Opinion Archives | Anash.org

OU Leaders Take Rebbe’s Lesson From Dubai Hijacking

Anash — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 22:35:42 +0000

In a statement, Orthodox Union President Mitch Aeder and OU CEO Rabbi Josh Joseph reflect on the Rebbe’s timeless lesson that “a Jew is never stuck,” and how it came vividly to life aboard the hijacked Dubai flight.

Should Mamdani Be Welcome in Crown Heights?

Anash — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:12:35 +0000

"The sight of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visiting a sukkah in Crown Heights raises a question that goes well beyond the usual Chol Hamoed photo-op."

Since When Was Chassidus Meant to Be Self-Serving?

Mendel — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:20:00 +0000

"In the past few weeks, we have had three thoughtful articles wrestling with essentially the same question: What is Chassidus supposed to do to a person? The articles disagree with one another in important ways. But I think they all miss the most basic point."

What Happens After Shiva Ends?

Anash — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 23:48:00 +0000

"We all know someone who has lost a loved one, and maybe we've experienced it ourselves. We know about the shiva, the meals, the calls, the people who come to visit, and how to be there in those first days. But what happens after?"

Authentic Chassidus or Relatable Chassidus: Why Not Both?

Anash — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:06:00 +0000

"There has lately been a long string of passionate articles warning about the ways Chassidus and psychology are being merged, and about the danger of psychological ideas being dressed up and presented as Chassidus. I would like to make one observation. Maybe the challenge is not to choose between authentic Chassidus and relatable Chassidus. Maybe the challenge is to become much better at doing both."

Chassidus Was Never Meant to Leave the Person Behind

Anash — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:07:00 +0000

"The nimshal of all of Chassidus was never the sefiros. The Rebbe said this in the first maamar he ever delivered and repeated it for forty years. The purpose of everything, of the entire Seder Hishtalshelus, is a dirah for Hashem in the lowest world, the world of which there is none lower."

Are You Meant to Succeed in 5787?

Anash — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 17:15:00 +0000

"In recent years, I’ve found that my Rosh Hashanah davening comes alive much more when I stop and ask myself: what would a truly good and sweet year actually look like for me?"

Chassidus Misapplied: The Dangerous Reinvention of Chassidus

Anash — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:07:00 +0000

"A new discussion has emerged around the application of Chassidus and making it more practical and meaningful in our daily lives. On the surface, this would seem like a welcome endeavor: to translate the ideals of Chassidus into actual practice. Unfortunately, this is not what we are seeing."

Maybe $50,000 Was Never the Problem

Anash — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 22:28:00 +0000

“We hand young Anash a savings number like it’s a mitzvah, and nobody checks if the number is even right. People sit down with a lender only after they think they’re ready. That’s backwards. That conversation should happen first, not as a reward after five years of sacrifice.”

What Is Going On at 451 Kingston Avenue?

MM — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 13:02:00 +0000

"There are some addresses that become more than just buildings. They become symbols of the problems a neighborhood can no longer afford to ignore."

Five Years of Saving, and We’re Still Nowhere Near a House

Anash — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 21:51:00 +0000

"My husband and I have been renting since we got married, saving up to buy a house the way everyone tells you to. Five years in, we sat down and counted what we have. $50,000. It's not even a real down payment."

A Caring Bus Driver Made All the Difference

Anash — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:09:00 +0000

"You may not realize it, but you can make a tremendous difference in a child’s life, in a mother’s life, and in an entire family’s day. For a family with several kids, a calm school morning versus a stressful one can set the tone for everything that follows."

I Wanted My Children to Speak Yiddish, Here’s What Worked

Anash — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 21:07:00 +0000

"I’ve often heard parents say that they would love for their children to speak Yiddish, but they’re not sure how to make it happen, especially when everything around them is in English. I don’t claim to be an expert in language or chinuch, but I can share what worked in our home."

Ateres Chaya’s Doors Have Closed, But Its Lessons Live On

Anash — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:04:00 +0000

"For 12 years, Ateres Chaya Mushka School for Girls served the Crown Heights community. It was truly a gem of a school - one of a kind." One thankful mother shares a glimpse into some of its highlights, so that we can all learn from its beautiful ways.

A Threat to the Security and Future of Crown Heights

MM — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:44:00 +0000

"What will be the future of Crown Heights?! Will our neighborhood become the center of homelessness, crime, drug usage, mental illness, and poverty in New York City?! Is this what we really want for our future?"

You’re Getting Everything Done, But Where Are You Going?

Anash — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 13:15:00 +0000

Life has a way of keeping us incredibly busy without ever forcing us to ask where all that busyness is taking us. Elul and Rosh Hashanah give us the chance to stop moving long enough to remember where we actually want to go. From a shiur by Rabbi Mendel Schapiro of Los Angeles.

Tomchei Tmimim Doesn’t Need to Be Reinvented

Anash — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:07:00 +0000

"We all recognize the amazing contribution of Tomchei Temimim to our own lives and to world Jewry. But sometimes we still think that there are those who have a thing or two to teach the Yeshiva as well. After all, the Yeshiva is, in many ways, old-fashioned and outdated."

The Job Everyone Thinks They Know How to Do

Mendel — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 19:10:00 +0000

"My friend who is a plumber doesn't have others telling him how to his job. Even my friends who are Chabad House Rabbis will not allow their congregants to dictate how they run their Chabad House. But the good Mechanech will need to take abuse and face derision for doing what they are most qualified to do."

But How Can I Listen to Them?

Anash — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:07:00 +0000

"There are so many incredible podcasts and interviews being produced today by some of the best people around the world. But I keep coming back to one simple question: How can I listen to them?"

You Really Want to Change; So Why Haven’t You?

Mendel — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 01:21:11 +0000

We tend to assume that if we truly wanted to change, we would have changed already. A powerful insight in the Rebbe’s maamar Ani L’Dodi 5726 suggests that the truth may be very different. From an Elul shiur by Los Angeles Mashpia Rabbi Mendel Schapiro.

What Do You Want Lubavitch to Be?

Anash — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:07:02 +0000

“Everything we place before the public tells people something about what Lubavitch is. The deeper question is: What do we want our children to understand when they hear the word ‘Lubavitch,’ and will the next generation see that derech clearly in us?”

Please Stop with ‘The King is in the Field’

Anash — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 17:52:07 +0000

"'The King is in the field' has become an overused cliché. Few people stop to consider what it actually means. Instead, we repeat it like a slogan, a reassuring phrase meant to make us feel good, but only on a superficial level."

The Smartphone Question We Can’t Afford to Ignore

Mendel — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:24:00 +0000

"They try to guide people to avoid using a smartphone, but their words don't carry the same weight, because they themselves have one. If there were a physical danger to our children, wouldn't we demand of the school administration, first and foremost, to see to our children's wellbeing? Physically, we don't let anyone harm our children - spiritually?"

Does Every Community Issue Belong on the Front Page?

Anash — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 21:15:55 +0000

"There seems to be a growing assumption that whenever we identify a weakness in our community, the natural place to discuss it is in a public article, accessible not only to Anash but to the entire Jewish world and beyond. I’m not convinced that assumption is correct."

The Rebbe Wanted Bochurim to Marry at Age 20

Mendel — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:00:00 +0000

"I recently discovered a remarkable recording of the Rebbe that seems to have gone unnoticed until now. The Rebbe describes the thoughts of a young bochur about marriage at 20 years old, the age mentioned by Chazal as the appropriate time for marriage."

What a Shabbos in Greensboro Taught Me About Chabad

Anash — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 22:11:38 +0000

"I am writing this down because this Shabbos was truly beautiful. It meant a great deal to me and to my children. I write partly for myself, so that I will remember, and partly for some friends who are not great fans of Chabad. I have no intention of convincing them that they are wrong. But at the very least, a person should understand clearly what it is he is opposing."

Did You See The Crazy Weather Report for This Month?

Mendel — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 13:10:50 +0000

“Chassidus gives us this beautiful moshol of Melech Basodeh. But yet at the same time, I see nothing! Where’s the king?! … Almost unexpectedly, the Rebbe started saying ‘Af al pi vos m’zet dos nisht mit fleishigeh oigen….’ I still remember that moment. I can’t even begin to tell you. Could it be that the Rebbe is actually about to address my concern?!”

What Is the Point of Talmidim Hashluchim? An Open Letter From Your Shliach

Mendel — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:35:00 +0000

"The primary role of the shluchim is to organize mivtza’s. Just kidding - The shluchim are not G.O. heads! Instead of asking, “Why wasn’t there a mivtza?” we can ask, “What are you learning recently?”

Jewish Governor Candidate Is a ‘Varemer Yid’

Mendel — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:05:00 +0000

"The Yiddish phrase that comes to mind when I think of Bruce Blakeman is zeier ah varemer, a truly warm person. 'Hashem decides if I win or not, not anything else,' Bruce told me."

The Unique Challenge of Our Generation

Anash — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 16:15:00 +0000

"Naturally, the first thing we think about when it comes to this topic is the tznius in women’s and girls’ dress. The truth, however, is that it’s also about men and boys. In fact, Reb Hillel Paritcher spoke about the men’s dress!"