Torah and Teshuva: The Great Equalizers by Rabbi Pinchas Landis
Dissent and rebellion within the Jewish people is not a new thing; in fact, it goes back to the very inception of our nation. Just 40 days after the mass revelation at Mount Sinai, when every Jew was raised to the level of Prophecy, several Jews participated in the Golden Calf.
The Mentsch of Malden Mills by Rabbi Paysach Krohn
Aaron Feuerstein owned Malden Mills, a textile plant comprising nine buildings, in Lawrence, MA, that employed more than three thousand people. On the evening of December 11, 1995, the worst fire of the 20th century in the state of Massachusetts destroyed most of the plant. Three buildings were burned to the ground, while the other six were severely damaged. Though he was fully covered for the loss by insurance, he did not even consider shuttering the plant.
Jewish Memory by Rabbanit Shani Taragin
In 2017, I attended World Mizrachi’s celebration of Jerusalem Day in Binyanei Hauma (ICC) along with thousands of others, in honor of fifty years of a reunified Jerusalem. I was sitting just seats away from Rabbi Sacks – the keynote speaker. I recall not only his passion and fervor but his powerful message that resonates as I read his words on this week’s Torah portion, for it was the last time I would hear Rabbi Sacks speaking just a few feet away from me. He spoke about Yerushalayim representing our legacy of the past and dreams for the future:
Truth Or Consequence: Judging People On Social Media by Rabbi Efrem Goldberg
In his book Other People’s Money and How Bankers Use It, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously wrote:
“Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.”
Shining a spotlight on an issue can expose and reveal corruption, dishonesty, fraud or abuse that otherwise might go unnoticed, ignored, or even excused. Brandeis wrote these words well before the Internet was a thought in anyone’s mind and he likely could not have even dreamt of the sunlight it would shine and the accountability it would generate.
Wonder Woman’s Powerful Prayer by Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt
Gal Gadot enjoys many of the world’s blessings, to be sure — but everyone knows that the most beautiful and wealthiest aren’t always happy. The Israeli actress and model, best known for starring in “Wonder Woman,” most definitely is, however, and she told a Vanity Fair journalist why in a Vanity Fair cover story.
Michelangelo’s Secret Message of Divine Equality by Rabbi Benjamin Blech
Jews and Judaism are the ones who brought the concept of monotheism to the world. One God created the entire world and all those who inhabit it. The first human being was created in His image and all those who came after carry within them this mark of divinity. Why did God begin the story of mankind by creating only one person?
A Tiktok Executive Overcomes Anxiety With Jewish Wisdom by Judy Gruen
Michal Oshman is a former commanding officer in the Israeli Defense Forces. She holds masters’ degrees in organizational sociology and psychodynamics. She has held leadership positions at companies such as eBay, WPP, and Facebook. She is currently the European culture lead at TikTok. Despite these achievements, for most of her life Oshman was consumed by severe anxiety and riddled with fears. Numerous years of therapy only made things worse. Every therapist insisted that she still had “unfinished business” with her parents and a painful past.
Warren Buffet’s Lessons on Value & Values by Rabbi Jon Gross and Debbie Gutfreund, MA
A good friend of Warren Buffett was having dinner with Warren and a dozen others right before the New Year. As they discussed different upcoming events and meetings, Mr. Buffett pulled out a small, personal planner for 2017. “Do you want to know what I have in my daily planner?” Everyone at the table leaned forward, eager to see what was in the planner. He held the planner up and showed them blank page after blank page. “I have nothing planned. Nothing. I need all the time I have to learn and think.”
Beyond the Animal in Man: Freewill vs. Determinism by Yonasan Rosenblum
The belief in man’s elevation over the animals is under assault in the West. Denial of free will — and with it the possibility of morality — is central to that attack. If man does not possess the freedom to choose, he is no more morally culpable for his actions than a lion for eating its prey. At the end of the day, he is just another animal whose actions are determined by his instincts.
The Hallmarks of Jewish Leadership: Jack Lew’s Nomination for U.S. Ambassador to Israel
President Joe Biden nominated former U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew last Tuesday, September 5, 2023 to serve as ambassador to Israel. Lew, 68, served as treasury secretary between 2013 and 2017. He was also the White House budget director and later chief of staff during the Obama administration and budget director during the Clinton administration. His 2013 U.S. Treasury Secretary appointment made him the highest-ranking Orthodox Jew in the history of the U.S. government and the first Orthodox Jewish cabinet member.
