In a small village in Lithuania, a young boy named Berel received a bicycle as a gift. Berel loved his bike and drove it every day, including Shabbat. The Rabbi heard about this and announced that Berel should henceforth be referred to as Berel the goy—the non-Jew. Berel heard about …
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Why Do You Gift Wrap?
Gift Wrapping is a common practice that transcends cultural and national lines. It is rare to receive a gift that isn’t wrapped; in fact the unwrapping is an entire ceremony with both giver and bystanders waiting with bated breath to take in the recipient’s joyful reaction. …
Unhappy Giving
I have a confession. I can’t stand being thanked for giving charity. I just hate it when the person to whom I gave a dollar smiles and heaps lifelong blessings upon me. I usually make a dismissive gesture, wait till they walk away, heave a small sigh of relief …
The Achilles Heel
Friends of mine, who are blessed with a wonderful marriage, have recently confessed that money is the Achilles heel of their relationship. From the very beginning, he has always wanted to save and she has always wanted to spend. (They thought they were alone, huh?)
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Paradise on Earth
Lush green grass, tall trees and fresh streams framed our journey through G-d’s perfect nature. Nature’s beauty, unbridled and uncapped, radiated in pristine glory. Untouched by human hand and filled to overflow with insects, birds and wildlife, it was simply a paradise on earth. The animals knew it …
These past two days have been the most difficult for our people in the last fifty years. It was Simchat Torah, a time for rejoicing, yet it was a time of horror. Nearly a thousand members of our family were brutally murdered, more than a hundred were taken hostage, and …
