Over 140 years ago, before helicopters filled the skies, a clever plan led to a grand suspension bridge over the Niagara River, connecting America and Canada. Young Walsh Jr. won a kite-flying contest, his kite carrying a thread across the river that grew into a mighty cable. Similarly, the Torah's Ki Teitzei portion highlights 74 mitzvot, with the simple act of sending away a mother bird sparking a chain of goodness, as Rashi notes one mitzvah leads to another.

Parashat Ki Tisa addresses the Golden Calf sin, where HaShem commands Moshe to count Bnei-Yisrael via a half Shekel Terumah, symbolizing a “ransom for their soul” and blessings, unlike the Erev Rav, who initiated the sin. The half Shekel, equaling 430 (like “Nefesh” and the exile years), reflects redemption, while avoiding direct counting prevents the evil eye, as seen with King David’s costly tally. The Levi tribe’s long Aliyot atone for Israel, highlighting their fidelity.

God warns in Shoftim: “Do not pass your children through fire,” raising questions about tolerating such harm or finding pleasure in it as a spiritual act. My uncle, moving from conservative Shiraz to lively Tel Aviv, initially saw it as a den of immorality but grew to love it. Sadly, desensitization to bad behavior can start by straying from Torah’s path. Yet, this repentance month offers a chance to reset our moral compass and strengthen Shalom Bayit.

Parashat Shoftim highlights the need for judges and police officers (“שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים”) to enforce Torah law in every Israeli city, symbolizing justice and recorded judgments. It urges individuals to guard their “gates", eyes, mouth, nose, ears, as pathways to righteousness, using the five senses to worship Hashem. The repeated “Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof” (Justice, Justice you shall pursue) calls for true justice, promising the Holy Land if upheld without bribery.

In Parashat Re'eh, Elan Javanfard explores the Torah's lesson on free will and self-sabotage, where individuals may unconsciously hinder their growth despite choosing blessings over curses. Drawing from Rambam, Chovot HaLevavot, and Kli Yakar, the text highlights the power of conscious choice and self-awareness to break destructive patterns, offering tips like setting clear goals, building a supportive environment, and practicing teshuvah for personal growth.

During a Shabbaton in Tzfat, Rabbi Eckstein heroically saved six-year-old Yoeli from drowning in a hotel pool. Despite being offered 26 million shekel ($6.8 million) by Yoeli’s grandfather, Rabbi Eckstein refused, valuing the mitzvah of saving a life over money. Inspired by this, Rav Chaim Zaid took him to Rav David Abuchatzeira, who blessed Rabbi Eckstein with a son, which came true, naming the boy Yoeli.

Renee, born in 1920, celebrated her 105th birthday in London, thanking God and family with a lucid 18-minute speech. Her secret to longevity is curiosity and resilience. After Tisha B’Av, the Seven Shabbatot of Comfort begin, offering genuine consolation. Elul starts August 25, launching a 40-day challenge for personal growth toward Yom Kippur.

Rabbi Moshe Levin’s Chabad Gaon Academy in Los Angeles acts as a "safety net" for Jewish children rejected by other schools, offering tailored education with Principal Mrs. Rivkah Roth. Operating at 40% below typical tuition, it supports students like Eitan and Yaakov, aiming to raise $450,000, or ideally $1 million, to ensure access for all.

Join David Greenberg, Mendel Geisinsky, and Michel Rapaport on an epic adventure from LA to Yosemite, fueled by Mega Glatt Mart snacks and challenges unlocking specialty foods like Jeff’s Italian sausages. The journey culminates in LA with a stellar kosher meal at Mr. Shiloh’s, earning top scores of 99.2, 101, and 98.8 out of 100, marking it David’s best meal in five years.

In Parshat Re’eh, the Torah prohibits blood consumption, urging strength to resist with a “Chazak” warning. Ramban explains this stems from Jews in Egypt imitating pagan blood rituals, a pull to mimic surrounding cultures still evident today in adopted dress or synagogue designs. In modern LA, media’s negative influences, like gossip, mirror this, requiring vigilance to channel pure thoughts and actions toward holiness.

The Torah emphasizes that halacha is determined by sages through deduction, not heavenly intervention, as "Torah is not in heaven." Yet, some Rishonim, like Rabbi Yaakov Marves and the Ohr Zeruah, rendered rulings from dreams when no consensus existed, such as the spelling of "Akiva" revealed via a dream acronym. These must align with Torah logic, and later poskim can argue otherwise.

Jewish non-profits often err by using guilt in fundraising, which leads to avoidance rather than action. Instead, emphasize recourse—making donors feel powerful as heroes solving problems, like Chabad's joyful opportunities or Birthright's transformative trips. Follow the formula: present opportunities, highlight tangible impact, offer multiple ways to help, and preserve dignity. This aligns with Jewish tzedakah, focusing on empowerment over shame.

The shift from summer to school brings a mix of excitement and anxiety for parents and kids. To ease the transition, start your day calmly, set up routines like packing lunches and laying out uniforms the night before, and begin mornings with a seated breakfast. If snags occur, validate feelings with calm confidence, “You can do hard things”, while avoiding over-talking or bending rules. Seek help if needed from professionals.

On August 8, 2025, Steven Rony Reyes was arrested by ICE agents on the Los Angeles courthouse steps after a hearing, shattering the promise of a fair process. Such arrests disrupt justice, deter victims and witnesses, and erode trust in the courts, harming public safety. Lou Shapiro argues ICE should coordinate with courts to enforce immigration laws post-prosecution, preserving courthouses as safe zones for due process.

A girl stopped classmates from cheating on a test by sitting on the papers, accepting the teacher’s punishment of recess detention without snitching. Her parents explained the unfairness but affirmed Hashem sees her integrity. True strength lies in doing right, even alone.

A 2024 Tulane study shows 61% of economically vulnerable Jews face "situational poverty," with 78% of Orthodox families citing finances as a major stress, despite incomes up to $300,000. High day school tuition, kosher costs, and housing in Jewish hubs create an impossible equation, worsened by taboo around financial distress. The solution lies in specialized financial planning that treats religious expenses as investments, not burdens.

Tallie shares heartfelt moments from her wig-making journey. A woman with alopecia cried tears of relief discovering glueless wigs, uniting the salon in emotion. A high school girl with cancer glowed after her wig fitting and prom styling, lifting her spirits. Jewish women returning to hair covering brought sacred personal connections, reminding Tallie why she loves her craft, helping clients feel like themselves again.

Marriage acts as a mirror, reflecting not just a partner’s flaws but one’s own unfinished self, as noted by an insightful piece urging couples to shift from blame to self-reflection. The author suggests that while the honeymoon phase fades, deeper love grows through discomfort and growth, with men often leading by facing their own mirror first to foster a stronger, unshakable bond.

Beneath every furious woman lies a man baffled by his unintended misstep, as seen in a tense exchange where a casual “Let him sleep” to his wife’s “Isn’t it time to wake Charlie?” sparks her fiery retort, “I’m the one up all night with him!” Wisdom lies in using meta-statements, like God’s approach in Parashat Re’eh with “Look, I am setting before you a blessing and a curse,” to frame communication, such as “I’m sharing my feelings, not expecting you to agree,” fostering mari

Parashat Re’eh teaches Bnei-Yisrael to choose between blessings on Mount Gerizim or curses on Mount Eival, with HaShem’s laws and mitzvot relevant daily, symbolized by the numerical value 260 of Gerizim, mirroring HaShem’s name and the Ten Commandments. The blessing “Brachah” reflects health, respect, and success, urging the choice of life over the curse tied to the Tree of Life, with Torah as the key to eternal blessings.