Ancient Connection – Modern Pioneers
In our Haftorah, the prophet Yeshayahu turns to Yerushalayim and tells her to grow: “Enlarge the site of your tent, extend the size of your dwelling, do not stint! Lengthen the ropes, and drive the pegs firm, for you shall spread out to the right and the left.” The midrash understands this verse as a […]
On August 14th a lone gun man shot 8 pedestrians just outside of Jerusalem’s Old City and then fled into the Shiloach neighborhood (aka Silwan) of Jerusalem. This neighborhood sits opposite of the City of David on the Eastern side of the Kidron Valley. While at one time Shiloach was a majority Jewish neighborhood, the […]
An Emirati political scientist has publicly come out in support of the Jerusalem Mufti’s Fatwa against muslims visiting Jerusalem through Israel. “A sane Emirati tourist does not visit stolen Palestinian land to expose himself to degrading situations, even on the pretext of visiting Jerusalem,” Dr. Abdul Khaliq Abdullah said. Abdullah has long held antagonistic views […]
One of the most iconic and stirring kinnot is “Eli Tzion.” The opening line and refrain reads as follows: “Wail Zion and her cities like a woman in labor having contractions.” This is stirring imagery and depicts the depth of the pain of Zion over her destruction and exiled children. In his commentary on this […]
Our parsha opens with a list of the forty-two stations at which the Jewish people stopped in their journey through the desert. The commentators discuss why this section needed to be included in the Torah. What are the future readers of the Torah to gain by reading this long list of stations? The Akeidat Yitzhak […]
In the battle over Jerusalem – especially when it comes to the Old City and the surrounding “Holy Basin,” the Israeli left have become some of the greatest vocal opponents to the reestablishment of Jewish Shiloach (aka Silwan) and the Old Jewish Quarter (aka Muslim Quarter). Take Nir Hasson of Haaretz for example. Hasson, a […]
Ateret Cohanim does not generally make any comments on any property or acquisition in which it is associated, while matters are still in the courts. However, recent disturbing and possible defamatory or inciting statements by the current Greek Orthodox Patriarch requires a reply. His baseless claims of churches being vandalized, desecrated and threatened by Israeli […]
In the beginning of one of his attempted curses, Bilam refers to himself as setum ha-ayin. The word setum is not easily translated and the commentators debate if this means that his eye was closed or open. The Or HaChaim explains that Bilam had the capacity to damage via his gaze. When he wanted to […]
One of the best known organizations committed to keeping Jews from lawfully purchasing land in Jerusalem is Ir Amim. Founded in 2000, the organization seeks to divide Jerusalem, hand away Jewish or Israeli sovereignty, stop Jews from living in any neighborhood of Jerusalem, and paint the work of Ateret Cohanim as racist. Ir Amim has […]
The midrash compares Korach to the subject of the following verse in Mishlei: “A rebellious brother – a strong city.” Korach was a brother – a leader within his nation and a relative of Moshe and Aharon. The “strong city” refers to the Torah, which Korach attacked. The prooftext that a “strong city” refers to […]
