Gentlemen, Sling Your Mud!
Winston Churchill famously cited the sentiment that “democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Indeed, while majority rule might in...
Dismantling the Palestinian Lie
In a recent, now infamous, speech PA President Mahmoud Abbas turned his attention to history’s favorite target: the Jews. This is no surprise, as the very name “Palestine” has always served to dissociate the Jews from their homeland.
Is Rabbi Riskin Ordaining Female Rabbis?
(This article originally appeared in the Jewish Press.) Last Wednesday, May 16, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin conferred the titles of “Morot Hora’ah U’Manhigot Ruchaniyot” – “Halachic Authorities and Spiritual Leaders” – upon three women, who...
Open Orthodoxy Update, Parshas Naso
We will be happy to stop publishing these updates, just as soon as they drop the word “Orthodox” from their name. But there remains much to report.
Checking Out… and Checking In
Dr. David Goodall is no longer with us. The 104-year-old scientist travelled to Switzerland from his home in Australia last week, weary of life and in a wheelchair, but not otherwise disabled or seriously...
Faith, the Final Frontier
by Brian Keating As a professor of astrophysics, you might be shocked to learn I don’t believe in the law of gravity. I don’t believe in black holes either. I don’t even believe that...
Rational, Irrational, and What’s Between
Half of the art of a good polemicist is attaching an effective label to his argument. My good friend Rabbi Dr Natan Slifkin found a winner in calling his approach “rationalist Judaism.” Who doesn’t...
Mutcheh-ing the Mullahs
My Hamodia column this week went to the printer when President Trump was scheduled to issue his Iran Deal decision on Shabbos. As you know, he changed his mind and announced it earlier. Below...
Time to Rethink Tzni’us? – Think Again
There has been much discussion as of late regarding tzni’us (modesty). Whereas the issue of photos of women has occupied most of the discussion, with all Orthodox commenters on the subject accepting the basic parameters of...
A Tale of Two Speeches
I had the honor of making two public presentations in recent days, one to second grade students at the impressive Yeshiva Beth Yehudah in Southfield, Michigan; and the other, to students and members of...