The Week at a Glance

I was at the Congregation Keter Torah (“the Roemer shul”) in Teaneck this past Shabbos, where I spoke on the topic of “Judaism’s Greatest Lightning Rod.” The greatest divide in Judaism today can be typified by how one looks at the nazir – is he an aberration or an ideal? There is a famous machlokes as to whether or not the nazir’s voluntary separation from certain pleasures is admirable. One’s thoughts on this matter can be very telling!

I also attended a parlor meeting in Fair Lawn with NCSY International Director Rabbi Steven BurgNew Jersey NCSY Regional Director Rabbi Yaakov Glasser and Assistant Regional Director Rabbi Ethan Katz. The purpose of this important meeting was to enable members of Fair Lawn’s JSU club to attend such educational experiences as Yarchei Kallah and TJJ.

Also, nearly 500 people joined the OU to celebrate Israel and our Yachad program participants at the annual Celebrate Israel Parade. We had such a spectacular turnout and everyone had an exciting time thanks to the efforts of our hard-working Team OU members. Special thanks and recognition must be extended to Malka Braun of Communications, and Eli Hagler and Sarah Pollack of NJCD/Yachad.

Finally, this Shavuos, Yael and I will be acting as scholars-in-residence at the Young Israel of North Beverly Hills. My topics include “The Watershed Moment that Changed Askenazic Jewry,” “The Longest Running Show on Broadway,” “The Organic Jew”and “The Jewish Vigilante.” Yael will speak on “How Perfect Must a Woman Be? In Search of the Real Eishes Chayil,” “Ruth and the Other Mothers of the Mashiach”and “All You Need is Love (An Analysis of Birkas Kohanim).”