The Secret of Happiness
While t’shuva is normally translated as penitence or repentance, the root of the Hebrew word t’shuva means “return.” T’shuva is a return to the source, to one’s roots, to one’s deepest inner self.
Separate Beaches In The Holy Land: A Primer
Usually half of the day is allotted to women, and the other half to men. The shifts switch on alternating days to afford greater flexibility.
Do We Have An Excuse For Living In America? (Part II)
“Why don’t all the religious Jews in America move here?” I expected to receive a long lecture on fine halachic points. Instead, the wizened sage held out two fingers, rubbed them together, and said, “Dollarim.”
Where Are The Real Maccabees Buried?
We know, however, that the open graves off of Highway 443 opposite Modi'in are certainly not from the time of the Maccabees.
Don’t Confuse Torah with Buddhism, My Friends
The roots for the Destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem were planted long before the Destruction itself, on the night the Spies in the Wilderness returned from their ill-fated mission and convinced the Jewish People not to journey on to live in the Promised Land. That night was the 9th of Av. Their rejection of the Land of Israel was the rotten foundation which brought about our later National Destruction as an independent Nation in our own Land.
Hiroshima on My Mind
These “civilians” are not “innocent.”
Should We Celebrate The ‘Abraham Agreement’?
Caution is called for, but not to the point of turning our backs on the positive.
New Activist Party Formed
The formation of Noam is seen as a strategic measure to prevent Bennett from attaining a position of influence in the Jewish Home Party and in any future coalition.
Semi-Baal T’shuva
As long as someone lives outside of Eretz Yisrael, he fails to observe the Torah commandment of living in Israel which our Sages say is equal in weight to all of the other Torah commandments together!
“Matchmaker, Matchmaker Make Me a Match!”
Doing my best to copy Sholom Aleichem’s gifted portrayal, and adding a bit on my own, I transformed the downtrodden Jew of galut into a proud pioneer in the Holy Land and a brave fighter for Jewish freedom. It’s a saga that I am sure you and your children will love. And now, thanks to The Jewish Press, it’s free!
How the Left Lies
The next time you read anything about Israel by a Leftist, beware. You are only hearing half of the story.
The Dismal Aliyah Rate: Whose Fault Is It?
There's plenty of blame to go around.
The Fourth of ‘Jewlie’ – Who Cares?
To all you Jews in America enjoy the 4th, but remember, the Torah wants a Jew to praise G-d for having given him the Land of Israel, not for the old US of A.
Happy t’shuva!
The month of Elul is known for being the time of the year most favorable for t’shuva - generally known as penitence or repentance. But t’shuva is much more than feeling bad over the transgressions which we have committed. Rabbi Kook teaches that t’shuva is the force that makes the world go around.
Dear Abba: They Won’t Send Us in
We learned in Lebanon that we can’t defeat the enemy with our Air Force alone. What’s the point of a truce that will last for three weeks until Hamas fires more rockets at Israel?
Rashi Was a Zionist Racist
Almost everyone is familiar with the famous first Rashi on the Torah. He asks why does the Torah begin with the account of Creation? After all, since the Torah contains the commandments which Hashem gave to Am Yisrael, it should have begun the precept concerning Rosh Chodesh - the first commandment given to the Israelite Nation.
Baruch Marzel Talks Election Politics and Torah
Marzel has something to say about Rabbi Peretz, Ehud Barak, Ayelet Shaked and even the Mashiach.
Defiant Settlers: We Will Live Anywhere We Want In G-d’s Land
What the police didn’t know was that a hidden camera recorded all their actions, including the curses and blows they aimed at the defenseless youth who stated over and over that they were violating his G-d-given right to live wherever he pleased in the Land of Israel.
Expelled, Expelled, And Expelled Again – Homesh Jews Remain Defiant
Arabs often throw stones and Molotov cocktails at our vehicles traveling from Homesh to Shavei Shomron.
Mashiach Now!
Some people don’t realize that Mashiach’s coming is a process that evolves over time. These people want everything to be finished at the start. They say that when Mashiach comes and does all the work of rebuilding the Land of Israel, and gathers all of the exiled Jews to Israel, and fights the wars of Hashem, and rebuilds the Beit HaMikdash, then they will come on aliyah. First, everything has to be perfect. First, the Mashiach has to do all the work.
I Love Reform Jews
We can disagree with a reform Jew and even despise his opinions, but we should love him for his connection to the Jewish Nation.
Jews Who Live in Diaspora Houses
It seems that the fad at The Jewish Press these days is for contributing writers to declare that Sarah Silverman’s trashy routine is a Chillul Hashem. That may be true, but there’s a bigger Chillul Hashem than Sarah’s. The biggest Chillul Hashem is when Jews choose to live in Chicago, and Dallas, and Los Angeles, and Lakewood, and Brooklyn, when they could live in the Land of the Jews instead. But why listen to me? Let an old writer for the Jewish Press explain it to you – Rabbi Meir Kahane. I turn this blog over to him. Let’s hear what he had to say about Jewish life in the Diaspora.
More Beautiful than Everest
Last week, I drove with my wife toward the coastline to do a little seaside touring. As we were driving there, she mentioned that someone in her family was going for a vacation to Austria. “Austria?” I blurted, nearly losing control of the wheel. “Why would any Jew in Israel want to go to Austria?”
Letter to Our Son, the Soldier
In a world that lives by the sword, Israel must take up the sword too, not sit and pray for miracles
My Desperate Fight To Save Gush Katif
Protestors demanded that we break down the fence surrounding Kfar Maimon.... Yesha leaders and rabbis called for patience. All through the night and the following morning, the tension increased.
Hellenism is Alive and Well in America
The modern day Hellenists are the Jews of the Diaspora who have the ability to move to Israel, but prefer to identify with a foreign country and foreign culture.
The Dodgers Never Left Brooklyn
No, I’m not talking about those famed Brooklyn Bums, I’m speaking about the Aliyah Dodgers, the Diaspora Giants, the Ultra-Orthodox Williamsburg White Sox, the Assimilated Cardinals, and the OU Washington Nationals.
“The People Shall Rise Up Like a Lion!”
Not only are the streets of Jerusalem inundated with the smoke of burning embers; but hillsides and streets all over the country are lit up with the fiery love of Torah which kindles in every heart. Not only the streets, but the smoke of these holy bonfires penetrates into every single apartment and house, like the aroma of incense on the Temple’s altar, penetrating through windows and concrete walls to reveal the inner spirit of every Israeli soul, of every Israeli home.
“Why Should I Live in Israel? America Has Everything I Need”
One of the questions a person is asked when he reaches his Heavenly rest is, "Did you yearn for Salvation?" If a Jew does not long for the Redemption, for Salvation from the exile, then something is wrong. If he is happy in the Diaspora, then his Judaism is out of focus, and he is out of touch with his soul's deepest yearnings. As The Kuzari poignantly declares, his prayers for Jerusalem and Zion are like the chatterings of a nightingale, melodious but empty of meaning.
Luckily, Avraham Wasn’t a Complainer
Avraham Avinu packed up his belongings without saying a word and hastened to the Land, even though it was loaded with savage heathens, prostitutes, idol worship, murderers, and rapists, even though there wasn’t one synagogue, kosher butcher, or luxury villa to be found.