An Internal Crisis—and the Path Forward
Recent data has sent shockwaves through the American Jewish community. A survey by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs reveals a startling disconnect: 42% of American Jewish youth believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, while 37% express sympathy for Hamas. Adding to the concern, recent political cycles showed that candidates openly hostile to Israel and the Jewish people’s biblical right to their homeland still secured roughly a third of the Jewish vote.
While external antisemitism is undeniably a growing threat, these numbers point to a deeper internal crisis. If the next generation is drifting so far from its roots, we must ask: Where did we go wrong—and how do we fix it?
Personal Responsibility
A man once shared with me the secret behind a happy marriage.
He said "You should share responsibilities with due love and respect each other. Then absolutely there will be no problems."
"In my house, I take decisions on bigger issues whereas my wife decides on smaller issues. We do not interfere in each other's decisions".
I asked him, "Give me some examples".
Harvard’s Menorah
On December 13, 2023, a Menorah lighting celebration took place in front of Harvard’s Widener Library. Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi, the Director of the Harvard Chabad, addressed a gathering of students and faculty.
During his speech, Rabbi Zarchi recounted a significant moment in the history of the Menorah lighting tradition at Harvard.
Beyond Ivy League Dreams: Nurturing Jewish Identity
You may have heard the anecdote of three mothers sitting in a park, debating when life truly begins.
The first says, “Life begins at conception.”
The second counters, “No, life begins at birth.”
The Jewish mother shakes her head and says, “You're both wrong—life begins when the child gets their college degree.”

