Archive for the Meaning, Fulfillment and Values Category

Isn’t it funny that $10 seems like a lot when we give tzedaka, but solittle when we go shopping? Isn’t it funny how one hour seems so long when we worship G-d, and so short when we watch a ball game? Isn’t it funny how 2 hours

Author: David Brooks In the 1970s, the gift shop at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was an informal affair. It was staffed by about 300 mostly elderly volunteers, and there were cash drawers instead of registers. The problem was that of the shop’s $400,000 in

And Bilaam the son of Beor they killed with the sword.[1]”  It would seem that the death of Bilaam Harasha was a punishment for his efforts to harm Klal Yisroel in the desert. The Gemara, however, cites a far earlier crime that he committed as the reason for

A great deal of Parshas Ki Savo outlines the devastating punishments that would befall the Jewish people if they do not follow the Torah. In the midst of the tochacha the Torah gives us a deeper insight into the cause of all the terrible punishments enumerated here; “Since

Some of the most common myths about young Jews who are unaffiliated with the Jewish community today are that they are uninterested in their Jewish identity, bored by Jewish rituals and void of inherent spirituality. And because of this state of ennui, Jewish organizations of all stripes

If I asked each of you what was the greatest Jewish Problem, I’m sure I would get a variety of answers. Many would say the current crisis in Israel, between Israel and the Palestinians. Still others would say the rise in anti-Semitism around the world. Many would

Author: Dalton Conley For many American professionals, the Labor Day holiday yesterday probably wasn’t as relaxing as they had hoped. They didn’t go into the office, but they were still working. As much as they may truly have wanted to focus on time with their children, their

When the sale of maaras hamachpeila is finalised the name Efron loses a ‘vov”.  Rashi says it is because he spoke alot and did little.  I heard a different pshat from Rav Fishman (Mashgiach of Toras Moshe – I don’t know where he heard it from) that

Author: Tamara Traubmann A shocking new study reveals how key figures in the pre-state Zionist establishment proposed castrating the mentally ill, sterilizing the poor and doing everything possible to ensure reproduction only among the ‘best of people.’ Castrating the mentally ill, encouraging reproduction among families “numbered among

Author: Dr. Moorehead Correct credit to the author of these words – Dr. Moorehead – minister, author, and former pastor of Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Washington. He wrote it in 1990 and it was later published in 1995 in his book WORDS APTLY SPOKEN.  A Message:The paradox of

On a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means “not at all satisfied with my life” and 7 means “completely satisfied,” it’s no surprise that survey-respondents who make Forbes magazine’s list of the 400 richest Americans average 5.8, while homeless pavement dwellers in Calcutta average 2.9.

The stranger in our home. A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Texas town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was

“The average person will spend 13-15 years of their life eating, another two years in the bathroom, four years commuting, and 26 years sleeping!” Imagine if scientists invented a way to do life’s chores in one long successive time span. Activities would be grouped together as opposed

Author: Sara Gutfreund (from Hamodia Magazine Family Section 1 Sivan, 5764) Today is my birthday. I am ninety years old. My children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have just left. My party is over. The room is littered with ribbons and balloons. Half of the pink and white ice-cream

Author: IsraelNN.com (IsraelNN.com) A Haifa University researcher has determined that Hareidi religious Jews are more content with their standard of living than secular Israelis. Dr. Ronny Strier reported that his research shows that poorer religious Jews do not feel shame by their economic level, unlike most secular

 A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present  “Seven Wonders of the World.” Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes:   Egypt’s Great Pyramids Taj Mahal Grand Canyon Panama Canal Empire State Building St. Peter’s Basilica China’s Great Wall 

My son Davi reminds me daily of a great truth about life: everything is interesting if we would take the time to stop and experience the moment. In truth, every moment is an opportunity for engagement, growth and life. Davi doesn’t waste time, space out – kill

Author: Roger Mason Dr. Roger’s Weekly Newsletter: What We Fear…Written By a Gentile What We Fear -Roger Mason   Sometimes one of my non-patients do not respond as well as they should to a natural health lifestyle. After starting a good diet based on whole grains and vegetables,

Author: Martin Bashir and Sara Holmberg ABC News Powerball Winner Says He’s CursedJack Whittaker Wishes He’d Torn Up TicketBy MARTIN BASHIR and SARA HOLMBERGABC News(April 7) –  On Christmas morning in 2002, Jack Whittaker woke up to perhaps the biggest gift imaginable. Whittaker had won the Powerball

Author: Rabbi Paysach J. Krohn *    *    * Youth is so impressionable that our Talmudic sages state that learning during childhood is significantly superior to learning as an adult. This is so because knowledge acquired in the early years of life is usually retained much longer, since

The thesis that is the Jewish Nation has an antithesis: Amalek.  And just as the Jewish People is defined by its Torah, so is its polar opposite associated with a particular system of thought and attitude. Amalek the nation is unknown to us today; the Biblical command

One of the core teachings of Judaism is that we don’t have to live lives in which our goals and values are incessantly and eternally at odds with each other. In this type of world we can never be at peace and our lives really do become

This week I had the pleasure of meeting Ben – short for Benjamin or Binyomin, in Hebrew, a bright 12-year-old boy who I am going to help prepare for his bar mitzvah.  I was trying to connect with him and I told them that he had a really

Hall of Defame Pete Rose isn’t the only one in Pete Roseland. BY DANIEL HENNINGER Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall

“The Egyptians started to make the Israelites do labor designated to break their bodies.” (Exodus 1:13) In order to keep the Israelites occupied so that they would not have time to think about Moses’ words heralding their freedom, Pharaoh decreed that henceforth the Jewish slaves would have to