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...
Some New Articles
Here are some articles of mine that were posted in various publications over the past several weeks: In Siding With Masterpiece Cakeshop, The OU Made the Correct Choice Appreciation and Ironing Things Out –...
The Lonely Man of Politics
James Comey Jr., the former director of the FBI and author of the new book “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership,” truly stands out from the crowd. Not only because the man is...
Moving Commentary 7: Yom Haatzmaut
As Thursday evening gently prodded Yom Haatzmaut revelers to begin closing down, my day was just beginning. Radio stations in America were asking for local commentary, and in a few cases, I was elected....
Plane Talk
The Israel Airports Authority has rejected a billboard urging female airline passengers at Ben-Gurion Airport not to give up their seats to Orthodox men who don’t want to sit next to women. The billboard,...
Open Orthodoxy Update, Parshas Tazria-Metzora
If they did not mischaracterize themselves as Orthodox, none of this would be particularly newsworthy. We will be happy to stop publishing these updates, just as soon as they drop the word “Orthodox” from their name.
Touching Hearts in Tel Aviv
In the summer of 2017 Eyal Datz, a media person from Bohemian, avant garde Tel Aviv precincts, proposed to do a film on the Sanz-Klausenberg Rebbe, ztz”l, for Israeli television to be broadcast on...
Chastened By a Midrash
I don’t find it terribly hard to be tolerant of others’ political points of view, even when they are far from my own. I try to be mindful of the fact that, as Chazal...
On the Hundredth Yahrtzeit of Reb Chaim Brisker- From Rebbe to Talmid: Intellect and Ayin Tova.
by Reuven Ungar The Torah is passed on from rebbe to talmid, from generation to generation. Chachmei HaMesorah, ma’atikei ha-shemua are charged with this task. This summer will mark the 100th yahrtzeit of Rav...
Not So Outdated Notions About Men, Women, and Intimacy
[for mature audiences only. Really] Decades ago, no kiruv weekend with teens would go by without the de rigueur sessions on negiah, sex, or whatever. Stock tools were rolled out to convince teens not...