Category: Purim 2025

Beth Din The Prohibition of Turning to Secular Courts By: Rabbi Shmuel Slasky   Bio:Rabbi Slasky is the Rabbinical Director, responsible for overseeing the Eiruvin, Mediations, and Kashrut of Mikvaot. Born in South Africa, Rabbi Slasky spent many years living and studying in Israel before joining the Beth Din. In Israel, he learnt in Torah Ohr Yeshiva, the Mir Yeshiva, and Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky’s Yeshiva, receiving Semicha from The Chief Rabbinate of Israel, Rav Zalman Nechemiya Goldberg, and Jerusalem’s Machon Harry Fischel. He has been thoroughly trained for his role…

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Looking Back and Going Forward “Our enemies’ hatred towards us should only serve to intensify our Jewish pride” Tali Snaid – Torah Academy Girls What about your matric year surprised you the most? Being a student who often found the school curriculum challenging, there were times when tasks felt overwhelmingly difficult. I tended to frequently question my ability to keep up. However, as time passed, I started to realise that despite these challenges, I could still push through and succeed, even when things seemed tough. What truly surprised me throughout…

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The world-wide challenge of today By: Bev Goldman Paul Wilkinson’s 2006 book Terrorism Versus Democracy: The Liberal State Response provides some much needed criteria for distinguishing between terrorists and freedom fighters and explains the uses of terrorism as a political, social, religious, and criminal weapon. Wilkinson, an advisor to the UK government, and a terrorism expert, was dubbed “Britain’s leading academic specialist in the study of terrorism”. He defined four types of terrorism: Criminal terrorism (uses terror for material gain); psychic terrorism (uses terror for mystical, religious, or magical ends);…

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“Good luck” By: Rabbi Dr David Fox Pullquotes: “He recommended that I keep the engine running until I reached home. Home was a few thousand miles away on the eastern side of the continent.” I was a young man heading across the continent to my new position. It was time to complete my professional training and I had accepted an internship at an excellent hospital where I would stay for three years. I had set off in my small foreign car to make the journey solo, to enjoy the countryside,…

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Exposing a hidden message for us all By: Rabbi Moishe Schnerb “When we would ‘get the message’ and do what was necessary, the decree would fall away.” The Psalmist says[1] “Be mindful of me Hashem, when you favour Your nation; take note of me when you deliver them”. The Medrash[2] comments on this verse that King David says to Hashem, “Please have me in mind at the time when You bring miracles of salvation for the Jewish nation, through Mordechai and Esther,” We see right from the get-go that there…

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Parenting youth in crisis By: Paula Levin “My daughter asked me for money to buy clothes. I know she intends to buy short jeans. Should I give her the money?” The question was posed by a rabbi to Rabbi Gershon Edelstein ztz”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Ponevezh, widely considered to be the Gadol Hador – one of the great spiritual leaders of the generation. “Does she usually dress that way?” he asked. “Yes,” came the answer. “Then buy them for her. Show her you’re there for her.” The story was shared…

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