Smorgasbord Orthodoxy?
Why does Chani have a lollipop in her mouth? I told you not to give her another one!
The New Shidduch Crisis: Divorce
Times have changed and divorced people have sadly gone from being singularities to almost a sub-community.
Torah And The Marshmallow
The inevitable conclusion of the study was that holding back, delaying gratification, leads to a more stable and positive life.
Married Or Single: Only The Tallis Will Tell
The fact is there are so many second-time singles in heimische communities and the numbers sadly are growing each year – to such a degree that several organizations have sprung up to provide networking opportunities and social support.
Understanding Genocide through Covid
The teacher was so distraught and horrified, both by the murder and his undeniable failure to get through to his students, that he packed up and left.
Life After Death
With these real life happenings in mind, I want to suggest that people consider an unusual arrangement that is a win-win for all potential participants as a solution to a complex and emotionally difficult situation.
Penny-Wise And Pound-Foolish
There is no guarantee that being "pound-wise" will extend our lives, but medical science insists that it helps.
Sacrificing Children On The Altar Of Matrimony
Why did no one speak up and warn this young lady?
Al Chait… (For The Sin…)
Every year as we sit in shul during Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we make a chesbon nefesh - a reckoning of our actions and reactions.
A Hairy Situation
Why would it be more “tznuisdik” for me to go to a Shabbat meal in a sheitel when my host thought my own hair was one?
Lashon Hara – It’s Not Just Gossip
When people hear the term "lashon hara", they automatically associate it with gossip. Speaking about someone behind their back to others, usually in a manner that is denigrating and unflattering, often describing alleged activities or doings that put the subject of the discussion in a rather negative light. This is the ultimate interpretation of lashon hara.
Hashgacha Pratis – Divinely Created ‘Coincidence’
The odds of me bumping into this stranger whom I had never met previously, or since, were extremely low except that Hashem had engineered this scenario.
‘Drinking The Kool-Aid’
In cyberspace, the virtual sky's the limit in the game of one-upmanship.
You Know Your Date’s A Mentsch If…
While some people have the extreme mazel of knowing within an hour of their date that the person sitting across from them is the "right one," the vast majority of those on shidduch (blind) dates aren't so lucky. I would guess most first dates are parve - with the consensus being, "I had a nice time, but not amazing."
The Ferris Wheel Of Life
Purim teaches us that life is like a Ferris wheel – one moment you can be on top, and suddenly you are at the bottom.
On Our Own
There are subtle signs of a potentially problematic person. I have often said, people should marry people with compatible meshugasim.
My Wisdom Tooth
We tend to take our routine abilities for granted.
Machon Lev: A Win-Win Situation For Chareidim
The message being conveyed is that without “flour,” without the means to support oneself and one’s family, one’s focus on Torah will be impeded by worry.
How Refusing To Be Ruth-less Led To Moshiach
By now just about all of us are in summer mode, and Yom Tov cheesecake and blintzes are out of our minds - though not necessarily off our bodies. Nonetheless, the topic I am addressing is tied to the festival of Shavuot, as I wrote it just after the holiday had ended. (This time warp often occurs when addressing deadlines ahead of time, a necessity when I know that visiting a near minyan of pre-school grandchildren in three cities will make writing a coherent column rather challenging).
Saying Farewell To Toronto’s Couple Of Valor
Every Friday evening, in Jewish homes across the world, the question is asked, "Eishet chayil mi yimtzah – The woman of valor, where can she be found?"
Tikun Olam – Creating Jewish Couples
So is this demoralizing situation fixable?
Yene Machlah?
Having been raised in a home where Yiddish was spoken as often as English, I can say with some confidence that I understand mamaloshen quite well. But I have to admit that the first time a friend, "Chaya" in a tentative, hushed voice, stated that a mutual acquaintance had "yene machlah," I was confused. I knew that she unfortunately had cancer, so why was "Chaya" saying in Yiddish, THAT illness? Why the reluctance to use the actual medical term for the disease. Why not just say it - like when someone has a stroke or a heart attack.
The Devil, Free Will And Covid
The last worldwide pandemic to hit the global population was the Spanish Flu, over 100 years ago. Over the last few months, I've asked myself why a pandemic now – and for over two years?
Defying Adversity While ‘Waiting for Godot’
While in New York recently, I was invited to see a performance of "Waiting for Godot" – a multi-layered play on the human condition that I was introduced to in high school. What was fascinating and unique about this particular production was that this renowned play was being performed in Yiddish - with English and Russian subtitles beamed onto a screen for non-Yiddish speakers. (Staged by the New Yiddish Rep, at the Castillo Theatre, and directed by Moshe Yassur, it stars Shane Baker, David Mandelbaum, Rafael Goldwaser, Avi Hoffman and Nicholas Jenkins.)
It Started With A Sneeze (Part 1)
Don't we all complain about being tired or having aches and pains somewhere?
Politically Correct Krimkeit
The Presbyterian Church USA voted to divest from three companies that do business with Israel.
It’s All Relative
Over the years, I have been asked how I get ideas for my articles – often from conversations with random strangers! That’s actually how I was discovered way back in 1985!
Apikores? Who Me?
I have always insisted that everything that happens to anyone or anything is min Shamayim.
‘A Time To Hate’ (Back)
The 21 days of semi-mourning that is collectively referred to as the Three Weeks, culminating with the fast day of Tisha b’Av - the ultimate day of mourning in the Jewish calendar - begins in a few short days. During this period of time Jews reflect on the myriad of tragedies that have befallen us since the destruction of the Holy Temple and our subsequent exile.
Al Chait
We assure ourselves that we will take the high road and refrain from lashon hara or spreading gossip – even if the information is true.
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