Kenneth Brander, at The Blogs

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Nov 28, 2023, 12:49 PM

Fear and Concern

Throughout the world, there are heated conversations about the war activities in Gaza. Knowing that world Jewry is supportive of our righteous actions to defend Israel, hundreds of thousands of Jews and non-Jews in North America and the United...

Nov 21, 2023, 12:41 PM

At Home With God

Upon greeting mourners, the Ashkenazic tradition is to say “Hamakom Yinachem Etchem,” translated roughly to ‘may the place comfort you,’ with ‘the place’ being a reference to God. Weeks after the massacre, as the entire Jewish people continues to...

Nov 15, 2023, 12:07 PM

Eisav’s Stew and Yaakov’s Values

Fatigued from his day out in the field, Eisav returns home. To his delight, he discovers his brother Yaakov stirring a pot of lentil stew. Eisav, tired and hungry, asks for some of the soup but does so in...

Nov 7, 2023, 5:59 PM

Our Families and Our Mental Health: The Tent of Avraham vs. the Palace of David

As Sarah and Avraham approach the end of their lives, their public affairs are in order. They have orchestrated, per the Midrash, a religious revival in Charan, initiated an open tent operation for travelers, and settled outstanding issues with...

Oct 31, 2023, 7:29 PM

A Letter to our Soldiers

To our dear Chayalim and Chayalot, Like you, Avraham left home. All of a sudden, he received the order, gathered his belongings, and departed. And it is at that decisive moment in his life, when he set out on the...

Oct 20, 2023, 2:15 PM

The Simchat Torah Pogrom and The Floodwaters of Noach

When the floodwaters subside, Noach is alone. Just mere weeks before, human civilization was robust and populous, though it had fallen prey to greed, lust and thievery. As the world flooded with crime and injustice, Noach received the order...

Oct 11, 2023, 4:56 PM

Standing Together

Dedicated to the well-being of our soldiers and security forces; for a refuah sh’leimah to those who have been injured; and for the return of those being held hostage in Gaza. At this moment of crisis for Am Yisrael, we...

Mar 17, 2023, 5:24 PM

In a divided Jewish world, accepting gay and lesbian Jews is critical

Those bearing an identity not of their choosing must be able to find a place in the Orthodox Jewish community, without fear

Sep 28, 2022, 8:19 PM

Joshua and the Power of Collaborative Leadership

CLICK HERE FOR TRANSCRIPT Parshat Vayelech marks the transition from Moshe to his prize student, Yehoshua. They are such different leaders, even though they have similar experiences. For example, when Moshe has to cross the Yam Suf with the Jewish People,...

Sep 20, 2022, 4:03 PM

When the King is in the Field

CLICK HERE FOR TRANSCRIPT “HaMelech ba’sadeh” – The King is in the field. This is the way the Ba’al haTanya describes the essence of the month of Elul. (Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liady, the first Lubavitcher Rebbe; Likkutei Torah, Parshat Re’eh,...

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About Me

Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander is President and Rosh HaYeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone, an Israel-based network of 30 educational and social action programs transforming Jewish life, living and leadership in Israel and across the world. He is the rabbi emeritus of the Boca Raton Synagogue and founder of the Katz Yeshiva High School. He served as the Vice President for University and Community Life at Yeshiva University and has authored many articles in scholarly journals.

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