Author: David Rutman

Photo Credit: Jewish Press When I think of the most emotional moments on the Jewish calendar, several very poignant scenarios come readily to mind. Of course, the tear-filled annual hour-plus of Tefilas Ne’ilah is as strong a contender as any; likewise the awesome freshness and splendor of Leil haSeder (at least until the first wine […]

Photo Credit: Jewish Press Dear Mr. Brin, Fifty years ago this week, when I was a 21-year-old college senior, I was in the Soviet Union, sent by the government of Israel to smuggle in Jewish religious items and smuggle out names of Jews who wanted to escape the Soviet Union and could then be issued […]

For example, the material that forms the roof of a sukkah (“schach”) must fulfill two conditions in order to be kosher: 1) it must have originally grown from the ground and 2) it must be currently detached from the ground. Now, imagine that I have four walls forming an enclosed space in my backyard. All […]

Photo Credit: Jewish Press Click on the image below to read the paper. The new issue will appear every Friday morning. It may take up to one minute for the print edition below to appear. Once loaded, click on it to view a full page version. Advertisement ‘); _avp.push({ tagid: article_top_ad_tagid, alias: ‘/’, type: ‘banner’, […]

Photo Credit: Hannah Rubin We clustered in twos and threes beneath a leaden sky, light mist settling on the nearby tombstones. Before us loomed a newly-erected stone monolith, upon which was carved “al eileh ani bochiyah – over these do I weep.” That September afternoon, all in attendance witnessed a great cross-communal moment as we […]

Photo Credit: Jewish Press Here is a pertinent message as we conclude the keriat haTorah on Simchat Torah. When I was Chief Rabbi, I had wonderful friendships with other religious leaders, not least with the two Archbishops of Canterbury during my time. This was part of a profound healing that has taken place between Jews […]

Photo Credit: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90. Thousands of Christian evangelists and Israelis march at a parade in center of Jerusalem, marking the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, {Originally posted to the JNS website} This year, more than 5,000 Christians from all parts of the world gathered on Thursday for the city’s annual Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) festive march […]

Photo Credit: Nati Shohat/Flash90 Former Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar, May 19, 2011. Retired Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar, who chaired, among other things, the state commission of inquiry into PM Yitzchak Rabin’s murder, and an investigation into the slaughter at the Cave of Patriarchs by Dr. Baruch Goldstein, passed away on Friday morning at […]