Real heroes are people of character, not characters on TV. Real heroes wear uniforms, not couture. Real heroes are too busy helping others to take the time to post selfies on Instagram.

He was dating a non-Jewish woman seriously, and when Sarah would ask him if he planned on raising his children as Jews, his answer was no; Judaism wasn’t important to him. Sarah had one question for me: how do I convince my son to be Jewish?

Bikkurim are a reminder that history is very much a part of current events; as the farmers celebrates their personal good fortune, they make a point of recognizing that their prosperity is rooted in the miracles of the past.

In the ancient world, yibum is a powerful act of solidarity, where one brother sets aside his own interests to stand in for the other.

This is the ideology of humility; it matters not what humans think of you, only what God expects of you. And if you succeed in fulfilling your mission, you may have justified your place on earth. 

Charity for Jews is about more than caring for the poor; it is about transforming the world.

Throughout history, Jews have been able to handle adversity; but as of yet, we haven’t figured out how to handle success.

This week’s Torah reading includes an important lesson about the gray area between absolute guilt and true innocence.