OPINION & COMMENT

Solving Israel's Demographic Problems

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is worried about the demographics of Israel and he has a characteristically grandiose and dramatic solution: bring in 1,000,000 Jews. Fortunately he is distracted by other problems and has not been able to focus on this policy, but it is a proposal that he has referred to frequently and consistently since he became prime minister.

Chazal Tell Us How to Overcome Yishmoel
by Rabbi Mordecai Plaut based on a shiur of a rosh yeshiva in Yerushalayim

In view of the threats faced by those living in the Middle East and around the world from those of Arab extraction, the following penetrating analysis sheds light on important characteristics of the struggle with Yishmoel as described by Chazal. This is not to suggest that every Arab is as detailed here, but that the essential features of the contest are as explained, and the steps we must take -- which are matters of our personal and private avodoh -- are as outlined here.

A Middos Workshop: Hakoras Hatov
Based on Shiurim of Rav Dovid Siegel

The first part explained the basic idea of hakoras hatov, the elemental recognition that someone has done me a favor. There is a human tendency to want to refuse to recognize dependency on someone else, which makes us reluctant to recognize that someone else has done us a favor.

Am Segulah -- A Unique Nation, A Holy Nation
by Yisroel Spiegel