As a frum society, we are excellent at self-flagellation. At the drop of a magazine, we can muster up long lists of all the problems in our communities. But sometimes I wonder if we know how to appreciate what we do have. Are we aware, for example, that as we speak, Western society is grappling with a serious masculinity crisis?

The New York Times, in a recent article titled “It’s Not Just a Feeling,” assures us that this is not just hype. The actual data on the ground shows how dramatically boys and young men are falling behind. For example, only 41% of college degrees now go to men. Atlantic magazine has dubbed this “the new marriage of unequals,” as more-educated women marry less-educated men. Men in the workforce are in decline – in fact, one in ten men aged 20 to 24 is doing neither school nor work. Mental health crises among young men are climbing, as is addiction and suicide – at four times the rate of young women.

And all this is just the backdrop to the most tragic part – the way this crisis is affecting family life. A whopping two-thirds of American children are born to single mothers, even as research shows that the single most important marker for success in life is being raised by two parents. As one commentator put it, women are advancing in every area – while men are becoming really excellent at video games.

Taken together, it’s clear that referring to this as a “crisis of masculinity” is not hyperbole. In fact, it might be an understatement.

Most people know that exercise becomes more important as we get older. It helps maintain strength, improve energy, and support long-term health. However, many seniors worry about exercising incorrectly and risking injury. That is why the most important principle in senior fitness is safety.

These seven simple movements can help guide a safe exercise routine for seniors. (Consult with a physician, of course, before beginning a new exercise program.) Each movement focuses on basic functions the body needs for everyday life, such as standing up, bending safely, maintaining posture, improving balance, and staying independent. Most of these exercises require nothing more than a sturdy chair.

I did not include a specific number of repetitions for each exercise because every person is different. A good initial goal is to build up to 10 repetitions per exercise. Even 10 to 15 minutes of gentle movement each day can help maintain strength and independence.

When the topic of shopping comes up in conversation and I tout my latest thrift store finds, my listeners sometimes grimace and say something like, “Oh, I would never go there.” This attitude may have been more common in the past, when buying new was a mark of our rise from impoverished immigrant origins. Today, however, thrift shopping is positively in vogue. In addition to those taking advantage of this rich source of quality goods at low, low prices, I often see well-heeled women in the thrift store, browsing for one-of-kind vintage pieces for their homes and wardrobes. There are also those who are concerned about the environment and want to recycle clothing to keep it out of the landfills – not to mention that thrift shopping is fun, an adventure in discovering the new (to us) and unexpected!

Patients with cancer undergo various treatments including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy managed by oncology and related specialties. There are certain additional measures that patients can take on their own to improve symptoms and often increase longevity. Lifestyle measures include nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, adequate social interaction, and avoiding risky substances. These form the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine. In addition, spiritual matters are very important.

It has been known that exercise can prevent cancer, but only recently has there been a randomized controlled trial in patients with stage III or high-risk stage II colon cancer that showed decreased mortality with regular exercise. (New England Journal of Medicine 2025: 393:13-25). These are patients whose cancer had spread through the bowel wall to nearby structures or lymph nodes but not distant spread. After surgery and chemotherapy, patients were randomized to a structured exercise program or to only receive health education materials. There was significant improvement in survival in the exercise group versus the education group, without cancer return at five years, as well as decreased mortality at almost eight years. Improvements with exercise are in addition to those seen with the primary therapies.

“I will come and everyone else will follow.” This was the response of Rabbi Simcha Kook, zt”l, to a real estate agent who expressed surprise at the Rav’s insistence on purchasing a home in an area where there were hardly any Jews and that was frequented by Arabs.

In his book, Rav Simcha Kook, Builder of Torah, Beacon of Unity (ArtScroll 2025), Gedalia Guttentag gives readers a vivid portrait of the late Rabbi Simcha HaKohen Kook, Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim’s Churva shul and Rechovot, a role he served in for nearly 50 years. This well-researched biography, culled from dozens of interviews portrays a man who was of shalom, a unifier, and a leading Torah scholar.

Rabbi Kook brought countless souls back to Yiddishkeit through tears, love, and diplomacy. He was a consensus builder working across ideological lines to get things done. Like his great uncle, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, zt”l, Rav Simcha led by example, and others followed.