יום רביעי, כ״ד חשוון תשפ״זWednesday, November 4, 2026
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By Irwin Cohen
Because of the timing of Yom Tov a couple of weeks ago, the local Orthodox community was shut out in catching football and baseball in person, but about 20 people I know took in the opening night game of the Detroit Red Wings hockey season.
By Leah Choai
The moment I stepped inside, I was struck by how the space manages to be modern and elegant without feeling cold.
According to a 2013 study cited by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the median cost of one IVF cycle in the United States is $19,234. Some more recent estimates put this figure even higher.
Rabbi Shmuel ben Avraham Aboab, was among the foremost Sephardic Sages of the seventeenth century.
By Mendi Glik
In general, Dedi did a lot of chesed. While he was considered a chasidic singer, some of his songs are very Zionist and patriotic and talk about our zechus (right) to be in Eretz Yisrael – something we find less among other classical chasidic singers.
You are certainly in command of your own decisions. And dating is hard. And exhausting. Unfortunately, you are absolutely being short-sighted and overly selective.
In Parshat Lech Lecha, Avraham shatters the assumptions of his world. Surrounded by idol worship and inherited beliefs, he dares to ask: what if there is something greater, unseen, and just?
Sutro opened his own estate to the public and he was heralded as a populist for various astute acts of public generosity, such as opening an aquarium and an elaborate and beautiful, glass-enclosed entertainment complex called the Sutro Baths – which housed seven swimming pools (one freshwater, six saltwater), 517 changing rooms, and could accommodate an unfathomable 7,400 bathers – a museum and an ice-skating rink.
If someone would ask you if you would feel like eating pizza or sushi after eating straight for twenty-four hours, what would you think?
By Nachum Segal
I am amazed at the diverse ways we celebrate Motzei Shabbos and marvel at how many in our community feel the need to make Motzei Shabbos special.
When my great-grandfather, Rabbi Moshe Dubinsky, arrived in America, he was shocked that Melava Malka wasn’t the norm, and marched across the neighborhood, inviting people to take part.
After the tragedy of Charlie Kirk, who was Christian, I was surprised to learn of his call to honor the Sabbath as a means to transform our lives.
The meal need not be elaborate, but the table should be set elegantly. Hymns whose message is to take the Shabbos spirit into the week ahead are sung.
By Alan Zeitlin
Jewish actor Saul Rubinek talks about his role as a rabbi in the 2022 film Shttl and starring in the new Off-Broadway play in Brooklyn called Playing Shylock.
The World Bank and modern economists confirm what the Torah taught millennia ago: societies that protect property rights thrive; those that don’t decay. Trust, not gold or oil, is the real wealth of nations.
While the mitzvah of tefillah obligates us to ask for what we believe we need, we do so with the awareness that only Hashem knows what is genuinely good for us.
The hours seemed to tick by for an eternity, as the afternoon light began to soften through the windows of the hospital. They paced, they spoke a little, and they prayed, sometimes with tears.
By Mendi Glik
While many of the secular Israeli songs were influenced by the Bible and respected Jewish tradition, some of them were totally inappropriate and disrespectful, and made a mockery of our tradition.
State-of-the-art campus in Chicago inspires hundreds of students at Lubavitch Girls High School to learn deeply and live with purpose.
Use this as an opportunity to widen your circle. Share meals with new people, attend community events, and visit new places. This will allow you to meet people who are not in your direct social circle who may have new dating possibilities for you.
Across a long life that spanned the collapse of the Habsburg world, two World Wars, the Holocaust, and the founding of the State of Israel, Schick combined scientific innovation with leadership in Jewish medical institutions, philanthropic circles, and public-health education aimed at protecting children – an ethic he framed repeatedly with moral language rooted in Jewish concern for life.
By Marc Gronich
Earlier this year, Lawler decided not to run for governor against Hochul, but he didn’t hold back from attacking her.
It seems preposterous to me that an ark containing many thousands of animals – and a year’s supply of food for them – could possibly be seaworthy if it were made from reeds.
In the Torah, the term laziness is not found; rather, unwillingness is used. This is because our mindset is geared toward being high achievers and creating outcomes that meet the expectations set for us.
The truth is, what we call laziness often has wisdom in it. Your body might be saying slow down. Your mind might be signaling, This feels overwhelming or This is scary.
It is an explanation of convenience when the adults in charge are more interested in blaming than in looking for a more accurate and helpful explanation for what is going on.
Lazy is the shorthand we use when we don’t want to do that work. It’s ironically the path of least resistance – a way to explain our behavior without actually understanding it.
There’s a fine line between lazy and intentional. It may appear like we're avoiding certain tasks, when really we're prioritizing where to expend our energy and focus. (At least, that's what I keep trying to explain to my accountant!)
By Mendi Glik
As we know, Hashem created the levana (moon) on the fourth day, and it’s also the subject of one of Avraham Fried’s songs. His album Bracha Vehatzlacha was released in 1995 and is one of my favorites.
Chani tried to view this dispassionately. Why wouldn’t he date her? Lieba was a sweet, pretty girl from a good family.
Much has been written about the theatrical elements of his “reign” and the popular tolerance that allowed a self-declared emperor to roam a major American city free of serious harassment.
The Thirteen Middos are more than a prayer formula; they are a blueprint for our personal transformation.
Some of my family’s most joyous memories come from those last few minutes of the Seder, when there are just one or two pages left to turn. We’re about to finish the penultimate song, and we get to its very last stanza – Who knows thirteen?
Everyone was so focused on my brother becoming bar mitzvah that no one remembered it was my birthday too! A milestone birthday. I had become a teenager.
For me as a youngster I couldn't wait to turn thirteen. I would finally be a TEENAGER. The world was going to open up for me.
On a mystical level, 13 is not merely not unlucky, it represents fullness, holiness, and unity, specifically the unity of Hashem.
The more responsible our choices → self-esteem strengthens → ego shrinks → perspective widens → more of reality comes into view → our madreigah rises → bitachon deepens.
Since the Moskowitzes already knew and adored him, it was no big deal to pick Lieba up. Greeting her parents was friendly and informal, not the usual farher-by-the-father type of meeting.
By Marc Gronich
The new street sign is under a beautiful tree on the corner ready for someone to look up and get some shade and think about what Rabbi Halpern did for the shul, Rabbi Perelson added.
Hirszenberg was born in Łódź, in the Russian partition of Poland, the eldest son of a poor Jewish weaver, who was initially opposed to Samuel's artistic ambitions, which were viewed as incompatible with the values of traditional Jewish life.
Today, Chol HaMoed looks different. It’s about the kids. Taking them to the local jumping place, the orchard, or up to the mountains for air that feels fresher somehow when it’s wrapped in Yom Tov.
By Avi Ganz
Chol HaMoed represents the weekdays or mundane days of the holiday. It isn't less holiday and more mundane, but they are a time to see the festival as it manifests beyond the days during which creative activity is forbidden.
By Keshet Starr
When I think about Chol HaMoed trips, part of what comes to mind is pressure. Pressure to have the best, most exciting trips ever – while also cleaning up from Yom Tov, preparing for the next Yom Tov, and, oh right, working!
In Beit Shemesh we had the Rock and Soul Festival which I usually performed in. So, then we would not go on a trip during the day.
By Hillel Fuld
On these strange days, people have different customs. Some people don’t write, for example, while others do. The one thing that all Jews have in common is that on those days, there is a lot of quality family time.
Chazal observe that lifespan, children, and livelihood are not contingent on merit or effort but on mazal. In these matters, we usually need to do what is considered to be the normal hishtadlus.
Chani appraised the self-righteous young woman, who herself looked rather unkempt in her baggy clothing, scuffed shoes, and unruly haircut. Was the ink even dry on her diploma? What did this young woman’s own apartment look like, that would give her the right to pass judgment?
By Dena Meyer
Rebbetzin Neustadt describes a Jewish woman as having the roots of the family tree. A tree’s roots are hidden deep into the ground tapping into an unlimited source of water for nourishment.
Indeed, the October 7 massacre was no more and no less than a blip on the radar screen for Hamas, which has been waging war against Israel since its creation in 1987 – in Israel proper and against the Jews the world over, and against the Western nations as well.
I appreciate your willingness to put in the work. You are happy to do the “right thing.” You just don’t know what that is anymore.
What makes this edition even more significant is its place in the history of Hebrew printing.
By Mendi Glik
For those of you who are hearing about them for the first time, run to YouTube or Spotify right after Havdalah. Your Chol HaMoed travels are going to be a lot of fun – their music and rhythm are very upbeat.
This “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality can occur at every wealth level. You will never be able to earn your way out of this approach to life.
The long-term consequences of Carter’s engagement with groups like Hamas were reflected not just in diplomatic circles, but also in the shifting narratives of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within American discourse.
The subtitle Forty Heroes is not entirely accurate – there are 41 stories in the Hebrew and 43 in the English version, beautifully translated by Sara Daniel – but the word heroes is incredibly apt.
By Maayan Zik
I follow Chabad traditions and usually a gartel of that caliber is worn by married men. It turns out that bar mitzvahed boys in Chabad also wear a gartel, but it’s thinner and hidden under the shirt. It is the difference between a single man and a married man.
We could hand-wring over this, as some do, seeing it as a turning away from a more rigorous Judaism to one that is more accepting.
The gartel is serious business, but also a reminder that even in the most disciplined practices, there’s room for personality, preference, and humor.
A common custom is to wear a gartel either in accordance with the last approach or because it signifies the differentiation between what is higher and lower about people.
The struggle for every Jew is finding a way to strike a balance between physicality and spirituality. Most of us are not in an environment that is fully focused on ruchnius.
The young Israeli's most notable achievement was securing his first-ever Grand Slam singles victory in the first round.
The intensity of the match was matched by the fervent atmosphere created by Sasson's supporters.
In our community, with its many large families, very often a rebbe or a teacher will be privileged to teach several siblings of one family. If big brother is a super-achiever, most likely his younger brothers have heard the refrain Why can’t you be more like your brother? Parents must avoid the impulse to do the same thing.
Yes, there are those who have unrealistic expectations and standards, both men and women alike. It is important to be able to compromise and never settle. But that is a whole other topic.
As Yom Kippur approaches, we are called to reflect not only on our choices, but also on the apparent randomness that shapes our lives.
As we find ourselves between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Rav Amital is the perfect figure to reflect upon.
Printed with the Hadrat Kodesh commentary and following the customs of the Kahal Kadosh Ashkenazim, this impressive edition stands out not only for its rich liturgical content but also for its craftsmanship.
By Irwin Cohen
Harold is saving the best for last. He wants to have a bar mitzvah next year at 103. After all, it's only 90 years past due.
Effi ran up to the car to greet his brother-in-law, who addressed the rest of the crowd like a royal pausing to greet the peasants from his carriage.
By Mendi Glik
When preparing for a performance, it’s very important to know how to choose a piece. It’s not enough for the cantor just to like the music. It has to be a piece that matches his voice.
By Marc Gronich
The event was emceed by Assemblyman Kalman Yeger (D - Midwood), who spoke strongly about antisemitism in government, singling out New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, among others.
As members of Klal Yisrael, I would hope that we would all offer empathy and compassion. Telling someone NOT to feel is not our way. Discouraging someone from feeling sad or mad or hurt doesn’t work. It doesn’t erase feelings.
Perhaps you’re thinking of cherubs. Those may be described as having a childlike face, based on the Talmud. But cherubs are also characterized in Tanach as weapon-wielding guardians, and several medieval Jewish thinkers see them as referring to intelligence, so that reference doesn’t fit either.
By Eli Lebowicz
Yes, we’re flawed, but that imperfectness makes us strive to do better.
By Adina Broder
Angels are perfect in obedience, yet they lack free will. This leads to a paradox: while it is true that they are incapable of sinning, they are also unable to choose virtue, being forced to comply with their directives without the option to disobey.
My hope is that our students see in their teachers not unattainable angels, but human beings reaching upwards – and that they too will be moved to live in an angelic way, lifting themselves and those around them closer to Hashem.
Angelic, to the Chumash, seems to mean something else entirely: something that is wildly interventionist – even sometimes violent. Angels do not stand by and passively watch. They engage.
As the Romantic movement reached its crescendo across Europe in the early nineteenth century, few collaborations seemed as unlikely – and as fruitful – as that between Lord Byron, the scion of English nobility and a literary enfant terrible, and Isaac Nathan, an observant Anglo-Jewish composer and musicologist.
Because birth order can affect most children in the same ways, there are ways that you can help your children overcome weaknesses that birth order has thrown their way.
Any misstep is publicized globally, and with social media, it's on display almost immediately and intensely. That is the price of being royal – of being in the extremely tiny minority. Of having all eyes on you on the balcony.
In some situations, divorce is the best solution; however, there are too many divorces due to interfering in-laws, immaturity in the couple, and other factors that can be remedied. I believe that many of the marriages that end in divorce can be saved.
As a follower of Rabbi Hirsch, he believed in the formula of Torah im Derech Eretz, which he defined as steadfast loyalty to Torah and tradition combined with participation in the social, economic and cultural life of the country where the Jew has been welcomed as a citizen.
We recall that a person suffering from a phobia – such as claustrophobia – acknowledges reality. He is not deluded; he knows his fear is irrational. This is fundamentally different from someone who insists that their distorted perception is correct.
By Mendi Glik
Do not have any excuses. The Torah is not far away. You don’t have to reach the heavens or cross the ocean in order to learn Torah and do mitzvot.
By Irwin Cohen
First thing that impressed me about him was how he spoke about October 7. He was filled with compassion for the Jewish people and for the soldiers defending Israel. He bought protective vests, armored vests, for soldiers so they should be safer when they go into battle.
We can argue that Yaakov was destined to replace Eisav as having the right of the firstborn, and thus that Rivka’s deceiving Yitzchak, which brought about that result, had Divine sanction.
Chani and Mindy exchanged a glance, silently communicating, I’d get my dysfunctional family out of debt and back into their own house! But Mindy only said, I’d get a bigger house, for sure!
Switching yeshivas is a significant life decision. It will be disruptive, and another school may have a different style, hashkafa, or other attributes that don’t make it your first choice. However, tough choices need to be made to address your predicament.
Mikneh Avraham occupies a singular place in the evolution of Hebrew grammatical literature.
By Marc Gronich
I’m not bottling it up. I’ve cried many times. I cry every single day. Someone said I have a heart of metal. That’s not correct.
First, you need to believe in the system. You need to have faith in your parents and their research. You need to have confidence in their understanding of you and your wants and needs.
October 30, 2026 
