With the United States and possibly the world economy teetering on the brink of recession, central bankers around the world have been feverishly…
How sad when the giving of a large charitable gift becomes the source of friction and law suits. In 1991 Sears Canada Inc. donated $10 million to…
What's in a name? Clearly, names played an important role to our Biblical ancestors. The names of Chava, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov…
Sefer Shemot, literally, “book of names”, seems to be a misnomer for our Parsha. (Rabbinic writings often refer to it as “book of redemption…
After twenty-two difficult years, Yaakov was informed that his beloved son Yosef was the Viceroy of Egypt. Overcome with joy and disbelief, Yaakov…
Yaakov Avinu was on the run. Forced to leave home after "stealing" the birthright from his brother, he was attempting to stay one step ahead of Eisav…
There is no greater challenge than that of raising refined children. It is a task with so many variables and fraught with such difficulty that many a…
Our patriarchs and matriarchs did not have easy lives. Each faced problems of famine, of wandering from place to place, of foreign rulers, and of…
Office chatter has long been a staple of the workplace. While such occasional chit chat can serve to enhance the atmosphere and collegiality amongst…
Despite pockets of great wealth many Jews continue to live below the poverty line, and middle class Jews are being priced out of a Jewish education.…
The greatness of a person is revealed by the little things that one does. The greater the person, the more he or she is concerned with little things…
The accusations against an official of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in a gambling scandal afford us the opportunity for a brief overview…
"And G-d was angry at me for your sakes (lemanchem) and would not hear me. And G-d said to me, Enough! Do not speak to me any more about this” (3:26…
“But the Second Temple, that they were involved in Torah and Mitzvoth and Gemilot Chasadim (loving kindness), why was it destroyed? Because it…
“But the Second Temple, that they were involved in Torah and Mitzvoth and Gemilot Chasadim (loving kindness), why was it destroyed? Because it…
The obligation to pay a worker on time is so central to Jewish ethics that failure to do is a violation of five Biblical commandments (eating pork in…
One of the most beautiful and impactful aspects of the Torah is its description of the humanity of its protagonists. Their strengths and struggles,…
Numbers play a significant, if usually symbolic, role in Jewish thought. Perhaps the most symbolic number is seven, representing completeness; the…
Numbers play a significant, if usually symbolic, role in Jewish thought. Perhaps the most symbolic number is seven, representing completeness; the…
The ever increasing costs of Jewish education have been the focus of many articles recently including at least three in this newspaper just this past…
One of the causes for disappointment with the generation that left Egypt was their constant complaining. Each week, as we study Sefer Bamidbar…
The ever-increasing costs of Jewish education have been the focus of many articles recently, including at least three in the Canadian Jewish News…
The ever-increasing costs of Jewish education have been the focus of many articles recently, including at least three in the Canadian Jewish News…
The shalosh regalim of Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot are a celebration of great historic events coupled with the recognition of G-d's role in our…
The shalosh regalim of Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot are a celebration of great historic events coupled with the recognition of G-d's role in our…
Two of the most dangerous threats to society are religious fanaticism and rampant secularism. The dangers of the former have received more attention…
It is the holiday of Pesach that celebrates our becoming a nation and is the cornerstone of Judaism. Remembering the Exodus provides the backdrop to…
The riveting financial news of the past month has been the trial of Conrad Black; accused of fraud, racketeering, money laundering and obstruction of…
Health care and economics can make for a volatile mix, and involving political rhetoric on the subject is a sure guarantee of fireworks. The…
It used to be that when one was let go for unacceptable performance the rewards were few and far between. However it seems that nowadays the way for…
One of the challenges facing retailers during the frantic holiday season is dealing with returns of merchandise. A recent study indicated that up to…
The economic news of the past week (in Canada) has focused on the new rules regarding the taxation of income trusts. No longer will these popular…
One of the hallmarks of Western society is the distinction between the legal and ethical realms. It is the height of political incorrectness to pass…
"G-d said to Abraham, ‘Go away from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you…
“Al Chet, For the sin which we have sinned before thee with our commercial dealings, B’masah umatan”. Our urge for money is all powerful and it is…
Included in the many tragedies of war are those in the economic sphere. While loss of money pales in comparison to loss of life, the economic…
The French government recently approved plans for a new tax on airline tickets, to be levied on all passengers boarding a plane in France that would…
Recently, we in Toronto awoke to news that due to an (illegal) wildcat strike there was to be no public transit. May other transit providers…
The name Korach is synonymous with Machloket shelo leshem shamoyim, arguments that are not for the sake of heaven. As we read how Korach and his…
Rav Soloveitchik was asked why our generation was the one to merit witnessing the creation of the State of Israel. After all, there were so many…
Rav Soloveitchik was asked why our generation was the one to merit witnessing the creation of the State of Israel. After all, there were so many…
The right to privacy is one the Jewish law views with great seriousness. It is rooted in the Jewish concept of tzniut, modesty, which serves as a…
Over the past few weeks French authorities have faced fierce opposition to their proposed law granting employers the right to dismiss young workers…
Just as the Shabbat is the pinnacle of physical creation, the Mishkan is the pinnacle of spiritual creation. The Exodus and the revelation at Sinai…
Acquisition of other companies has become a favourite method of corporate growth. With many large corporations awash in cash and the slow nature of…
Western work conditions take it as a given that employees are paid for many days for which they do not actually work. Vacation time, sick days,…
The saintly Chafetz Chaim, Rav Yisroel Meir Kagan of Radin (d.1933) in his classic work on the ethics of proper speech points out that up to 31 Torah…
That one has a natural love for one's place of birth is a truism long recognized by our Talmudic sages. Emigration is never an easy prospect, even…
Names play a significant role in Jewish thought. A cursory glance at the names given to the twelve tribes signifies the importance of each name.…
It is quite evident that Yitzchak and Rivka had differences of opinion regarding the difficult task of raising their twin boys. Their contradictory…