Person in the Parsha: Nitzavim

September 07, 2017

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“THIS SEASON’S LEITMOTIF: RETURN!“

We have all been brought up to believe in the importance of progress. For the past several centuries, the goal of philosophy, religion, culture, and certainly science...

Person in the Parsha: KI TAVO

September 01, 2017

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“WALLS HAVE EARS?“

We all have our secret lives.

I don’t mean to say that each of us has a sinister side, which we wickedly act out in some deep, dark,...

Off the Pulpit: Who made that?

September 01, 2017

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE

Two hundred years from now, on a fine spring afternoon, scientists look up at the heavens and tell God that it is all over — humans can stand on their own.

The scientist says, “Look, God....

Off the Pulpit: Baruch Hashem

August 25, 2017

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE

When you ask a religious Jew how he or she is doing, the answer is likely to be “Baruch HaShem” – blessed be God. Good news often has “Baruch Hashem” added to it as well, as...

Person in the Parsha: KI TEITZEH

August 24, 2017

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“WORDS CAN NEVER HURT ME?“

For many of us, the first pieces of wisdom which we learned were from nursery rhymes and schoolyard jingles. Sometimes these childish lessons had value, but more often...

Person in the Parsha: SHOFTIM

August 18, 2017

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“JUSTICE, JUSTICE”

Like any good grandparent, I have seen my share of little-league baseball games. One summer, I sat through an all-day tournament of four five-inning games. Not too excited about what was...

Off the Pulpit: Needs wheels

August 18, 2017

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE

From George Prochnik’s award winning biography of Stefan Zweig, “The Impossible Exile”:

“One day in the 1920’s when Zweig happened to be traveling to Germany with Otto Zarek, the two men stopped off to visit an...

Person in the Parsha: RE’EH

August 11, 2017

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“SOCIALISM: IS IT GOOD FOR THE POOR?”

I must begin with a disclaimer. I am not an economist. Admittedly, there was a time early in my college days when...

Off the Pulpit: Two rights can make a wrong

August 10, 2017

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE

Most ethical dilemmas, like most tragedies, are not a conflict of right and wrong but a conflict of rights. People want different, competing and sometimes worthy things that cannot coexist.

The authors of the Federalist papers...

Person in the Parsha: EKEV

August 10, 2017

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“DISCIPLINE AND SUFFERING”

As a parent, grandparent, and psychologist, I am often considered to be something of an expert on parenting and child-rearing. In that capacity, I have frequently been asked...