As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on November 22, 2025. “A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, but the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair.” -Niccolo Machiavelli In this week’s Torah portion, we learn about the relationship between Jacob and Esau. We read (Genesis 25:29-34): Now Jacob […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on November 14, 2025. “It’s true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?” -Ronald Reagan This week’s Tora portion is Chayei Sarah. Commenting on the name of the portion Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote, “The name of our parsha seems to embody a paradox. […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on November 7, 2025. “The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” -Billy Graham After receiving retirement advice from both Noah and Avraham (shout out […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 31, 2025. “I’m not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I’ve always been a freak. So I’ve been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know. I’m one of those […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 24, 2025. “My retirement date, every time you ask me that, I’m going to say five years. I don’t want to retire.” -Jamie Dimon In this week’s Tora portion, we read about Noach’s ark and the flood that destroyed the world. Many commentators ask how can […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 17, 2025. “Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” -Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield The holiday season has come to a close. […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 10, 2025. “When you’re young, you don’t really know quite what you’re aiming at. You’re very impulsive and acting on impulse, which is very important and valuable. But you’re kind of swimming in a blind sea. When you get older, you have more of a sense […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 3, 2025. “We spend our way to the poorhouse. We buy giant TVs and iPads. Our children wear nice clothes thanks to high-interest credit cards and payday loans. We purchase homes we don’t need, refinance them for more spending money, and declare bankruptcy, often leaving them […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on September 27, 2025. Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even. -Muhammad Ali Yom Kippur is […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on September 19, 2025. I can’t believe that Rosh Hashana is in a few days. Where did the summer go? As long-time readers are aware, among all the many symbols that highlight Rosh Hashana for me, it’s all about honey cake. Yes, I like honey cake but in […]
