• Dr. RP Schwartz – Our yeshiva day schools have a binge-drinking problem. Here’s what we can do about it. https://www.jta.org/2021/02/23/opinion/our-yeshiva-day-schools-have-a-binge-drinking-problem-heres-what-we-can-do-about-it • R K Brodkin – The Megillah is named after only one woman https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-megillah-is-named-after-only-one-woman/ • S Savitsky – What kind of Jew are you? https://m.jpost.com/opinion/what-kind-of-jew-are-you-comment-659621/amp • NYC medical chief apologizes to the Orthodox community https://forward.com/news/464637/nyc-medical-chief-apologizes-to-the-orthodox-community-for-mishandling/ • Most ‘Nones’ Still Keep the Faith https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/february/nones-religious-unaffiliated-faith-research-church-belief.html ...

Hiding in Plain Sight: The story behind Megilat Esther by R. David Shabtai (Targum)   The Secret of the Torah: A Translation of Ibn Ezra’s Yesod Mora by R. Avraham Ibn Ezra, translated by R. H. Norman Strickman (Kodesh)   Because It’s Israel: An Aliyah Odyssey by Arthur Miller (JewishSelfPublishing)

• WARNING FROM HATZOLAH: This Purim has The Potential To Again Be a “Super Spreader” Event In Our Community https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/featured/1951072/warning-from-hatzolah-this-purim-has-the-potential-to-again-be-a-super-spreader-event-in-our-community.html • G Troy – How Conservative Judaism Got Everything Right but Religion https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/religion-holidays/2021/02/how-conservative-judaism-got-everything-right-but-religion/  

• Jewish communities in Texas battle lowest temperatures in century https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/jewish-communities-in-texas-battle-lowest-temperatures-in-century-659569 • National Council of Young Israel replaces entire board in pivot away from politics https://jewishinsider.com/2021/02/national-council-young-israel-board/ • Orthodox Amazon sellers say they’re squeezed by new 6-day-a-week shipping requirement https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/amazon-delivery-change-driving-out-orthodox-sellers • Op-ed on abortion and the Jewish faith misrepresented Jewish law https://www.cleveland.com/letters/2021/02/op-ed-on-abortion-and-the-jewish-faith-misrepresented-jewish-law.html  

• How to move to Israel while working remotely for a US employer https://www.jta.org/2021/02/17/israel/how-to-move-to-israel-while-working-remotely-for-a-us-employer • Is Authenticity Good? https://www.jewishpress.com/judaism/torah/is-authenticity-good/2021/02/18/ • U.S. Agunot Have Reason To Celebrate https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/u-s-agunot-have-reason-to-celebrate/2021/02/18/ • When Chasidim Become Misnagdim – The Stories Less Heard http://mrlitvak.blogspot.com/2021/02/venahapoch-hu-when-chasidim-become.html  

by R. Gil Student We like to think that a Kiddush Hashem, a sanctification or glorification of God’s name, is perfectly good. It is the ultimate expression of religious virtue. In reality, this is not the case and common sense confirms that. Not only is the delineation between Kiddush Hashem and Chillul Hashem blurred, the distinction itself does not hold ...

• R Y Levine – Why should we go back to synagogue? https://www.jta.org/2021/02/17/opinion/why-should-we-go-back-to-synagogue • Overnight camps can open this year, NY governor announces https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/overnight-camps-can-open-this-year-ny-governor-announces • Obvious points. Very difficult to execute successfully – A North American Conservative Judaism for the next generation https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-north-american-conservative-judaism-for-the-next-generation/ • Scaled-down Passover resorts book up, but refunds are still an issue https://forward.com/news/464239/scaled-down-passover-resorts-book-up-but-refunds-are-still-an-issue/ • Shabbos, Yarmulkes, And Kiddush Hashem – An ...

• It turns out that general society watches how Orthodox Jews act and discusses it. Imagine if we took that into account in our behavior – ‘How Many Funerals Will Come Out of This One?’ https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/17/world/middleeast/israel-orthodox-jews-haredim.html • Alliance of religious schools in Cook County arranges for vaccines for all full-time employees https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/vaccine/ct-coronavirus-vaccine-cook-county-religious-schools-20210216-cd756dzjevedlavxokjsdjjhsq-story.html • Rabbonim Of Chicago: No Collecting In Chicago This Purim ...

• Lakewood Yeshiva Cancels Massive Purim Mesiba; Rabbonim Issue “Kol Koreh”; Bochrim Should Not Go Collecting https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/featured/1948510/lakewood-yeshiva-cancels-massive-purim-mesiba-rabbonim-issue-kol-koreh-bochrim-should-not-go-collecting.html • Y Rosenblum – Dealing With Disappointment https://beyondbt.com/2021/02/11/dealing-with-disappointment/ • Equality Act puts Christian hiring policies in ‘jeopardy’: ADF https://www.christianpost.com/news/equality-act-puts-christian-hiring-policies-in-jeopardy-adf.html • Jewish camps are ready to open this summer. Will states let them? https://forward.com/news/464019/jewish-camps-are-ready-to-open-this-summer-will-states-let-them/ • So, Who Were the Khazars? https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/history/articles/history-detective-shapira-khazars

• Not so much a Kiddush Hashem – Covid: Rabbi urges pause to ultra-Orthodox wedding parties https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56040572 • Letter to the Editor: A Response to Rabbi Blau https://yucommentator.org/2021/02/letter-to-the-editor-a-response-to-rabbi-blau/ • Arizona Jewish Post shuts down after 75 years https://www.jta.org/2021/02/11/united-states/arizona-jewish-post-shuts-down-after-75-years