You Got to Pray Just to Make It One Day

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

You Got to Pray Just to Make It One Day

Hard-Code G-d Into AI

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Hard-Code G-d Into AI."

Artificial intelligence is often framed as a problem of obedience: can we keep machines under human control? But human commands are not always moral, and an AI perfectly aligned with a terrorist, authoritarian state, corrupt corporation or reckless commander would not be safe—it would simply be efficient at doing wrong. This article argues that AI must be built not only with technical guardrails, but around a moral reality higher than machine, market and human command: the sanctity of life, the dignity of every person created b’tzelem Elokim, truth and the duty to protect the vulnerable. That standard does not demand weakness or unilateral disarmament; it calls for AI strong enough to help free societies defeat terrorists, protect civilians and defend themselves, while never confusing power, permission or technological capability with moral authority.

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Hard-Code G-d Into AI

He Prayed Perfectly—And Missed Everything

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "He Prayed Perfectly—And Missed Everything."

On Shabbat Shuvah, just minutes after a sermon about making amends to those we hurt, a woman using a walker was unable to enter synagogue because a man praying in the aisle blocked her path. He may not have known she was there, but the painful result was that she turned around and left—and I froze rather than helping in time. The incident became a lesson in Ha’azinu’s command to listen: teshuvah is not only about saying the right prayers, but about noticing the person in front of us and acting with justice, mercy, and humility. As Yom Kippur approaches, the question is not merely whether we pray correctly, but whether we make room for others to enter.

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He Prayed Perfectly—And Missed Everything

The Laps We Keep Walking

 

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "The Laps We Keep Walking."

This Rosh Hashanah, a difficult year of health challenges alongside the blessing of early retirement led me to confront a central truth: life rarely offers uninterrupted good fortune or a straight path from strength to success. Walking laps despite a limp became my personal reminder that accepting a limitation is not the same as accepting defeat—and that resilience can mean simply taking one more step forward. Remembering my grandmother’s final expression of gratitude to my grandfather, who had patiently cared for her through years of memory loss, reminded me not to wait to thank the people who stand beside us. Amid private sorrow and a deeply divided public culture, we need gratitude, humility, compassion for burdens we cannot see, and the courage to begin again.

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The Laps We Keep Walking

There Is No “Other Jew”

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "There Is No 'Other Jew.'"

Antisemitism isn't someone else's problem anymore — it's outside our museums, our vigils, our synagogue preschools, and it doesn't check your politics, your zip code, or how observant you are before it strikes. Every time we tell ourselves "that's not really about me," we hand hatred exactly the cover it needs to keep spreading. There is no Orthodox Jew's problem and no secular Jew's problem, no Zionist's problem and no anti-Zionist's problem — there is only us, together, or we are all exposed. The answer isn't fear and it isn't silence; it's showing up louder, standing closer, and refusing to let anyone convince us that someone else's fight isn't our own.

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There Is No “Other Jew”

The Work of Living After October 7

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "The Work of Living After October 7."

Reading Tuesdays with Morrie after October 7 made me think differently about fear, loss, and what it means to keep living. Morrie’s lessons reminded me that we cannot ignore danger or grief, but we also cannot let them take over our hearts, homes, or communities. I believe Israel must face its failures honestly, protect its people, and rebuild with strength and care. Most of all, I came away believing that the answer to terror is not only survival—it is choosing love, connection, purpose, and Jewish life again and again.

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The Work of Living After October 7

When No One Is Watching, What Does G-d See?

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "When No One is Watching, What Does G-d See?"

Character is often revealed in small moments when no one is watching. An MRI patient must trust others with personal belongings, while a shopper can choose whether to offer a stranger a small courtesy. Judaism teaches that our response to another person’s vulnerability or need is a moral choice between blessing and indifference. God sees whether we honor trust, show kindness, and treat others as fellow human beings rather than inconveniences.

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When No One Is Watching, What Does G-d See?

Don’t Wait Until Death to Learn How to Live

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Don't Wait Until Death to Learn How to Live."

Every choice we make ripples out and touches other people, even strangers we'll never meet—that's what it means to be responsible for one another. Giving something up for someone else isn't a loss, but one of the most meaningful things a person can do. Holding onto anger only traps us, while forgiveness and the path of return set us free. And love doesn't end with death—it lives on through memory and duty, just as every life, however ordinary, carries real and lasting purpose.

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Don’t Wait Until Death to Learn How to Live

Shalom Yisrael

Shalom Yisrael

Shabbat Candle Lighting

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Shabbat Candle Lighting

Old City Jerusalem

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Old City Jerusalem

There Is Still Time Today to Make Yesterday Jealous

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "There is Still Time Today to Make Yesterday Jealous."

Inspired by an Uber driver’s profound phrase to "make yesterday jealous," the author reflects on how individuals can overcome the heavy, lingering burdens of past hardships. This mindset aligns closely with the Jewish tradition of teshuvah, which emphasizes that people are defined by their present choices and can actively repurpose past mistakes into fuel for renewal. Modern neuroscience reinforces this spiritual concept through neuroplasticity, demonstrating that the adult brain physically rewires its circuits every time a person chooses a new, constructive behavior over an old pattern. Ultimately, embracing this perspective acts as a disciplined resilience against despair, proving that we are not prisoners of what has been but are entirely capable of shaping our time and destiny.

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There Is Still Time Today to Make Yesterday Jealous

"זן נדיר" (We Are a Rare Breed) By Corinne Allal

We fear our own shadow

We cling to the walls of the houses
And most of the time are ashamed of our bodies
Digging bomb shelters

We are fleeing from a crazy party
Pushing our way into rowboats
Every dry land is a sinking ship
When digging bomb shelters

We are a rare breed
A strange bird
Dreams in the air
Head in the ground

We deceive mostly ourselves
Not blind but we do not look
And it’s unclear what we will leave behind
Except for the fears

We are a rare breed
A strange bird
Dreams in the air
Head in the ground

"זן נדיר" (We Are a Rare Breed) By Corinne Allal

Eyes That Do Not See: The Moral Vanity of Anti-Zionism

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Eyes That Do Not See: The Moral Vanity of Anti-Zionism."

A blind woman regains her sight only to reject the man who loved her, and the story becomes a metaphor for the deepest moral failure: refusing to see the truth once it is in front of you. The piece argues that much of the world treats Israel the same way, condemning the Jewish state through distorted morality while ignoring its history, its self-defense, and the reality of the war it faces. It says critics apply double standards, overlook October 7, and dismiss Israel’s contributions and repeated efforts toward peace. The central message is that the world’s problem is not lack of information, but a refusal to recognize truth, history, and Jewish sovereignty honestly.

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Eyes That Do Not See: The Moral Vanity of Anti-Zionism

Mamdani's Enablers

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Mamdani's Enablers."

A recent progressive Jewish gathering at Gracie Mansion hosted by Mayor Mamdani exposes a glaring communal hypocrisy, where the desire for political access overrode solidarity in the face of his anti-Israel actions. This selective morality is not just political, but mirrors a broader cultural gap within Jewish life between the high ideals we preach and how we actually treat one another. Across everyday interactions—from a rabbi’s immediate suspicion of a neighbor's kitchen to a leader weaponizing theology to crush a vulnerable soul—we repeatedly trade basic empathy for rigid judgment and convenience. Ultimately, true community cannot be reduced to political alignments or superficial compliance; it demands that we close this moral gap and begin practicing the genuine decency we expect from the outside world.

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Mamdani's Enablers

Pearlstone Ruach: Shavuot 2026

(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal)

Pearlstone Ruach: Shavuot 2026

Ten Commandments

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Ten Commandments

Seeing Shavuot Through the Eyes of a Child

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Seeing Shavuot Through the Eyes of a Child."

When my five-year-old grandson asked for pictures of the Torah and Ten Commandments for Shavuot, his sincere remark that “Hashem is so happy that you made these for me” stopped me in my tracks. His excitement revealed the Torah not as an ancient relic but as something alive, personal, and meaningful, embodying the innocence and clarity that adults often lose. This moment reflected Shavuot’s deeper message: though the Torah was given at Mount Sinai over 3,000 years ago, it is spiritually renewed each year as we return to it as changed people with new experiences and questions. Judaism endures not through nostalgia alone but through active engagement—learning, teaching, struggling, and returning—so that every generation, like my grandson, rediscover the Torah as something new and bring the covenant at Sinai to life once again.

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Seeing Shavuot Through the Eyes of a Child

Why I Came Back to Shul

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Why I Came Back to Shul."

After drifting away from synagogue due to youthful disillusionment with the social hypocrisies and flaws of its members, I was drawn back by a series of persistent spiritual nudges, including the recurring appearance of the number 613. Returning to communal worship brought a shift in perspective, realizing that faith is about personal responsibility rather than the perfection of others. Through shared humor, imperfect traditions, and rallying together during a local family's medical crisis, I rediscovered the profound strength of a real, human community. Ultimately, the synagogue is not a showcase for saints but a vital sanctuary where fragile generations gather to look past their egos and connect with G-d.

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Why I Came Back to Shul

Tattoo of Peace

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Tattoo of Peace