As we approach the summer season, we begin thinking about our vacation plans. While for most people summer is an opportunity to relax, smell the roses and wind down, at the Orthodox Union (OU), we… Read more

As I write this column, I am thinking about a Jewish historian, not yet born, who years from now will be looking through copies of Jewish Action to determine the issues that were relevant to the… Read more

Ever since I assumed the presidency of the Orthodox Union in November 2004, one of my major priorities has been the growth and development of smaller Jewish communities. I vividly remember the speech… Read more

Soul searching can, at times, be a difficult process. But we are fortunate that Hashem gives us the ability to cleanse ourselves once a year and to start anew with a fresh balance sheet. From time to… Read more

Making Welcoming Shuls With assimilation and intermarriage threatening to destroy the fabric of the Jewish people, it’s time to be proactive. What’s necessary is a large-scale kiruv (outreach) effort… Read more

Serving as the voice and representative of hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Jews is a responsibility that I take very seriously. I am troubled by organization leaders who make political statements… Read more

A New Course of Action In the aftermath of the disengagement from Gush Katif, it became apparent that many OU members and synagogues were concerned that the OU had not taken a stronger position. As I… Read more

As I conclude my first term as president of the Orthodox Union and, with God’s help, look forward to my next two years, it is an obvious time to reflect on the past and to plan for the future. I… Read more