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Rabbi Amichai Gordin

An Imaginary Interview

March 12, 2008, by

Holy and Secular – Don’t expect the following interview to ever really appear in print. This imaginary talk is a combination of many discussions that I have had with a wide variety of dozens of teachers. It is not meant to reflect the opinion of the educational system or the official position of any formal

The Nature of Questions

February 28, 2008, by

Holy and Secular – “Tamar Goldstein,” the loud voice of the history teacher thundered in the classroom, “perhaps you can tell me why you did not do your homework. We have spoken about this over and over again. Why don’t you prepare your homework? Why is this so complicated for you? Please explain it to

Money Isn’t Everything

February 14, 2008, by

Holy and Secular – NOTE: Several weeks ago, my “boss” in the Shabbat b’Shabbato bulletin, Rabbi Yisrael Rozen, wrote about the laws of Shemitta. He stated that Shemitta not only doesn’t improve the lot of poor people but that it in fact causes them harm. Rabbi Rozen gave a well reasoned analysis explaining that Shemitta

When Justice Doesn’t Triumph

January 31, 2008, by

Holy and Secular – “Don’t worry, justice will triumph,” Mr. Levy whispered to his wife when the judge sat down. “Please be quite,” the court clerk scolded him. The judge took his place and began to read: “Case Number 55679/2, Levy Family versus the Rosenkranz and Gildenbruch Construction Company.” The judge called out to Mr.

Fifty Years, But Nothing Has Changed

January 16, 2008, by

Holy and Secular – The day will come when “The Book of Sderot” will be written. Many good people will appear in the book. It will tell about inhabitants of Sdeirot who survived long and terrible years when the Kassam rockets fell. It will tell about Hesder yeshiva students who came from far away to

What Will Happen in the End?

January 3, 2008, by

Holy and Secular – “You wanted to hear how the country came to an end,” the grandfather said to his grandson. “It is a very sad story, but it is important for these things to be repeated and heard.” * * * * * * Much blood was spilled before the country was established. At

“Help Me in My Troubles”

December 20, 2007, by

Holy and Secular – Just as I was leaving my car, the announcer began a curious monologue. It was a little before eight o’clock in the morning, and my radio was set to Reshet Gimmel, a station which proudly declares that it broadcasts only Israeli music. “I have my doubts whether I should share this

Taking Booty

December 6, 2007, by

Holy and Secular – Chaim Tzipori was a battalion commander during the Six Day War. In the book “To Belong” which was published in his memory, Nachum Barnea (today a well known journalist who writes in Yediot Acharonot) tells a remarkable story. * * * * * * At the end of the war we

When the Chazon Ish and Rabbi Kook Agreed

November 8, 2007, by

Holy and Secular – The trip was not short. Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Karlitz, better known as the Chazon Ish, was not used to traveling out of the city. It was even rare for him to travel to Jerusalem, the holy city and the site of the Temple. But he refused to give up on this

Judging by Appearances

October 10, 2007, by

Holy and Secular – “Did you see how studious Yankel is?” one of the students of the yeshiva said to another. “He never goes to sleep before three o’clock in the morning, and then he gets up only two hours later to pray with the earliest minyan. He is in the Beit Midrash almost twenty