Shabbat Table Talk

Weddings Amidst the War

We have been inundated with an overload of media regarding the current war in Israel. Some of the heartwarming images I have seen despite so much devastation are the pictures of brides and grooms under the Chuppah wearing their army green IDF uniforms. It’s so heartwarming to see so many …

Collateral Punishment

The war in Israel continues and although there has been strong support from many governments, including the United States, England and Canada, there has also been an abundance of calls from all sides for restraint, proportionality, and concerns for the citizenry of Gaza. What can we glean fr…

What’s in a Name?

Several years ago, I came across a music band called The Epstein. I was intrigued, so I contacted the bandleader and asked if we were related, and he said he didn’t think so. I then asked why they chose the name The Epstein, and he shared that a few years earlier the lead singer contracted…

How to Stay Afloat in a Storm

The people of Israel are being besieged by rockets day and night with no end in sight. Too many families are grieving lost children and relatives, while two hundred families are worrying day and night over the plight of their loved ones being held hostage by the Hamas terrorists. In addition…

When Tragedy Strikes

The world was taken by surprise this past Shabbat on the holiday of Shemini Atzeret when the nation of Israel was violently attacked unprovoked by Hamas, the terrorist organization whose headquarters is in Gaza. Thousands of Israelis have been mercilessly killed and wounded; and the war has onl…