Jonathan Muskat

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Apr 9, 2025, 5:38 AM

The Taste of Redemption: Maror as a Spiritual Condiment

My two brothers were here this past Shabbat, and having them over a week before Pesach brought back vivid memories of our childhood sedarim. Among them, Streit’s Soup Nuts—those bland, airy mandlen I adored in my matzah ball soup. I would...

Mar 24, 2025, 5:27 AM

Hearts Ablaze: Finding Passion and Meaning in Challenging Times

Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in Israel, who are preparing to return to Gaza to complete the mission of eradicating Hamas. Is this the right course of action? Should Israel instead focus on negotiating for...

Mar 18, 2025, 4:44 AM

Finding God in the Shadows: Faith Amid Tragedy

As we grapple with the tragic deaths of Ariel and Kfir Bibas, we are confronted with a profound sense of finality. Many of us may be asking: How can we relate to a God who allowed this to happen?...

Mar 11, 2025, 12:24 AM

Balancing Memory: Confronting Evil and Celebrating Redemption in Jewish Life

There are two holidays in the Jewish calendar, Purim and Pesach, that are connected to historical events we are obligated to remember. Yet, the nature of these obligations is very different. Purim requires us to remember Amalek and the...

Mar 9, 2025, 7:12 AM

The Morality of Wiping Out Amalek

On Tuesdays during lunchtime at Shulamith High School, I have the privilege of studying hashkafic topics with a small group of seniors. This past week, we delved into a well-known essay by Rav Dessler about the nekudat ha-bechira—the point of...

Feb 28, 2025, 12:04 AM

The Growing Resonance of Rabbi Kahane’s Ideas in Israeli Society

Once dismissed as fringe and inflammatory, Rabbi Meir Kahane’s ideas about transferring Palestinians out of Israel are now gaining traction in mainstream Israeli society. Why? A nation that once clung to the hope of peace through coexistence now grapples...

Feb 21, 2025, 1:19 AM

The Hostages’ Ordeal

The recent release of hostages by Hamas provides a stark reminder of the inhumane treatment inflicted by this terrorist organization and underscores the urgency of addressing the root causes of their power in Gaza. When Or Levy, Eli Sharabi,...

Feb 11, 2025, 12:07 AM

Would temporary relocation of Gazans while rebuilding Gaza be ethnic cleansing?

In recent discussions, President Trump proposed a plan to relocate Gazans to Egypt and Jordan while Gaza undergoes reconstruction. Initially, Trump’s remarks suggested that this relocation might be permanent, raising alarm among critics and prompting accusations of ethnic cleansing....

Jan 28, 2025, 12:05 AM

Navigating Shabbat and Pikuach Nefesh: Insights from the Agam Berger story

Agam Berger (Courtesy)

Reflections on a rabbinic ruling that Agam's mother should not drive to see her daughter if the hostage soldier is released on a Saturday

Jan 19, 2025, 6:44 AM

From Despair to Prayer: Reflections on the Hostage Deal

We are all anxiously awaiting the release of the first hostages, which, please God, will begin on Sunday. In the coming days, we must prepare ourselves for an overwhelming flood of emotions. Our hearts will rejoice in the freedom...

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About Me

Jonathan Muskat is the Rabbi of the Young Israel of Oceanside.