יום שבת, כ״ג אלול תשפ״וSaturday, September 5, 2026
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When scholars consider whether the swastika was a Jewish symbol in the sense that the Star of David or the Menorah is a Jewish emblem, the answer from mainstream academic literature is that there is no evidence that Jewish religious authorities, rabbinic leadership, or organized Jewish communities adopted the swastika as a recognized symbol of Judaism.
Eight nights of celebration, gatherings with family, friends, co-workers, and community events at shul, plus the tradition of gift-giving—what better time to open a few great bottles or share them as thoughtful gifts?
Naturally, matters aren’t quite so simple. Questions arise, such as: What do we do about the 20% of Israel’s population that isn’t Jewish? What if the Muslims demand that they be judged under sharia law? And how do we deal with the multiplicity of criminal offenses that didn’t even exist in the Talmudic era?
By Marc Gronich
The message of the menorah, as the Rebbe said, is a multiple message but first and foremost, it’s a universal message. We live in a world of darkness. Never more than today do we see the darkness. The menorah comes along and tells every human being, regardless of race, color, or creed, the answer is do not fight it, illuminate it.
The dreidel should be celebrated as the healthiest and financially friendly Chanukah item. The dreidel is not fattening – it is 100 percent fat-free, sugar-free and salt-free.
Regardless of our hard work, experience, and effort, we all still need a bit of mazal to be successful. You can make all the right decisions, but if your timing is off, nothing else matters.
Is the dreidel just a toy? To some, possibly. But to those who know it’s supposed history, it’s a device that allowed the safe study of Torah in a time of persecution.
By Avi Ganz
Chanukah tells us that sometimes, especially in the dark and cold of winter/Galus, we need to let go of our supposed control and let the Divine run the show.
Explanations for the dreidel's significance range from the practical to the mystical.
By Eve Glover
She encourages people who want to try something new and different to make classic potato latkes and add fun and exotic toppings, such as black caviar, scallions, or a teriyaki drizzle.
The deployment is being coordinated from Israel as the team departs Ben Gurion Airport en route to Sydney. Zaka officials said responders will provide both technical assistance and spiritual support to local communities grappling with the aftermath of the attack.
By Anonymous
We got in the car to go home. She sat silently in the back seat as my husband and I tried to figure out how the kitchen and cooking were going to have to change. I silently snuck a glance at her as we drove down the highway. Her blank, emotionless face was periodically illuminated by the street lights as we drove.
The advantage of identifying this behavior, and labeling it is that the child can now get help. The disadvantage is that the label can become an excuse, a crutch which will then continue to allow this behavior rather than devise means of dealing with the challenge.
As parents, your first responsibility is to create emotional safety for your children. This may mean limiting visits to environments that are consistently stressful or damaging.
By Mendi Glik
Where does their inspiration come from? They tell me they are inspired by world events as well as personal experiences.
You have, without question, a rare Mizrach of significance and beauty made by your great-grandfather, who, until this very moment, was an unknown, unrecognized but highly skilled papercut artist living in Minneapolis.
In a city where kosher hotel options had long been scarce, Vayalen Boutique Hotel fills a real need. It’s not just about beds and breakfasts: for observant Jews visiting Vienna – whether for leisure, family visits, or community – the hotel offers a base that respects kashrut, Shabbat observance, and Jewish identity.
It rarely makes sense to have retirement accounts scattered at various institutions, especially old employers. It’s better to consolidate old accounts into an IRA to keep your assets organized.
A person with theoretically perfect self-esteem and zero ego would feel no urge to control others or the world. They would see clearly that their true domain lies solely in their own choices – nothing more, nothing less.
Although truth be told, Velvel had mixed feelings about the idea of Zahava getting married. He wasn’t sure how he’d survive if Zahava left his home; he was way too used to her arranging their home and their lives.
By Marc Gronich
The memorial will include works of art for the public to view. The artist selection process will be led by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ “Percent for Art” program in consultation with artists, historians, and Holocaust survivors. The Public Design Commission will also be involved in the initiative.w
When we first meet Yosef, he is seventeen, full of dreams and unaware of their weight. In one dream, his brothers’ sheaves bow before his. The sun, moon, and stars bow in another. These dreams center on status.
Green flags do not offer the same shock value as their red counterparts, but they are even more important.
Qatar funds American think tanks such as the Brookings Institution, invests in American businesses, and has many journalists around the world on its payroll, enabling them to influence reporting about events in the Middle East.
Originally written in Arabic so as to reach the masses at that time, Chovos Halevavos in its Hebrew translation mirrors this erudite style, making it difficult to understand Rabbeinu Bachya’s main points
As we look back over the past 50 years, we feel enriched that the Almighty has given us this opportunity to provide something that has proven to be so successful and so influential.
Contrary to its name, the Tower has no direct connection to King David, yet its name and its stones tell a complex story of conquest, religion, empire, destruction, and preservation.
It’s an historic moment not just for our ADI family but the entire State of Israel. Despite the great need, Israel has never had any formal educational programming for Certified Prosthetists and Orthotists (CPOs).
By Eli Lebowicz
Whenever a company or non-Jewish institution must issue a statement of solidarity or seasonal greetings to the broader Jewish community, they always show a menorah for some reason, no matter what the message is about or no matter what holiday it is; it’s not a meaningful message from the goyish world without some candles.
Candles shouldn’t matter anymore. They belong to another age – like quills and clay stoves, things replaced by convenience. And yet, candles endure. They wait on shelves and windowsills, marking moments no lightbulb can reach. We light them to remember, celebrate, begin, end, and to sanctify.
Shortly after my daughter got married, both she and my mother came for the weekend. As we lit candles, I realized that this was the first time that three generations were simultaneously ushering in Shabbos.
One thing they all have in common is the unique character of the candle which shares its light without diminishing its own ability to shine.
By David Curwin
With the arrival of electricity, meanings evolved. Menorah came to mean any lamp or light fixture, while nurah, a modern coinage, was adopted for “light bulb.” That shift left ner to take on its modern meaning: candle.
Almost all anxiety is normal. It’s what you do with anxiety that makes it normal or not normal. In reality, everyone is going to become anxious about changes, new experiences, and risks, but the way different people deal with those anxieties is key.
We are a young couple with several children, and I come from a warm, loving home. My husband’s parents are divorced, and at times I see similarities between him and his father that worry me.
Despite my background in shadchanas, I must admit that I am no expert on today’s dating scene. I have been out of the parsha for a long time, and expectations and social etiquette may have changed.
When a person descends into absolute nature, his conduct brings no real value to his neshama or to Creation. Absent teshuvah, there is nothing he could do that would outrank the benefit of being used as a kli to openly demonstrate free will.
Lakewood has all the stores we have in Brooklyn, and more! Zahava gushed. And there’s parking everywhere you go—it’s awesome! I never once had to circle to find a spot!
By Mendi Glik
Ahavat Yisrael – loving and caring for another Jew as though he were you – is something which is identified with Rav Neria, zt”l. Over the years, his students have told many stories about how he loved them, how he cared about each of them, and how he loved Am Yisrael.
By Anonymous
In my mind, there’s a “before,” a “during,” and a hopeful “after.” Where are we now? I want to say we’re still in the “during.” Because there have been so many “befores” setbacks.
Maller, who was one of the original founders of Crave Restaurant, also in Jerusalem, set out on his own to open Mojo’s. His goal: To execute great food, with love, all the time.
Collectors and scholars alike will appreciate the additional significance of this edition. It marks the first publication of a comprehensive alphabetical subject index, prepared from the writings of the school of ha-Rav ha-Zaken, gadol be-doro, R. Baruch Uziel.
After three weeks, you should be sure that you are able to communicate well and have shared values and goals. You should have formed some level of connection and have an appreciation for their character and personality.
Our strength for this daily work actually comes from giving to others. Every child’s smile, every “thank you” from a family that has been through a difficult period reminds us why we started this journey.
R. Betzalel Naor takes us on a journey through a dizzying kaleidoscope of sources to understand the nature of chassidus. What is the goal of chassidus? What are its methodologies? What is its allure in the modern era?
There are stories – some plausible, albeit not well documented – that Elvis’s managers advised him, in the racially charged environment of mid-century America, not to emphasize a Jewish heritage because of concerns about the prejudices of Southern audiences.
You were a very special physician, the old-time doctor who made house calls and telephoned patients to see how they were doing. You were a man of truth and honor. There are very few doctors around these days who do, or even want to do, what you were willing to do.
For such a complex word, it has a real simple etymology – it comes from the word pack, which means… pack! Add a diminutive, pluralize it, and you get pekalach!
When a loved one passes, we don’t wish we could trade them for someone else, even if an illness took them from us in a horrible way or much too soon. Only because we cannot isolate pain from pleasure, love, and meaning is it true that we would not trade away our suffering.
The same word morphed from childish sweetness to an adult weight. And for a while, I thought that was the whole story: that growing up meant swapping candy bags for burdens.
Perhaps we should not sweat the small stuff – the pekalach – but be grateful and feel blessed that we do not have to deal with a life-draining pekel.
We must learn to be grateful for our pekelach in life – our personal lot – because, as the saying goes, if everyone were to place their own bundle of challenges in the middle of the room, each person would ultimately choose their own back again.
From a life-altering accident to the world’s biggest tournaments, Sasson has become one of Israel’s most compelling sports figures – powered by resilience, faith, and fierce national pride.
Once your child’s playdate arrives, don’t just leave the room. Instead, suggest some activities that will get things going. Taking out puzzles, musical instruments, or blocks are great ways to break the ice. Once the children begin to play together, take a backseat, but be available in case they need you.
The good news is that while we cannot remove technology from our homes entirely, we can create a healthier and more boundaried relationship with it.
Sharabi watched the people around him carefully. He tried to engage them, not by way of sympathizing with them but to make the best of the awful situation.
When we misuse our free will, we become a kli (a "vehicle" or a "vessel") whose role shifts to supporting those who are fulfilling their primary Divine purpose (Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, Strive for Truth, Vol. II, 75-76).
By Mendi Glik
Yativ has always understood that music is a key to the soul. His goal is to create music with messages of emunah and closeness to Hashem.
It was also therapeutic for Rikki to confide in Zahava during their long hours lying on lounge chairs by the pool, justifying her divorce by laying out the full panoply of her ex’s indiscretions and faults.
While I realize that your question is post marriage, it’s worth pointing out that a couple’s approach to money should be in sync and laid out BEFORE they tie the knot.
The food is thoughtfully executed, the environment is welcoming, and the restaurant lives up to its name: the meal feels crafted, not just prepared.
By Irwin Cohen
Once, while chatting in the late '80s, he eyed my World Series ring. I took it off and he looked at it closely and said softly, I don't have one yet.
What is different today is that the expulsions will be not by government edicts, which could be appealed in court, but, with government and public cooperation, through violence, termination of employment, boycotts of Jewish-owned businesses, bans on attending public events, and so on – in other words, social pressure.
Do you also notice those flaws? Do they bother you? If they do, why don’t you take steps to change them?
In Tanach, Achithophel was King David’s brilliant counselor, so sharp in judgment that Scripture says seeking his advice was like inquiring from the word of G-d.
Behavioral science shows how powerfully environment shapes us. Who exercises, overspends, smokes, or shows up for family is often less about conviction than we like to believe. We are social creatures. If your friends go to the gym, you are more likely to go. If your colleagues drink heavily or live beyond their means, you may drift with them.
Growing up, we loved watching the Food Network and its various cooking shows. I have two sisters and two brothers and we are all food-centered. My youngest brother whips up delicious food now too! I’m so proud!
The lack of previous entanglement with the Mandate or with Jewish–Arab issues was precisely why the British government selected him: it wanted someone perceived as impartial, with no record of favoring Zionist, Arab, or imperial political positions.
I took one bite, said, Blech! and washed it down with the only drink I had, extremely sweet Manischewitz.
I remember growing up, gefilte fish looked different. The traditional old school look of it was football shaped and the size of your hand, not logs.
At 17, I had previously encountered gefilte fish, but I didn't understand that it was a common first course for Shabbos lunch.
I like mine with chrayonaise – that’s a glorious mix of chrain (horseradish) and mayonnaise. Once you try it, you’ll understand. It’s the perfect blend of spice and smooth – like a good marriage.
Gefilte fish, dips, chopped liver, sweet and sour meatballs – no. Serve the meatballs and the liver as part of the main meal. You can even put out some dips. But skip that first course.
Be truthful even if it is painful. In such tenuous situations, children sense gaps in the story or can begin to mistrust their parents if they find out later that information has been concealed or distorted.
We turn to You, the G-d of mercy, You, who we fear and adore, Please heed our prayers and pleas and bring relief, For our battered souls cannot take too much more.
If someone grew up feeling inadequate, unseen, or unworthy of love, it can be difficult to internalize love and appreciation later in life.
By Mendi Glik
While there are so many wedding songs out there in the Jewish music world (which I wouldn’t be able to cover in one column), I’d like to recommend one which might not be the most well-known wedding song but is really beautiful.
Fear doesn't just unsettle us; it can help bring about the very outcomes we dread. Worry is a misuse of the imagination that can lead to dire consequences.
They chit-chatted for a little while, speculating on Hennie’s shidduch while carefully avoiding the subject of Effi.
Not every family is fortunate to have extra dollars to spend on non-essential items. Many individuals in our community are just getting by.
By Marc Gronich
Delgado has made clear that he has many differences with Hochul on the issues including housing, energy, education, childcare, utility monopolies, tax credits for businesses, and style of governing.
The right seat is more than a box on an org chart. It is the alignment of someone’s natural strengths with the role they occupy.
For an introvert, dating can be painful, as they struggle to overcome their innate reserved personalities.
Pollard’s recruitment by Israeli handlers and the timeline of his espionage are matters on which documentation is clearer than his motives and consequences.
Children are not nachas machines. Children are human beings, messy combinations of nature and nurture, who are put on this earth to navigate their own journeys.
By Avi Ganz
According to AI, nachas is a Yiddish word that translates to deep pride and joy, especially the kind felt from the accomplishments or meaningful actions of a loved one, particularly one's children.
By Ariela Davis
It’s one thing to have nachat from kids because they get a good grade or follow the path we hope they will follow.
Often, parents view nachas as the payoff for cleaning up diapers and vomit, helping with countless hours of homework and hanging on during the roller coaster that is the teenage years. Even if that payment is not made immediately, it is still viewed as deserved when it comes to fruition in adulthood.
Over the centuries, women have taken on positive time bound mitzvot which bring them nachat such as listening to the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah, shaking the lulav and sitting in the sukkah.
September 4, 2026 
