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.

(AI generated image)

Don’t Wait Until Death to Learn How to Live

Don’t Fall for the DSA Branding Machine

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Don't Fall for the DSA Branding Machine."

Something significant just happened in New York — and most people missed what it really means. A political movement is selling affordability and social justice on the surface while systematically inverting moral reality underneath, recasting terrorists as victims, democracies as villains, and Jews as obstacles to progress. This isn't a policy disagreement or a generational shift in the Democratic Party — it's a branding operation designed to make radical ideas sound compassionate, and it's working. The question is whether enough Americans will see through the packaging before the moral rot becomes permanent.

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Don’t Fall for the DSA Branding Machine

JD Vance: A Korach for Our Time

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "JD Vance: A Korach for Our Time."

Israel is fighting an existential battle for survival against a radical Islamic Iranian regime dedicated to the total destruction of the Jewish state. True moral clarity requires standing firmly with allies under siege, not lecturing a democracy from a distance while treating its enemies with diplomatic indulgence. Israel does not need sermons from Washington about restraint; it needs allies who understand that national security is the first duty of government, and that the fundamental threat to peace is not Israel’s defense, but the terror apparatus in Tehran—and the Western leaders who fail to see the difference.

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JD Vance: A Korach for Our Time

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

America at 250: Renewal or Collapse

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "America at 250: Renewal or Collapse."

As the United States approaches its historic 250th anniversary, the foundational promise of liberty that allowed American Jewry to flourish is increasingly being weaponized to hollow the nation out from within. Modern antisemitism and anti-Zionism have mutated into a sophisticated war on objective truth, systematically using propaganda to turn the world's singular Jewish nation and its people from victims into villains. This dangerous societal decay was thrown into sharp contrast by the profound spiritual vitality of a recent Shavuot retreat, showing in practical terms that the grotesque libels spread by bad actors are total inversions of reality. Ultimately, Western civilization faces a binary choice to either aggressively defend the rule of law and truth, or surrender to an institutional collapse where hatred is normalized and the forces of destruction are mistaken for progress.

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America at 250: Renewal or Collapse

Israel at 78: The Future It Must Build

 

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Israel at 78: The Future It Must Build."

Israel’s 78th Independence Day serves as a powerful reminder that Jewish sovereignty is a lived reality, balancing the unrestrained joy of the next generation with the steady resolve of those who defend it. This restoration of dignity and agency defies centuries of displacement, asserting a permanent right to self-determination that persists despite modern challenges and critics' double standards. Rooted in the ethic of teshuvah, the nation embraces a culture of self-reflection and responsibility rather than a claim to perfection. As Israel looks toward its 80th year, it remains committed to a future defined by regional cooperation, global innovation through Tikkun Olam, and an unyielding security that protects its moral purpose.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Israel at 78: The Future It Must Build

Hashem Calls on Us to Bring Our Best

 
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Hashem Calls on Us to Bring Our Best."

Drawing from a story about diluted Arak, this reflection emphasizes that our spiritual lives should never be compromised by mediocrity or half-heartedness. Parshat Mishpatim reinforces this through the mandate of the "first fruits," calling us to offer Hashem and our community our absolute best rather than our leftovers. This standard of excellence extends to our interpersonal relationships, requiring pure compassion for the vulnerable and integrity even toward our enemies. Ultimately, by dedicating our unique strengths and "choicest portions" to the collective, we build a resilient nation and a life defined by enduring quality.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Hashem Calls on Us to Bring Our Best

The Last Candles of Bondi

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "The Last Candles of Bondi."

This poem is a indictment of rising antisemitism and moral decay in Australia and the West. It opens with the massacre of Jewish worshippers on Bondi Beach and portrays the event as both tragedy and omen. The piece condemns political hypocrisy, cultural cowardice, and the normalization of anti‑Jewish hatred under the guise of social justice. Ultimately, it warns that society’s failure to confront this hatred will erode not only its morality but its humanity itself.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

The Last Candles of Bondi

Turning AI Power Toward Human Purpose

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Turning AI Power Toward Human Purpose."

A lighthearted exchange between friends reveals a serious truth: modern leaders often debate endlessly yet craft only temporary, superficial solutions. The rise of artificial intelligence epitomizes this problem—technological advances enrich a privileged few while deepening inequality and eroding human purpose. Across the world, immense wealth coexists with staggering poverty, creating a dual system of justice and dignity divided by class. We need a moral awakening rooted in religious values of compassion and justice where we align progress with empathy and action to heal a fractured world.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Turning AI Power Toward Human Purpose

Now Is the Time to Stand for Principle Over Political Party

(https://www.wsj.com/opinion/notable-quotable-we-are-a-big-tent-party-dnc-chairman-mamdani-c81f0f04)

Now Is the Time to Stand for Principle Over Political Party

Israel & Gaza: Separating Fact from Fiction

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Israel & Gaza: Separating Fact from Fiction."

Eighteen months into a conflict marked by unfathomable loss, one of the most disturbing things we see is the reinvention of what actually happened. The terrorists and their supporters spew an endless stream of hate and lies. It is crucial to continue to dispel their myths and hold on to the truth.

Hamas’s ideology of hate and annihilation meets Israel’s resolve to survive and achieve a lasting peace. Amid the ashes of Gaza, faith remains our compass and the Jewish state, our beacon.

(AI generated image via Gemini)

Israel & Gaza: Separating Fact from Fiction

It Comes Down to Leadership

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "It Comes Down to Leadership."

While surely all decent, patriotic American people want to see the United States continue as a beacon of freedom and leadership in the world, the problems this country is facing both internally and externally are wearing down our ability to cope with them. From our economy to our border and national security, from our universities to our urban centers, from radical wokeism to vile protests overcome with hate, racism, and violence, our nation is threatened perhaps like never before.

While there are many factors that contribute to our national success, certainly if we are going to be able to confront the challenges we face both at home and abroad, we must have strong and courageous leadership. Not only to unite us but also to evoke our very best, we need leadership that commands respect from both left and right, with a mighty and passionate vision that moves us not only to farseeing human progress but equally to moral righteousness. With this, we can instill pride in both who we are and where we are going and not be in fear of what’s threatening our streets or our shores anymore.

(AI generated Image via Craiyon)

It Comes Down to Leadership

No More Burning Holy Books

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "No More Burning Holy Books."

At the very least, even if the Swedes were granting permission for the demonstration, they should have had the moral decency to condemn the actions of burning the holy books and then work to change the legal system to prevent this from happening in the future. But the truth is that they just don't seem to care.

(Credit Photo: Phuket@photographer.net via https://flic.kr/p/o4PgjN)

No More Burning Holy Books

Monsters and Humans

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Monsters and Humans."

Ultimately, the litmus test is whether there is a human in that being. If there is that spark of G-d, that soul, that inner conscience weighing right and wrong, that fear and love of G-d and his creations driving decision-making, then there is still hope for that person as well as for mankind.

However, if we are dealing with those who are sadistic animals in human form, then we must be as soldiers of Hashem, taking a firm stand and decisive action, because true evil does not remain dormant for long.

(Source Photo: Aneesh Ans; https://www.pexels.com/photo/painted-face-of-person-portrait-photo-1211966/)

Monsters and Humans

From Judaism with love

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "From Judaism with Love."

Civilizations’ notion of a perfect world comes not from classical Greek and Roman society — where art, architecture, beauty, government, philosophy, and empirical science emanated — but rather directly through Judaism (i.e., from Hashem).

One one hand, you have Greece and Rome with polytheism and paganism, where gods are in the image of man, beauty is holy, and morality is subjective and malleable. On the other hand, we have Judaism’s clear declaration of monotheism (with one omnipotent, benevolent, eternal, and invisible G-d), where man was created in the image of G-d, the holy is beautiful, and morality is objective and unchangeable. At the end of the day, there is no contest: G-d’s Torah, as transmitted through the Jewish people, is the absolute and enduring “light unto the nations” towards the perfect world.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

From Judaism with love

A Dream and An Honor

 

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "A Dream And An Honor."

The soldiers of the IDF are so motivated and effective, because they are generally at peace with themselves as a moral Jewish Democracy who stand for what’s right in the region and in the world. Especially after the extermination of 6,000,000 Jews in the Holocaust, the IDF are truly holy warriors that defend the Promised Land of Israel and the Jewish people globally. I think FIDF is a wonderful opportunity to give back to the soldiers as they dutifully serve to protect all of us.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

A Dream and An Honor

The Worst Leadership

 

Way too many "leaders" like this: 

I must see where my people are going, so that I can lead them.

These are leaders that are much more followers than any sort of leaders.

Or worse yet are leaders that lead people in the wrong (bad) direction.

In fact, these leaders "sin," but also they cause others to sin as well. 

They are bad apples and serve as bad examples to others too! 

A good leader is a shining example and mentor and these people are gems to find! 

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Worst Leadership

Walking Dead: Can't Wait

A lot of us can't wait for Walking Dead Season 11 coming in 2021!

24 more episodes of killing the crazy zombies. 

Everyone's got to hold on and survive in a world that is in full apocalypse mode. 

It doesn't take much for society to revert to biblical Sodom and Gomorrah where the wheels come completely off the proverbial bus. 

We should know because aside from advances in technology and medicine, a lot of the world is well on the way there!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Walking Dead: Can't Wait

What's With This Crazy World?

I don't recognize this world. 

This world has gone to sleep. 

It's not the world of life I used to know. 

Now fear and isolation pervade about. 

Things aren't even what they seem or they seem to be what they aren't. 

Everything is glossed over and black and white are easily substituted. 

There used to be a moral ground and a forward path. 

Now you have to have a stronger faith and inner conviction than ever before. 

To see the light at the end of the tunnel and hope it's the light we all yearn for.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

What's With This Crazy World?