A teacher must be exceedingly careful in their words, lest they be taken out of context and twisted to serve a negative purpose. … Read More
The Blog
Israel: People, Torah, Land
Pirkei Avot 1:10
How to remain humble by working with our hands and avoiding becoming overly identified with the government, and thereby maintaining our ultimate fealty to God alone. … Read More
Pirkei Avot 1:9
What does it mean to ‘teach a witness to lie,’ and how do we avoid it? In chapter 1:9 of Pirkei Avot. The collection of timeless rabbinic wisdom. … Read More
Pirkei Avot 1:8
How do we treat people during the process of litigation, and how should that change after the proceedings are over, especially when they are found guilty? Find out in this short lesson on Pirkei Avot 1:8. … Read More
Pirkei Avot 1:6-7
Thousands of years of rabbinic wisdom condensed into a few short pages. This video series goes through it line by line. … Read More
Abraham’s Well
The city of Beer Sheva recently built a magnificent visitor’s center around Abraham’s well, and I highly recommend visiting either on your own or as part of a tour with me. But first a bit of background. In the book … Read More
What to Wear for a Day in the Old City of Jerusalem
How to dress for an all day hike, with religious sites, scorching sun, and a water tunnel at the end? Here’s my guide to preparing for a tour in the Old City of Jerusalem. … Read More
Herodion – Virtual Tour
Herodion is the burial place of Herod the Great, and site of rebel bases in 2 different wars against Rome. It’s an ancient palace that became a burial mound that became a fortress. Come join me on a full tour of the site. … Read More
Pirkei Avot 1:5, Don’t Talk to Women? (Video)
In this Mishna we are told not to talk too much with women. But it’s not as bad as it sounds. Watch to find out why. … Read More
Old City Poems
I confess to writing poetry instead of listening to the tour guide. This was the result! … Read More
1.4 Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) Video
Pirkei Avot is a book of the Mishna that condenses thousands of years of rabbinic wisdom into a few pages. This is the 4th in a series bringing you that depth in concise, meaningful, bite size videos. … Read More
Pirkei Avot 1:3 (Chapters of the Fathers)
Thousands of years of rabbinic wisdom condensed onto a few short pages. This is the third video in the series going through it line by line. … Read More
Pirkei Avot Video 1:2 (Ethics of the Fathers)
Pirkei Avot is the repository of thousands of years of Rabbinic wisdom in just a few short pages. This is the second video in a series going through it line by line. … Read More
Pirkei Avot Video 1:1 (Chapters of the Fathers)
Pirkei Avot condenses thousands of years of rabbinic wisdom into a few short pages. Here I break it down into enjoyable short videos. Let’s learn together. … Read More
Rabbi Eitan’s Reading List
Step back from the 24 hour news cycle and enjoy a good book. Here are some suggestions! … Read More
America’s Border Control Crisis: Why Liberals and Conservative Don’t Understand Each Other
America is split on many issues, where people wonder how a person with any serious morality, with good intentions, and with access to accurate information could possibly be on the other side. Here’s how. I walk through my understanding of recent events at the US border, and then break down the competing moral frameworks functioning on both sides of the issue. … Read More
Mt. Bental: The Valley of Tears and Israel-Syria Border
Mt. Bental: In one site you can see deep into Syria, the border area, the site of one of the great tank battles of the 20th century, Israel’s tallest mountain, and also enjoy a good cup of coffee. … Read More
“Submission” by Michel Houellebecq: Book Review
“Submission” by Michel Houellebecq describes the takeover of France by the Muslim Brotherhood and has been widely attacked as Islamophobic, but it’s real target is modern, secular humanism. … Read More
Why You Should Keep Your Plans to Visit Israel
The news looks scary. Here’s why you should keep those plans to visit Israel this summer. … Read More
Monocausal Reductionism and the Danger of Sloganeering
Reducing complex realities to single causes is always tempting, but perilous. An old Hungarian professor taught me why, and how to avoid it. … Read More