Category: Other

On January 8th, we remembered my grandmother Helena Schonfeld’s 113^th birthday.  Most people who know me, know that that after surviving the horrors of the Shoah, my grandmother and grandfather and father (Alexander, Helena and Gustav…

Introduction: A Question Asked in the Shadow of Trauma

In the aftermath of October 7—the murder of civilians, the taking of hostages, and the shock that tore through Israeli society—followed by the devastating war in Gaza, it has become…

I’ve been involved in Jewish experiential education since 2007. Over the years, I’ve worked with Jewish communities across the globe — from Australia and New Zealand, through Europe and South Africa, to North and Latin America.

Wherever…

Yesterday evening, at 10 p.m., I turned on my TV to watch the news from Israel, politics and world events. I have Roku and watch a broad selection of videos on the YouTube channel which I find quite informative. Unfortunately, the evening…

Not too long ago I was explaining to one of my children what American bipartisanship looked like, particularly when it came to Israel.  He said I sounded a bit nostalgic. It was true, I did. He also said I sounded a bit worried. I am.

But I…

An article in EWTN News by Madalaine Elhabbal states that the condemnation of Christian Zionism by the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, is prompting varied reactions by Catholics in the U.S., Israel, and…

Hamas’s October 7 atrocities were innovative—for instance, the attackers livestreamed their actions with Go-Pro cameras—but they also fit an old pattern known to those familiar with the region’s history. Hamas said it was defending…

Imagine it is Election Night 2030. A charismatic, impeccably tailored candidate strides up the Capitol steps to take the oath of office. Commentators gush over his forward-thinking economic plans and inclusive rhetoric. Yet, tucked inside…

Sunday’s storm, which brought daily life in the New York metropolitan area to a standstill, was the first truly major snowstorm we’ve experienced in quite some time. It immediately brought back memories of the blizzard of 1996, which…

THE MISTAKE

The man leading the morning prayers had conducted us from servitude in Egypt through the peaceful crossing of a tumultuous sea. As the sea walls collapsed and smothered the Egyptian army, the Hebrew text of the prayer would have…