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Why Organ Donation Is So Close to My Heart
It was a regular, sunny Sunday in March. My mom, dad, sister, and brother were all lounging around the pool, enjoying the warm weather. Suddenly, my dad started making grunting noises, grabbed hold of his chest, and collapsed. My mom looked at his prone figure in horror and quickly called 911. The paramedics raced to
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Contrasting the Sefira of Yesod and Women
Are you counting the sefira every night? I am. And for those of you who haven’t been doing it this year, I encourage you to try doing it next year. It’s a lifechanger. I know that’s a dramatic statement, but I stand by it. The few minutes of connection with Hashem every evening, of following
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Bamidbar: A True Household Leader
Rav Chaim Vital writes that the way in which a husband treats his wife is a reflection of all of his middot (character traits). Regardless of how he interacts with the outside world, the way a man conducts himself inside his home is the mark of his true essence. When doors are closed, when study
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Balance of Brotherhood: What We Can Learn from Rabbi Akiva’s Students
During the days of counting the Omer, we implement certain practices of aveilut, to mourn the twenty-four thousand students of Rabbi Akiva who died during the period from Pesach to Shavuot. These were giants of Torah, the next generation of torch-bearers trained to carry the tradition into the diaspora so Torah could survive. What do
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Judith Montefiore: A Woman of Unparalleled Faith and Influence
Few are as familiar with Lady Judith Montefiore as they are with her husband, Sir Moses Montefiore, who is renowned for his influence in both Jewish and non-Jewish circles. Yet it was he who said, “I am no great man…the little good I have accomplished or intended to accomplish, I am indebted for it to
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Behar: A Godly Vision
There are some decisions in life that just seem so obvious. Should we move to a warm community or an unfriendly one? Send to an excellent school or a poor one? Or even, should we buy a pretty dress or an ugly one? You may have just been thinking; well, there must be an issue
