation in Pakistan Today’s world harbors less evil than yesterday’s. While vengeance is not a responsibility of us mortals, the pursuit of justice is....
Recalling an Evil Idealist
Note to readers: I usually post my regular Ami column weekly; this past week, of course, Ami wasn’t published due to Pesach. Since I write several features for the magazine, I thought I’d take...
Why Are Torah Jews So Happy?
Over the last five years, Gallup has interviewed hundreds of thousands of Americans about their lives. On the basis of those interviews, Gallup constructed a “well-being index.” Religious people typically ranked higher than secular,...
Usain Bolt and the Jewish Problem
For those who missed it, Usain Bolt is a Jamaican sprinter who holds the world and Olympic records in the 100 and 200 meter dash. That’s the context for the following commentary posted on...
Why Did Goldstone Retract?
I’d don’t know what made Richard Goldstone issue his mealy-mouthed retraction of the central finding of the eponymously named Goldstone Report, just as I don’t know what led the respected jurist, with a Zionist...
Pesach: the Gift of the Future
At the beginning of Stumbling on Happiness, Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert speculates on the essential difference between human beings and animals. He conclusion: Only humans plan for the future. No animal ever delayed gratification...
Is Gemara Really Studied in Korea?
Not as we know it. I’ve had substantial connection with the Korean community for well over a decade. I’ve traveled there to lecture on Jewish topics, and I stay in close contact with a...