יום ראשון, כ״ג תשרי תשפ״זSunday, October 4, 2026
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Crying is a powerful tool. It is an emotion that Hashem gave us to elevate pain, happiness, sadness, tefillos. May we all be zoche to have our tefillos answered.
After our meeting, a searing pain gripped me, cutting deep into my soul. The reality of his absence and the passage of time hit me with a force that left me struggling to breathe.
Discussing the conundrum with close friends has helped me to focus on what I do not want. I do not want an evening talking about our marriage and forcing our friends to sit through our stories, no matter how wonderful I may think that they are.
These rings appear from time to time in small auction houses that specialize in selling the entire contents of estates, and typically sell in the range of between $150 and $350.
Two Western Union Telegrams I acquired recently tell the story of one Jew that managed to escape from Poland and some of the challenges he encountered.
By Alan Zeitlin
Having the opportunity to look people in the eye and make them laugh when they have gone through so much is powerful, she said.
While it is now known that Yad Avshalom was built about 1,000 years after the death of the Biblical Avshalom, it is not known who commissioned the monument – although the Biblical account in Shmuel Bet (2 Samuel) suggests that it was built by Avshalom himself, as discussed below.
The destructions and subsequent exiles are part of G-d’s divine scheme. His plans are positive and purposeful though we may not understand them now.
By Ariela Davis
During the Three Weeks, we need to look at our division which led to the destruction of the second Beit HaMikdash, and for which the third Beit HaMikdash is not yet rebuilt.
It's always tempting to play the victim card when something we've worked hard on is ruined. However, throwing a pity party or dwelling on the offender’s punishment is not the Jewish way.
Ceaseless, persistent negative speech, lashon hara, can cripple, devastate, and destroy a person’s future and is the verbal equivalent of a barrage of missiles that demolishes a building.
It is a day when being part of the klal will supersede being an individual; it is a day of contradictions, an awkward fusion of happy birthday wishes and the start of the saddest time period of the year.
There is a distinct pattern of behavior for each individual, but even more fascinating is that others with whom we have no contact, who live elsewhere on the globe, eat different foods, have different lifestyles, experience many of these same behaviors.
A series of documents I acquired recently tells one such situation, where a woman who survived the war, but whose husband did not, spent several years dealing with the halachic ramifications that resulted.
Over a century before the Holocaust, Rav Alkalai predicted that 1940 would be a year of great hardship with an outpouring of wrath that will lead to the gathering of our dispersed in Eretz Yisrael and urged Jews to make aliyah voluntarily before this catastrophic event forced them to settle in Eretz Yisrael.
Granted, the U.N. mainly represents governments – the great majority of which are dictatorships – rather than people. Nevertheless, to the extent that the U.N. speaks for the world, its overwhelming hostility toward Israel, and increasingly, the desire to extinguish the Jewish state, are undeniable.
I often tell my kids when they choose to take a gray path that they were born to stand out and to be unique.
By Keshet Starr
A person is always complicated, layered, and ultimately unknowable – we never know exactly what someone has been through, and what has led them to the choices they have made.
One of my fondest memories in sleepaway camp was when it became dark and cloudy out. While some were bummed that the gray sky cancelled their swimming or sports play plans, I looked forward to the downpour and what came after.
By Hillel Fuld
Most things in this world are indeed gray. And then there are indeed things that are black and white, like a war between good and evil.
Because our aide needs time off to be with her husband and to recuperate from Hubby’s constant requirements, she replaces herself with female friends from her social circle. Hubby doesn’t really mind, as they are young and usually lovely.
The Ottoman Empire, which gained prominence and world power in the 14th and 15th centuries and on, had a significant effect on the Jews of the era, and for many centuries served as a relative safe haven for its Jews.
The focus of the miscarriage of justice against Dreyfus has always been upon the fraudulently-obtained Dreyfus handwriting sample, but it may have been du Paty de Clam’s bogus telegram that was outcome determinative in Dreyfus’s conviction by the tribunal.
The secret is to use that regret to strive for more. To learn from mistakes. To make sure that when confronted with a similar situation, the best path will be clear.
By Sara Blau
There is a healthy regret that is one of the three steps of teshuva. There is a regret that can be transformed into an engine, a desire and decision to improve the relationship and do better next time.
Healthy regret arises from a conscious evaluation of a past misstep. It compels us to learn and grow.
By dvora
With maturation, and a greater understanding of her pain and suffering, I realized that she taught me and others so much.
Regret, or charata, is crucial in the process of teshuva. The Alter Rebbe offers a profound insight, linking the word charata with charita (engraving). This suggests that acknowledging our regrets helps engrave lessons learned, preventing repetition of past mistakes.
By Sandy Eller
I couldn’t believe that I found myself among thousands of people and that that moment in time had been preserved, said Stern.
In our home, I have tried many different responses to the questions about a loved one having passed away. Bear in mind that whatever response I decide to utter is forgotten within a couple of minutes by Hubby.
The recipient of the letter was Rabbi Aharon Mendel HaCohen (1866-1927), a native of Tiberias who served as Chief Rabbi of the Ashkenazic community in Cairo for decades. He is best remembered for his ambitious attempt of renewing the Sanhedrin and reinstating the semicha.
When WWI broke out in 1914, he was arrested as an enemy alien and was later released in a prisoner exchange; in his memoir, he notes the irony of his freedom being secured through the intervention of the Pope’s Nuncio on behalf of a Jewish boy he had never seen.
By Solly Hess
Anyone who has been involved in chinuch, either as an educator or a parent, knows that adding playfulness, whimsy, and fun are the secret, critical ingredients to a love of learning.
Playfulness can turn the harshness of reality into something that is more manageable. It helps us to relax and regulate our nervous system which makes for better processing and coping.
When I close my eyes, thirty years ago at Camp Stone feels like yesterday, the lessons from holding candles by the lake on Tisha B’Av and hiding from the Greeks at late night capture the flag, will be part of me forever. Playing is learning, posting is not.
The idea behind play therapy is, some feelings are too intense for a child to express in words, but a child’s play can reveal and articulate a world of complex emotions – to one who knows how to observe.
When it comes to sports, it’s key for adults to emphasize life skills learned from the game, rather than focusing on winning and losing.
Seemingly after seeing how all of the work that his father-in-law invested in the movement might fizzle away, he accepted the role. Now as leader, Rebbe Mendel Schneerson – who over the decades many began to refer as the Rebbe – steered the movement into being a global Jewish outreach organization.
It is impossible to fully encapsulate the impact or the influence of the Rebbe in a single article. Growing up as a young emissary (shliach) in Louisville, Kentucky, I rarely saw the Rebbe in person, but I witnessed the effect of his teachings and worldview every single day.
A visitor to the Rebbe said, Rebbe you are amazing! The Rebbe didn’t deflect the compliment or return it. Instead, he answered, True, I am amazing. But how does the world benefit from the fact that I am amazing? Do I do enough with it?
As is customary, I took a little Tehillim off the bookshelf, stood by the kever, and let the Tehillim fall open, on its own, to whichever perek it chose. It fell open to Perek 78. Or, in Hebrew, ayin zayin. Oz.
It has been hard to train my brain to stay in the moment. I do this for my own sanity. Once the brain begins to spiral out-of-control, I can no longer function with the responsibilities that life has thrust upon me.
Some of his many achievements include his promotion of Shabbat observance in Germany, and his role as editor of a monthly journal titled Der Sabbath from 1910 until 1914 – when WWI ceased publication.
Leading the antisemitic discrimination against the Jews in New Amsterdam was Stuyvesant, who was strongly committed to the supremacy of the Dutch Reformed Church, determined to promote morality and social cohesion through the enforcement of Calvinist orthodoxy, and unwavering in his desire to deport Jews from the colony.
Today, I love trying to recreate those moments with my husband and daughters and make new memories that will surely last a lifetime.
Grilling with our family alongside others of various stripes, brothers and sisters all, filled me with a rush of pride and sense of belonging that Fourth of July celebrations never quite did.
In the Talmud, foods are class-based. You just do not read of rabbis stating that they drink the common beverage, date beer, but only if it is of the single origin variety, brewed locally in Neharda'ah.
I have a rule though: once you flavor and layer your hamburger with whatever you want, you cannot put it down. Otherwise, you risk ruining the sandwich by making the bread soggy with all the juices that come out.
Most importantly, the backyard barbeque is a way for us to just get together and have fun eating and schmoozing.
This is not the first time that Hubby has called me mama, although usually he self-corrects, and says Oh yes – I should not call you that! You are my wife.
Everywhere we look, America is in disarray. From transgenderism to diversity, equity, and inclusion, to the concept of toxic masculinity, to extreme environmentalism, to the growing abandonment of Judeo-Christian religious values, to moves to break up the traditional nuclear family, our entire culture is being turned upside-down.
Soviet Russia's complex pact, and later disbandment, with the Nazis left a troubling legacy in Soviet Russia, and mention of the Holocaust and the murder of Jews was forbidden.
Some authorities suggest that he adopted his views on Jews because he understood Judaism only through the lens of Christianity and that he reduced Judaism to a religion without considering its nationalistic character and, as such, he excluded Zionism from the Jewish identity.
By Chaim Saiman
It is hard to imagine the study of Torah without debate and machloket – indeed what would the Talmud look like shorn of the multiplicity of debates and disagreements that propel its dialogue forward?
To think of the Sanhedrin as merely an institutional feature of enforcing Jewish law would be to miss the central role Jewish legal institutions – whether it be the Sanhedrin of old or the modern day beit din – play in the ethics of Jewish law.
As a number of traditional sources point out, such legislation of the details of biblical law was not decided solely upon the basis of decoding the text or Talmudic logic.
Instead of the lofty goal of creating a Sanhedrin with the intent of creating consensus and unity, we could start the other way around. Start off with achdus, and a global movement to increase ahavas Yisrael among our people.
The Greek term Sanhedrin reflects a new name given to the zekeinim we know from the Torah. So Sanhedrin represents Jewish ability to determine law and justice, even as it is subjugated under an outside imperial culture.
By Alan Zeitlin
Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate the CNN June 27 debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump that will certainly feature some questions about Israel, Iran and antisemitism.
Those of you who know me will be frightened by what I am writing, but I must insert here that I do not hate Hubby. I forgive him, over and over and over. I am fortunate that he still expresses his love for me, and when he does, I see glimpses of the man I cherished for most of our time together.
Modi performs all over the world, and since the events of October 7, he has ended each show with Hatikvah, including in front of audiences in Germany, Holland, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
One particularly memorable item was a photocard of himself and his crew standing in front of the Sphinx on which he has written In Mitzraim just at the right time of year; expect to be in Palestine for Pesach.
With a track record of mentorship, volunteerism, and community involvement, Johnson embodies the values of integrity, compassion, and service that are essential for a Surrogate’s Court judge.
Popsicles came in varying colors and flavors. Vanilla white, lime green, chocolate, banana yellow, cherry red, etc. Yet they are all labeled as popsicles.
By Jordana Baruchov Grreenfield
The process of making a popsicle – mixing ingredients, freezing them, and transforming a liquid into a solid – parallels one of the most popular and treasured themes in Judaism: the power and privilege of transformation via teshuva.
As the environment in galus heats up, we have a choice to make. Is my strength going to come from inside, or will I allow my environment to change my trust in Hashem?
By Nachum Segal
Maybe the popsicle is the same or even better in taste and flavor in 2024, but for me, the frozen treat of yesteryear simply has a whole host of accompanying ingredients that make the memories even tastier.
I looked for other ways to support Israel and one of those ways became buying Israeli products. I've been looking for those watermelon popsicles with candy seeds but to no avail. If you do come across them, please let me know.
This morning, I began composing a list of Hubby’s needs which he expresses from moment to moment. Like all sufferers from this condition, he is able to identify what he wants, and yet is unable to resolve his need.
This collection, originally gathered by Solomon Schloss (1815-1911), had one of the most remarkable provenances a collector or institution could hope for – namely, that all the items had a highly detailed, provable pre-war provenance.
The oldest surviving Yale seal may be found on the 1749 master’s diploma of Reverend Ezra Stiles, who went on to serve as Yale’s president (1778-1795).
In Ma'aseh Tuviah, Kohn discusses Copernicus's system but finds it incompatible with Jewish teachings.
Morahs are our children’s guides as they develop their first experiences outside the home. It is not surprising, therefore, that but my morah said it has to be done this way… is one of the most sacred instructions in our home.
By Adina Broder
Educators need to teach from the heart in order to have the greatest impact on their students. This requires teaching with sincerity, patience and empathy, which creates a nurturing environment in which students feel safe to question, explore and create.
Morah, rooted in the same shoresh as Yirah – fear, they say. But as I pondered over the cholent this past Shabbos, I concluded that it's more about awe, a reverence beyond measure.
By Eli Lebowicz
If you don’t think being a teacher is tough, try to remember what life was like during the beginning of Covid when kids were home or doing Zoom school and we were all struggling.
Next time you are about to act, whether it be a kiddush or (chas v’shalom) a chillul Hashem, remember who you are, a morah.
There is a condition called sun-downing in dementia. I truly do not understand it fully, but for many people with memory loss, when the sun goes down (quite literally), their level of anger, delusions, and animosity rises.
What was published, though, was nearly all after his passing, and much of it is obscured in the murkiness of what was authentic, what less so, what was expounded from his teachings and what was a commentary by his disciples.
my favorite tale of a Jewish horse thief is Sholem Aleichem’s generally unknown Moshkeleh Ganev (Moshe the Thief), which he serialized in twenty episodes in a Warsaw Yiddish daily before it was published in book form in Warsaw (1913) and, after Aleichem’s death in 1914, in Kiev (1927).
It's become quite apparent that many college campuses today have morphed into a hotbed of Jew hatred. So it's nice to know that with Rabbi Eliyahu and Shaindy Raskin around, students attending Brooklyn Heights institutions can focus on their studies knowing they have the academic, professional, and religious support of such a dedicated couple.
By Rabbanit Dr. Adena Berkowitz
For us, as we count down the days to Shavuot and the plethora of dairy we will be indulging in, let’s use our milchig food as a symbol to reconnect ourselves to Torah – and of course to Eretz HaKodesh, a land filled with milk and honey.
Funny enough, the data shows that using the term milchig isn't just Ashkenormative but it's Litve-normative!
There are numerous explanations for why we eat a dairy meal on this holiday. One of the reasons that underscores this connection is that just as milk spoils in fancy vessels but is preserved well in cheaper ones, the Torah is best preserved in a humble and accepting individual.
By David Curwin
While the average Israeli won’t know the word milchig, they will know the English cognate milky. It’s the name of a very popular chocolate dairy pudding.
The Rema (Yoreh Deah 87:3) anticipated the popularity of these substitutes when he wrote that anyone cooking a meat product in almond milk should place almonds on the table, to indicate the origin of the liquid and to avoid mar'is ayin, or the appearance a halachic violation.
Normally, I would have winced at his display of impatience, but as we were in these long corridors, quite alone, it really did not matter. Scream away.
While there are sporadic quotes in the era of the Rishonim to the Jerusalem Talmud on the Seder Kodshim portion, no portion of it survives today.
Noah’s plan for a temporary Jewish homeland in the United States – the restoration of the Jews to Eretz Yisrael and the reestablishment of Jerusalem as the eternal Jewish capital was always the ultimate goal – may have had its genesis in his removal from a high government position because he was Jewish.
If we valued, recognized, made more space for the wisdom of the hands, we'd allow more people to feel successful, accomplished, seen in our community.
October 2, 2026 
