In mid-February, I escaped the cold weather of Cleveland for an unlikely destination. While many of my neighbors and friends were flying to Florida, California or even Mexico, my destination was a bit more exotic—Syria. I’ve been a history buff from my early youth and have studied Middle Eastern history and the lives of its Jews for quite some time, so I saw this as a culminating “field trip” after so many years of research on the topic. I wanted to see for myself what was left of the once-vibrant Syrian community and its synagogues, some of which dated back thousands of years. And so, on a b ..read more

When Kevin O’Leary talks, people listen. And for good reason. An entrepreneur who grew his own software company to a successful exit and a serial investor in dozens of successful companies, Mr. O’Leary has a unique perspective on what it takes to succeed in business. Kevin O’Leary is one of the most well-known entrepreneurs and investors in the world. He rose to prominence after selling his software company, The Learning Company, to Mattel for $4.2 billion in 1999. Since then, he has invested in a wide range of companies and launched his own mutual fund company focused on global yield investi ..read more

Standing at the bridge between Europe and Asia, Turkey has always had a prominent place in world politics. Over the past few years, that has remained true, with Turkey involved in the politics and conflicts of the Middle East, the influx of migrants into Europe, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, among other issues. Turkey’s actions in regard to all of these things have been dependent on one man, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who came to power in the role of prime minister, as the head of the Islamic-oriented AK (Justice and Development) Party, in 2003. In 2014, he transitioned into the role of p ..read more

On their way to Tveryah on the second day of Pesach, three members of the Dee family, immigrants from England, were attacked by two Arab terrorists who fired a Kalashnikov assault weapon at them, causing their car to crash. The attackers then shot the women at short range. Sisters Maia and Rina, 20 and 15 years old, were killed at the scene. Their mother, Lucy, succumbed to her wounds three days later. That same day, CNN International anchor Christiane Amanpour conducted an interview with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, during which she remarked, “We have a young 15-y ..read more

At the very edge of the frum part of Flatbush, adjacent to Brooklyn College, lies one of the neighborhood’s not-so-hidden gems: the Pozna shul. This vibrant beis midrash hosts many minyanim, shiurim and kollelim throughout the day. But the true pride of the shul is its steward, Rav Avrohom Eisen, Pozna’s mara d’asra. Ever since joining Reb Avraham Jaffa’s morning kollel in the Pozna shul, I have come to know and admire Rav Eisen. Every morning I watch him make his rounds, asking everyone how they are doing, offering coffee or other refreshments, and doing it all with his inimitable warmth. Ra ..read more

Last Sunday, on May 7, the main shul of the Antwerp Orthodox Jewish community, Machsike Hadass, was inaugurated in the presence of Belgium Prime Minister Alexander De Croo as well as Bart De Wever, the mayor of Antwerp. Built over a century ago in the Art Nouveau style, it has recently undergone extensive renovations with the assistance of the Belgian government. “The synagogue has been in existence for more than 100 years, and thanks to this fantastic renovation, it is ready for the next 100 years,” Prime Minister De Croo said at the ceremony. “The sober and timeless style of this building ..read more

Marc’s journey took him down hard roads and confusing turns. With a mic in one hand and a prop in the other, he draws laughter and meaning from pain.   Marc likes to recount the events that led to his first “real” Shabbos—a comedy of errors and a life-changing discovery. In his words: “My mother told me to only marry a Jewish girl. So, I asked my mother, ‘How do I meet a Jewish girl?’ “She said, ‘Go to a shul. You’ll find Jewish girls there.’ “I told her, ‘There’s a shul near my apartment. It’s Orthodox.’ “She said, ‘Be careful.’ “‘Why?’ “‘I hear the Orthodox have strange customs.’ “I s ..read more

Shmuel (Shmulik) Halperin is a businessman with an agenda: Daf Yomi Mishnayos—yes, Mishnayos. Shmulik is the son of famed Israeli entrepreneur Refael Halperin, the founder of Optica Halperin, the largest chain of glasses stores in Israel. After spearheading the effort to establish branches of Optica Halperin in seemingly isolated locations in Israel, Shmulik began his venture into real estate development with a twist: as an active investor, he does not oversee the day-to-day operations. A strategic investor who partners with developers and other real estate investors, Shmulik has become known ..read more

There are times when bygones should be allowed to be bygones. But when what has gone by was a tyrant’s ruthless torture and murder of hundreds of thousands of his countrymen, it’s not one of those times. If the name Bashar al-Assad came to your mind just now, you’re on the ball. Mr. al-Assad, of course, is the strongman who has served as Syria’s president for more than two decades and who presided over the aforementioned tortures and murders.  They began in earnest in 2011, when the Syrian leader ordered a violent crackdown on protesters of his regime, leading to what became, and continu ..read more

When I sent my 13-year-old daughter off to summer camp for the first time, she went to a wonderful place. I had heard so many good things about it that I was sure she’d come home bubbling with happy memories. I figured she’d pick up some finer points of social interaction. I also hoped that she would make a good friend. Just to clarify, my Shaindy is no social misfit. She isn’t at all awkward. She’s on the phone with a gaggle of classmates at any given time, and often on a conference call with several girls at once. She just hadn’t made that you’re-my-friend-and-I-can-count-on-you-saving-me-a ..read more