I’m beginning to wonder how many Jews, if they had their choice, over again would vote for Obama. Behind the African-American voters, Jews were the second largest minority bloc of voters to cast their choice for the then Senator from Illinois. I think it’s going to be interesting, and could be an indication of things to come if former… read more

Oops, excuse me, I had to wince there for a second while I watched a video of a chair fly over the mechitza at the Kotel, scattering a group of women who were praying to God. Seems there’s a new holy practice that I was unaware of, chair tossing. Orthodox men toss plastic chairs over the mechitza to show… read more

It’s time for qualified Orthodox women to have the title Rabbi or Rabbi or Maharat. It is time. It’s good to have a discussion about this. If learned, scholarly women who have a mind, heart and a soul for the rabbinate are emerging, it’s not up to anyone, especially a male-dominated leadership, to keep them down. Enough of these… read more

”Upon consultation with its rabbinic leadership, Agudath Israel of America issued the following statement today: The leadership of the Rabbinical Council of America and Rabbi Avi Weiss have apparently reached agreement that Rabbi Weiss would no longer confer the title of “Rabba” upon graduates of his women’s seminary, but rather the title “Maharat.” This superficial move does not in… read more

We should take a hard look at what just happened with the Catholic Archdiocese and its decision to begin closure of some 13 of it schools, including at least one high school. That high school is Cardinal Gibbons, one of Baltimore’s most academically and athletically noted schools. The Archdiocese did not want to have to close any of these… read more

”Rabbi Avi Weiss has conferred semikha upon a woman, has made her an Assistant Rabbi at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale where she carries out certain traditional rabbinical functions, and has now given her the title of Rabbah (formerly Maharat).  He has stated that the change in title is designed to “make it clear that Sara Hurwitz is a… read more

How many stories of bomb carrying terrorists dressed up as Hareidim do we have read to not understand that the latest travel “innovation” coming from Israel is laden with a terrible potential. Now, during a time when would-be killers are trying to detonate bombs in their shoes and underwear, we seemingly come up with an idea that would let… read more

So, my snow shovel was stolen from my front porch the day after the blizzard. Snow equipment became the bikes and lawn mowers of the winter. My bad, I left it out there, thinking that it would be safe on my front porch in broad daylight. My wife and I had spent a couple of snow shoveling sessions with… read more

Last Thursday night while I was out grocery shopping with about a thousand of my closest friends, I tried to take a step back every once in a while and listen to conversations people were having. Generally speaking, everyone seemed in a good humor, leaning towards patience and understanding. Nobody was elbowing another going for the last container of… read more

Megan Estey described herself best. “I’m a strong-willed teen whose life has changed and I don’t know what is going to happen. But everyone’s life is really like that. It would drive me crazy when I’d hear someone say, `I hate my life,’ or `My hair looks like crap,’ or `I hate school.’ I wish I could hate driver’s… read more