Parasha Insights

After seventy years of communist oppression and seven hours of flying, Boris, a burly immigrant from Moscow, steps off the plane in a free land to begin his new life in his new home, Israel. 
Standing at the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, a young and enthusiastic Israeli reporter plunges a microphone in front of him with a level of excitement that is only seen when an inside scoop is about to be caught. 
The reporter asks with focus: "Tell me, what was life back in Russia like?" To which the Russian immigrant replies: "I couldn’t complain."
An unexpected answer, the young reporter continues to probe: "Well, how were your living quarters there?" To which the Russian responds, "I couldn&r… Read More »

On Thursday, June 12, Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem. He placed a prayer note in the Wall, on which he had scribbled a single line, a quote from the Torah:

“Behold, a people rise like a lioness, and stands up like a lion.”

Hours later, the world understood the significance of that verse. Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran, named Operation Rising Lion. And there couldn’t be a more fitting name.

Our sages note that the lion’s shape is unique: broad in the front, narrow at the back. This symbolizes the Jewish people. Our strength is forward-facing. We lead, not follow. We don’t look back, but look ahead to a better world, and do what we can to bri… Read More »

One scene made me tear up. Someone sent me a video of Kabbalat Shabbat in Israel in a bomb shelter. Men, women, and children all in a shelter Friday evening, singing Lecha Dodi in the most beautiful tunes, with heartfelt emotion, joy, and unity. A nation of lions indeed!

It will go down in history. Friday, 17 Sivan, 5785, June 13, 2025, the moment Israel has been preparing for 30 years has arrived: The all-out attack on Iran’s nuclear sites.

At around 3 am Israel time, reports began emerging of Israeli strikes in Iran. According to the IDF, over 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft took part in the initial strikes, which saw fighter jets hit some 100 targets with over 330 munitions. Only to be followed by a second, far more lethal.

It is… Read More »

Many of us are stressed, scattered, fragmented, afraid, confused, downtrodden, sad, and anxious. At best, we are overwhelmed, burdened, splintered, and all over the place. Netanyahu vows operation to continue 'for as long as it takes' 

According to Iranian media, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Hossein Salami has been killed, while conflicting reports have emerged regarding the condition of Iranian Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri. 

 Flights to Israel cancelled as airspace closes due to Iran operation. 

Beyond nuclear aspirations: Iran moving full steam ahead to develop new threat... WHEN ALL COMES OUT BEEPERS' OPERATION WILL LOOK SMALL. 

Anxiety does not come from nowhere.&nb… Read More »

The story is told that before Mao-Tse-Tung (1893-1976), the founder and leader of the People's Republic of China, brought the Revolution to China and installed the Communist system there, he was warned that millions of Chinese could starve until they got things working properly. 

Mao responded, "If I lose 100 million Chinese peasants for the revolution, it's worth it." 

Indeed, during his leadership, from 1949 to 1976, it is estimated that 70 million of his people perished. 

This is one type of leader who can give up 100 million people, as long as his goals are accomplished. Joseph was taught by his father a vastly different message: One person is the world. Taking one person's life is extingu… Read More »

I remember my first roller coaster ride as though it were yesterday. I was seven years old at Six Flags Great Adventure, on a ride called “the American Scream Machine.” I was there with my bunk from Camp Gan Israel. My heart was pounding as the coaster slowly started its climb to the top. When it hit the top, there was a momentary pause; the sun beat down on us as we waited. Suddenly, the cars jerked into motion while rapidly gaining speed. We were hovering over a long, steep drop above a lake. I gripped the shoulder harness as we plunged into a free-fall, and all I heard was terrible screaming. I feared the cars would jolt off the tracks. But instead of screaming incoherently, I gathered all my powers of belief and shouted a co… Read More »

I remember my first roller coaster ride as though it were yesterday. I was seven years old at Six Flags Great Adventure, on a ride called “the American Scream Machine.” I was there with my bunk from Camp Gan Israel. My heart was pounding as the coaster slowly started its climb to the top. When it hit the top, there was a momentary pause; the sun beat down on us as we waited. Suddenly, the cars jerked into motion while rapidly gaining speed. We were hovering over a long, steep drop above a lake. I gripped the shoulder harness as we plunged into a free-fall, and all I heard was terrible screaming. I feared the cars would jolt off the tracks. But instead of screaming incoherently, I gathered all my powers of belief and shouted a co… Read More »

I remember my first roller coaster ride as though it were yesterday. I was seven years old at Six Flags Great Adventure, on a ride called “the American Scream Machine.” I was there with my bunk from Camp Gan Israel. My heart was pounding as the coaster slowly started its climb to the top. When it hit the top, there was a momentary pause; the sun beat down on us as we waited. Suddenly, the cars jerked into motion while rapidly gaining speed. We were hovering over a long, steep drop above a lake. I gripped the shoulder harness as we plunged into a free-fall, and all I heard was terrible screaming. I feared the cars would jolt off the tracks. But instead of screaming incoherently, I gathered all my powers of belief and shouted a co… Read More »

One of the influential halachic figures in Judaism was a man known as Rabbainu Tam. His story is fascinating.

In 1095 began the First Crusade of Christians began, marching toward the Holy Land to conquer Jerusalem from the Muslims. En route, during May and June of 1096, the mob slaughtered entire Jewish communities in Germany and France, in what was one of the most horrific events in Jewish history of the Middle Ages.

The situation of the Jewish People in France and Western Europe from the time of the First Crusade in 1096 rapidly deteriorated. The persecution of Jews through the Catholic Church was horrendous, and the demands that Jews convert were never-ending.

The greatest Jewish sage in France at the time was Rabbi Shlomo Y… Read More »

Today, Friday, known in Hebrew as Lag BaOmer, the thirty-third day of the omer, is the anniversary of the passing of one of the greatest sages and spiritual giants in Jewish history, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

Rabbi Shimon, who lived in Israel under Roman occupation around 165 CE (approximately one hundred years after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE), was an extraordinary scholar, leader, sage, and mystic. He was the author of the Zohar, the most basic work of Kabbalah, revealing to the world the underlying theology of Judaism, its inner soul and energy, and initiating a new era in the development and exposure of Jewish mysticism. The most significant revelation came about on the day of Rabbi Shimon's passing, on which he expou… Read More »

Izzy owned a small deli in Stamford Hill, in London. One day, a tax inspector knocked on his door and questioned him about his recent tax return. Issy had reported a net profit of $250.000 for the year, and he wanted to know all about it. "It’s like this," said Issy. "I work like a maniac all year round, and all my family helps me out whenever they can. My deli is closed only five days a year. That’s how I made $250,000."  

"It's not your income that bothers us," said the taxman. "It's the business travel deductions of $80,000 that worry us. You entered on the tax return that you and your wife made 28 business trips to Israel, Italy, Switzerla… Read More »

Izzy owned a small deli in Stamford Hill, in London. One day, a tax inspector knocked on his door and questioned him about his recent tax return. Issy had reported a net profit of $250.000 for the year, and he wanted to know all about it. "It’s like this," said Issy. "I work like a maniac all year round, and all my family helps me out whenever they can. My deli is closed only five days a year. That’s how I made $250,000."  

"It's not your income that bothers us," said the taxman. "It's the business travel deductions of $80,000 that worry us. You entered on the tax return that you and your wife made 28 business trips to Israel, Italy, Switzerla… Read More »

Seventy-seven years ago, G-d once again gave the Jewish people the historic opportunity of returning freely to their ancient homeland, Israel, with the ability to govern their affairs, protect their borders, and live freely as Jews. 

This was by no means inevitable. It took extraordinary courage and a miracle. 

From the moment the United Nations passed the partition resolution on November 29, 1947, the Arabs, desperate to thwart its implementation, ruthlessly intensified their attacks on the Jewish population of Israel. 

Nearly 1,200 Jews, half of them civilians, were murdered by Arabs in the six months between November 1947 and May 1948. That instability – and fears for the survival of this … Read More »