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Reb Yosef the Coachman

My daughters at the long line of wagons and coaches in the historic museums at the Altamont Fair reminded me this beloved childhood story titled “Reb Yosef the Coachman”. You can read the children’s version here “The Coachman” on Chabad.org… Read the rest

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Helping the Overloaded Donkey

If you see your fellow’s donkey or ox overburdened and fallen on the road, you must not ignore it; instead you must help raise it together. (Ki Teitzei—Deut 22:4)

The Torah portion for UAlbany’s Opening Weekend and the Welcome Shabbat … Read the rest

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25 Years since the Jerusalem Sbarro Bombing

Sbarros isn’t a Kosher eatery in America, but back in 2001 it was a popular Kosher eatery in the heart of Jerusalem, on the corner of King George and Jaffa streets. On the fateful date of August 9, 2001, it … Read the rest

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“Where’s Mommy?” (and Where are the Students?)

by Raizy Rubin

I heard Rabbi Gluckowsky of Rechovot Israel speak at the Kinus HaMechanchos (womens educators) conference I attended this Summer 2026. One thing he said was a piece of advice he gives husbands: “Whenever you come home, first … Read the rest

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Messages from Albany’s Historic Rainfall of 2026

This July 2026 storm ended up being 3X the forecasted rainfall, and more inches per hour than the systems could handle, creeks overflowed and storm sewers backed up. Many homes ended up with water in their basements and some places … Read the rest

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Waterfall Chasing on a Stormy Day in the Catskills

To preface this post: The day of this Catskills outing was Tuesday of the Torah portion of Vaetchanan. The daily study of Chumash of that day ends off with this phrase: “Underneath/at the base of the waterfalls falling from the … Read the rest

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Our Search for Russian Babka

It all began earlier this summer, mid-June, in the Israeli consulate in Manhattan. We were there to get a visa for our daughter to attend seminary in Israel. The line was especially long and the wait took hours, so we … Read the rest

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Messi & Yamal Meet Again in FIFA World Cup 2026

One of the big player backstories (thanks to Ari L. for this tipoff) circulating before the much-anticipated FIFA World Cup Final 2026 (which will be played relatively in our backyard in the NJ Meadowlands) is the fact that while this … Read the rest

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Shabbos Chazon during the Blurry Hazy Canadian Smoke

Once again, upstate NY summer (and summers in many areas of the northeast) have been upstaged by smoke from Canadian wildfires coming our way. The blurry haze, the eerie yellowish/orangey sky colors, the clouded horizons and shrouded skylines all diminish … Read the rest

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Rivka’s Bas-Mitzvah Project: The Temple Vessels

Most of our daughters did Bas-Mitzvah projects relating to the time of year of their birthday. Rivka was born on the 25th of Tammuz, which always falls during “The Three Weeks” (usually July-August time) when we remember and focus on … Read the rest

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