Author: David Rutman

Photo Credit: wikimedia Joseph Converses with Judah, His Brother Parshas Mikeitz always falls out around Chanukah, and Chazal explain that this is not coincidental. In explanation of this phenomenon, the commentaries discuss how Yosef is connected to Chanukah, and how he symbolizes our victory over the Greeks. This begs the obvious question as to what […]

Photo Credit: Courtesy Hanukiyah created by world famous Venetian Glass Blower Maestro Gianni Toso During Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan’s 2010 confirmation hearing, Senator Lindsey Graham paused to ask Kagan where she had spent the previous Christmas. Without missing a beat, she replied: “You know, like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant.” Although […]

Photo Credit: Gideon Markowicz/Flas90 Benjamin Netanyahu and Gideon Sa’ar, January 10, 2013. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won the Likud party primaries hands down on Thursday, December 26, 2019. Netanyahu received 72.5% (41,792) of the votes, while his opponent, Gidon Sa’ar, received 27.5% (15,885). Advertisement ‘); _avp.push({ tagid: article_top_ad_tagid, alias: ‘/’, type: ‘banner’, zid: ThisAdID, pid: […]

Photo Credit: Mordechai Lightstone via Twitter Anti-Semitic post-it note found at Brooklyn Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights, May 30 2019 Considering the numerous reports of anti-Semitic attacks both here and in Europe, I was somewhat dismayed recently to read several articles that either implicitly or explicitly blamed Jews for the crimes committed against them. […]

Photo Credit: Jewish Press One of the main mitzvos of Chanukah is publicizing the great miracle Hashem performed for our forefathers. But what makes this miracle different from the many other miracles we’ve experienced throughout the generations? Our very existence as Jews is a miracle. The walls of Yericho sank into the ground. The mighty […]

Photo Credit: ArtScroll Title: Introduction to the TalmudPublisher: ArtScroll Advertisement ‘); _avp.push({ tagid: article_top_ad_tagid, alias: ‘/’, type: ‘banner’, zid: ThisAdID, pid: 16, onscroll: 0 }); ArtScroll has done it – again! The ArtScroll Schottenstein Talmud revolutionized Gemara learning throughout the world. Now, with Introduction to the Talmud, ArtScroll has provided answers to questions we have […]

Photo Credit: Jewish Press Dear Dating Coach, I’m seriously dating a girl that I have really connected with. We share the same hashkafa and vision for the future. Her family however, has a more modern background with a home life that is completely different than the one we hope to make. My more typical frum […]

Photo Credit: Wikimedia / Elliotsorkin / CC 4.0 A member of Beth Israel Congregation in Ann Arbor, Mich., is suing anti-Israel protesters and city leaders over weekly demonstrations outside the synagogue. The weekly Saturday anti-Israel protests have been going on for years. The 85-page complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Michigan. […]

Photo Credit: Jewish Press The Chashukei Chemed teaches us that if, G-d forbid, a Jew is homeless and sleeps on a park bench, he is exempt from the mitzvah of lighting Chanukah menorah. The mitzvah of menorah calls for ner ish u’beiso, for a candle to be lit in a man’s home. But why? Why […]