Sept. 5, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: What does 'doing the right thing' entail? Caroline B. Glick: The master strategist Sept. 4, 2008 Ron Kampeas: Biden, Palin take lead in clash on Mideast issues Bruce Dancis: With humor as their weapon, the Three Stooges took on Hitler Sept. 3, 2008 Rabbi S. Binyomin Ginsberg: Productive school years don't just happen The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Quick lamb stew serves up flavors of India Sept. 2, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Costly Advice Caroline B. Glick: Calling Israel's bluff JWisdom: Wandering in Wonder by Rabbi Mordechai Becher August 29, 2008 Rabbi Berel Wein: 20/20 sightlessness Caroline B. Glick: When history is not repeated JWisdom: Blessed or Cursed: It's Really Up to You by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 28, 2008 Steve Lipman: A Comeback for the 'Jewish Jordan' Jeffrey Weiss: Researcher reports 'intriguing' diabetes breakthrough August 27, 2008 Rabbi Zecharya Greenwald: Removing the perfectionist's mask The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Nunn: Summer harvest linguine JWisdom:: The Missing Link in Spiritual Life by Rabbi David Aaron August 26, 2008 Yaffa Ganz: Grandma gets lessons in staying cool Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: The Dems' 'soft' jihadist JWisdom:: Today: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Plague of indifference August 25, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: A friend is bearing a silly grudge from a supposed wrong. What recourse do I have? Daniel Pipes: Barack Obama through Muslim Eyes JWisdom:: The knowledge you need to overcome your insecurities by Malka Schulman August 22, 2008 Rabbi Berel Wein: Life's essential ingredient Caroline B. Glick: Dominos anyone? JWisdom:: Actually, Do Sweat the Small Stuff! by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 21, 2008 Today in Biblical History by Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Popularization of Kabbalah: 20 Menachem-Av 1558 CE Jonathan Rosenblum: Lessons from the Beyond JWisdom: : The Olympian within is rooting for you -- yes, you! –- to go for the gold August 20, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Misleading Platform Platitudes The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Chicken Salad with Asian Dressing JWisdom: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: America's Defense of the Jews --- Until WWII by Rabbi Nosson Scherman August 19, 2008 Dennis Prager: If the Almighty doesn't exist Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Obama's Islamist problem has nothing to do with his upbringing JWisdom: Think your life is messed up? by Rabbi David Aaron August 18, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Business with Friends Diana West: Roars About Russia, Bare Whispers About Islam JWisdom: Relationship agony: The real cause by Malka Schulman August 15, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: To love the Divine Caroline B. Glick: Georgia, Israel, and the nature of man JWisdom: The Truly Righteous Don't Demand Entitlements by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 14, 2008 Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Confessions of broken spirit Libby Lazewnik: The Numbers Game JWisdom: Six Questions You'll Be Asked in Heaven? - Uh - Let's Just Take One for Now! by Gavriel Aryeh Sanders August 13, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Georgia should be on their minds The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Go Greek: Pair flavorful lamb kebabs with a hearty salad JWisdom: Human hybrids aren't science fiction by Rabbi David Aaron August 12, 2008 Rabbi Avi Shafran: Bless us Daniel Pipes: The West's Islamist Infiltrators JWisdom: From Sadness to Gladness: The Route from Tisha b'Av to Rosh Hashana by Rabbi Mordechai Becher August 11, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: A Jewish view on fair pricing Caroline B. Glick: Ignoring failure in Gaza JWisdom: 'Communication' Is Not The Answer! by Malka Schulman August 7, 2008 Rabbi David Gutterman: A Continuing Story With a Sustaining Goal Rabbi Berel Wein: Mourning and morning JWisdom: Yes, we are still in exile by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 6, 2008 David Ashenfelter: Government made military engineer's life a living hell because of his faith, Defense Department report documents Jonathan Tobin: Speak the Truth; Defeat the Lies JWisdom: Jewish Spirituality: Fusion or Confusion? by Rabbi David Aaron August 5, 2008 Chris Leppek: Church/state wall beginning to crumble? Paul Greenberg: Exit Olmert (no encore, please) JWisdom: Serenity: Make the commitment by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin (Read by Gavriel Sanders) August 4, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Am I taking advantage of another's psychological quirk? Andrew Silow-Carroll: A black and a Jew walk into the White House… JWisdom: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: Edward R. Morrow visits the ‘living dead’ by Rabbi Nosson Scherman March 22, 2007 J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !) Oct. 29, 2003 Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review August 9, 2004 / 22 Menachem-Av, 5764 Shmoozin' with shamayim (Heaven) By Bob Alper http://www.jewishworldreview.com | It was unintentional. Scout's honor. I never, ever watch The Maury Povich Show, but on this particular morning my VCR malfunctioned, and I had to stare at something while taking a long walk on a short NordicTrack. The guest was James Van Praagh, author of the mega-selling, "Talking to Heaven." Van Praagh is a psychic, a medium, a man with powers far greater than the rest of us mortals. He sees angels and ghosties and other spirits that, apparently, flap around but are visible only to certain psychically anointed. Like James. The producers lined the stage with ten ready-to-weep panelists wallowing in their moments of national fame. A rather unspectacular and corpulent "regular guy," the guru of the beyond began by addressing a woman: "Someone you loved died of cancer." YES! My heart began to beat faster. Because I was astounded by his gifts of illumination? No. I was picking up the pace on my NordicTrack. As for Van Praagh, well, I figured, this guy did his math. Ten middle age people…gee, what are the odds any of these folks will have lost someone to cancer? Later, he spoke to a woman whose teenage son had died. "I see statues," he said. Ha! I knew just where he was going. A teenage boy. Statues. Trophies! He wants the mother to say her son had trophies in his room. Alas, Van Praagh received only a blank stare. Ooops. But Van Praagh made a partial recovery. "Did someone give you a plaque?" "Yes. My sister did!" "I see it near pictures," Van Praagh proclaimed, and the woman, appropriately amazed, confirmed that "near pictures" was the precise location of the plaque. The audience read the flashing APPLAUSE sign and dutifully complied. Um. Excuse me, but don't most people hang plaques near other pictures? Again, what are the odds? Van Praagh concluded each personal encounter by discerning a hovering presence, a deceased spirit who inevitably acted as a loving guardian angel, protecting and nurturing the gullible survivor. Whereupon the audience sniffled. On cue. All of which started me thinking. What would happen if this guy were to address a Jewish crowd? "I see a truck, an eighteen wheeler. It's…it's a Mack Truck. The name Mack…Mack…why do I keep seeing the name Mack?" A slightly sardonic voice from the rear suggests, "Maybe you mean Max?" "Precisely!" Van Praagh declares, and nearly every person in the room leaps up in an eager frenzy. "My great-grandfather was named Max!" "I had an Uncle Max!" "Max was my grandpop!" Later, it is determined that fully 35% of the audience also have a dog, cat, or gerbil named Max. And what of those looming spooks, those apparitions that inhabit Van Praagh's shows? With a Jewish audience he'll reveal that hovering behind many a participant is a deceased former business colleague, dedicated to providing his living ex-partner with an eternal supply of acid indigestion. Years ago, on a Saturday night, a college sophomore called me at home. He and some friends were preparing to visit a psychic that evening, and he wanted to know the Jewish attitude towards such practitioners. I shared some history with him about false prophets and stoning, but added, "Look, you never know for sure. I propose a test: ask the psychic to reveal your rabbi's maternal grandmother's maiden name. If she's right, she may even make me into a believer." Late that night, my phone rang, and an excited male voice nearly shouted, "Rabbi! Was it Cohen?" Nice try. Yup, it's all in the math. It's all in how you play the odds. Only this time, it didn't work. That psychic didn't convince Robert A. Alper. Grandson of Etta Lewensohn Katzenstein. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. JWR contributor Rabbi Bob Alper, the world's only practicing clergyman doing stand-up comedy . . . intentionally, is the author of Life Doesn't Get Any Better Than This: The Holiness of Little Daily Dramas and A rabbi confesses. To go to his web site, click here. Comment by clicking here. © 2004, Rabbi Bob Alper