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Rise to the Heights of
Last Friday, as I was preparing for Shabbos, I heard unusual sounds outside my home. Curious about the commotion, I peered out the window and, to my surprise, witnessed a pro-Palestinian parade marching down my otherwise quiet and unremarkable street. Chanting anti-American and
For some reason, this looked suspicious at customs and I was asked if I was bringing anything into the country for the purpose of being sold. I responded that these bags are filled with the donations of עם ישראל and so they could not be sold, as they are quite literally priceless
Remarkably, I vividly recall this historical event, December 6, 1987 - Freedom Sunday for Soviet Jewry - the largest Jewish rally in U.S. history, with 250,000 people marching in Washington. The Iron Curtain fell shortly thereafter, forcing open the gates of the Soviet Union,
I’ve traveled on the GWB daily for 36 years. On countless occasions, I have been advised to avoid due to traffic. This afternoon I was advised to avoid because I’m a Jew.
The times, my friends, are a-changin’
The Sanctity of the Blood-Soaked Flag of Israel
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveithick z"l, reflecting on the significance of the Israeli Flag: “If you ask me, how do I…look upon the flag of the State of Israel, and has it any halachic value? — I would answer plainly…
How many university presidents does it take to answer the following question? “Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate MIT's/Penn’s/Harvard’s rules as bullying and harassment?”
Apparently, more than three.
🚨🚨🚨Presidents of
@Harvard
@MIT
and
@Penn
REFUSE to say whether “calling for the genocide of Jews” is bullying and harassment according to their codes of conduct. Even going so far to say it needs to turn to “action” first. As in committing genocide.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND
As I sit here listening to
@IshayRibo
together with 10k+ others wondering if there is anyone else on this planet who is respected by and as relevant to nearly as many different types of Jews, spanning the entire spectrum
Yesterday's most magical moment. Close to 300,000 people united in a moment of prayer, meditating on pesukim from Tehillim. I will cherish this moment until we gather to do it again. Maybe next time in front of a different Capitol...
How much more is this so of the Blue and White flag, which has been immersed in the blood of thousands of young Jews who fell in the War of Independence, defending the country and the population…
Fun pic from 1996 which includes, among others, myself and my wife, our (now) mechutanim R’ Moshe and Serena Benovitz, and in the strollers, the (now) married parents of 3, Shani and R’ Yisroel Benovitz. Takeaway lesson: hold on to your pics, they may be worth something one day.
in the Shulchan Aruch (it says): “One who has been killed by non-Jews is buried in his clothes, so that his blood may be seen and avenged… In other words, the clothes of the Jew acquire a certain sanctity when spattered with the blood of a martyr.
The incessant efforts of the media to brazenly spin the narrative of Israel’s war by twisting and distorting every fact that surfaces, reminds me of this
@StevenWright
classic:
“I went down the street to the 24-hour grocery. When I got there, the guy was locking the front door.
Rabbi Yitzchak Adlerstein - "Ishai Ribo did a better job of giving the event a “yiddishe taam” than virtually any rabbi we could have tapped as a speaker. At previous events (which the yeshiva world, contrary to the revisionists, participated in), the frum community felt like
Statistically speaking, my career would have been much greater had I not suffered so many injuries. However, I'm not sure I would have reached my potential as a person had it NOT been for my injuries.
The brothers’ scheme was to have the people of Shechem become Jews as this would ensure that no one would come to their defense when the brothers would attack them… 😢
- Rav Yonasan Eibeshutz
The return of a young girl to kindergarten after enduring captivity is a stark, poignant reminder of the unequal burdens in childhood memories. Some children are forced to bear the weight of experiences far too profound, a stark contrast to the simpler memories many of us recall.
Little Emilia Aloni, who was held hostage by Hamas, returned to kindergarten for the first time since being released. Her little friends shower her with love.
Powerful words from
@jpodhoretz
of
@Commentary
"Five years ago when people started punching visible Jews, people who were wearing kippot or with peyos or had black hats or tzitzis or whatever… when they started running up behind them on Brooklyn streets, punching them on the
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' z”l profoundly remarkable insight seems exceptionally relevant in these dark times.
“God does not want us to understand why bad things happen to good people because if we ever understood then we would be forced to accept it...
“No - we only want to visit wounded soldiers," was the reaction as a group was being escorted to the pediatric oncology ward in an Israeli hospital - as shared with me personally by the solidarity mission organizer - highlighting how we may sometimes fail to remember what and for
@DBashIdeas
Why, oh why, do you expect anything different? The NYT is consistently true to its cause and mission. The only question is why there are still those who express surprise.
@ariwaxman
I cannot even begin to express how much that resonates. In Israel last week, I heard someone say, “We are not afraid of losing to Hamas. We are afraid of losing each other after we defeat them.”
This morning, we visited the site of the Nova Massacre, where, on the morning of October 7, a sudden and horrific blitz of terror was unleashed upon thousands of young Israelis. This catastrophic event led to hundreds of deaths, numerous injuries, and the indescribable horror of
Praying on Purpose, messages posted 3x week, focusing on the “why,” “how,” and “what” of daily prayer. Short motivational messages and insights will post on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Join here: לזכות לרפואה שלמה לאילנה חנה בת גילה בריינלע
Thank you so much to all of you for joining the “Praying On Purpose” group, scheduled to launch this coming Sunday, Rosh Chodesh Elul. First group is at capacity and we have set up a second group. Please sign up and share w others
Rav Berel Wein, among the most cherished זקני הדור, passionately comments, clearly from a place of genuine pain and concern…“they are convinced they are going to ride it out, they are going to have cholent forever. It is very shortsighted, a complete lack of perspective of both
@IshayRibo
introducing a new musical tribute to the hostages, tearfully praying for their safe return, before a crowd of 600 soldiers from גדוד 9203 finally reunited with their families
The difference between a luxury and a necessity? If I need it then it's a necessity, if you need it...it’s a luxury. Words of wisdom from Rabbi Michael Taubes.
In the heart of tragedy, an image of unity emerges from Kfar Etzion. Hundreds of parents and children, evacuated from Shlomit after a catastrophic Simchas Torah morning attack by Hamas, find solace in the welcoming arms of strangers who are strangers no more. It’s a living
Rallying for Israel: The Halachic Perspective (Rav Mayer Twersky)
9 min, here:
To quote the Ramchal in his intro to מסילת ישרים
הַחִבּוּר הַזֶּה לֹא חִבַּרְתִּיו לְלַמֵּד לִבְנֵי הָאָדָם אֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ, אֶלָּא לְהַזְכִּירָם אֶת הַיָּדוּעַ לָהֶם
Experiencing an eclipse in votee park with uncertified glasses feels like standing during hallel in shul on first day of sukkos and then realizing your pitom fell off
In the heart of every American Jew, Avraham Avinu’s voice echoes: גר ותושב אנכי עמכם - “I am a stranger and a resident among you.” These words deeply resonate today, belonging everywhere and nowhere, all at once.
This is disgusting. How dare she try to get the father of an 8-year-old Israeli hostage to comment on the Palestinian children (who are suffering bc of Hamas, not Israel) as if “well, violence on both sides!” Show some damn sensitivity to a grieving dad.
״ונתתי להם…יד ושם״ "I will give them….a monument and a name.” (Isaiah 56) We have a sacred responsibility to preserve the names of the 239 captives as we continue to pray for their safe return. Let us hold each of them in our hearts and thoughts, not as mere statistics, but as
Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik z”l - Our faith in man’s goodness should not blind us to the latent demonic in man. Evidently, civilized man can become the personification of evil. The thin veneer of social restraint can suddenly be lifted, exposing the ugly, brutish potential of
What's With Those Stubborn Israelis?
What makes Israelis so stubbornly resilient in the face of adversity? Why do they seem to be able to navigate the storms of pain and hardship with a remarkable fortitude that baffles us all? Is there an underlying secret to their ability to
A brazen denial of biblical proportion, literally.
Deuteronomy 28 "Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and you will wear out your eyes watching for them day after day, powerless to lift a hand...The sights you see will drive you mad."
בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ
Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DENIES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel
If "Jewish oppression" sounds new and interesting to you, you might want to catch up on our history. Here are just a few things you may have missed...
733 BCE: Assyrians capture Israel, first major Jewish diaspora
722 BCE: Fall of Samaria, Jews deported by Assyria
586 BCE:
Grandfather of Eytan Dishon הי"ד - "Until now I have enjoyed this freedom and the depth of a meaningful Jewish life in Eretz Yisrael, and others have paid the price. Now it’s our turn."
On October 26 1994, PM Yitzchak Rabin declared, that in establishing a peace treaty with Jordan, Israel "shall no longer be a nation that dwells alone, an עם לבדד ישכון"... His hopeful intentions notwithstanding, Rabin seemed to have forgotten the true meaning of that pasuk...
...what is all too often missing from our lives - a healthy supply of genuine human connectivity. In my opinion, it is this consequence of the incautious use of technology that poses the single greatest risk to ourselves, our families, and our community.
LOOK WHO'S STANDING
Walking through the nearly deserted streets of Sderot last week, I found myself surrounded by a haunting yet powerful sight: sukkot…everywhere. Still standing long after the holiday of Sukkot has come to an end, these sukkot, typically dismantled after
A Coat of Many Colors
My son returned from battle, his duffel bursting
with things that I had not packed for him.
Socks donated by a community in Argentina
A quilted blankeא smelling like someone else's home
A blue towel from a family from the Moshav
Tzitzit from Jerusalem
A
WHY STAND IN SILENCE?
On the day of Yom HaZikaron, the citizens of Israel observe a moment of silence, remembering thousands of fallen soldiers and victims of terror. But is this practice, in fact, the proper Jewish response to tragedy?
Among the many useful apps are “siddur apps” which enable us to use our smartphones in place of a siddur. Is the use of technology in this manner to be endorsed or shunned?
Suggest the pros and cons of using a smartphone while trying to “phone home.”
Oh, the sagely words of Rebbi Yehuda Hanasi... Although 2000 years have passed, this timeless message is as relevant today as it was when first expressed - if not more.
"Contemplate three things and you will not fall into the clutches of sin: Know what there is above you: an eye
During his imprisonment in Romania, the Skulener Rebbe decided to make productive use of his time. He dedicated himself to a thorough review of all the daily prayers, ensuring he fully comprehended every word's meaning and intention. He encountered a phrase that puzzled him:
The liberated Jews of Buchenwald daven together for the 1st time.
One Jew screams: 'To which G-d are you praying? Who threw your mother & father into the crematoria??'
Rav JJ Schacter describes his father's response & the lessons of that moment.
(
@yuhsb
Names Not Numbers '22)