Everybody wants spirituality. To be a good person means to walk in G-d's ways. How does that translate to reality? The only guidebook to spirituality that has stood the test of time is the Hebrew Bible. The Bible says that the Jews will be a light onto the nations. But if you are not a born Jew, you have to convert, which is not so easy!! If you do convert, it is a lot of work to be a Jew (three times a day prayer, keeping kosher, observing the Sabbath).
This blog will show you how to be Jewish without the work!!
Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money, and spiritual engagement.
If you have any comments or questions for me, please don't hit reply as I won't get it, write to me at Yehudalave@gmail.com
The Three Musketeers at the Kotel
The Three are Rabbi Yehuda Glick, famous temple mount activist, and former Israel Mk, and then Robert Weinger, the world's greatest shofar blower and seller of Shofars, and myself after we had gone to the 12 gates of the Temple Mount in 2020 to blow the shofar to ask G-d to heal the world from the Pandemic. It was a highlight to my experience in living in Israel and I put it on my blog each day to remember.
The articles that I include each day are those that I find interesting, so I feel you will find them interesting as well. I don't always agree with all the points of each article but found them interesting or important to share with you, my readers, and friends. It is cathartic for me to share my thoughts and frustrations with you about life in general and in Israel. As a Rabbi, I try to teach and share the Torah of the G-d of Israel as a modern Orthodox Rabbi. I never intend to offend anyone but sometimes people are offended and I apologize in advance for any mistakes. The most important psychological principle I have learned is that once someone's mind is made up, they don't want to be bothered with the facts, so, like Rabbi Akiva, I drip water (Torah is compared to water) on their made-up minds and hope that some of what I have share sinks in. Love Rabbi Yehuda Lave.
'My mother painted Judaism with joy'
London-born Robert Elisha, the owner of Huvy's, talks to JNS about preserving the legacy of the acclaimed Jerusalem artist, Huvy.
Robert Elisha in Huvy's, the art gallery in Jerusalem named after and dedicated to his late mother, an accomplished artist who lived in the holy city, February 2026. Photo by David Danberg.
Amid rising antisemitism and strife over Israel, Josh Shapiro turns to his Jewish faith
Pennsylvania's Democratic governor, seen as a potential presidential candidate, draws ire over his progressive Zionism, says there's a 'very real' antisemitism problem on both sides of aisle
"And this is a moment," he went on as the crowd waved Israeli flags, "where I lean on my faith. I am proud of my faith."
Shapiro may be the nation's most prominent Jewish politician as antisemitism surges across America, and he's made his religion central to his political identity — what he calls living his faith "out loud." At this pivotal moment, as he marches toward a dominant reelection this fall that is expected to propel him into the next presidential campaign, the 52-year-old governor is attempting to straddle an almost impossible chasm as both a Jewish progressive and a Zionist.
Perhaps more than any other issue, Shapiro's ability to navigate personal and political risks related to his faith will ultimately determine how far he can rise in an evolving Democratic Party.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during a B'nai B'rith Youth Organization International Convention in Philadelphia, February 12, 2026. (Joe Lamberti/AP)
He is already among his party's top White House prospects, powered by a broad political coalition he's assembled in one of the nation's most important swing states.
He's also one of the leaders most vilified by progressive activists, largely because of his staunch support for Israel.
Leaning on his faith
Shapiro has defended Israel's right to defend itself after Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023, while also voicing concern for Palestinian civilians and criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "dangerous and destructive force."
At home, the governor was critical of pro-Palestinian campus protests that he said were hostile toward Jewish students.
His positioning did not sit well among some critics, who still refer to him as "Genocide Josh." Tensions were reopened with Shapiro's recent book, in which he recalled a senior aide to Kamala Harris asking if Shapiro had ever been an agent of the Israeli government while he was being vetted as a potential vice president.
Police patrol as workers clean up anti-Israel graffiti at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus after police evicted pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protesters, May 2, 2024. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP)
There's never been a Jewish president or vice president, and few leading Democrats lean into their faith as openly as Shapiro. He observes Shabbat every Friday night with his family. He keeps kosher. His kids go to Jewish day school. And on the campaign trail, he speaks openly about his spiritual values and quotes the Bible at virtually every stop.
Shapiro's allies acknowledge the risks, but they ultimately believe his faith will help him connect with more Americans as he takes the next step in his political career.
"He is intentionally choosing to go a different route and to be a different person, and it's authentic to who he is and also what he believes," said Baptist Pastor Marshall Mitchell, a close friend and spiritual adviser to Shapiro. "Great elected officials, great Americans, great thinkers, never discount the influence and impact of faith."
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'A very real problem' with antisemitism
Shapiro said in an interview with The Associated Press that antisemitism is "a very real problem" among both Democrats and Republicans.
"I think anyone who's trying to lead this country, anyone who's trying to lead a state, lead a community, has a responsibility to call it out no matter which side of the aisle it's on," he said.
Charred wood trim and brick are visible at the residence of the state's Governor Josh Shapiro in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on April 13, 2025, during Passover. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)
The governor said he and his family face new incidents of antisemitism on a regular basis, citing most recently the February arrest of a man near Harrisburg charged with making terroristic threats and stalking.
Anti-Defamation League leader Jonathan Greenblatt, a Shapiro ally, said he's currently seeing the highest levels of antisemitic hate crimes and harassment nationwide since his organization began tracking such data more than half a century ago.
Greenblatt criticized extremists and leaders from both political parties, but he was quick to praise US President Donald Trump for opposing anti-Israel protests on college campuses, even if the president's approach was "heavy handed."
"I think we need to recognize that on the far left, in progressive circles, being anti-Zionist has become very permissible," Greenblatt said.
Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people have a right to establish a Jewish nation-state in their ancestral homeland in the Middle East.
Divisions over war in Gaza
Hamas's attack on Israel and Israel's subsequent war against the terror group in Gaza became a dividing line in American politics as Shapiro's clout was rising.
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As protests against Israel spread, Shapiro said universities should not tolerate antisemitic intimidation any more than they would allow white supremacy, a comparison that inflamed critics on the left.
"Gov. Shapiro has a damning history regarding US policy toward Israel, including his failure to call for an end to US complicity in the Israeli genocide in Gaza, and his smearing and attacks against those speaking out for Palestinian rights," said Beth Miller, the political director for the anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace Action.
Shapiro's leadership, Miller said, "is sharply out of line with his constituency — including American Jews."
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro greets speakers during a B'nai B'rith Youth Organization International Convention in Philadelphia, February 12, 2026. (Joe Lamberti/AP)
Polling shows that views on Israel are complex. About six in 10 American Jews said Israel has committed war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, according to a Washington Post survey conducted in September. About four in 10 described Israel's actions as genocide. Israel has strongly denied accusations of genocide.
However, about three-quarters said Israel's existence is vital for the long-term future of the Jewish people.
In his new book "Where We Keep the Light," which was released last month, Shapiro opened up about the vetting process as Harris considered the governor as her running mate two years ago.
He wrote that one of Harris' advisers asked, "Have you ever been an agent of the Israeli government?"
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"Had I been a double agent for Israel? Was she kidding? I told her how offensive the question was," Shapiro wrote. He added that the episode "said a lot about some of the people around the VP."
Then-US Vice President Kamala Harris, center, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, left, speak to the press during an election campaign stop at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Ryan Collerd / AFP)
In his interview with the AP, Shapiro declined to expand on what the question said about Harris' team, and he declined to say whether it was an example of antisemitism.
He said, "We should all be able to agree that antisemitism is wrong" while having "honest disagreements" about US foreign policy.
"When I analyze Middle East policy, I'm focused on what is in the best interest of the United States of America, what advances our national security, what advances our economic interests, what creates more stability in the globe," he said. "And in my opinion, that's having a safe and secure Israel, side by side with a safe and secure Palestinian state, where Palestinian leadership recognizes Israel's right to exist, and where kids growing up on both sides of the border have an opportunity to grow up with promise and prosperity in their future."
An attack while they slept
Shapiro, his children, and some extended family were sleeping inside the Pennsylvania governor's mansion after celebrating Passover on April 13, 2025, when a stranger broke into the house and exploded multiple Molotov cocktails.
Cody Allen Balmer, 38, then called 911 and denounced what Shapiro "wants to do to the Palestinian people." He later told police he would have beaten the governor with a hammer if he had found him.
Balmer pleaded guilty to attempted murder, terrorism, and 22 counts of arson, among other charges. He was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison, far less than he could have faced if the case had gone to trial.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro discusses his new memoir, 'Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service,' at the 92nd Street Y in New York, on January 27, 2026. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Shapiro said the incident still haunts him today.
"I'm one of the fortunate ones in that I wasn't killed the way Melissa Hortman was or Charlie Kirk was. I wasn't injured the way Gabby Giffords or Steve Scalise were physically," he told AP, referring to Democratic and Republican leaders who suffered political attacks. "But I think we also walk around with the emotional scars of it."
Shapiro said he struggles with the idea that "this work that I love" has also "brought my family close to death."
"That's a hard thing to work through as a dad," he added. "I'm still working through it, candidly."
Rev. Jerome Fordham, who leads the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Action Network, said Shapiro's challenges have allowed him to relate to people on a deeper level.
"He's doing a fantastic job despite the fact that they tried to kill him and his family," said Fordham, who was in the audience at a recent NAACP gala where Shapiro spoke. "As a Jew, he can connect with everybody. He understands struggle, just as the Black community understands struggle."
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is seen after a B'nai B'rith Youth Organization International Convention in Philadelphia, on February 12, 2026. (Joe Lamberti/AP)
Shapiro told the AP that he would not back away from his faith.
"I refuse to live in fear, I refuse to back down," Shapiro said. "Even though the threats are increasing, the light I see and the joy I find in others is also increasing. And that allows me to frankly ignore the noise and ignore the hate and focus on the goodness in people."
Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money, and spiritual engagement.
If you have any comments or questions for me, please don't hit reply as I won't get it, write to me at Yehudalave@gmail.com
The Three Musketeers at the Kotel
The Three are Rabbi Yehuda Glick, famous temple mount activist, and former Israel Mk, and then Robert Weinger, the world's greatest shofar blower and seller of Shofars, and myself after we had gone to the 12 gates of the Temple Mount in 2020 to blow the shofar to ask G-d to heal the world from the Pandemic. It was a highlight to my experience in living in Israel and I put it on my blog each day to remember.
The articles that I include each day are those that I find interesting, so I feel you will find them interesting as well. I don't always agree with all the points of each article but found them interesting or important to share with you, my readers, and friends. It is cathartic for me to share my thoughts and frustrations with you about life in general and in Israel. As a Rabbi, I try to teach and share the Torah of the G-d of Israel as a modern Orthodox Rabbi. I never intend to offend anyone but sometimes people are offended and I apologize in advance for any mistakes. The most important psychological principle I have learned is that once someone's mind is made up, they don't want to be bothered with the facts, so, like Rabbi Akiva, I drip water (Torah is compared to water) on their made-up minds and hope that some of what I have share sinks in. Love Rabbi Yehuda Lave.
Beit Shemesh family clings to God after 3 kids killed by Iran: 'Faith isn't built in a day'
Sitting shiva in a Jerusalem hotel after her home was destroyed, Tamar Biton lights up as she describes Yaakov, Avigail and Sarah, among 9 killed in deadliest Iranian strike
A relative shows photos of three siblings, Yaakov, Avigail and Sarah Biton, who were killed in a March 1 Iranian missile strike that hit their home in the city of Beit Shemesh, in Jerusalem on March 5, 2026. (AP/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Deep underground, IDF officers describe months of covert planning for war against Iran, Hezbollah
Speaking from the underground command bunker at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, the three described a prolonged planning effort, intense operational pressure, and the secrecy required to manage the campaign.
Israeli Air Force fighter pilots prepare to strike Iran, February 28, 2026
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TERRIBLE MOMMY JOKES OF THE WEEK
Son: "Mom, can I have $20?"
Mom: "Does it look like I am made of money?"
Son: "Well, isn't that what M-O-M stands for?"
"It's spicy" is a universal mom code for "I don't want to share.
When a kid says " Daddy, I want mommy", that's the kid version of "I'd like to speak to your supervisor."
What three words solve Dad's every problem? Ask your mother.
My nickname is Mom. But my full name is "Mom Mom Mom Mom Mom."
A curious child asked his mother: "Mommy, why are some of your hairs turning grey?"
The mother tried to use this occasion to teach her child: "It is because of you, dear. Every bad action of yours will turn one of my hairs grey!"
The child replied innocently: "Now I know why grandmother has only grey hairs on her head."
Kid: "What's a man?"
Dad: "A man is someone who is responsible and cares for their family."
Kid: "I hope one day I can be a man just like mom!"
Before having kids, every mom thinks she'll be a super-chill mom.
That's because, at that point, we had no idea they'd break all our stuff, make ridiculous demands, and take roughly 10 years to get out of the car
What did baby corn ask mommy corn? Where is pop corn?
What did the lazy child say to his mom on Mother's Day when she was about to do the dishes? "Relax Mom… you can just do them in the morning."
The eldest of three siblings comes up to his mother and asks: "Mommy, mommy, why is my name Leaf?"
"Well, honey," the mother says, "it's because when you were a little baby, a leaf landed on your head."
Satisfied, the child goes away. Later, the middle child tugs at her mother's hand. "Mommy, mommy, why is my name Feather?"
"Well, darling," the mother says, "it's because when you were a little baby, a feather floated down and landed on your head."
The little girl smiles and goes on her way. A few moments later the youngest child runs into the room and says: "WARGLBARGLAAHRGLB?"
The mother says: "Be quiet, Refrigerator."
Here's a joke my dad told me: What do you get when you cross mommy and daddy? A mistake
What did the daddy fire say to the mommy fire when their child graduated? "That's ar-son"
Silence is golden. Unless you have kids, then silence is suspicious.
What did the mommy spider say to the Baby spider? You spend too much time on the web.
I hate when I'm waiting for mom to cook dinner, and then I remember I am the mom, and I have to cook dinner.
Silence is golden. Unless you have kids, then silence is suspicious
There is a legend that if you take a shower and scream "Mom!!!" three times, a nice lady appears with the towel you forgot..
When your mom's voice is so loud, even your neighbors brush their teeth and get dressed.
Son: "Mom, what's a weekend?"
Mom: "I don't know, sweetheart, I haven't had one since you were born."
Why do Mothers have to have two visits to the optometrist? Because they also have eyes in the back of their head.
You know you're a mom when you say I'm going to donate these bags of clothes to Goodwill. But first, I'm going to drive around with them in my trunk for four months
You know you're a mom when you understand why Mama Bear's porridge was too cold.
You know you're a mom when picking up another human to smell their butt isn't only normal, but necessary.
Mom's recipe for iced coffee:
Have kids.
Make coffee.
Forget you made coffee.
Put it in the microwave.
Forget you put it in the microwave.
Drink it cold.
What do you call a mom who can't draw? Tracy.
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes are your regular clothes.
I would write a book about parenting, but it would just be filled with rants about doing everything myself. And cocktail recipes.
Mother to son: "I'm warning you. If you fall out of that tree and break both your legs, don't come running to me!"
Those we have lost
Stories of civilians and soldiers killed since Hamas's onslaught on Israel on October 7, 2023
Every day you can look at another victim and send him/her prayers
