Tag Archives: Judaism

We are at the height of Sukkot at the moment and I would love to write about the special prayers and celebrations that are taking place in Jerusalem and around the Jewish world, but with coronavirus still ravaging our population, we are in lockdown, synagogues are closed and prayer are …

The festival of Sukkot, the most joyous festival in the Jewish calendar, began last night, lasting for 7 days (8 outside of Israel), running straight into the Simchat Torah festival on the 8th day (9th day outside Israel). Sukkot is the last of the Shalosh R’galim (three pilgrimage festivals). Like …

It is no secret that over the years, the relationship between American Jewry and the State of Israel has had its ups and downs.  In recent years, it has had more downs than ups.  Today, it’s at a point where many American Jews who care about Israel feel that it …

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, begins tonight (Friday night), and lasts for 2 days, until sundown on Sunday night. The Jewish year follows the lunar calendar, and the number counts the number of years since Creation. This year we will mark the beginning of 5781. This year is going …

Just before he was beheaded, Daniel Pearl said: “My mother is Jewish. My father is Jewish. I am a Jew.” I was out the other day and heard this most upsetting statement: You don’t vote for a political party just because of the way they treat Jews. Have we still …

Looking back at what I have written for my Pesach posts over the last years, my heart aches, as it does for everyone, for what we enjoyed and for what we had been so looking forward to again this year. We had planned to go to our son for the …

There are many debates being waged around the world about whether anti-Zionism is antisemitism, how it is possible that some Jews may be against Israel, and why some Jews who do not believe in either God or religion are still considered Jews. This article will not tackle all of those …

A Muslim friend recently asked “how can we discuss Zionism away from Judaism?” I offered to meet with her and explain it. As the offer has not thus far been taken up, my response to the question has now been put into writing. There is a great deal of innocent …

UNESCO made a mockery of its purpose on Friday when it passed a resolution effectively writing Jews out of the history of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Judaism’s holiest site. The resolution, which was passed with 24 votes in favour, 6 against and 26 abstentions, acknowledges Jerusalem’s significance to three …

In 1928, Sigmund Freud noted that if we did not have religion — Judaism and Christianity — we would need another set of rules to keep us from self-destructing; from not only coveting our neighbour’s wife but having an affair with her. We would steal and lie; we would gossip and …

Intrinsic to Judaism is the belief that everyone is made in G-d’s image and therefore we must treat all with humanity. This has been reinforced throughout the ages, as this Talmudic tale attests: Once there was a gentile who came before Shammai, and said to him: “Convert me on the …

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, for those of you who may not know, is US representative to Florida’s 23rd congressional district and chair of the Democratic National Committee. This would make her not only among the most powerful Jewish women in the United States Congress, but among the most important people in national …

Back in 2007, I attended a JNF function at the Crown Casino in honour of John Howard, who was awarded the Jerusalem Prize for his friendship and commitment to Israel.  For me the main draw card was keynote speaker, Brigitte Gabriel, who I had long admired as a woman of …

PROTECTING THE DEAD. Question.  Does Judaism approve of autopsies? Answer.  Generally Judaism opposes anything which would injure, mar or mutilate the human body, after death as well as in life. However, in 1776 Rabbi Yechezkel Landau issued in his Noda Biy’hudah a now famous statement that an autopsy could be …

Written and Submitted by Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple.  FACING AARON The sidra focuses on Aaron. Like his famous brother, Moses, he played a crucial role in shaping the Children of Israel. Each one had his special skills. In Aaron’s case it was the capacity to relate to human beings. With …

In the comments under a recent Times of Israel piece entitled, Netanyahu: Islamists taking us back to the ‘Dark Ages’, we read this: Louis Arpino · Knoxville, Tennessee “The more isolated from the world that Israel becomes, the more hysterical Bibi becomes. Radical Judaism, with whom Bibi is politically in bed …

Written by Jeremy Gimpel, Deputy Director of the World Mizrachi Movement. I admire your work for and dedication to the Jewish people…. I have read just about everything you have ever published… Your message and delivery are unparalleled in our generation and I believe they have the potential to change …

The tidbit below was written and published by Jerusalem Post staff. The top Jordanian government official responsible for the custodianship of religious holy sites in Jerusalem is quoted in local press on Tuesday as saying that he is “adamantly opposed” to any Jewish worship atop the Temple Mount. Abd Al-Nasser Nassar, …

 My understanding is that Judaism unreservedly condemns child sexual abuse. So I was bemused by the following statement which implied that Orthodox Jews were lukewarm in this respect:  … pluralistic Rabbis across Australia, New Zealand and Asia read out the Statement below as part of the Sabbath service…the  idea came …