When dealing with the topic of Kiruv, there is always a little bit of a double-edged sword. Back in high school, I remember that a Rabbi once described NCSY to me as, “Mekarev HaRechokim Umerachek HaKrovim“: it brings closer those who are far [from Orthodoxy] and pushes away those who are close. While my experiences [...]
Read
It was spring semester for the Yeshivot in Israel. The Ohr Sameach in Jerusalem had just been donated a full set of Artscroll Talmud. Many students cooed at the freshly printed books lining what was formerly a completely barren shelf. Only a handful dared touch the sacred tomes. Some days they simply sat there, gathering [...]
Read“Why in God’s name do we pray the amidah three times a day?” is a question that I used to ask myself several years ago in Yeshiva. For even if I assumed that every word said to the Queen of Queens was crisply pronounced and accompanied by the requisite kavanah, or proper intensity, I realized [...]
ReadI’m not out to my mom. I’m not out to my father either. But they both know something is wrong. When your five children decide to be frum on their own, and ten years later you notice that one of them has stopped davening in shul, benching after meals, and is considering giving up on [...]
ReadThe word “orthodox” comes from the Greek words “orthos” which means “correct” and “doxus” which means “belief.” In the context of religion, orthodoxy is generally understood as the belief in those doctrines deemed essential by some authority. The origin of the concept of religious orthodoxy is generally associated with the early years of the state [...]
Read