The number of people who believe they are descendants of Jews is almost equal to the number of Jews who are counted in official international censuses, according to British historian Tudor Parfitt, an expert on Judaizing movements, who was a keynote speaker at a Jerusalem conference held in early November at the Van Leer Institute, […]
On Pope John Paul’s Saintly Jewish Miracle
The second public miracle needed in order to proclaim Pope John Paul II a saint has now been proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church. However, that second miracle could also have been the revival of Jewish music and Jewish life in today’s Poland. Of course, it is simpler to prove an individual case of a […]
The Miracle Of Jewish Survival
The king of Prussia, Frederick the Great, in a discussion with his court chaplain once said, “Give me proof of the inspiration of the Bible.” The chaplain replied, “Your majesty, I can answer your request in a single word.” Frederick looked at the chaplain with some amazement and asked, “What magic word carries such strong […]
Why Antisemitism
Of the following Jewish Holy Days: Shavuot is covenant-Torah oriented; Tu B’shvat and Sukkot are nature oriented; Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Shabbat are personal-spiritual; Passover, Purim, Yom HaShoah, Hanukah, Tisha B’Av and Yom Atzmaoot are historical-national. Of the historical events, the last three took place in the Land of Israel. But the first three, […]
Hebrew Words Seeking Polish Melodies
The Baal Shem Tov was a gifted singer. He considered singing as worship of God, for music touches the soul. He often led his disciples in song, especially at the Shabbat table. Sometimes he asked them to close their eyes and put their hands on each other’s shoulders as they sang, so that they were […]
Grow Or Decline
More than 20 centuries ago, the great Jewish sage Hillel stated that “Those who do not add; subtract” (Avot 1:13) Our rabbis traditionally applied this wise saying to the subject of study and learning; which they saw as an ongoing process. Hillel’s admonition is the intellectual equivalent of today’s medical advice about our physical health, […]