Maybe it’s a coincidence, but I hope it is much more than that. I sat down to write my weekly “From the Rabbis Desk,” but procrastinated for a moment to see what Rabbi Broide wrote about in his outreach column. Low and behold the same thing is on both of our minds and likely on […]
As we often say, BRS is not just a Shul, it is a community. Our goal is to cultivate a culture in which people don’t feel I am a member of BRS, but rather, I am a member of the BRS community. What is the difference between being a Shul and being a community? […]
Two recent horrific tragedies, the murders of Leiby Kletzky and Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira, continue to devastate the Jewish community. Many of us are filled with questions, not only about how this could happen to the victims, but about the identity of the perpetrators themselves. It is hard to remember a time in which a so […]
As my family’s summer vacation winds down there are two transitions we must face, one much more difficult than the other. Firstly, we are heading back to real life including work, obligations, responsibilities, etc. This adjustment pales in comparison to the second change, namely leaving Eretz Yisroel, our people’s beloved and precious homeland, the holiest […]
We live in a sound bite, news junkie generation in which we are constantly bombarded with information and updates. The positive of this culture is our access to current events in real time and our acute awareness of happenings around the world as they unfold. The negative of the short news cycle generation is how […]
The tragic murder of Leiby Kletzky has left all of us filled with questions, doubt and intense grief and sadness. A beautiful, innocent, sweet 8 year old boy was abducted and gruesomely murdered. As the facts emerge, too graphic and horrific to mention in this public space, I can’t comprehend how the Kletzkys, Leiby’s parents, […]
Walking around Israel, one can’t help but observe how it seems that we in chutz la’aretz are more concerned about the future of Israel than the Israelis themselves. Sure, they are aware of the threats that face them on many fronts. Of course, they are familiar with the impending attempt to unilaterally declare a Palestinian […]
Greetings from Israel! Yocheved and I feel so blessed, honored and privileged to be spending this summer in Israel as NCSY’s Scholars in Residence for their summer programs. Hundreds and hundreds of teens benefit greatly from the diverse programs and tours that NCSY offers. Kollel and Michlelet are serious learning programs for boys and girls […]
Tolerance is a double edged sword. On the one hand, the Torah encourages us not to judge people, not to be critical of them and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We are to be welcoming, warm and accept people for who they are without being dismissive. While these attitudes are certainly virtuous […]
We live in a sound bite, news junkie generation in which we are constantly bombarded with information and updates. The positive of this culture is our access to current events in real time and our acute awareness of happenings around the world as they unfold. The negative of the short news cycle generation is how […]