Holiday Books
To be b’simcha on Yom Tov is not only enjoyable but is also a mitzva. How can we be sure to fulfill this mitzva, especially if we all have challenges in our life, some bigger, some smaller? And not only on Pesach, Shavuos and Succos but also on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur? Rabbi Fletcher has written in this sefer, forty different ways to augment our simchas Yom Tov, no matter what our circumstances. Your Yom Tov will never be the same again!“A treasure trove of wonderful ideas” Rabbi Yaakov Rabin, Rosh Kollel Nefesh Hachaim, Jerusalem Learn More
The Striving Higher Haggadah presents contemporary perspectives and novel ideas to enrich your Seder — through stories, nostalgia, and humor. Drawing from his extensive experience in chinuch, rabbanus, and therapy, the distinguished author demonstrates the relevance of the Haggadah’s ancient words to our day. With superb explanations and a refreshing commentary, this engaging Haggadah will elevate and enhance your Seder table.
“Written with clarity and deep understanding, in a vernacular that could be appreciated by all readers.”
Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman
“Harav Staum possesses the tools to help us create the magical experience of Seder night.”
Rabbi Chaim Schabes
“Filled with. … style, wit, and perceptive wisdom.”
Rabbi Berel Wein
Rabbi Doniel (Dani) Staum lives in Monsey, New York. Having served as a shul rabbi for a decade, he is currently a high school rebbi and a therapist in private practice. Rabbi Staum is also a sought after speaker and a popular columnist Learn More
“The art of blowing the shofar is a knowledge-based skill.”
(Siddur Rav Hertz Sheliach Tzibbur)
With the publication of this sefer, the halachos, hanhagos, eitzos, and mesorah related to tekias shofar are now available to the English-speaking readership. Fully annotated, The Shofar is the product of consultations with many baalei tekiah, poskei Gedolei Yisrael, responsa, and sifrei halachah. An enormous contribution to Torah literature, this volume includes:
- Minhagim from communities and kehillos around the world
- An analysis of each kol, its acceptable length, and possible complications
- Customs that are practiced prior to, during, and after tekias shofar
- Important but little-known issues regarding the shofar itself
- What to look out for when buying a shofar
“A literal encyclopedic compendium of laws, customs, and practices of shofar blowing...The work is spiced with anecdotes, stories, and rulings of contemporary halachic poskim.”
Rav Zev Leff, Moshav Matityahu
“Anyone who reads this will obtain a ‘Panim Chadashot’ regarding the mitzvah.”
Dayan Eleizer Dunner, Bnei Brak
“The author unfurls the tapestry of customs belonging to kehillos world over.”
Novominsker Rebbe, Lakewood
Rabbi Bentzion Ettlinger is a product of the Yeshiva Rabbi Samson Raphael institutions and learned in its Bais Hamedrash Jeshurun during the ten-year tenure of Rav Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe, zt”l, who was its rosh hayeshiva. During that time, he became a close talmid.
He enjoyed a filial relationship with Rav Shimon Schwab, zt”l, and had the unique zechus to be meshamesh him for twenty-three years, and later Rav Zechariah Gelley, zt”l, as well as Rav Shach’s son-in-law, ybl”t, Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman of B’nei Brak, during Rav Bergman’s annual stays in Washington Heights.
He is a member of the editorial board of L’dor Va’dor, a bi-annual Torah journal, a mentor in Mesivta R.S.R.H., and has been a baal tokeia in K’hal Adath Jeshurun for more than thirty-five years.
His penchant for tekias shofar has enabled him to traverse far and wide to bring to light the myriad of rich minhagei Yisrael from multitudes of beautiful communities within Klal Yisrael. His eye-opening feature articles that have appeared in the magazine section of Hamodia have generated wide interest.
He uses his very extensive collection of horns, shofaros, shofar stories, and shofar manufacturing slides for presentations on all levels, from pre-schools, elementary schools, and mesivtos to seniors, Daf Yomi shiurim, and kollelim. He lives in Washington Heights with his wife, Debbie. Their many children and grandchildren live in Lakewood, NJ; Chestnut Ridge, NY; Monsey, NY; and Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh. Learn More
It’s the wondrous song of Shabbos. And it’s coming, with its blessings and its peace and its delights and its beauty.Erev Shabbos. Yes, it’s a time of rushing to get everything done. But when Yisroel Besser describes the frenetic activity, Erev Shabbos becomes, not a tension-filled, stressful race against time -- but an enthusiastic and joyous preparation for the incomparable delights of Shabbos.
And then we welcome our Queen, with flickering candles and uplifting song. Here, again, as we enter a new and holy dimension, Exalted Moments enriches our experience, bringing our tefillos and bakashos to life.
In Exalted Moments, Yisroel Besser – author of many bestselling books including Nishmas: Song of the Soul – shows us how to experience those special first moments of Shabbos. Exalted Moments includes stories, ideas and insights on erev Shabbos preparations, the enormous power of prayer during candle lighting, Shalom Aleichem, Eishes Chayil and Kiddush.
Open this book and learn to savor those first wondrous moments, as the sun gently drifts downward and we begin to experience the energy, hope and sheer holiness of Shabbos. Learn More
How many things can actually go wrong in one play?Well it seems that all depends on which play it is.
All Izzy and Luzzy want to do is get a hold of some puppets for their show. They needed a Haman, an Achashveirosh and Bigsan and Seresh, but instead they got the Supreme Leader of Iran, the Emperor of France and the Secretary-General of the United Nations!
They thought that that was the absolutely worst possible blunder but then the real story began. During the actual show the strange puppets got up and decided to run the show on their own, and Izzy and Luzzy ended up acting in the play.
Join us on a unique journey. We'll see from inside what's actually going on in Haman's house. We'll peek in on the mysterious happenings in the palace of Achashveirosh. We'll walk through the streets of Shushan with Mordechai and the boys from his cheder, and most importantly we will observe from upfront the miraculous story of Megillas Esther.
This journey connects the past and the present, and brings together fantasy and reality in the best show ever. Learn More
Each year, as the festival of Shavuos approaches, a number of questions that are relevant the entire year-round take on a timely significance:· What is Torah, exactly — and what specific role does Torah study play?· What does the Revelation at Sinai have to do with me in my day-to-day living?· How was the Torah given, and why does it matter?· How do the laws and customs of Shavuos reflect our receiving the Torah?· How does counting the Omer prepare us for any of this?Drawing on a wide array of sources from throughout the generations, renowned teacher and author Rabbi Immanuel Bernstein discusses these and many more fundamental questions, providing the reader with a deeper understanding of Torah, Shavuos and ultimately, Judaism itself. Learn More
In the twilight of the Second Beis Hamikdash era, the Third Division of the Twelfth Legion of the Roman army is summoned from Syria to bolster Titus's army. On the way to Yerushalayim, the forces pass through a small, neglected village perched at the foot of a volcanic mountain in the Golan. The cavalrymen attack the hapless residents, set fire to the decrepit huts, and capture one of the village children, Yehudah.
Yehudah's father, in search of his son, sets out on a long, harrowing journey across a bloody, ruined land - a journey that ends in besieged Yerushalayim.
Yosef Cohen gives us a breathtaking fictional account based on the Midrash and works of our Sages. Sacrifice: A Father's Search for His Son During the Destruction of the Second Temple, is a sweeping drama that pulls on the soul's innermost chords, evoking a melody - the melody of a broken heart.
It will be hard to remain unmoved after reading Sacrifice. It is a story of faith, of a turbulent dream and dreadful disillusionment.
Sacrifice is a song and a lamentation:a lamentation over the desolate city, a song about the Beis Hamikdash and the Mizbe'ach.
Sacrifice is actually a memory, a memory of a world that was, and a glimmer of what will soon be rebuilt...
An evocative translation of the best selling Hebrew edition Learn More
A fascinating, breathtaking journey to Yerushalayim of yesteryear to sacrifice the Korban Pesach in the Beis HaMikdashDear Children,
I'm happy to inform you that you've been chosen for a very important and responsible job. You have been chosen to serve as "ambassadors"! And not just any ambassador of one country or another, but ambassadors of all Am Yisrael, though the generations.
As ambassadors, I invite you to take your second journey, together with Reb Emmanuel, Yanky, Shimmy, and Dovi. I guarantee that you've never taken a trip like this before. It's an imaginary journey, but all the places we will visit are real, and all the events that take place really did happen.
Our journey this time is to Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh, during those glorious days when the Second Beis HaMikdash stood in all its splendor. The date of our journey is also unique: We'll arrive in Yerushalayim shortly before Pesach, and we'll have the privilege to offer a korban Pesach, and experience a Pesach Seder where they ask the Five Questions!
So come quickly, the time machine is about to take off... Learn More
![Moadim Perspectives, Chanukah - Purim]()
In his writings, Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch offered profound and original insights into the meaning of all aspects of Jewish life and thought. His successor, Rav Dr. Salomon Breuer, and his grandson, Rav Dr. Joseph Breuer, offered further understanding, following the ideas of Rav Hirsch.Moadim Perspectives: Chanukah - Purim contains inspiring teachings from these great Rabbinic leaders that will serve to imbue a deeper appreciation for these festive days and enhance the spiritual level that these Moadim help us to achieve Learn More
