I took my first Birthright trip in the winter of 2007, and I was last in Israel three summers ago visiting family. But this December, I was given the opportunity to return to Israel with Birthright on an alumni trip. As soon as they contacted me, I immediately said yes. The trip was supposed to happen in the summer 2025. However, the war with Iran caused a delay, and it was separated into smaller trips this winter. I just returned on Monday, December 15.

Birthright has now opened its doors to older people as well as to those who have taken previous trips. There has been renewed interest among the Jewish people, Post-October 7^th, in discovering (or rediscovering) our land. People want to support the tourism industry. They want to volunteer on the land. And with much of the world against us, they want to see for themselves what we are fighting for, even as our enemies creep into our birth countries and make us feel unwelcome. As one Birthright participant stated, “I am glad I went on this volunteer trip because it allowed me to view Israel from a different perspective and grow as a person.”

On November 4, 2025, New York City voted overwhelmingly for its first Muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdani. Little was known about this Ugandan-born Democratic socialist who beat out former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa. What is known, however, is that Mamdani supports “global jihad,” defunding the police, raising taxes, building affordable housing, and having City-run grocery stores buy and sell at wholesale prices from centralized warehouses.

Mamdani’s rise from community activist and social media star to mayoral candidate and now mayor-elect has raised alarms both in the New York City Jewish community and the wider world. Who will pay for the socialist policies of this new mayor? What will the implications be of a hands-off approach to policing? Will Mamdani’s rhetoric against Israel spark violence against Jews?

In the wake of October 7, pro-Palestinian demonstrations and encampments erupted in universities around the country. They often devolved into antisemitism, where Jewish students were attacked, intimidated, and feared going to class. The Trump administration began an investigation of 60 universities under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for failing to address antisemitism on campus and failing to protect Jewish students. And in January 2025, President Trump issued an executive order on antisemitism that expanded federal oversight and threatened to withdraw federal grants. While some universities, such as Columbia, Brown, and the University of California, complied with the order, Harvard refused and took the administration to court.

Among the accusations lodged at Harvard by the government were tolerance of antisemitism on campus, consideration of race in admissions, DEI (diversity) training, and allowing transgender athletes to play on teams with players of the opposite gender. Although the Trump administration has gone after many universities and colleges for the same things, Harvard’s $53 billion in endowments and large share of research awards has made it a prime target for Trump.

Days after Harvard commenced litigation against the federal government, Agudath Israel of America issued a statement chiding the school for focusing its energy on fighting Trump rather than combating antisemitism. Agudath Israel thanked the government for its moral clarity and principled stance on the issue, even as Harvard chose to fight the administration wholesale rather than taking steps to reform or rectify the situation. According to the Agudah, “Federal funding will be tied up, research will be halted, and Jewish students will remain less protected as the case wends its way through the courts.” Instead, reforms were needed to make Jewish students feel safe on camp

“Which way is mizrach (east)?” This is a very common question for those preparing to daven in a strange place to fulfill the obligation to face Eretz Yisrael. The answer seems simple, but there are a lot of nuances. For instance, which direction is Eretz Yisrael, actually? What if your shul faces the “wrong” way? In what direction should you face if you’re in Eretz Yisrael itself? Surprisingly, there are places north of Eretz Yisrael where one would still face north.

Rabbi Yosef Weisenfeld eloquently addresses these questions and more while also inviting the reader to rethink the concept of facing mizrach. His excellent new English sefer, Derech Ha’Ir (Feldheim 2025), is replete with sources and pictures that provide a clear understanding of the different methods that have been used to calculate where to face.

Retired professional basketball player Tamir Goodman hasn’t taken a break since hanging up his professional basketball uniform. We spoke with the “Jewish Jordan” during his recent visit to Baltimore about his upbringing here, making a kiddush Hashem, and how he has been helping kids affected by the Gaza war both on and off the court. Tamir is also raising a family, running a tech startup, and using his public persona to publicize the name of Hashem each day.

 Chaim Yehuda Meyer: You’ve said that in order to reach the highest level of anything you really have to love it. Did your Talmudical Academy education help engender your love of Torah and mitzvos?

 Tamir Goodman: My yeshiva education at TA was very helpful in that I had great rabbis and educators, especially Coach Harold Katz, who has coached me since the age of seven. Today, 35 years later, I still consider him a mentor, friend, and coach. Coach Katz has had a tremendously positive impact on my life as well as that of other athletes who have played under him. I am still close with some of these players today.