Each morning starts with Mode Ani, a prayer thanking our Creator for a new day. Sheina Gilbert’s poem encourages gratitude and kindness: “Cordials are chocolate, with filling so sweet. Just like nice words, when people we meet.” Begin with a wide smile and a cheerful “good morning,” use “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” to spread joy, and end with a sincere “good night.” These manners, echoing Pirkei Avot’s “Sayver Panim Yafot” (a cheerful countenance), reflect the kind

In 2025, France, UK, and Canada plan to recognize Palestine at the UN, shifting from talks-based policy. Supporters see solidarity, but Israel views it as aiding Hamas and delaying hostage release. Recognition rewards violence without disarmament demands, weakening negotiations. False Gaza suffering images, debunked by Eitan Fischberger despite 2M tons of aid since Oct 2023, persist. Lou Shapiro calls it propaganda over peace.

The Talmud (Berachos 55a) suggests addressing bad dreams with “hatavas chalomos” before three friends, a practice Sephardim follow per Shulchan Aruch, though fasting is optional. Ashkenazim often recite “Ribono shel olom” during birchas kohanim instead. Aruch Hashulchan advises ignoring dreams unless tied to holy thoughts, as they may stem from mundane influences or overeating. The Lubavitcher Rebbe echoes this, noting dreams lack significance for those with worldly distracti

In Parshat Vaetchanan, Shabbat’s “Shamor” and “Zachor” commands offer a Torah blueprint for self-care, urging us to guard its sanctity and remember its purpose daily. This holy pause, blending rest with reflection, reduces stress and fosters resilience, as studies show, making Shabbat a generational gift for our Pico-Robertson families to recharge and renew.

Yehudah Kamman advises women in couples’ coaching to stop overhelping their husbands, who may rely on them to fix the relationship. By researching therapists or planning date nights, women often carry the emotional load, reducing a man’s urgency to grow. Kamman likens men to coal needing pressure to become diamonds, suggesting women create boundaries and focus on their own growth. This shift can inspire men to step up, fostering a dynamic where both thrive, with love rooted i

Why do I fish? Despite the $90 license and $15 lures lost to the ocean, the thrill of standing on Redondo Beach’s jetty, waves crashing, is unmatched. Like Melville’s sailors, I hunt halibut, learning from fish to seek life’s essentials, friends, community, Torah, while staying vigilant.

The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education was recently targeted by neo-Nazi vandalism, a despicable act against a place preserving Jewish history. We stand with our Jewish neighbors, condemning this hate and calling for a thorough investigation to hold those responsible accountable.

On the 9th of Av, God decreed that all adults who left Egypt would die in the desert before entering the Holy Land. Each year, 15,000 people would sleep, not expecting to wake, until the last 15,000 did not die on the 9th of Av. Realizing the decree was lifted on the 15th of Av—a day of the full moon—they began to commemorate it. This day signifies appreciating what we have, as taught in Va'etchanan, where loving God comes from recognizing His gifts, like a smiling, caring wi

American women from Taglit revitalized Sylvia’s war-damaged Bat Yam home, scrubbing floors and sharing hugs, sparking her lost smile. In Va’etchanan and Tu B’Av, we see love and unity, from desert redemption to vineyard dances, reminding us to connect, reconcile, and bless our shared story.

Ramban sees Torah observance making “Jewishness” “Godliness,” earning praise from foes, per Moshe in Vaetchanan. Living mitzvot inspires awe despite advocacy millions and rising antisemitism. Personal devekut, like Molah Ohr Sharga’s life, may shift this, awakening global admiration through historical miracles.

Posted on August 4, 2025, 11:45 AM PDT. The Shmira Safety team warns of two aggressive panhandlers, a father and son, targeting synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses since August 3, 2025. Reports describe sleepy panhandling outside shuls, with violent language, spitting, and disrespectful acts toward staff and congregants. Authorities urge contacting Shmira’s 24/7 hotline at 424-888-4646 with information, emphasizing community safety. Call 911 in emergencies.

The Orthodox Union launches a relief drive on August 1, 2025, to aid the Druze community in Syria facing a crisis akin to the October 7 attacks. With tens of thousands displaced and supplies scarce, the OU partners with Israeli Druze leaders and Tzahal to deliver food and medicine. Donate at ou.org/druze to support this vital cause!

Join the Wilshire Community Police Station for National Night Out on August 5, 2025, at 5:00 PM in Pan Pacific Park. This event promotes police-community bonds with live demos and activities. See the flyer for details and come connect with local officers!

Join the Beverly Hills Police Department for National Night Out on August 5, 2025, from 5-8 PM on the 400 block of North Rexford Drive. This free block party near City Hall offers kid-friendly activities, food trucks, and K-9 meet-and-greets, strengthening community ties. Free parking is available. Don’t miss this fun, safe celebration!

Reb Reuven Botvinasokolov, a pioneer Jew in a once-barren land, turned a g’mach into a hub of unity, charging for items but adding love and extras, easing community tensions. His legacy birthed Kehillas Ashkesephardichussid, a shul where Ashkenazim, Sephardim, and Chassidim unite without sinat chinam, a timely Tisha B’Av lesson shared by Sholom Feldheim.

Camp Morasha and Yachad marked 25 years of unity with a vibrant Shiria sing-off, celebrating inclusion as over 1,000 campers joined in song, including a re-recorded hit by Mordechai Shapiro. This milestone event, livestreamed from Lakewood, Pennsylvania, showcased Yachad’s transformative impact, blending joy and purpose for a stronger camp community.

This August, dive into a transformative two-part event blending Kabbalistic wisdom and vibrational science, starting August 7th at a Malibu beach house for a Tu B’Av-inspired night of self-love and connection. The journey continues August 10th at Vistage Yoga with Paul Edge’s premiere of "The River," a frequency film to reset your nervous system, offering a unique fusion of spirituality and science for personal renewal.

When an 11-year-old boy was told by his wounded father, “It’s time for you to be a man,” he answered with panic and disbelief. But in that moment, something deeper was born, a lesson that would guide one of Israel’s top Intelligence Officers for life: greatness isn’t about readiness; it’s about willingness. In this moving retelling of a true encounter, Charlie Harary reminds us that what separates the underdog from the victor is never skill, but grit, faith, and heart.

Your wife wants Shabbos guests but may collapse after. Torah’s Devarim shows free will’s role, G-d let spies scout despite risks. Vetoing her risks shalom bayit. Compromise: 4 guests, takeout. Empower her choice, honor her essence, and keep peace.

UCLA’s $6.45M settlement with Jewish students over 2024 antisemitism, per DOJ, exposes a “Jew Exclusion Zone.” With $2.33M to anti-hate groups, it’s a wake-up for Beverlywood yeshivas. Torah urges justice, drill safety, share stories, fund security. Let’s protect our kids’ neshamas.