“Liberal Denominations Face Crisis”
That’s not me, it’s The Forward. Jews are finding less reason to be part of liberal synagogues, while liberal synagogues are finding less reason to be part of a denominational body. The shteibl model...
On Nitpicking, Pilpulistic Nonsense, and Hair-Splitting in the Law
by Dov Fischer Twenty years ago, a friend arranged for me to have lunch with a prominent Jewish name-partner at a major Los Angeles law firm. My friend explained to me that the partner...
A New Column You Can Do Without
But I do hope that you will pass it along to the appropriate people. You can do without it, because if you are a regular here, you are either frum or familiar with the...
Thank You, Dr. Murray
Writer and educator Dr. Erica Brown penned a thoughtful piece for the New York Jewish Week on January 25, in which she addressed the concept of Jewish peoplehood. “The niggling tension of Judaism as...
Support Boycott? Support War
I discovered this video as a link from one sent me by a friend. It clearly deserves to be seen by more people than it has reached so far. While pro-Palestinian activists claim that...
Sad, Not Stunning
The Baltimore Jewish Times calls them “stunning:” the results of the new demographic survey commissioned by the Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. They highlight both the tremendous growth of the observant community and...
Out of the Mouths of Frum Babes
Quite often, I find myself in front of audiences of relgious non-Jews, explaining what committed Jewish life is all about. There is never time, of course, to convey more than a few vignettes and...
Best Israeli Comment on the Egyptian Situation
Reportedly sighted on an Israeli Facebook page, but not verified: “Dear Egyptian rioters, please don’t damage the pyramids. We will not rebuild. Thank you.”
Swearing off the “U” Word
Does affirmation of the Jewish religious heritage… make haredim “extremist”? Considering the other candidates for that word today?
Tunisia, Biblical Slavery, and the Contours of Rabbinic Fences
Napoleon reported on a conversation he had with Polish serfs about liberty. “Certainly we should like to have it very much; but who will feed, clothe, and house us?” We are no longer amazed...