Eli Mandel, at The Blogs

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Mar 5, 2017, 4:33 PM

Is It Purim Yet?

Eli woke up early on Ta’anis Esther. He looked at Malky and asked, “Is it Purim yet?” “No,” Malky said. “It’s not Purim yet. You need to go buy the kids costumes. We’re doing an Asian fusion theme.” So Eli took Chuni...

Oct 21, 2016, 9:35 AM

Uniformed on Pennsylvania Street

Over the past 18 months, we've been subjected to the presidential pageant where no fewer than 16 Republicans and 5 Democrats battered and bruised each other; bullying, putting each other down, in their quest to occupy the building on Pennsylvania...

Aug 15, 2016, 5:21 PM

I Am a Non-Observant Yeshivishe Guy

For the past few years when I'd meet a new person they'd ask: “Why do you quote Mark Twain, Eminem, and Pirkei Avos in the same sentence?” “Why do you hate Nazis and Eli Dessler?” Living in a world where labels are of...

Aug 13, 2016, 6:01 PM

A Halachic Question

Author's note: this story was first published in the late Unpious Magazine on September 2, 2013. The events described here took place between September and November 2012. To date no one involved has apologized or taken responsibility for the hurt...

Mar 11, 2015, 2:05 PM

Seder with my Orthodox wife and kids

No longer a religious Jew, he will still observe the laws of Passover -- if not for God, then for family

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About Me

Eli Mandel is a graduate of Pupa cheder in Monsey, N.Y., the Telz yeshiva and Fairleigh Dickinson University. He is now recovering from ultra-Orthodoxy with his wife and four daughters in Philadelphia, PA. When he's not riding his motorcycle, he works to improve financial well-being through proper budgeting as a form of tikkun olam.