Do We Really Need Another Round of Shafran v. Rosenblum?
One of my wittier friends commented that my recent exchange with Avi Shafran on President Obama’s Israel policy struck him as a mental health issue. “I mean its not like you and Avi are...
Getting a Second Opinion
We are all poorer for not realizing that greater gain is to be had from meeting another point of view than from exulting in having one’s own opinions duly seconded.
Missed Message
My dear and esteemed friend Jonathan Rosenblum has taken me to task in Yated Ne’eman for an Ami Magazine essay I wrote entitled “Our Not So Humble Opinions.” My thesis was that it behooves...
No Monopolies on Altruism
A response to my piece on Meyer Dagan was too thought-provoking to languish in a combox, so I am elevating it to full post status: Dear Rabbi Adlerstein: I was very moved by your...
Heidi and Mendy – the Lomdus
Making the best of a bad situation is almost a capsule summary of galus history. One tool that we have used effectively is turning every new challenge into a forum for Torah discussion. The...
We Need Mashiach Now!
by Dovid Landesman Is it possible to function as an independent community without mashiach? Or, are there problems and dilemmas that remain unsolvable before his arrival? The Talmud (Ketubot 111a) recounts that there are...
An Epitaph To Which We Can All Aspire
On Sunday, Meir Dagan took leave of his post as head of the Mossad. His words to the Cabinet were poignant and touching; they deserve fuller exposure. They fill us not only with gratitude,...
My friend Jonathan Rosenblum’s Critique
My dear and esteemed friend Jonathan Rosenblum has taken me to task in Yated Ne’eman for an Ami Magazine essay I wrote entitled “Our Not So Humble Opinions.” Both my essay and his critique...
Too Close for Moral Comfort
Reminiscent of another time and place, a Rosh Yeshiva in Bnai Brak reportedly received a letter stating “Stop sucking our blood and living on our backs… We’ll fight you physically and you will feel our might on your bodies and against your synagogues.”
World’s Best Smartphone App
It’s incredibly powerful. It’s free, and doesn’t even require a download. Taps into one of the most valuable communications channels ever used by Man. Thanks to Dr Sylvain Cappell (who found it here, from...