Levi Brackman’s Website

It seems so surreal. I have been watching the news that has been coming out of Mumbai, India in virtual horror. Any terror attack targeting innocent people is nothing short of evil. However, this attack has been especially troubling for more reaso...

Ki Tisa was my Bar Mitzvah portion. It always brings back memories of the most embarrassing experience of my life and simultaneously the cause of the most important lesson I have ever learned. As a rebellious twelve-year-old, I refused to go to Bar M...

Over the past five years the world has seen some of the most remarkable political revolutions ever.  March 2003 saw the downfall of Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical regime. In November 2003 former Soviet republic of Georgia saw the Rose Revolut...

Were Ann Coulter’s recent remarks on a recent TV show about Jews anti-Semitic? Coulter said "We just want Jews to be perfected, as they say. ... That's what Christianity is. We believe the Old Testament, but ours is more like Federal E...

The former Israeli national team soccer team coach, Avram Grant, has recently been appointed coach and manager of Chelsea Football Club, one of Europe’s most successful teams. It was inevitable that this move would bring intense media interest ...

In order to effect permanent personal transformation for the better, a change of circumstances does not suffice   What will be the end in Iraq? March 2003 saw the downfall of Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical regime. Indeed, over the past few ye...

Suicide bombing is in vogue for some of the youth living in our planet. First it was only in Israel but now it has reached the rest of the world as well   Not a day goes by without news of a new suicide attack in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel Indon...

The Taryag Mitzvah Project promises to revolutionize the way Judaism is studied If there were a definitive book on Judaism, which one would it be? The Talmud? Maybe the Zohar or Maimonides’ code of Jewish law? Possibly a combination of the abov...

Before I begin this article the following disclaimer is in order. Coming from a Diaspora Jew, my comments here may offend many Israelis, who will claim that those who do not experience the difficulties of having children in the Israeli army and those...

It felt like any other communal Passover Seder. The tables were set with Matzah, wine, horseradish and Charoset and there was a nice sprinkling of children in attendance. However, this Seder was different. It took place a week before Passover and mos...

As a teacher, rabbi and writer I am fortunate to be able to interact positively with many people. Often people come to speak with me or join a class that I give with a passionate craving for spiritual knowledge and inspiration. Unbeknown to them thei...

The recent cowardly attack on Jordan and recent arrests in Australia has once again brought the following question into sharp focus: how can we avoid the looming devastation international terrorism would like to bring upon us? Many experts are pessim...

There are conflicting views about the life of Yasser Arafat. France gave him a full state final farewell. Some say that Arafat was a freedom fighter and a hero, who symbolised the suffering and hope of the Palestinian people. Others are more realisti...

There are conflicting views about the life of Yasser Arafat. France gave him a full state final farewell. Some say that Arafat was a freedom fighter and a hero, who symbolised the suffering and hope of the Palestinian people. Others are more realisti...

While in Israel last week I heard about the following incident A religious academic institution was developing a new method for teaching Talmud[1]. The intention was to introduce this new method to the Yeshivot and religious high schools in Israel. H...

Over the past three years the world has seen some of the most remarkable political revolutions.  March 2003 saw the downfall of Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical regime. In November 2003 former Soviet republic of Georgia saw the Rose Revolution ...