Ezra Y. Schwartz

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Dec 27, 2023, 9:43 PM

Dr. Kissinger and Mr. Harwitt

Herbert Harwitt and Henry Kissinger had very similar backgrounds. Both were born in German cities, Kissinger in Furth and Harwitt in Berlin. Both were raised proudly Orthodox. They both came to the United States together with their parents before...

Sep 10, 2022, 12:15 PM

Queen Elizabeth’s Death as a Prelude to Rosh Hashana

Since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II a few days ago, I have found myself inexplicably interested if not intrigued by everything royal. I gravitate towards articles about the queen’s life, about the plans for her funeral, about how...

Dec 31, 2021, 5:17 PM

How Chaim Walder got me to delete my Twitter account

I have been thinking of doing this for a while; deleting my Twitter account. But now, this morning, I finally did it. I joined Twitter for a number of reasons. I wanted to keep abreast of the goings on in...

Dec 17, 2020, 7:50 AM

A Plea to Principals: Don’t Take Away Our Snow Day

I remember the anticipation I felt as a child waiting for the first snow of the year. As an elementary school boy like many others, prayer wasn’t my thing. I davened in school because that is what I had...

Nov 12, 2020, 6:07 PM

PARSHA HAFTORA AND SUCCESSION

As a recovering pulpit rabbi, I have not yet outgrown the temptation to look towards the week’s Parsha for insight into current events. In that light I looked to this week’s Parsha, Chayei Sara, and the Haftora selected from...

May 22, 2020, 1:01 AM

Inspiration from praying in isolation

Our pandemic induced isolation seems to be nearing its end. Many are anxiously preparing to return to some semblance of a normal life. Many yearn to once again daven with a minyan. Some have already begun davening with socially...

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About Me

Rabbi Ezra Schwartz is a Rosh Yeshiva and Associate Director of the Semikha Program at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary in New York. From 2009 - 2019 he served as Rabbi of Mt. Sinai Jewish Center in Washington Heights.