Rabbi Menachem Levine

The Jews in Curaçao: A remarkable story

A tiny Caribbean island once had more Jews than all thirteen American colonies combined, and quietly saved thousands from the Holocaust.

The Damascus Affair's legacy

The 1840 blood libel - a throwback to the antisemitism of the Dark Ages - was initially accepted as fact by almost the entire European press, shocking world Jewry into action. Sound familiar? Op-ed.

Shabbat Nachamu and Tu B’Av:

Days of Rejoicing and Tefillah

How are Shabbat Nachamu, Tu B’av, and Parashat Vaetchanan all intertwined?

The Nine Days:

The Tragic History of the Jews of Spain

A comprehensive overview of the persecution, scholarship, and expulsion of the Jews of Spain.

July 4, 2025:

The observant Jew who saved the American Revolution

Haym Salomon, an observant Jew, was a hero of America's 1776 Revolutionary War.

The meaning of the flood of Noach

Torah observant Jews have a vital opportunity now.

The Jew who saved America in the Revolutionary War

Haym Solomon, an observant Jew, was a hero of America's 1776 Revolutionary War. His life story makes for fascinating reading. Op-ed.

Ambassador Tom Nides: Why the double-standard?

I am unwilling to accept that Amb. Nides embraces democratic values for everyone but Orthodox Jews, although it seems like it.  Op-ed.

Judaism and Tattoos

Even though you can get buried in a Jewish cemetery if you have one, there are a number of compelling reasons why the Torah prohibits tattoos.

Dear Israelis, America is not Israel

Israeli Zionist identity is essentially no different from any other national identity, such as those of the Irish, Italian or German immigrants who assimilated into the US melting pot.