יום שישי, ז׳ תשרי תשפ״זFriday, September 18, 2026
Follow Us
Dementia is a bear. The questions he is asking are valid. The conclusions are not.
Sometimes parents may not know if their child is being bullied. Some children are intimidated into secrecy. They may also keep quiet because they feel ashamed that they have allowed this to happen. They may fear that the parents will either criticize them or will intervene in a way that will make everything worse.
You didn’t have to be rich to have a cleaning girl in the house, a live-in. You always had live-in help because there were so many of those peasant girls who would come and… We would have sometimes two in the house.
I want you to know that you are not alone in this dilemma and drinking has made Purim a challenging Yom Tov for many women. I am not a Rav but I know there are men who do not drink on Purim and keep all the other mitzvos.
By Ariela Davis
The challenges of making aliyah on a short timeline and in the midst of lockdown were many, but Tali says, Once we made the decision, Hashem carried us on His back to our new life...
Another well-known example that I obtained recently is the first edition of the Shu"t Meshiv Davar, containing the responsa of R. Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (1816-1893), best known by his acronym the Netziv, who served as rosh yeshiva of the Volozhin Yeshiva for decades.
Someone is calling you to ask about this person’s character, intelligence, background, and more. They are not asking you to predict the future, to see through your crystal ball, or to decide the fate of the person they are calling you about.
By Marc Gronich
The way state aid works, students are entitled to aid, not schools. Schools in New York state do not get state aid from the state. Students are entitled to certain aid based on choices parents make.
The source of each quote, paraphrase or inspiration in each chapter is cited in a lengthy appendix at the end of the book. And the sources extend beyond the usual ones, even to Rambam's extensive medical writings and letters.
Kaufman, a nonagenarian, still exercises every day and limits the time he spends sitting. He devotes a great amount of time to staying healthy, so that he lives a long life in which he can dedicate himself – body and soul – to serving G-d.
Wilson recognized in American Jews a spiritual force that had adapted itself to the American spirit and made broad contributions to the advancement of the welfare of the nation and of the world.
This partnership comes at a critical time, following the tragic events of October 7th, underscoring the urgent need for balanced and nuanced educational material that can counter the surge in global anti-Semitism.
By Marc Gronich
We have elected leaders who have stood with a terror network. We have elected leaders who have called the elected government of Israel to step down while allowing a terror network to remain in place. … It’s a growing threat.
My watch is eight years old, its age unforgettable because my husband bought it for me the year I was in aveilus for my father. His death had left me untethered, disconnected; the watch promised connection – no more missed phone calls and texts delivered instantly to my wrist.
These days, as was the case during many such difficult periods in our long history, doing the bris on the eighth day has taken on new meaning.
During the Pesach Seder, we say that eight is the days until the baby’s bris. But there is something else which also has the significance of the number eight, and that is Shmini Atzeres.
Have you ever considered that even the Hebrew word for eight, shemonah, literally means to nourish.
As my father, Rabbi Uziel Milevsky, of blessed memory, taught me, it is the number beyond the natural.
They say one mitzvah leads to another, and that is certainly the case with Tops Liquor. Cohen says the place has become a hub with customers now inviting him to their homes for meals, bringing over challah, and he was even gifted with a new pair of tefillin.
The Jewish community stood up and showed we are not going to be intimidated, we are going to stand up for our rights, and we’re not going to let outsiders interfere with our programming, said Steve Fox, president of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Teaneck.
On the one hand, I really do not mind if he is confused about these things. On the other, he is so anxious about the confusion that he tries to sort out the information by asking the same questions over and over again.
While children who are extremely socially awkward will often be ostracized by their peers in elementary school, middle school is when a child’s social development becomes more apparent.
Suddenly in the minds of others you become somebody because you survived. You know everyone who died had stories up to the point of his death.
Understanding the cause of why your mother-in-law behaved this way may help you come to terms with it more. Underneath this venom lies a negative person who probably had a very dysfunctional childhood.
The resume is your introduction, a basic understanding of you so that potential daters (and their parents) can surmise if you might be at all compatible. Instead of fighting it, use it as a wonderful tool. This will help you to not go on dates that don’t make sense for you.
This week I’ve decided to compile some popular rules of thumb to share with readers and offer my own thoughts on the relevance of each rule. Keep in mind that it’s OK if your personal situation doesn’t alight exactly with every rule.
The first thing to say about this book is that it is a fantastic, fun, interesting read. I cannot wait to share this with my preteen son.
History is both broad and deep at the same time. One with a broad knowledge of the subject probably prefers more depth on a topic, while one with less background probably prefers something broader in its scope.
Although Brandeis has a student body which is now about only 35% Jewish – half of what it used to be in the 1970s, it still offers a rich religious and cultural Jewish life on campus.
The U.S. government offered to spare the lives of both Rosenbergs if Julius provided the names of other spies and if they admitted their guilt, but they refused, saying that they were innocent and would not bear false witness.
At times, I'm happy your marriage is over. You weren’t getting along, and you told me things would be better this way. You said, We’ll have a happy divorce. But it doesn't feel very happy.
By Marc Gronich
Most people who are coming are open to growing. That’s why they’re here. We haven’t had a situation yet where someone refused to wear a yarmulke, said Rebbetzin Rochie Kremer.
By Eli Lebowicz
One perk is that on Simchas Torah, being a Kohen or Levi is like having TSA PreCheck. I know I just got here five minutes ago and I get an aliyah all the time, but I guess I’ll go straight to the front of the line.
The relatively small measure of honor paid to them is more of a historical reference to their ancestral heritage than a reflection of their personal celebrity.
Maybe it had to be that way. Maybe the lack of emphasis on wealth is baked into sharing Torah and sharing song.
It's an ancient Hebrew name, a tribal affiliation, that also confers social status and serves as a surname. This status is meticulously preserved through the generations – a non-Levi would not dare claim this status to obtain the second aliyah, and if one did, he would soon be discovered.
By Nachum Segal
Personally, I love the distinction of being a Levi. As a Levi you are encouraged to excel at tefillah and zemiros and there is an expectation that a Levi's voice will inspire and touch others.
By Jason Maoz
Larry would remain close with Rabbi Trenk for the rest of his beloved teacher’s life, and credits him with imparting the most important life lessons to his students, chief among them the beauty of living a life filled with empathy for others.
Last night, I asked Hubby if he remembered the film. He did not. Still, as the film progressed, he began to connect with bits and pieces. He always loved Streisand’s voice and it touched him once again.
Jews had freedom of religion and were able to avoid assimilation no matter where they lived in the empire. They had no legal restrictions to live Jewishly.
The camels all have names and most have been born and reared on the ranch. Ariel’s favorite is Golda, though he says he doesn’t like to play favorites.
Even though Leah was the most popular girl in class, the other girls didn’t really like her. In fact, they were a little bit scared of getting on her bad side.
By Irwin Cohen
The best Jewish hitter over the past few seasons has been Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman. The 29-year-old Bregman is in his last year before possibly leaving the Astros as a free agent.
For this column, I thought I would share some interesting items relating to Purim that are in a museum or are from my personal collection.
When we first came to Stuttgart, at the very beginning, June, July, August, we really didn't know what is going to happen. And then also, we were all terribly upset right away because of the policy of the world. You see, we knew – like we were saying – nobody's going to say thank you to us for surviving.
In your situation, you sound like a person who wants to do chesed but you are stuck in a situation where you are dealing with a very complicated, needy person.
Go back to the shadchan and ask if they ever use tinfoil pans versus real ones. Investigate their ongoing Shabbos purchases and detect if they have ever purchased take-out or used a plastic tablecloth.
It appears that while the original responsa presented here was the original response that was sent, in preparation for printing many changes were made and effort was made to make the text easier to understand.
A rollicking story with a happy ending, children aged 6-12 will understand that they have a choice when faced with any difficult situation.
Her book, or rather her slim booklet of around 20 pages, does not come to teach, prescribe or preach how Jewish prayer should look. Plenty of other books have been written for that purpose.
I wanted to create something that could help a lot of people by making listening and understanding easier in class and making learning more fun and enjoyable, said Chodos.
The scope and variety of Purim celebrations over the past few centuries are truly remarkable, and I present here some of my favorite such Purim announcements and invitations from my extensive collection of Purim materials.
B'chol dor va’dor. Haman is an archetype of antisemitism that appears again and again in time, from Hadrian to Hitler, from Amin Husseini to Arafat. And so too in every generation G-d protects the Jewish people and the eventual defeat of the bad guys is foretold.
By Avi Ganz
Haman and Amalek will always exist. Their goal is to bolster their own self-esteem by introducing us to our own inadequacies. And our answer to that attack is to vanquish them.
Had Haman done nothing, nothing would've happened, but the greater and greater he propped himself up, the further he could fall.
This is what Haman has become. His name heralds a raucous time of celebration for the Jews, gathered together on the cusp of a day we spend joyously.
What is this seemingly illogical hatred that our enemies appear to be possessed by, their anger akin to idol worship?
By Alan Zeitlin
You know, it seems they’re [the protesters] are upset that I played for the IDF soldiers, which is straight up antisemitic and racist, Matisyahu said. We’re not allowed to have our own army? That’s what their problem is. They don’t know anything about me, who I am, or my fans.
You are a liar! was followed by more epithets and expletives that I would prefer not to put into print. This was coming from my beloved husband who treated me with respect and kid gloves for over forty years.
Another by-product of the unattended classroom is the friendship crisis a great many children suffer. While most children eagerly await recess and lunchtime as cherished opportunities for fun with playmates, there are some children who experience loneliness and rejection during these unstructured periods.
Thousands of people crammed shoulder-to-shoulder, to imbibe the simcha and emunah laden in this historic affirmation of our covenant with Hashem. Not every day is there an opportunity to join a simcha the likes of which may not have happened since the days of Avraham Avinu.
By Marc Gronich
To make progress, we must engage to eliminate the evil, outmaneuver the opportunists, and educate the ignorant. To start, the Jewish people must be understood, not just by others but by ourselves.
There is no denying that the current barrage of M16 bullets ricocheting across the battlefield and the heavy bomb smoke billowing over Israel and the Gazan sky are making it hard to see very far, clouding the vision of both our physical eyes and our mind’s eye. Nevertheless, if one looks really hard, one cannot help noticing the tremendous spiritual, cultural, and sociological potential waiting on the horizon.
What would they do to the Nazi's they found working in a pharmacy? I don't know. I was supposed to report to them. The whole country was Nazis, what were they going to do with them all?
The first thing you’re going to have to do is work on yourself to not be nervous when she comes as this already puts you in a mood where you feel upset and more sensitive.
More than just filing the paperwork and finding a few homes for rent or sale, Olim Advisors will help you with everything from choosing the right community for your family to finding appropriate housing.
The protest was not publicized on social media, so no pro-Palestinian protestors showed up.
By Ahuva Lamm
The Fair Lawn, N.J., Jewish community recently went on a solidarity mission to Israel in conjunction with World Mizrachi and I was unbelievably lucky to have been able to join the mission.
The fragment I sold was from the commentary of the Ralbag, Levi ben Gershon's (1288-1344) commentary on the book of Iyov, with handwritten annotations and additions in the Ralbag's own handwriting!
Experts will be on hand to answer questions and provide valuable information on when and how to get a colonoscopy, risk factors, prevention strategies, and available treatment options.
I don’t think a cup of coffee is cheap. I don’t think a walk in the park is cheap. I don’t think a date that costs zero dollars is cheap. I do think however that your FOCUS on the cost of Java really refers to the lack of FOCUS on you.
Annuities have a bad reputation, and rightfully so. In my opinion, they are a jungle of high fees, moving parts, and lack of transparency. In short, they are not usually the best choice.
Not only are these 30 plus stories amazing because of the lengths that a Jew will go to say Kaddish with a minyan wherever he happens to be, but the Hashgacha Pratit that enables him to do so is clearly miraculous.
By Ben Rothke
The rabbis understood that ha'aramah was a mechanism that could be used well or poorly.
The religion of the von Trapp family is the subject of some discussion among critics, with some claiming that they were Jewish.
By Rabbanit Dr. Adena Berkowitz
It was the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt”l, who pointed out one of the paradoxes of Havdalah: that its ultimate function is to join and unite the very things it comes to differentiate.
For those of us outside of Israel, there is the added discomfort of feeling separated from the epicenter of our people. We feel the longing for our other half and the guilt of feeling absent as the next chapter of our history is being written by those on the ground.
Failing to distinguish between categories leads to a blurring of values, such as the Harvard professor who wrote a whole book about how animals are just as important as people or the Spanish philosopher who posits that plants have feelings, too.
The separation was never total, and our religious freedoms are a freedom to not a freedom from.
By Nachum Segal
We pray better, we eat properly, we bring more purity and spirituality to our relationships. Separation equals closeness.
The show underscores the vast array of kosher quality wines and spirits available on the market today, with hundreds of companies represented. And, the level and sophistication, diversity and excellence were clearly underscored this year, said Gabriel Geller, Royal Wine’s Director of PR.
We constantly ask Hubby to tell us when he wants to rise up from the sofa or a chair, so that we can assist him. We remind him because we are programmed to do so. That is what normal people say to others, it is reasonable. What is not easy for caregivers to absorb, is that the person in their care will not be able to process the message.
Children with experiential insatiability, are extremely hard to satisfy. School-related routines such as processing information and producing written work do not quell their appetites for intense experiences.
We waited another few days. Then came this order that all the slave laborers have to come to the camp. If somebody would be caught outside, he'd be put in – whatever they were threatening us with. So we did.
It is important to be respectful and assertive. You can respectfully share your wants and feelings while considering your spouse’s wants and feelings as well.
Think of questions that are both light and deeper to get to know your date as organically as possible while still focused on the goal: to see if you are compatible.
While nearly every correspondence of the Rayatz was collected and published for posterity in his Igrois Kodesh, this letter appears to be unpublished and the discussion within lost until now.
After the chag, when the horrors became known, they said, Shai, just go do whatever you have to do. Shiva homes, supporting orphans, injured soldiers – whatever it is, we’ll support it.
Within the context of Shabbos and each festival, Muskat-Brown discusses many important issues such as education, parenting, relationships, and lifestyle and, more importantly, gives us points to ponder and discuss.
September 18, 2026 
