Years ago, in what feels now like an ancient time - 2013 - when I first came to Israel for an extended time period, I observed how vigilant Israelis were. They were sharp, intelligent, and observant of the world around them. Bags left lying at bus stops or on the street were immediately noticed, and… Continue reading There is no one left to blame
Can we stop pretending this is normal? That it’s normal to walk with our enemies among us? I think many Israelis simultaneously feel the threat and ignore it. We are, after all, surrounded by Arabs on a daily basis. They are working at our local makolet. They are constructing our houses. They are learning with… Continue reading Another terrorist attack
16 years ago, on the way back to the USA from my 8th grade class trip to Israel, I was bawling as we entered Ben Gurion to return to a now questionable “home.” Despite lacking an awareness in many other regards - I was 13, after all - I felt distinctly that Israel was home… Continue reading Home
By Rabbi Binyamin Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg In Parshat Vaetchanan, we witness a dramatic exchange of words between G-d and Moshe. Moshe opens by requesting of G-d that He allow him to enter the Land of Israel. G-d refuses Moshe's supplication unequivocally, stating: ""It is enough for you; speak to Me no more regarding… Continue reading Where is Home?
Introduction In Parsha Behar we learn about the laws of Shmittah. Every seventh year all debts are forgiven, slaves are released, the land cannot be worked, and your produce belongs to everyone: “Six years you may sow your field and six years you may prune your vineyard and gather in the yield. But in the… Continue reading Parsha Behar
In this week's Torah portion we read about Nadav and Avihu, Aaron's sons, who were Kohanim. We learn that they offer a "strange fire" to Hashem in the Mishkan (the tabernacle) and as a result they perish. Imagine that for a second; Aaron's sons perished for providing a slightly altered offering to Hashem. Nowadays people… Continue reading Nadav and Avihu: The Importance of Precision
What is Joy Purim, by far, is one of the more festive Jewish holidays; we dress up, we drink, we feast. Joy would most certainly be a word to describe the day. Yet, what is joy? Is joy the same thing as happiness? How does a Jew approach joy? How does the Purim story itself… Continue reading Why Joy?
We must protect purity. We live in a world which ridicules and tramples on purity. Books, music, movies, and TV shows mock purity at every turn. Countless stories depict the loss of innocence, often to peals of contemptuous laughter by surrounding characters. Media has force-fed us the narrative that purity is boring, peculiar, and stupid. … Continue reading We must protect purity
Today, we will tackle the age-old question: Do we really have free will? In Parsha Bo we read, “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, in order that I may display My signs among them and that you may recount in… Continue reading Free Will: Does it Truly Exist?
A critical lesson of the Holocaust is that all it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing, to paraphrase Simon Wiesenthal. Yes, for many “good” people, all it takes is silence, looking the other way, ignoring the atrocities committed before their eyes. But for most people, a larger number than… Continue reading It takes every single one of us
The Singing Soul 