On the morning of Friday, March 21, I ran together with my entire family in the Jerusalem Marathon. Admittedly, I ran merely the five kilometer non-competitive race, but it was a special feeling just the same. It was a chance…
Self & spirituality, Mussar, Critical issues, Social justice
The fun house sideshow of ultra-Orthodox life in Israel and the New York area bursts forth every Purim, as the Haredim transform themselves into fez-wearing Turks, medieval noblemen and so on. We enjoy the easing of cultural barriers in the…
Tanakh, Ketuvim (Writings), Esther, Critical issues, Jewish denominations, Self & spirituality
How do we make conflict productive rather than destructive, how do we use our noticing of a problem as a way to create growth rather than enmity and how do we work with our anger to heal rather than destroy?…
Critical issues, Mahloket Matters/conflict resolution, Self & spirituality, Mussar, Personal transformation
The Pardes Center for Judaism and Conflict Resolution has put together study guides for the 9Adar Project: Jewish Week of Constructive Conflict. If you use any of the Word versions below and personalize, please be sure to leave the 9 Adar…
Critical issues, Mahloket Matters/conflict resolution, Self & spirituality, Mussar
From pages 109-112 of Relics for the Present by Levi Cooper, presented in Istanbul during January 2014 Pardes trip to Tukrey. Berakhot 12a The Jewish community in Istanbul, Turkey, has an engaging custom. Moments before beginning the Amida prayer, worshippers…
Self & spirituality, Mussar, Talmud, Jewish history, Temple Era
The expression of blessing, as in greeting one another, is taken very seriously in Judaism. The reason is that the core of such blessing is that the word Shalom, which is a precious Name for God. Using God’s name for…
Personalities, Biblical personalities, Critical issues, Mahloket Matters/conflict resolution, Self & spirituality, Mussar
The single most shocking and delicious snowstorm revelation is how isolated we are in Jerusalem. Our royal road, the thin Kvish Echad (Highway One) is easily blocked, and this recent snowfall has accomplished that trick. Combining this with the advent…
Self & spirituality, Mussar
Does it really matter how we refer to someone? Does it really matter how we refer to someone? Names and titles are mere conventions, symbols that help us form a common language when referring to specific people in our conversations.…
Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Mussar
Discover what Jacob’s blessing was to his two “frum” sons and how this is the perfect path to the Divine. As Jacob lay on his deathbed, he called his sons to his side to offer them parting words. When it…
Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Mussar
In three verses, the Prophet Micah expressed the essence of his mission (Micah 6:6-8). First, Micah explored the possibilities of what God wants from us: “With what shall I approach God, pay homage to the Almighty on high? Should I…
Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Mussar
“Do not wrong one another, but fear your Lord, for I am God your Lord” (Leviticus 25:17). The classic reading of this biblical verse is to explain that the Torah is warning against ona’at devarim, verbal abuse or abuse of…
Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Jewish history, Mussar
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