Happiness is a Choice
A young couple living in Czarist Russia in the early 1800s were faced with a significant decision. Life in Russia at the time was no picnic, especially for the Jewish people, due to the many economic and religious restrictions imposed on the Jewish communities in particular. They were considering making Aliya and immigrating to Israel to enjoy an easier life with the liberty to openly practice Torah and Mitzvot and benefit from the spiritually uplifting atmosphere of the Holy Land.
A Life Lesson from Steve Jobs
In the opening pages of his biography, Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, reflects candidly on his adoption. He recalls a chilling moment when he was about six or seven years old. He told the girl across the street that he was adopted, and she replied, “So does that mean your real parents didn’t want you?”
It’s Bashert
You may have heard the Yiddish expression “it’s Bashert”, loosely translated as, “it’s meant to be”.
While this expression is most commonly used to describe one’s soul mate in the context of marriage and dating, such as, “I found my Bashert”, it also has a broader connotation for many other areas in life including one’s career choice, place of residence, or when facing unexpected challenges and opportunities.
Organized Chaos
In the hours before opening, a restaurant is a scene of controlled chaos. Staff arrive early, each with a specific role. Managers oversee, checking cleanliness and alignment, holding briefings on reservations and special requests. There's a palpable urgency as everyone works against the clock. In the kitchen, chefs and cooks set up their stations while the head chef directs, ensuring everything is prepared perfectly. As opening approaches, the chaos subsides. Final touches are made, lights are dimmed, and soft background music starts. The doors open, and the restaurant transforms. Guests are greeted warmly and led to tables, where the atmosphere is now serene and relaxing, transitioning smoothly from behind-the-scenes chaos to effortless service.
Our Mission Statement
Every business, organization, or movement has a mission statement. The mission consists of the original reason why the entity was created in the first place. Although the products or services that are provided may include a wide range of options, a successful business or organization always remains in sync with its mission and fulfills its intended purpose.
Fantasy or Reality?
At the dawn of the 20th century, life in America looked very different. The average life expectancy ranged from just 33 to 48 years. Most families earned the equivalent of $3,000 a year in today’s dollars, and about half of all children lived in poverty. Teenagers typically didn’t attend school—they worked long hours in factories or on farms.
When Jewish immigrants arrived in the United States during the late 1800s and early 1900s, many believed they would need to abandon their traditions in order to succeed in the “Goldene Medina”—the Golden Land. Assimilation was seen as the price of prosperity. But history has proven otherwise.
The Land of the Free
The 4th of July is more than barbecues, parades and fireworks — it's a time to reflect on the unique character of our great country.
On America’s Independence Day, we pause to celebrate a nation founded on the powerful ideal of freedom — a freedom not detached from morality, but anchored in the belief that every individual is endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights. As the Declaration of Independence boldly states:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…"
Suprarational
George, an avid fisherman, once set out on a quest to figure out the size of the smallest fish living in the ocean. So he spread out a huge fishing net in the Atlantic Ocean and was amazed to catch fish of all different types, colors and sizes. But surprisingly, out of the tens of thousands of fish that he caught, he did not find any fish smaller than five inches.
The Next Big Thing
In 1964, Look magazine ran a cover story entitled “The Vanishing American Jew.” The national publication explained to their millions of readers why in all certainty there would no longer be any Jews left in the United States in the 21st century.
Well, we all know what happened. Look magazine has disappeared and the Jewish people live on and continue to thrive. Thank G-d we are witnessing a revival of Judaism in America and around the world. There is a thirst among Jews of all walks of life and demographics to reconnect with their Jewish heritage and millions of Jews are returning to their roots.
You Are a Leader!
Just hours before the launch of Israel's “Operation Rising Lions” targeting Iranian assets, a remarkable meeting took place in Jerusalem. Argentine President Javier Milei, visiting Israel on an official trip, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and presented him with a personal gift: a finely crafted drawing of Netanyahu meeting with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson.
The gift touched Netanyahu deeply. Visibly moved, he recalled his first encounter with the Rebbe in 1984, soon after he was appointed Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. “The Rebbe told me I was entering a 'House of Lies,'” Netanyahu remembered, referring to the UN. “But,” he added, “even in a hall of total darkness, if you light just one candle, its precious light will be seen far and wide.”
"No taxation without representation"
The slogan "No taxation without representation" was first adopted during the American Revolution by American colonists under British rule. They believed that if they were not represented within the government of the ruling empire or nation, then they had no right to be taxed.
As we commemorate America's Independence Day, the 4th of July, we express our gratitude to the founding fathers of this great country while reflecting on our country's mission statement and the values of religious liberties and moral ethics that helped shape our society into one that has been so hospitable to Jewish people and members of all faiths.
Leadership: Influence Vs. Power
In 1968, as a college student at Cambridge University in Cambridge, England, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks decided to visit the United States and meet with the greatest of America’s Rabbis.
During his visit, every Rabbi he met told him that he had to meet the Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Menacham M. Schneerson. After scheduling a meeting, Rabbi Sacks, who was by then in Los Angeles visiting family, took a Greyhound bus for 72 hours back to New York.
To Be a Realist, You Must Believe in Miracles
“In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”
– David Ben-Gurion, Former Prime Minister of Israel
For decades, it was widely assumed that Israel's enemies were simply too powerful to defeat. The world watched helplessly as Iran trained and armed terrorist groups across the Middle East, accelerating its race toward nuclear capability—all while threatening, G-d forbid, to erase Israel from the map and then turn its sights on the rest of Western civilization.
And yet, the impossible began to unfold.
Yes, You Can!
Brandon Steiner is a renowned American entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker, primarily recognized for founding Steiner Sports. Brandon Steiner shared a pivotal moment in the early stages of building Steiner Sports. He felt his business growth had hit a wall and realized it wouldn't progress much further without a major breakthrough.
He had been trying to get someone from the Yankees on the phone for eight months without a return call. Finally, through a personal connection, he secured a meeting with an executive from the team. Brandon showed up for the meeting without a plan, flowcharts, or any idea of what he was going to discuss. He just followed his gut.
How Facebook Messenger Bots was Inspired by Challah
One of the signs of an effective leader is how well they are able to empower their constituents.
A manager may want to micro-manage their employees to guarantee optimal results. However, empowering and giving them the tools to take their own initiative enables them to use their own creativity to create something perhaps more powerful than what was envisioned in the first place.
Israel’s Operation Rising Lion
On June 12, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Western Wall (Kotel) in Jerusalem, accompanied by Argentine President Javier Milei. During the visit, Netanyahu placed a handwritten note between the ancient stones, offering a private prayer to the Almighty. While the contents of the note were not immediately revealed, their powerful significance would soon become clear to the world.
Quoting from the Book of Numbers (23:24), the note read:
“Behold, a people that rises like a lioness and raises itself like a lion…”
Equality or Diversity
Equality is often understood to mean that we are all created equal and therefore should be given the same opportunities and rights. We aim to develop a society where our differences are overlooked and instead we try to focus on the areas where we can find common ground.
But are we actually all similar? Should our obvious differences be a source of contention and therefore ignored?
Be Present
A recent study conducted by Microsoft found that since the onset of the mobile revolution, around the year 2000, the average attention span of individuals has dropped from approximately 12 seconds to just eight seconds.
Throughout the day, we are exposed to an overload of information, whether it's news or work-related information. The constant pings of notifications distract us from whatever we’re doing, decreasing our focus.
Oprah, we still have to stay humble!
Ethan Bortnick, an accomplished pianist, singer and songwriter, was considered a child prodigy from the age of three and went on to entertain international audiences throughout his childhood. He is listed in the Guinness World Records for "The World's Youngest Solo Musician to Headline His Own Concert Tour".
How to Fight Anti-Semitism
In 2020, Bari Weiss resigned from The New York Times, citing a hostile work environment and experiences of anti-semitic harassment. Since then, she has emerged as a powerful voice for Jewish resilience and moral courage.
In her award-winning book, How to Fight Anti-Semitism, Weiss writes that like many American Jews, she once believed the United States would remain immune to the historic waves of antisemitism. With its founding principles of religious freedom, equality, and pluralism, America has served as a modern-day “New Jerusalem.”