יום שבת, א׳ תשרי תשפ״זSaturday, September 12, 2026
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Unlike King Solomon, I cannot communicate with animals and had to keep my sage advice to myself. Perhaps the next generation of genius, Israeli high tech innovators will figure out animal translation and resolve that dilemma.
In 1948, he was an 18-year-old student at the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland. Somehow, he caught wind of the fact that Zionist activists were looking for young men and women to help the Jewish state in unconventional ways. Herzel volunteered.
By Mendi Glik
Music has power. Sometimes music is the power behind big movements. OK, saying it’s the power behind movements might be too exaggerated, but it definitely accompanies and empowers movements and social processes.
Driving in the tri-state area can be very difficult. There is a lot of traffic and impatient drivers. I think for all of us who drive, we feel the constant frustration in dealing with so much craziness on the road.
Paul Gruninger paid a steep price for having the moral courage to disobey explicit instructions of the Swiss government. He was dismissed from the police force, convicted of breach of duty, official misconduct and forgery, and served time in prison.
Remarkably, the paper used for this edition bears watermarks identifying both the manufacturer and the individual who commissioned it: EIGER.
While this is not simple, it is certainly possible. While, you may see that you are less malleable, you may notice that you are wiser, and more focused on what truly matters in building a happy life.
By Ben Rothke
The book opens with Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin's observation of the Rogatchover. He writes that the Rogatchover was made of a completely different mold and material, and notes that no one was like him in his generation or in many generations before or after him.
By Moshe Hill
What makes this book truly remarkable is its brazenness. Rabbi Shore does not shy away from controversial topics, diving headfirst into the uncomfortable task of analyzing the mindset and internal logic of Adolf Hitler.
By Rabbi Dr. Leonard A. Matanky
While Rabbi Student does create space for opposing voices, he ensures that the positions explored are all in the spirit of the beit midrash – striving to uncover the deeper meaning of core beliefs.
Instead of only looking at “us” as good and “them” as bad, we need to examine our own choices. What’s inside our hearts and minds? Are we living well? Are we eating well? Are we distracted?
When the stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang premiered in London in 2002, it became the most successful stage show ever produced at the London Palladium and it ran for three-and-a-half years, the longest run in that century-old theatre's history.
By Marc Gronich
Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay (R - Pulaski, Oswego County) began by skewering Hochul for taking from one hand and putting it another.
By Ariela Davis
Living in Israel has provided me many eye-opening experiences to see that mentschlichkeit isn’t something unique to the frum world, or in my experience, even the Jewish world and is sometimes even missing in some aspects of the Torah world.
When it comes right down to it, there are way too many loud voices and zealots who are not really interested in a higher goal, but only in their ego, their position, etc. We must remember what our true goals are (or should be), which is shalom, loving others and bringing them closer to Torah.
By Martin Bodek
Know what’s funny? I was going to get into a whole etymology about the word origin and definition, but I got nostalgic. As a famous comedian used to say when completing his act, This isn’t the story I wanted to tell you.
How the Machlis family never reacts negatively to their outrageous guests is beyond me. How they continue to host with such dignity and grace, no matter what, is truly unreal.
Treat people with whom you disagree with respect and fairness. One is entitled to argue – even with one’s spouse – as long as you are fair.
At the prior ceremonies after the immediate passing of the Queen, he did not connect to what was occurring. We watched the television, but he did not understand who, what, when, or why it was all about. Hence, I changed the program.
Feeling like you are different can affect your self-esteem. And self-esteem is essential for forming healthy relationships.
History has taught us that antisemitism endangers any society which allows it to fester, so its rise threatens us all and must be confronted.
For every bad financial experience regarding kollel, I imagine there are many positive ones. The most non-financially stressful kollel experience requires a Yissachar and Zevulun relationship that is clearly defined from the onset.
The truth is that we can’t improve the situation without working on ourselves. Every person only has the power to change themselves.
Titled Limud VeSeder HaYeshivah Asher Be’Ir HaKodesh Chevron [The study and order of the day of the yeshiva in the Holy City of Hebron], this eighteenth-century document forges a connection between the Holy Land and the Jewish communities of the New World.
By Mendi Glik
You know how it is when a song gets stuck into your head and you keep humming it? This song just got into my head and I had to find it.
Today, it is critically important for people to sign an advance healthcare proxy and directive. Many choices must be made as people age or approach the end of life. People may no longer be able to speak for themselves, and sometimes decisions must be made quickly.
As the bus approached, Schein fired several shots before his gun jammed and, when Ben-Yosef tossed the grenade, it failed to detonate and the bus, with its 24 Arab passengers, drove away with its passengers unscathed.
Historically, Greece wasn't precisely the antagonist during the Maccabean era; instead, it was the Assyrian Greeks, a faction of the Greek Empire based in Syria.
As it is written in Eshet Chayil: Sheker hachen v'hevel hayofi, ishah yir'at Hashem hi tithalal. Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the L-rd is to be praised.
By Eli Lebowicz
Sure, people will say not to drive a German car, decide to skip movies with Mel Gibson, or never listen to a Kanye song, but I've never heard of anyone protesting driving a Ford Mustang or choosing to avoid Disney World.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe points out that in Hebrew, the name for ancient Greece, Yavan, has another meaning: quicksand – Water mixes with sand, dirt and clay. You step in it and you can't get out. The more you try to climb up, the further down you go.
I will turn to the Greeks of this season and tell our readers an adorable thing one of my grandsons said 14 years ago, after his grandfather died a few days before Chanukah.
No United Nations resolutions are passed condemning Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Islamic State, and other such groups. Pope Leftist, who accuses Israel of cruelty to Palestinian Arab children in the name of self-defense, remains silent regarding the African Holocaust.
Would an older parent be able to understand when their mate is in distress requiring medical attention? Would they be able to use the Heimlich maneuver to save their spouse from choking on their food if/when swallowing becomes problematic?
Rather than attempting to modify behaviors right away, Dr. Greene advocates for solving the underlying problems. That means that the challenging behaviors that we might want to change are symptoms of a larger issue that we should focus on rather than those specific challenging behaviors.
By Mendi Glik
I still love this music, but to some kids it was not appealing as it sounded kind of anachronistic. Not to mention that most (if not all) of the singers dress and look charedi; in other words, they didn’t look like rock stars.
The dynamic of talking in shul during prayer or the reading of the Torah, when all is said and done is, with regard to many congregants, a conscious willingness to pervert the fundamental spiritual decorum.
Aleinu is never recited during Mincha. However, according to the earliest edition of the Machzor from 1486, Aleinu is indeed recited on erev Yom Kippur when Mincha is observed earlier in the day. This precedent suggests that Aleinu should always be recited when Mincha is scheduled early.
It is inappropriate to date two girls at once. This applies to any number of dates that have passed. It’s wrong and there is no way to change that.
Simple in his habits, fearless, and having an unusual capacity for hard work, Rav Hildesheimer joined his great Talmudic learning to his practical administrative ability and, financially independent, he never accepted remuneration for his rabbinical activities.
We should focus philosophically on Hashem’s radical oneness, that Hashem is one being and is non-physical, and thus cannot be broken down into parts but remains forever singular and perfect.
Does faith emerge from recitation of Shema in shul, daily, on Shabbat, or when belted out as Yom Kippur wanes? These are powerful moments, but I think it’s the quieter, private moments of a child’s bedtime recitation of Shema that leaves the most lasting imprint on the developing mind.
He described his deep connection to the Torah of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt"l, despite never having heard his voice. This is not surprising – many people connect to the Torah of our great commentators and leaders who lived decades or centuries earlier, whose voices they never heard.
When we say Shema we do not declare our faith as much as instruct our faith. Listen, Israel, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One! We simultaneously declare it aloud and actively listen, accepting this as true in our hearts.
By David Curwin
In Modern Hebrew, shama typically means “to hear,” while the other two verbs convey to listen. Yet the earlier nuance of shama persists in the word mashmaut, significance, originally, that which is understood.
By Marc Gronich
A popular topic at the legislative reception was how a $20 million deficit in the town of East Ramapo School District turned into a $30 million surplus.
Rabbi Teichman seemed almost allergic to money. He gave his time, money and ideas for the klal. And Jew and non-Jew alike saw this.
The Senate hosted a notable Abraham Accords Reception, spearheaded by Los Angeles real estate developer Bobby Rechnitz, who has been a prominent advocate for bilateral agreements between Israel and several Arab nations.
One of the side effects of years of the Corona virus has been a decline in the availability of health care workers. Many qualified staff members went on to find other careers, as did those in the hotel or the restaurant industry. Those positions had to be filled promptly, and from the reports I have received, many nurses or aides in these facilities have very little background in nursing at all.
If resilience were a trait, something you had or didn’t have, there would be little we could do to foster it in our children. Part of what is so exciting – and important – about the work of youth development is that children’s resilience is largely determined by how parents and communities raise them.
By Irwin Cohen
Many Jews lived in his neighborhood and he picked up many Yiddish words and phrases that stayed with him. His vus machst du? was perfect and while he was a very religious Catholic, he knew more about Judaism than many Jews.
In my annual investment outlook, I always try to focus on strategies that are more practical for investors. My friend, Yoni Raab, suggested that this year I look to Parshas Mikeitz and Pharaoh’s dreams to glean some timeless Torah wisdom for investors to apply in the year ahead. As always, Mr. Raab’s suggestion turned out to be spot on.
It seems like Hashem gave you important things in life that money can’t buy. He gave you a special husband and a good family. These brachos are invaluable. Money does not buy happiness.
Even the feckless Palestinian Authority has finally taken steps to restore order and crack down on Hamas and other rebel groups in Jenin and other cities. The PA knows it will be held up to a higher standard by Trump, and it better get on his good side before he comes back to power.
By Mendi Glik
The narrator then prays to Hashem that he’ll lead him in the right way, so everyone will see that the tefillot are get accepted. He then asks Hashem to allow him to always smile, to be healthy, and sing.
Indeed, most of the 47 metal detector-find dreidels on display are of this design – but not all. I have come across six and eight-sided dreidels(!) as well, which I will expand upon.
Sit down for a minute. Just one minute, because this is going to be hard for you to hear. Date him. Date him with intention and an open mind and heart. Focus entirely on him when you date and give him the best version of you filled with enthusiasm and positivity.
Eliezer recalled how Rav Avi carried a sefer in one hand and a rifle in the other, seamlessly integrating his spiritual and physical duties. To Rav Avi, there was no contradiction – only harmony between protecting Am Yisrael and upholding Torah values.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game brought Von Tilzer great fame and, by the 1920s, he was no longer writing for vaudeville. He was now composing full scores for Broadway and then, after moving to Hollywood in 1930, he wrote songs for motion pictures.
By Marc Gronich
Last week Hochul vetoed one of Weprin’s bills that he had high hopes of being signed into law. It was a bill capping co-payments on physical therapy, which is usually prescribed post-surgery and generally not covered by insurance, Weprin said.
The crowd’s enthusiasm was palpable, contrasting sharply with the struggles of major Orthodox organizations to attract diverse audiences to their conventions. Here, people weren’t begged or nudged to attend; they came because they genuinely wanted to be part of something extraordinary.
By Avi Ganz
While we often think of Chanukah as a tale of great victory for the Jews (and for good reason! The Al Hanissim only mentions this aspect of the story), the fact is that Chanukah and its accompanying tails of bravery were and are about the temporary victory of a few brave and strong-hearted men.
About a week later when my melt Google doc remained blank and silent, I realized that my word was actually too good. Although theoretically I had many options, all of them fell flat when I tried to write them down.
The Chofetz Chaim said that Chazal gave us the holidays of Chanukah and Purim in the winter, representing the long and dark galus, to give us hope for eventual redemption.
By dvora
It is a metaphor for a world experiencing a severe meltdown of morals and rationality. A dangerous, combustible situation, spreading everywhere.
By Jason Maoz
COJO Flatbush is dedicated to making it easy and convenient for anyone to earn their GED diploma. You can even do so by applying any previous passing Regents exam scores – no matter how many years ago you earned them – toward your equivalency diploma.
As I have mentioned in a previous chapter (Parallel Realities), Hubby has become very confused by the programs he sees on our television. They are too complicated for him to follow. He often thinks that they are in a different language, when they are not.
The little engine, despite the fact he wasn’t built to pull a large train, wants to try. If he doesn’t, then for sure he won’t succeed.
Women have a particularly difficult time with shame because there are different (often stricter) societal expectations for women as mothers, fashion figures, and careerists. Therefore, it’s really important to recognize the negative effects of shame on your life and to transform yourself in an effort to control it.
By Irwin Cohen
On Sunday nights, my father was glued to the radio when Drew Pearson and the news came on and he hung on to every word coming out of the radio regarding Israel as the new Jewish state founded on the biblical Jewish homeland of the Jews, repelled most of the invading Arab armies of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Egypt still remained a threat to the tiny nation of an estimated 650,000.
First try to figure out what is making your husband angry. He may have an issue with anger in general, but perhaps you can isolate the trigger points.
Rassco has already seen several completed TAMA-38 projects, and a number of Pinuy Binuy initiatives are in the pipeline. These developments are breathing new life into a neighborhood that has long retained its charm but needed modernization.
In 1747, Rabbi Gershon traveled to Jerusalem, becoming one of the first chassidim to establish a presence in the Holy Land. There, he aligned himself with the study of the Rashash and the Kabbalistic circle, immersing himself in the study of mystical traditions.
It's okay not to attend. You don’t need to give a reason. You can just say that you wish her the greatest happiness but you won’t be able to fly in. That’s it. No explanation necessary.
The book is recommended to anyone fascinated by the ironies and serendipities that make up early Jewish-American history.
Onkelos was always heroic in my mind. Before sitting down to write about the book, I couldn’t resist this opportunity to check how accurately I remembered the stories of my youth.
Schwartz also skillfully shows the vicious similarities between the Arab massacres of Jews in Mandate Palestine in the 1920s and the Arab massacre of Jews in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
For those ignorant or confused with the Lubavitcher movement’s beginnings and dynasty, Rebbe weaves its history into a beautiful and comprehensive tapestry.
Klemperer was deeply affected by the plight of Jews during the Holocaust and was supportive of the State of Israel and Jewish cultural institutions. His decision to conduct the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was partly driven by his connection to his Jewish roots and his support for Jewish causes, but he did not actively engage in Zionist political activities.
When we think of the great Sages of the Talmudic (and later) eras, mathematical sophistication isn’t the first quality that comes to mind. Yet they were far ahead of their time in that regard, especially since they lived centuries before the invention of algebra.
By Marc Gronich
Governor Kathy Hochul has been touring the state, crowing about $300 rebates New York residents will receive in the fall of 2025. As much as she can, Hochul is also avoiding questions about her low poll numbers.
By Solly Hess
The Judaica items around us can either be inanimate relics that turn sections of our living rooms into mini-museums, or they can be used as intended – keepers of our heritage that remind us of a full and storied past while propelling our history forward.
Each of us must ask: is this Judaica enriching my practice or serving as a status symbol? Does it deepen my joy in the mitzvah, or overshadow it?
By Hillel Fuld
When I hear the word Judaica, I think about our rich history and our indigenous land, Judea. That’s right, what the world calls The West Bank today is actually Judea and Samaria.
By Keshet Starr
On one hand, there’s a value in a hiddur mitzvah, adding elegance and beauty to our observance. But on the other hand, what happens when the focus on beauty and presentation obscures the mitzvah itself?
What about the Judaica shops! Yes, the shops that sold Jewish books, music, candle sticks, sefarim and many other Judaica.
In all fairness, I do not kid myself that wrinkles are chic. I would never have worn linen in years past because it wrinkled. So, what has changed? Everything.
September 11, 2026 
