Ba’alos Mesorah
In Putting Our Money Where Our Mouths Are, Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz poses an acute challenge to Orthodox communities. The discussion below is not intended to refute Dr. Schwartz, but rather to respond to...
What the Doctor Ordered
A Dutch doctor who ordered an elderly dementia patient’s family to restrain her as she was given a lethal injection was recently cleared of wrongdoing by a panel that considered the case. In 2002,...
Fortunate Fallout?
The fallout of what has most alarmed some about President Trump’s immigration executive order may turn out to be a blessing. There are certainly reasons to question the order, which restricts immigration from seven...
The OU Makes It Unanimous
It is unanimous among Orthodox Jews: Orthodox Judaism is eternal and does not change to accommodate passing trends.
Paskening Like the Blogs
A few people commented to me that it seems like the ruling by the OU Rabbinic Panel that women can’t be ordained or appointed as clergy is getting a real beating, as “everyone is...
Schmutz is not Torah Law
There hasn’t been a change. Schmutz continues to be Trump’s modus operandi. He has done nothing to unite the country and just about everything that he could to further divide the country. It is as if vulgarity is as much part of him as is the skin that encases his body.
Behind the Wall, Part Two
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.”
The OU Ruling on Female Clergy, and Rebellion
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.
How Assertive Should We Be?: Reflections On The National Prayer Breakfast
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,...
Making News, Literally
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...