After we began sheltering in place from the coronavirus, my wife would go to the window and check to see if it was safe to go out for a walk.…
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A Sham Trial in Russia
A Russian court on Monday sentenced an American citizen to 16 years in prison on spying charges. The American is Paul Whelan, a security executive and Marine Corps veteran who…
Religious Life Is No Less Important Than the Right to Protest
Only hours before Shabbos began, disappointing news spread quickly throughout the community. A late afternoon news dump, included a statement by State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker that overnight camps will…
Spiritual Meat and Sublime Joy
We have no inkling of the loftiness of the Bnei Yisrael who left Egypt. We can’t possibly comprehend the greatness of a generation who merited to witness the splitting of…
Boris Johnson’s Gesture
In an extraordinary gesture guaranteed to enrage Beijing, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has offered residents of Hong Kong a passport to freedom. Literally. China’s recent announcement that it intends…
Dear Graduate,
This was the day you dreamed about for a very long time. On so many occasions, the thought in your mind and your conversations with friends began with the words…
Misplaced Mercy
It isn’t fair to assume that every left-winger in Israel is anti-religious, as long as the concern for human rights is applied equally to all groups. However, when this concern…
Can We Take Something Meaningful Out of the Corona Era?
The phone rings in the home of an older woman in Florida and she answer in a low voice — “Hello?” “Mom it’s me — Brad. How are you doing?”…
Mugged by Reality, 2020 Version
In the wake of the George Floyd riots, New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio has joined the mayors of Los Angeles and San Francisco with a pledge to “defund”…
The Downside of Bail Reform
The widespread looting and rioting during protests over the killing of George Lloyd has brought new attention to bail reform laws like New York’s. That’s because hundreds of those arrested…
Peace, the “Vessel” for Blessing
“Speak to Aharon and to his sons, saying: ‘So shall you bless Bnei Yisrael: Say to them, ‘May Hashem bless you and guard you…’” Why are the words “say to…
Aftermath
There are indications that the worst of the rioting following the killing of George Floyd may be behind us. The streets of America’s cities as of this writing were reported…
The Unjust and the Unjustifiable
The murder of an innocent man can never be ignored. Nor can a civilized society look the other way on acts of anarchy and arson. The anguish and fury felt…
To Whom It May Concern
As we approach the eleventh week of a full-bodied lockdown of our schools, educators across the state are expressing concern over the continued onerous restrictions placed on our educational systems.…
Playing to the Court of Public Opinion
The trial of Binyamin Netanyahu has begun and the battle lines have been drawn. His supporters, comprising half the country, are convinced that he’s the victim of a corrupt judicial…
Making the Space Program Great Again
While America was mostly otherwise occupied this weekend, a landmark event took place: Two astronauts flew to a successful docking with the International Space Station (ISS). They weren’t the first…
There is No Going Back
When the father and son first set out on their journey, it was the father who was riding on the donkey, his energetic young son walking alongside him. Until they…
Futuristic Suffering
When I was first approached to write for the Shavuos edition of the Hamodia, I was hesitant. Under any circumstances, I have reservations about writing for a broad audience of…
SECURITY ALERT
In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in acts of anti-Semitic and violent hate-crime directed at the Jewish community. This is true both worldwide and in North America, where in…
Essential: A Matter of Importance
Essential. Such a simple word, yet so subjective. A whirlwind of new words and phrases were brought into our daily vocabulary during this pandemic. “Social distancing,” “flattening the curve,” “PPE,”…