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Jul 11, 2024, 4:39 PM

Are Jews really racist against gentiles?

I never thought I'd have to revive a century-old defense against an officially debunked blood libel, but the Russian public needs a reminder of the truth (Hukat)

Jun 27, 2024, 12:50 PM

The Spies Were Failed Leaders – But Were They Also Heroes?

Among the biggest failures in leadership in Jewish history, the Spies – those 10 men who reported on the dangers of the Land of Israel – are held responsible not just for the wandering of the Jews in the...

Jun 20, 2024, 5:44 PM

Biggest, Strongest, Best Connected? In Judaism, it’s Knowledge that Makes the Leader

What makes a leader? In some cultures, leadership – of government, institutions, or even in the realm of thought or ideas – is restricted to those individuals who, often by virtue of their birth, affiliation, wealth, or connections are...

Jun 14, 2024, 1:11 PM

Naso: The ‘Legacy’ Rabbi vs the Self-Made Spiritual Leader: Which is Better?

What makes a great religious leader? How does an individual excel in their spiritual qualities – the ability to lead large groups of Jews, answering intricate questions on matters of Jewish law; conquering the vast corpus of Jewish literature,...

May 30, 2024, 7:17 PM

Suffering, Resilience, and Redemption – a Uniquely Jewish Story, as Predicted in the Torah

Glancing at the headlines in 2024, one could be forgiven for thinking it was 1934 – or 1492, or 1648, or the Crusader period – or any of the other many eras when antisemitism raised its ugly head, threatening...

May 24, 2024, 2:09 PM

Parshat Behar: Our Shofars Proclaim Liberty, Theirs’ Tyranny

“Proclaim liberty throughout the land” is one of America’s most famous, and inspirational, messages, etched on the Liberty Bell as a symbol of the aspiring Republic’s commitment to freedom and equality. And it’s a direct quote from this week’s...

May 16, 2024, 10:52 PM

Parshat Emor: Lessons for Life Amid the Rules of Death

On the surface, Parshat Emor is the source for many of the rules and requirements regarding the Kohanim – the priests that served in the Holy Temple – and many of them involve avoiding defilement by coming into contact...

May 10, 2024, 10:13 AM

Parshat Kedoshim: When “Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself” Isn’t Enough

In this week’s Parsha, Kedoshim, we find one of Judaism’s most important maxims – and one of its greatest contributions to civilization: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This commandment, from Leviticus 19:9, was adopted by the authors of the...

May 2, 2024, 10:32 PM

Acharei Mot: The Blood Libel Is Alive and Well – But This, Too, We Will Survive

“None of you shall eat blood, and the stranger who sojourns among you shall not eat blood,” and those who do, says God in the Book of Leviticus, “will be cut off from my people.” This is just one...

Dec 9, 2021, 12:32 PM

In Europe, we are freeing chained wives

Illustrative: A woman freed of her chains. (iStock)

A law extending the jurisdiction of Israel's rabbinical courts over non-Israeli agunot has already helped free 80 women. And that's just one tool in our arsenal

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About Me

Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt is the President of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) and exiled Chief Rabbi of Moscow. Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt is also the recipient of the Aachen International Charlemagne Prize in 2024.