We want to wish all of you, our readers, writers, family and friends, the best possible for the forthcoming new year. May all your wishes, dreams and hopes come true and may you only know blessings, happiness, growth and nachas. Thank you for being a part of our family this past year, we look forward to a great new year together. Dave, Zechariah, Moshe and Shalom ...
I just got an email from the editors of Jewish Living Magazine who are, as of today, suspending publication after five issues. Here is the letter I received: Dear subscribers, colleagues and friends of Jewish Living, After an extremely successful launch and five well-received issues Jewish Living will suspend publication as of today. Launched in November 2007 and named one of the top launches of the year by Media Industry News (min), Jewish Living was already making headlines ...
I am going to institute an Israel idiosyncrasy -Ism (the triple "I") to my column because.. well why not? Banks charge you for taking out your own money. ... I know!! They charge you when you want you to use your credit card. They charge you when you want to open other savings account. I'm not sure people ever explained to them how banks work.. they are to provide a service, not make money. Maybe I'm ...
Jewneric recently had the opportunity to speak with Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, who currently dedicates his time and energies to The International Fellowship for Christians and Jews (IFCJ) – Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) Partnership for Children in the Former Soviet Union, committed to ensuring the well-being of tens of thousands of Jewish children in that area. The group also responds to emergencies and crisis all over the world. Rabbi Eckstein has devoted the past 30 years to building bridges of understanding and active cooperation between Christians and Jews. An Orthodox rabbi, he has helped hundreds of thousands of Christians around the world discover and understand the Jewish roots of their faith. In 1983, Rabbi Eckstein founded The Fellowship to give Christians the opportunity to meaningfully express their support for Israel and promote the well-being of Jews in Israel and around the world. In 2005, Rabbi Eckstein was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the State of Israel, with special emphasis on Israel’s relationships with Christian communities in Latin America. ...
An Arab terrorist decided to drive his car into a group of soldiers tonight. I had been close to that location earlier tonight. Although, I probably wouldn't have been at the specific spot; I can't help but think what would have happened if I was. Why can't they stop? I feel such a deep sadness for people who have no other reason to live than to take others' lives. I don't want to postulate but how ...
"Welcome to Israel." No, I'm not being redundant. This is what I hear every day, many times a day. The thing is, people aren't saying it in a friendly, warm way, but rather in a sarcastic, cynical way. For example, if your apartment has bugs in it --"Welcome to Israel." If workers do a shoddy job for you but say it's the best -- "Welcome to Israel." If you stand in line for hours -- "Welcome ...
My wife and I have recently made the decision that, at least for the time being, we will no longer buy any Kosher butchered red meat (although we will probably continue to eat red meat out of our house and buy pre-prepared fleishig foods). I am writing this article to explain our decision, to (a) clarify my thought processes for my own benefit, (b) share those thought processes for others who might benefit from them, and (c) strengthen my resolve to follow through on our decision (think of this as my public declaration of our "no meat resolution"). Our decision is motivated by three considerations: We have doubts about the kashrus at Agriprocessors. We have doubts about the integrity of the kashrus of the meat-packing industry in general. The business practices at Agriprocessors are sufficiently abhorrent to warrant a boycott regardless of whatever issues there might be surrounding their kashrus, and it is currently difficult for us to buy meat that wasn't produced at Agriprocessors. ...
I haven't posted in a while, perhaps because I haven't felt particularly passionate about anything. Here's something I am passionate about, having dealt with it recently on a plane back from Israel: We all know the feeling. You're sitting on an El AL plane to Israel, the seat belt sign is on, it's some ungodly hour and everyone is sleeping as you're flying over who knows where, when suddenly tens of hat, streimel, and kippa wearing ...
While usually quite verbose, I find myself at a loss for words. How can one describe immensely personal feelings in an extremely public setting? For every word below, there are thousands more that I am choosing not to write. Ten years ago, there was a plane crash on Sept. 7, 1998. The 10th Jewish Yahrtzeit is today. On that plane was a man, Stanley Klein zt"l, who was larger than life. But he enjoyed life. ...
I'm heeere! After all the waiting, all the emotion, and taking care of all the specifics, I have arrived. The Nefesh B'Nefesh flight went smoothly and all the olim were treated like rock stars. How? (you are probably wondering.) Well, tons of photographers and a half dozen videographers were recording our descent from the plane. Then there were hundreds of people, including soldiers, waving flags, and singing and dancing for us at the terminal. Even the ...
