Over the last few days, we have been informed of the loss of 25 Jewish soldiers as Israel continues its ground offensive against the evil Hamas. It is important that we realize that there is indeed evil in this world and that people make choices to be either good or evil. Hamas has chosen to be evil and therefore Israel is correct in attempting to eliminate the evil from this world. (Read More)

Col. Ofer Winter, commanding officer of the IDF’s Givati brigade, penned a letter at the opening of Operation Protective Edge, inspiring his charges to recognize the unique historic and spiritual opportunity that they had in standing poised to lead the ground operation in Gaza. The letter, replete with references to G-d and biblical overtones that frame the Gazan enemy as the “Azati” (lit. Gazan, but used in the bible to refer to the archenemy (Read More)

We all believe in our students and their capabilities. We all believe in their ability to succeed and thrive in our classes. But no matter what we believe, if we're honest with ourselves, there will be times that we fail to reach all of our students. And this really shouldn't be a surprise. Each person that is created has a supremely unique set of skills, talents, abilities, learning strengths and weaknesses. One of our goals as educators is to do our duty to reach each of (Read More)

Ein Ma’avirin al HaMitzvot - You have only one day out of jail. When should you take it? What should you do? (Pesachim 64b) Imagine the following scenario: In Communist Russia of 1970, Alexei Shimonovich, a teacher of Judaism and fifteen-year refusenik (“refused” permission to emigrate to Israel), was tracked by the KGB, tried and convicted for... Read more » (Read More)