What Could Have Been
Rabbi Gil Student sent me a link to an article in the Wall Street Journal, which discusses the provocative advertising by Sam Harris to sell his book. Gil caught the offensive content before his...
Of Treifos and Trust
Rabbi Adlerstein’s non-response to the “Monsey chicken story” resulted in the largest comment thread in recent memory — thanks to people responding to the story. Something about fools rushing in comes to mind, but...
Not Yet in the Yom Kippur Mindset
It was two days before Rosh Hashanah, and my assignment was to write a piece for the Yom Kippur issue of Mishpacha. Having just returned from two weeks abroad, I was not yet securely...
This Year’s Lulav Alert
Dear All, I just received a call from the wife of an Israeli lulav importer with whom I am very friendly, and with whom I and Agudath Israel of America have worked closely the...
Contemplating Israel’s Demise
I’ve been thinking a lot about my father, hareini kaparat mishkavo, lately. He used to say, “If the world is prepared to stand by and watch Jews be slaughtered again, then the world does...
The Monsey Poultry Scandal – A Non-Response
Rav Sheftel Neuberger shlit”a reminded me last week of a dramatic episode recounted by Rav Shalom Schwadron, zt”l, the famed Magid of Yerushalayim. Those of us who had the privilege of once listening to...
Kazakhstan 2, Baron Cohen 0
As if the Pope’s remarks were not enough, Sacha Baron Cohen’s new movie is poised to precipitate yet another international crisis. Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev plans to bring up Cohen’s Borat character, a bumbling...
Asking the Right Questions
The Shofar blasts, writes the Rambam, are meant to awaken us from our slumber. Teru’a reminds us of something being shattered. What is being shattered (or should be)? We are – – as we...
Oriana Fallaci and Teshuva
It is with sadness that we note the passing of Oriana Fallaci, one of the greatest journalists of our times. We will miss her steadfast defense of Israel and Jews, and her trenchant criticism...