My father, Dr. Derek Brackman, passed away in his sleep in the fall of 2004. His passing was very sudden and totally unexpected; I was shocked and devastated. Dad was a person who knew what he wanted. He knew that he wanted to become a scientist from the age of…
Respecting Grief
In this week’s Torah portion we read (Deuteronomy 14:1) how Moses tells the children of Israel: ‘you are children of God your Lord. Do not mutilate yourselves, and do not make a bald patch in the middle of your head as a sign of mourning. You are a nation consecrated…
Is Radicalisation Bad?
Radicals and radicalisation are the words on everyone’s lips. People are trying to understand the process of how normal people become radicalised to the extent that they become suicide bombers. They therefore talk about radicalisation as if it is always a terrible thing. The truth is however that anyone who…
God’s Response to Reality TV
In the UK Millions of people have tuned in on a daily basis to watch a group of ordinary people living their lives. Big Brother fervour had grabbed the people in the UK once again. But hang on, what is so attractive about watching ordinary people doing ordinary things? How…
Please Don’t Kill Yourself
We live in a world where we need to be continuously reminded to look after ourselves. A world where although we know eating lots fast food is not good for us, we still need reminding by our doctor. Although the youth are aware of the detrimental effects of promiscuity and…
A Users Guide To Revolutions
Over the past five years the world has seen some of the most remarkable political revolutions ever. March 2003 saw the downfall of Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical regime. In November 2003 former Soviet republic of Georgia saw the Rose Revolution leading to the instalment of a proper democratic government. Then, in…
Must We Constantly Struggle?
“As the plane landed at Ben Gurion airport, the Captain made his announcement: "Please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened until this plane comes to a complete standstill and the seat belt signs have been turned off. To those who are seated, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and hope…
The Festival of Marriage & Family Values
This Shabbat is the fifteenth day of the month of Av. Some in Israel markthis day with a “Festival of Love” and commemorate it with all night rock concerts, most noticeably on the shores of Lake Kineret. There are also those who celebrate it by attending "Love, Sexuality and Art…
Shavuot: Relationship Guidance From God
Thousands of self-help books have been published offering guidance to men and women pursuing romantic relationships. With so much help at hand one might have thought that this generation would be experiencing the most fulfilling relationships ever. The reality however is that the divorce rate is at record levels and…
The Answer to Political Apathy
My teenage years were spent thirsting for a big idea. I was searching for something that would catch my imagination. Although I went to an Orthodox Jewish school, there was nothing I was taught that fired my passion. In fact, by the age of sixteen I was rather apathetic about…