It doesn’t take much to know that we in the Torah world are different “mikol ha’amim.” Just standing on line at a supermarket, one can’t help but see the covers of magazines. Who are these people who grace the glitzy covers? What is their “claim to fame”? What have they contributed to the good of [...]
I am one of those people who hates to say no, so it was quite a challenge for me to share with my friends the thrilling news that I had finally accrued enough credit card points to visit my son and his family who had recently made aliya. As every seasoned Israel traveler knows, it [...]
There is a sign in Sinai Hospital, above the elevators, that quotes the Talmudic passage, “He who saves one life has saved an entire world.” The escape of the Belzer Rebbe and his brother the Bilgoreyer Rebbe from the clutches of Hitler and their journey to Eretz Yisrael in the middle of World War II [...]
In-laws can be great – a source of help, encouragement, and just plain enriching family experiences. And for those who didn’t have a good relationship with their own parents, their new “mom” or “dad” can be a healing addition to their lives. But if you’re not so lucky, if your in-laws do not respect your [...]
I am always surprised when an avowed vegetable-hater tells me the only vegetable he will eat is broccoli. With a little prodding, he may also admit to liking cauliflower. (No gender discrimination intended, but in my experience, these vegetable-haters are almost always men, although I’m not sure why that is.) Go figure. Of all the [...]
This is the second of an occasional series of short essays, collectively entitled “Restoring sanctity to eating…and to the rest of our lives” Like many other people, I am overweight and have been obsessed in one way or another with food and with trying to lose weight for many years. In the last few years, [...]
To the Editor, I very much appreciated the article, “Chayei Sarah Mania” by Raphael Blumberg, that appeared in the December 2011- Kislev 5772 issue of Where What When. I would like to provide my personal Chayei Sarah story to supplement Mr. Blumberg’s excellent piece. The parsha Chayey Sarah (I believe this spelling to be preferable [...]
Bayamim haheim bazman hazeh. We speak of the Chanuka miracle, which happened in at that time, those olden days. I would add bamakom hazeh – it was in this place, here in Baltimore, that I experienced my neis, my miracle. Yes, a flame was lit, and it didn’t only burn for eight days. It continues [...]
The exorbitant cost of day school tuition and parents’ inability to foot the bill is a national discussion. Across the country, parents, educators, and donors are grappling with how to make a strong Jewish education affordable for our families. When many in our community are out of work – and people in our society have [...]
Every year, I see more and more Americans buying homes in Israel. Many of them have moved here; others simply want their own place to use on visits, or they buy as an investment to diversify their portfolio. Many are planning to take up permanent residence down the road. Buying an apartment in Israel can [...]