ח׳ באב ה׳תש״ע (Monday 19 July 2010)
Today is a calamitous day in Jewish history, when we observe the destruction of both Temples, by the Babylonians and Romans respectively. It’s not a holiday the observance of which is mandated in the Torah, so I consider it entirely optional to participate in the public mourning. Nevertheless, I am always surprised and disappointed how [...]
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ב׳ בטבת ה׳תש״ע (Saturday 19 December 2009)
As a university student in America, I once read an article posing the question: When did the modern era in Jewish history begin? The author’s answer was to point out that the answer depends on who answers the question. A Zionist might say, for example, that modern Jewish history began in 1789 with the rise [...]
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