Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Despite the traditional end of the Three Weeks period of mourning for the destruction of the Temple, Rabbi Katz stated that he cannot stop mourning or crying due to the horrific conditions faced by the hostages that Hamas holds captive. The Three Weeks is a period of mourning in the Jewish calendar, commemorating the destruction…

The massive rise of antisemitism around the world was predictable given the attempts to claim that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism and, therefore, anti-Zionism is a legitimate, not bigoted viewpoint. The fact that anti-Zionists support the destruction of Israel and the murder of its 7 million Israeli Jewish citizens has led to Israelis, wherever they are…

This Shabbat marks the yahrzeit of Aharon HaKohen, who passed away on the first day of the Hebrew month of Av, nearly 3,300 years ago. He was laid to rest on Mount Hor, a site commonly associated with Jabal Haroun (Aaron’s Mountain) near Petra, Jordan. As the embodiment of loving and pursuing peace, Aharon HaKohen’s…

During the summer months, we mourn the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem, which took place on the ninth of Av, and the events that led to their destruction. We fast on the seventeenth day of the month of Tammuz, Shivah Assar B’Tammuz, because it was on that day that the enemy penetrated the walls…

Let’s explore the fascinating connection between the story of Joseph and the Abraham Accords, a landmark agreement brokered by the Trump administration. In the Torah, when Joseph was sold to Arab merchants by his brothers, these traders surprisingly carried spices and perfumes instead of the usual oils and unpleasant substances. This divine intervention shielded Joseph…

The New York City Democrat mayoral primary on June 24 ended with Zohran Mamdani, a so-called Democratic Socialist, effectively becoming the party’s standard-bearer in the Nov. 4 mayoral election. Many are rightly troubled by this unfortunate circumstance. After all, whether it’s his defense of the slogan “Globalize the intifada”; anti-Zionism as a euphemism for antisemitism;…

Iran has long been committed to Israel’s destruction. It launched a war against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, by financing Hamas’s attack and supplying the terror group with some of the military equipment it used for the attack. Iran also supplied its terror proxy Hezbollah with its weaponry and supported its attack on Israel, which…

Politics makes strange bedfellows. Israel makes stranger ones. The unexpected alliance between Progressives and Islamists bloomed into an actual love fest after October 7. A common bond of Jew hatred triumphed over antithetical values. Leftists who pride themselves on unrestrained impiety joined with strict followers of Sharia law. Muslim women in hijabs united with women…

As I departed an event celebrating unity and diversity, a sense of hope lingered. While fine dining and indulging in culinary delights can be enjoyable, it’s the connections we forge with others that truly make an evening memorable. Meeting individuals from diverse backgrounds, exchanging warm smiles, and creating new bonds brought me immense joy. A…

When former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito walked into Central Perk, a kosher restaurant in the Five Towns where we met for our interview, he was greeted as the regular customer that he is. Smiles, hellos and his usual order. D’Esposito, who narrowly lost his House reelection bid this past November in the Long Island race, was…