Pini Dunner
ARTICLES BY: Pini Dunner
Knowledge Is Key, Opinion Is Ignorance
Allen Saunders (1899–1986) was an American writer, journalist, and cartoonist, best known for his syndicated comic strip Steve Roper and Mike Nomad. Less well-known is...
Hanukkah and the False Glory of Military Victories
One of the most-celebrated military victories in history took place in 1560. Known as the Battle of Okehazama, it was a decisive encounter of the...
On Judaism and the Importance of Relationships
Never have relationships been more important than they are right now, as the world around us ebbs and flows between collapse and regeneration. Our relationships...
Running Away Won’t Solve Your Problems
One of my yeshiva rabbis once told me: “there are two types of people in this world -- those who have problems, and those who...
Esau’s Callous Ambivalence in 2020
I love this quote from Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821): "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." (Though I expect he wasn’t happy that...
Parshat Chayei Sarah and the Wisdom of Old Age
Earlier this week, The New York Times carried a fascinating article. It had nothing to do with the disputed presidential election results, so you will...
Remembering Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
This week, we all grieve the loss of a very great man, scholar, and teacher, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Zeicher Tzadik Livracha. Many have spoken and...
Staying True to Our Highest Ideals
It was a horribly bitter election, with many pundits saying that the rampant rancor and acrimony endangered the future of American democracy. According to one...
An Honorable Orthodox Response to Coronavirus
He looks earnestly at the camera, and falteringly begins his statement: Klal Yisrael (“the Jewish people”) and the entire world are now confronted by a medical...
How Animals Can Teach Us About Our Behavior
I would like to share a beautiful piece of wisdom from my late grandfather, Rabbi Yosef Zvi Dunner (1913-2007), a remarkable man whose rabbinic career...
A Lesson From Salmon Starters
Far longer ago than I am freely willing to admit, as a young rabbi privately teaching bar mitzvah boys to read their Torah portions, the...
The Holidays Are a Time to Reflect
What is the festival of Shmini Atzeret really about? Why do we need an extra day of yomtov at the end of Sukkot? The Midrash offers...
We Should Embrace Being the Chosen People
"Imagine." It is John Lennon’s most iconic song. The music video begins evocatively with John and Yoko walking through the mist in their large garden....
Reflections on Yom Kippur — Connecting to Our Inner Jew
Exactly a year ago, I traveled to Israel for a meeting with more than 30 Jewish leaders and activists, at the invitation of Israel’s president,...
