יום חמישי, כ״א אלול תשפ״וThursday, September 3, 2026
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The document was written by the Noda Beyehuda, to his employers, the parnassim (community leaders) of Prague, confirming receipt for his salary as Chief Rabbi of the city.
Some critics suggest that the Frankenstein monster was named after Jacob Frank who, at the time that Shelley wrote her novel, was perhaps not only the dominant issue in the Jewish world of Eastern Europe but was very well known in non-Jewish circles as well.
If we ever find ourselves dismissively commenting about the detail-orientation of halacha, or of other communities' halachic observance, perhaps we can remember that when we really care, we can indeed be very invested in the minute differences between Williamsburg Blue and its neighbors in the fan deck.
This leads many to suggest that language impacts the distinctions which we make and perceive. In truth, this is not a new idea.
By Maayan Zik
Blue is the color of remembrance as we acknowledge all the struggles and torments alongside all the joy and levity that has come packaged with the resilience and strength of a people loyal and dedicated to service, service of Hashem, of community, of family, of each other, etc.
As a New Yorker and a City Councilwoman, blue represents the brave men and women of the N.Y. City Police Department. They put on that blue uniform day in and day out, committed to making our city a safe place for its citizens.
It is easy to connect with people when things are good and they are walking around with their head up high and looking towards the sky. It is more difficult to connect with a person when they are downtrodden and can barely look straightforward, let alone upwards.
It is hard to respond when one has no clue what is intended to be communicated. Saying I don’t understand is a bit cruel because he cannot explain what he intended.
Occasionally there are extraordinary purchases, which cause even an experienced bookseller to get emotional.
In fact, it was not Ben Gurion who came up with the phrase but, rather, he put forth the language that Beham had used in his draft weeks earlier before the politicians became involved in redrafting the document.
Whether there’s a bumblebee circling the conference room, snowflakes flurrying outside the classroom, or an alert buzzing on all the phones in the auditorium: trying to maintain everyone’s attention is a futile battle.
Bees get a bad rap. The bee is a real blessing for its role as pollinator of the world’s produce and flowers.
By Ira Stoll
The flowers and fruit get the glory, but without the pollination help from bees, they wouldn't bloom. Sometimes what looks dangerous, like a bee, can turn out to be a blessing.
By Anat Coleman
Queen-less bees become agitated. Have we ensured that those who rely on us for clear guidelines and expectations have received them, so they don't feel leader-less?
Children grow up so quickly. Just a minute ago, my three-year-old was a newborn baby. Now, I have two daughters. Watching them grow and change is the most fascinating thing to witness.
R. Tzvi Hirsch Katzenelebogen was born in to a wealthy family in Vilna, though a rabbi and associated with many of the greatest Orthodox rabbis of the day, he was also from the first to embrace Haskalah worldview.
In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the enigmatic factory, which operates behind mammoth locked iron gates – and from where no one ever comes out – continuously belches pillars of smoke out into the air, an unmistakable analogy to Nazi crematoria.
By Eli Lebowicz
Deciding to be fleishig is a tough commitment to make. And it’s pretty similar to the same fear of commitment that many people have (and often more so guys) when it comes to dating.
The guest list will be carefully curated, since the korban can only be slaughtered on behalf of its specific group.
By Jordana Baruchov Grreenfield
No one will ever get to the bottom of why we are meant to not eat milk and meat together since it’s a chok. So why have commandments we don’t get?
When you think of home, is it not in your taste buds that the most elemental memories reside? Tell me what, how, where and with whom you eat, and I’ll tell you who and what you are.
One of my favorite foods is a juicy steak prepared medium rare. The reason why is because this type of dish is tender, retains moisture, and is most flavorful, especially if the outside is caramelized and seared.
Having assessed the lump as less than life-threatening, Dr. N. kindly used the opportunity to administer the standardized Memory Test of which I have spoken. The same questions posed to Hubby, as in the years gone by, but different answers this time.
By Alan Zeitlin
One former leader, who was brought to Poland by the ACJF in September 2022, was former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was given the AJCF Fighting Hatred award. Some of his comments were shared on social media, and Simony said he was “deeply impressed” by Schwarzenegger’s words.
For this column, I thought I would share some interesting items relating to Pesach that have appeared at auction, are in a museum, or are from my personal collection.
Ayeka was a call to action – where are you going in life and what would you like to change?
By Eve Glover
After experiencing devastating periods of starvation, food is nostalgia and comfort. When these survivors cook recipes they remember by heart, it transports them to happier times spent with loved ones.
The Shadal’s beliefs, teaching, and writings were characterized by the strictest fidelity to halacha, and he was perhaps the fiercest critic of Jewish Science and higher Torah criticism.
David Ben Gurion famously remarked that In Israel, in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.
Two more random thoughts about miracles: Everyone, religious or not, hopes for a miracle. And when times are trying, we even pray for one.
By Akiva Kra
While miracles are everywhere, the revival of the dead, a talking donkey, and an oil jug that pours endlessly certainly stand out.
By dvora
Through centuries, we survive, we thrive Though dispersed throughout the world
As I was crossing Yafo Street towards Sbarro, the driver, for no reason, ran across the street from where he was waiting for me, grabbed me by the shirt, and told me not to bother since he was in a rush and not in the mood for pizza.
The necessity to advise your loved one’s doctor of the changing realities, may present itself as an awkward situation to navigate. This problem does not only apply with family of those with memory loss or dementia.
At the end of Vayikra, several blank leaves were bound, containing eight handwritten pages, with a detailed report of the extreme weather conditions during the autumn and winter of the following years: 1839, 1842, 1844, 1847, 1850, 1852, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1860 and 1861.
R. Auerbach’s recognition of the State of Israel was so profound that he ascribed to it the term “The Kingdom of Israel,” a term which he applied broadly to a broad range of halachic issues, such as the definition of Eretz Yisrael.
According to the Kabbala, the ancient tomb also holds the first human couple – Adam and Eve.
It is not surprising therefore that the only word we have to associate with this concept, rishon, comes from the most basic human feature, the head, a connection made by the 12th-13th century figure, Rabbi David Kimhi.
Being first is usually considered a good thing – first come, first served and all that.
Lots of people who did things that ultimately led to our world being safer, better, and stronger had to put up with much mockery and criticism.
The confluence of being a first-born and a kohein (and also a rabbi) obligates me to live an elevated life as a role model to others.
Perhaps I was in a rush, or my mind was elsewhere, but at least one of my pills, probably a vitamin D 1000, went into my larynx and blocked my airways. I began choking, and it became worse and worse.
At end of his writings in this volume, R. Guttentag writes in Hebrew "These comments were written in the city of Kolshek, in 1903, in my stay there for a few days while in hiding from the ambushing Russians who were searching for me to conscript me to the Army."
Freleng, who was self-taught and had no formal training in animation, began his incredible career at United Film Advancement Services at age 17, where he met a fellow animator who later introduced him to Walt Disney, who invited him to join the Disney Studio in California.
Seven is typified by the sanctity of Shabbos. Each week is influenced by the Shabbos that preceded it and by the build up toward the following Shabbos. In other words, seven represents the yearning to infuse the mundane with the spiritual.
What she produced is a singular work describing the life of a Jewish woman, filled with faith, mussar, and stories that impart lessons to her descendants. At the outset of the project Glikl states that she plans to write seven little books. Why seven?
By Chaim Saiman
There is little consensus on how the Torah’s social vision should apply to our present condition, whether viewed in terms of tilling the soil or understanding what Shemittah means in an economy that runs on high tech rather than agriculture.
By Avi Ganz
As early civilization was arranging the calendar, they weren't looking at the Jewish Bible for direction, they were looking to the universe for their relative place within it.
The Ramban suggests the miraculous is hidden within the mundane. That teva itself is really all miracles. That we wake up, breath, survive and thrive is all miraculous. Nothing can ever be taken for granted.
By Alan Zeitlin
Deciding to do comedy full-time was part exciting and part downright terrifying, Lebowicz told The Jewish Press.
After two years of Covid-19 lock-downs, I must admit that the superficiality of my old mantra is more than embarrassing. It was a product of a Beverly Hills business in the world of fashion.
The Jews of Ponovezh were from the first to suffer. In the spring of 1915, the Germans had approached the Baltic coast, Zeimelis and Bauska. Nikolai Nikolaevich, the Tsar’s uncle, had to explain the defeat and he accused all Jews as being spies and expelled them all in 24 hours.
Carvalho’s broad public fame was not based entirely upon his critical role in the Dreyfus case, which was but one of the many famous cases in which he served as a graphology expert.
By JJ Eleff
Morals are degrading, the stories keep getting crazier, and everything seems backwards. But then I remind myself that no matter the culture, background, religion, or nationality, when a baby is born there is a bliss that transcends it all.
To be honest, when I saw this as the word prompt, I felt a pit in my stomach. There is so much pain and struggle associated with this word.
By Hillel Fuld
Why did G-d even create this thing called pregnancy? Why not just make babies come to this world without the nine-month pregnancy period?
The reason we are put here on earth is not only to be a great person and correct our issues that will come up during our lives, but also to have children that will follow in the path of Torah and continue the branches of our tree.
By Keshet Starr
Many psychological studies demonstrate the pleasure we get from anticipation. Waiting for a vacation, for example, is statistically even more fun than the vacation itself.
The sefer Torah was commissioned by everyone in shul. Every single congregant has a share in the writing of this unique sefer Torah. Most of the shul members are almost as old as the shul, and they are by no means wealthy.
There is only so much that one’s brain can deal with when assaulted with non-stop noise. In our case, each query requires an answer, and often the same one many times over.
I asked the team behind The Address what inspired them to open this specialty department store. They said that they saw the demographic of shoppers at the mall and wanted to try to cater to their needs.
They were made in huge numbers – many tens of thousands – and as such, are easily found in the marketplace. Whether Russian or Latvian in origin, the value is the same: $150-$200 per cup.
The Jewish Agency has accepted upon itself the responsibility for the children of the diaspora, to bring them to Eretz Yisrael and settle them in Eretz Yisrael.
Beautiful flowers will grow in the garden, they are the Children of Israel. From the heat of the sun they will swim, from heaven’s dew they will bloom again!
By Rabbanit Dr. Adena Berkowitz
All of us have a daily opportunity to model lives filled with Yiddishkeit together with integrating secular wisdom and modernity.
Sometimes these points of chachma come in bursts, overwhelming me, too much at once. So much potential, so much to do. What do I do first?
Usually, the mind is viewed as the seat of the intellect, of chachma, and emotions are associated with the heart. A term like chacham lev sounds like a paradox, but of course, it isn't one.
On some occasions chachma-related teachings appear downright bizarre: say to wisdom – you are my sister. While chachma bagoyim ta’amin (you can accept that non-Jews have wisdom), wisdom of the Greeks remains strictly off-limits.
Jewish students from many local high schools gathered in Industry City, Brooklyn to spend a full day creating prototypes of products that would benefit people living in the global south.
Hubby was really enjoying sharing his memory of a nighttime adventure that never happened. He was smiling and decided that I had not fully understood… so repeated it again.
His few months in Riga, from Dec 1939 to early 1940 when this letter was sent, found the Rebbe in the midst of a huge displacement of Jews and every attempt was made to ensure the escape of every person possible.
LBJ was an important initiator in providing American aid to Israel. As early as 1951, with Israel in desperate need of money and material to settle the massive influx of Jewish immigrants, he successfully lobbied the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for $150 million (equivalent to $1.66 billion in 2022 dollars) in support.
This Purim I won’t go overboard like the time I dressed as the Kotel, and invited strangers (female only) to kiss and pray before me.
Mordechai reminds Esther – and all of us – that engaging in advocacy in support of the Jewish people is important not because politics needs our intervention; it is important for our own personal futures.
Purim provides just enough time to engage with the fascinating ideas and narrative of Megillat Esther.
Things happen to us that seem haphazard and random; there seems to be no system in place, no direction to this cold and harsh universe. This is not true.
We, like Adam and Chava, must train ourselves to stop focusing on what we don’t have.
It has surprised me to learn that many of my friends have no idea what medications their spouses take each day.
As a teenager he desired to go to Eretz Yisrael, where his grandparents were living, but the realities of WWII made that impossible.
Omaha's relative isolation as a Jewish community allowed Rav Grodzinsky to focus more of his time on his writings, and in the ensuing decades, he wrote and published an impressive array of halakhic works.
Sabin’s interest in Eretz Yisrael began when he first traveled to the Middle East in 1943... The visit triggered his memories of his grandfather’s Torah stories about ancient Egypt and the Exodus and reawakened his Jewish feelings.
I have a wall of windows in my apartment, and every evening I try to watch the sunset. First it’s bright yellow and then it’s pink and orange and all of it is golden. Yes, my JERUSALEM OF GOLD, I will love you.
The funny thing about trends is our personal tastes and preferences seemingly go out the window.
August 28, 2026 
