This conflict is probably the liberal movements’ last opportunity to export their failed models to the Holy Land. If current patterns continue, in a decade the future of Judaism in America will be obvious. Today, Israeli government officials often believe that the leaders of the liberal movements speak for “Diaspora Jewry.”
Claims that the OU is imposing its perspective on others and is being divisive are inaccurate and misleading, for the Open Orthodox leaders who introduced ordination of women did so knowing that the practice had already been unanimously barred by the most senior and authoritative halakhic decisors.
Ever since the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage, I’ve been telling evangelical audiences that communities can thrive, even when not part of the majority culture. They could learn some lessons from Orthodox Jews,...
Even for someone who, in his day job as Agudath Israel of America’s public affairs director, is regularly sent dubious “news” stories from members of the public, a young man’s recent admission that he...
Jewish life in Judea corrects an historic wrong and reverses centuries of deliberate ethnic cleansing. And those of us living in the United States deserve to know that new immigrants are coming here, as our own ancestors did, seeking a life of liberty and the pursuit of mutual progress — rather than to hasten the expansion of the Muslim caliphate onto new territory.
(The following article originally appeared in American Thinker. I wrote the article using great generalization, purposefully overlooking many subtle and at times important distinctions, due to the overly general presentation of the damaging article (relative...
The immense contributions of immigrants to American life need no elaboration, nor does the importance of immigration to our great nation. The world refugee crisis, moreover, must compel our deep concern for those fleeing...
More than 40 years ago, at just about this time of year, the rebbi insisted I leave class. I readily obliged. The details of what prompted my banishment, while amusing, aren’t important. All you...
R. Ysoscher Katz, Chairman of Department of Talmud at YCT and Director of YCT’s Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies, published a responsum about waiting after eating hard cheese. I penned a critique of the responsum,...
Why are the American liberal movements trying to change prayer at the Western Wall? There is much more on their agenda, and the end result would have permanent and tragic consequences.
