This is the holiest time in the Jewish calendar. Just two days ago, we celebrated Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, a day which is dedicated to repentance, prayer and fasting. “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Mark, the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred […]

Uniting in Faith in Talmon The kidnapping and murder of Naftali Frankel, Gil-Ad Shaar, and Eyal Yifrach, was heart wrenching for the people of Israel. And yet, there was one spark of goodness that emerged from it all – it brought the nation together. While their families strengthened and united us, their disposition brought a […]

As I write this newsletter, it is still unclear whether Israel will continue to be involved in a war with Hamas, whether we will move on to a war of attrition, or whether some sort of agreement will be reached between the parties.                As an Israeli, watching the news day in and day out […]

This past Friday I participated in a moving ceremony in the Jordan Valley that I would like to share with you.  Very dear friends of mine decided to commission the writing of a Torah Scroll in order to donate it to a community in need.  A Torah Scroll contains the entire text of the Five […]

The roller coaster ride that is living in Israel!  There is no other way to describe the events of the last few days and the emotional highs and lows that we have experienced. On Sunday night there was a gathering dedicated to unity, prayer and song surrounding the kidnapping of the three young boys from […]

Last week a Muslim terrorist opened fire and murdered four innocent civilians at the Jewish museum in Brussels.  It was Shabbat afternoon and two of the murdered victims were Israeli Jews — a couple who were touring  Belgium.  Their two daughters were home in Israel with family and after the attack on Saturday, were left […]

It was a wonderful day!  Today, we celebrated  Israel Independence Day, honoring 66 years of statehood, the rebirth of the Nation of Israel in the Land of Israel.   The festivities began last night, after 24 hours dedicated to mourning the soldiers who gave their lives to protect the nation, and the terrorist victims who […]

Spring 2014 For as long as she can remember, she experienced difficulty eating, trouble speaking, not to mention the blow to her self esteem, and the psychosocial ramifications of her condition. Ella Furman was born in the former Soviet Union, in 1947 with a cleft palate. Cleft palate is a condition in which the two […]

US Secretary of State John Kerry just spent 24 hours in Israel, trying, yet again, to jump-start negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.  When this round of US-brokered negotiations began, the parties agreed to negotiate for nine months and the US expressed confidence that an agreement would be produced at the conclusion of the nine-month […]

Today is the first day of Adar, the Hebrew month corresponding to the 11th Biblical month.  There is an ancient Hebrew saying:  “When Adar begins, we revel in happiness.”  The reason for the joyous nature of the month is the occurrence, on the 14th day of the month, of the holiday of Purim.  On this […]