Category Archives: Orthodoxy

Rabbi Avi Weiss’s Bridge Too Far On Female Orthodox Rabbis

Rabbi Avi Weiss miscalculated. He thought he could get support on this issue without talking to anyone. His approach was the opposite of Chana Henkin‘s. She created a limited semicha (rabbinic ordination) for women to rule on Jewish law. She … Continue reading

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The Triumph of Maimonides Academy

Under Rabbi Karmi Gross, Maimonides Academy moved from a small insignificant school to a large Torah institution that is loved by its students and respected by its community. Through good education management, Rabbi Gross first commanded respect. The financial backing … Continue reading

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Why Do Jewish Day Schools Cost Three Times As Much As Roman Catholic Day Schools?

You can send your child to a Roman Catholic day school for $6,000 a year. If you want to send your child to YULA or Shalhevet and you have to pay full price, that will cost you about $20,000 a … Continue reading

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You Shouldn’t Read Blogs

From a Torah perspective, blogs just don’t seem kosher. I have an instinctive reaction against women as Orthodox rabbis. It just doesn’t seem right. Similarly, blogs that talk about other people, it just doesn’t seem right. That’s what the goyim … Continue reading

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A Heartbreaking Story From L.A.’s Chabad Community

From today’s Los Angeles Times, Maria L. La Ganga writes: Abbie Dorn lies in a hospital bed in her parents’ home on the South Carolina coast. A halo of dark curls frames her pale face. The pump for her feeding … Continue reading

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Orthodox Bludgers

Elliot Resnick writes an important Op/Ed in this week’s Jewish Press: Acquaintances of mine have told me point-blank – without a trace of embarrassment in their voices – that they live in Section 8 housing and buy groceries with food … Continue reading

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Chosen For A Mission

I talked to this bloke in Israel today. He was raised secular and then became chareidi (ultra-Orthodox Jew) for about 25 years (from approximately 1973 to 1998) and then became a nowhere man, neither secular nor religious. His story reminds … Continue reading

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The Orthodox Rabbis Of Los Angeles

Andy* emails me: Dear Luke: I have sent to you a thank you note over the years but I never told you why. I went through hell in LA when the rabbis there mainly of chabad but also agudah and … Continue reading

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The Beard

An Orthodox friend calls. “I apologize for making fun of your beard. I was going crazy about charedi Jews. It had nothing to do with you personally. I was at the time ticked off about charedi beards but for you … Continue reading

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A Dominican-American Convert To Orthodox Judaism

From The Jewish Press: Why did you start blogging? I started the conversion process; I was 25 years old. Every Shabbat meal, someone would ask me, “Why are you in the conversion process?” One of my friends, Drew Kaplan, was … Continue reading

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