The Elusive Walkie Talkies
02/27/2026 12:48:21 PM
Feb27
The eight-year-old boy sat confidently in his seat. He knew he would win the most coveted prize: a pair of Radio Shack Walkie Talkies. His camp rebbe, R'Moshe Chaim *, had made the summer's learning program focused on memorizing yedios klalios. The boys were encouraged to learn by rote all twenty-four sefarim of the Tanach, as well as the names of Shisha Sidrei Mishna.
Read more... Two on Snow
02/27/2026 12:40:17 PM
Feb27
There are many lessons we all can learn from the snow. Here are two for starters: 1- The greatness of Hashem: Imagine if you wanted to cover an area of the country which would impact over 65 million people in the United States with a covering of white powder?
When the Month of Adar Arrives, We Increase Our Simcha!
02/17/2026 11:14:34 AM
Feb17
Today is the last day of Shevat and the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar. We learn that when the month of Adar arrives we have to increase our joy- - as Purim and Pesach are around the corner!
Motzei Shabbos in Yerushalayim
02/17/2026 11:09:35 AM
Feb17
We have just completed an amazing Shabbos in Yerushalayim - What is there to say? Spending Shabbos in Yerushalayim was a Zechus Moshe Rabbeinu pined for, yet, never achieved. For some reason Hashem has granted my wife and I the zechus to spend Shabbos in Yerushalayim.
Erev Shabbos in Yerushalayim
02/13/2026 11:40:08 AM
Feb13
Many years ago, I heard that before Rav Soloveitchik Z”L came to America, he was told, ”there is no Shabbos in America.” As we all are well aware, the majority of Jews who arrived in America prior to WW 2 left Shabbos observance behind.
A Special Day
02/12/2026 11:13:23 AM
Feb12
Yesterday I had one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. My oldest grandson Eliyahu was inducted into the Chareidi Chashmonaim unit of the IDF. The induction ceremony included a siiyum on a Massechta of Shas and there was even a mechitza between men and women.
No Place Like Home!
02/10/2026 03:40:41 PM
Feb10
In the last scene of the MGM film The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wakes up in her bed to find herself surrounded by her family. She looks round to see the faces of the people she loves and says, ”there’s no place like home”
Tu B'Shevat
02/03/2026 11:03:49 AM
Feb3
Today is a reminder to all of us- that no matter how cold it seems- there is always the guarantee that spring will arrive and that warm weather is on the way! I realize that today, spring seems far away- however, Tu B’Shevat is the New Year for the fruit trees- which tells us that the warm weather is not too far away!
The Rebbe
01/30/2026 12:03:02 PM
Jan30
As one of my baale batim once mentioned to me when he saw me enter the Shul on Friday evening for Kabbolas Shabbos, ”Rabbi, for us it's Thank Hashem for Friday, for you, Friday evening is like for us Monday morning at 9AM! ”
The Quiet Walk
01/16/2026 11:56:15 AM
Jan16
Yesterday, many of us (including your truly) had our digital life-lines severed. Verizon, the behemoth-like ”all-powerful” and (almost) omniscient force that 146.1 million subscribers in the United States rely on for their very existence, went ”down”.
The Power of "I am Sorry"
01/07/2026 12:50:50 PM
Jan7
The caller insisted we meet in person. When he entered my office, I recognized him. Rav Avremel* was a known Talmid Chacham. He was not a regular at my Shul; however, people from other Shuls often come to me, especially if they don't want their local Rav to know about this issue.
Read more... Recollections and Reflections
12/30/2025 05:45:46 PM
Dec30
Today is a time to look back. Today is Asara B'Teves, a public fast day. The reason given for fasting on Asarah B'Teves is that it is the day that Nevuchadnetzar started his siege of Yerushalayim, foreshadowing the beginning of the end of the first Beis HaMikdash.
Erev Shabbos in Yerushalayim
12/23/2025 12:18:10 PM
Dec23
There is something magical about Yerushalayim. There is something special about being among an entire population where everyone is getting ready for Shabbos. The wonderful aroma of fresh baked Challah fills the air you breathe. Especially today, which is Erev Shabbos Chanuka and Erev Rosh Chodesh, there is the additional treat of all streets being filled with those deep fried treats known as Sufganiot.
Feeling the Pain
12/18/2025 11:09:59 AM
Dec18
The badeken concluded and I joined the chassan and his parents in the family room, pleased to have some quiet time with them. I placed the ashes on the chassan’s forehead and encouraged his parents to bentsh their son before leading him down to the chuppah. As they did, I waxed nostalgic. Baruch had his bris in my shul 23 years ago. He also celebrated his bar mitzvah in the shul.
Chanukah
12/16/2025 11:02:50 AM
Dec16
Today is Tuesday Evening, we light three candles tonight -, 5786 Timeline - Yerushalayim, Eternal Capital of the Jewish people As I lit my menorah tonight in the holy city- my mind was filled with a sense of recognition of where I am. Here in Israel, people light their Menorahs all over - some light outside their apartment buildings, while others light inside at the window. What’s amazing is that “everyone” in Yerushalayim is lighting.
Massacre in Sydney
12/14/2025 10:55:06 AM
Dec14
Today is Sunday night, first night of Chanuka, 5786 Timeline - Yerushalayim, Eternal Capital of the Jewish people As I lit my menorah tonight in the holy city- my mind was filled with a mixture of raw emotions. On one hand, as my wife and I looked at our singular glowing light, I realized that all of the apartment windows facing were also aglow with the miraculous light of Chanuka.
No Competition
12/05/2025 10:26:54 AM
Dec5
The clocks had gone back an hour, and Larry (Leibel to everyone outside his immediate family) started getting nervous. The change to standard time meant one thing to Leibel: the father-and-son learning program, Avos U’Banim, was beginning again on Motzaei Shabbos, and Leibel was dreading it.
Never Be "The Guest Who Played Parent"
12/01/2025 12:11:02 PM
Dec1
Dov and Sara were excellent parents and wonderful hosts. Their Shabbos table was always crowded with guests, from elderly couples who enjoyed their company to singles who needed a meal. Ephraim was one of their regulars. He would frequent Dov and Sara's home for the Shabbos day seudah every few weeks.
Pre-Dawn Travels
11/19/2025 03:31:24 PM
Nov19
Friday is my busiest day of the week. It's not just that last-minute Shabbos questions need to be addressed; it's also that Erev Shabbos preparations can, in some families, cause tensions and stress that often end up for ”mediation” on my desk. As a rule, I try to stay local on Fridays. Besides the halachik limitations on travel on Erev Shabbos, I feel I need to be close to ”Ground-Zero” on this day.
Guess Who's Coming for Dinner?
11/13/2025 03:20:48 PM
Nov13
In this week's Mishpacha Magazine, I wrote an article about Hachnosos Orchim. Those of you who attend the Bein Adam L'Chaveiro shiur after davening on Shabbos morning will recall how we have covered these halachos. A number of you have encouraged me to put the halachos/anecdotes in writing. When I pitched the idea to Mishpacha, they were very receptive; hence, it appears in full in this week's issue. I will be presenting the Short Vort version of the article in a number of installments over the next few days.
Succah in the Rain
11/05/2025 11:42:06 AM
Nov5
”Nu, so what do you think? We will be able to eat in the Succah?” It was Shabbos day, and as Shul was ending, everyone was discussing the same subject, The weather-predictors were all in sync: rain for the majority of Shabbos. Yet, as we exited Shul and looked up to the skies, the forecast was far from certain. The heavens above were certainly overcast, and sometime during davening, rain had fallen. Yet the key question in everyone's minds was, ”Where do we set the table?”
Care Package
10/23/2025 03:58:50 PM
Oct23
It was a Monday morning, and I was in the midst of my long-awaited late summer trip to Eretz Yisroel. Originally, my wife and I were planning to attend a simcha in Israel at the end of June; however, the twelve-day war against Iran canceled our trip.I was very excited to be with family, and being in Yerushalayim is always a unique privilege. I awoke Monday morning and went off to Shul.
Succos - Thirty Years Ago
10/06/2025 10:52:08 AM
Oct6
Three decades ago, I had just become the Rav of Ahavas Israel in Passaic. The shul was then transitioning from ”traditional” to Orthodox. This meant there was a wide range of observance levels among the membership. We were navigating the transition together peacefully and respectfully.
Tekiah Gedolah
09/29/2025 03:10:21 PM
Sep29
Rosh Hashanah is not the usual day for acts of Chesed. Rosh Hashanah is spent most of the day in Shul and at family meals, and with the exception of inviting guests, most of us don’t have the opportunity to engage in physically active acts of Chesed. However, there are unsung heroes who quietly, albeit not silently, go about the days of Rosh Hashanah performing acts of chesed that are deserving of our recognition.
Manuel
09/18/2025 01:21:22 PM
Sep18
I was scheduled to attend an event in Manhattan on Anti-Semitism one summer evening in July. As I am not a fan of waiting seemingly forever to cross the Hudson River, I decided to make my way to Manhattan earlier in the day to avoid the rush hour traffic. I utilized the hours at my disposal to purchase some stationery goods at one of the small local shops that still dot lower Manhattan. During the walk to the store, my mind was preoccupied with my annual Tisha B'Av lecture.
Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref
09/12/2025 10:35:47 AM
Sep12
Yesterday, I awoke in Yerushalayim and davened Vasikin just minutes away from where Hashem chose as His ” home”. Today, I awoke in Passaic, NJ, and will also daven Vasikin; a little further away from His ” home”, yet, we believe still within ” earshot”. Nevertheless, it's just not the same.
Saying Good Bye
09/11/2025 10:23:52 AM
Sep11
We never say good bye to Israel, we just say L’Hitraot- ”To be seen (again).” We always are planning the next time. Our eyes our always focused on the next time when we shall meet again. L’Hitraot Eretz Yisroel- until we see each other again.
The Azakah - The Siren
09/11/2025 10:19:05 AM
Sep11
Yesterday, after I had just completed davening Maariv at a local Shul, suddenly, the world was filled with the sound of a blaring siren. Although I have had the Zechus to be here many times, this was my first time hearing the air-raid siren, or as its referred to in Hebrew: an Azakah, (literally: ”A Scream”) I was walking in the street and had no idea what to do or where to go.
Response
09/09/2025 10:30:30 AM
Sep9
Yesterday, after the horrific terror attack which has claimed six lives and caused multiple serious injuries, I felt the need to be “amongst the people. ”I headed to Kikar Zion, Zion Square- which is the center of town - to be “bSoch Ami”- among my people. The Square was filled with heavily armed soldiers as people went on with their ”normal” lives.
Terror
09/09/2025 10:18:39 AM
Sep9
Less than two miles from where i am staying is the neighborhood of Ramot. Right after I sent out my Short Vort about Shalom- I had communicated with friends in Ramot as to the possibility of my visiting today. They replied, ”Terror Attack-all roads are closed.” This is the reality of living in proximity to those who want to have us killed and removed from our homeland.
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Mon, March 9 2026
20 Adar 5786
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Mon, March 9 2026 20 Adar 5786