Episode 10: “Balancing Security with Morality”

What is more correct – to sacrifice morality for the sake of security, or to preserve our values at all cost?

This is the dilemma that was faced by King Chezkiyahu of Judah after Assyria destroyed the Kingdom of Israel. Chezkiyahu made a choice – and received harsh criticism for it from the prophet Isaiah.

And us? How do we deal with conflicts between moral values and national security today?

Watch the tenth episode of “If These Stone Could Talk” with OTS President and Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, sharing thought-provoking stories from sites throughout Israel.

Episode 9: “Late for an Important Date”

Why did the Temple contain more entrances than exits on its Southern Wall?

What contemporary message can we extrapolate for our synagogues from this engineering decision of the rabbis and the prophets?

Watch the ninth episode of “If These Stones Could Speak” to find out!

Episode 7: “Which Comes First, Goodness or God?“

How does one building symbolize the essence of Judaism?

The “Zoharei Chama” building in Jerusalem’s Nachlaot area was established about a hundred years ago to serve as a center of goodness: new immigrants were invited to eat and sleep there for free, until they managed to get on their feet.

The building is comprised of three floors of chessed – topped by one floor for prayer, overlooking the Temple Mount.

Because everything, even our relationship with God, must be built on a strong foundation of lovingkindness.

Episode 6: “Poisonous Pens and Slanderous Tongues”

What can we learn from the corrupt priestly families of the Second Temple period about our own modern era – when people hide behind the anonymity of their screens and their hands are light on the keyboards?

“Woe is me, through the House of Katros and their pens,” says the Talmud in a poetic listing of priestly families who abused their positions of power. The Katros family is called out for writing slanderous letters to Caesar in Rome, spreading false rumors that defamed their Jewish brethren – and the end is known to us all: the complete destruction of the Temple and the fall of Jerusalem, where the Katros family lived.

Are the Katros’ poisonous pens similar to our modern era keyboards? What is our modern-day takeaway from this social division and fraternal strife that caused our nation to fall?

Episode 5: “A Pillar of Triumph? Or a Warning for the Future?”

You know of the Arch of Titus in Rome, but did you know that the Romans also erected a triumphal stone pillar in Jerusalem in praise of the Roman general’s victory in the Jewish war and destruction of the Temple? To rebuild the Temple, should we remove this pillar of glory? Or must we remove something else, from within ourselves?

Watch the fifth episode of this fascinating web series with OTS President and Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, exploring the special stories behind diverse sites throughout Israel.

Episode 4: “In Search of Meaningful Prayer”

“The stones remember the prayers and the tears” explained the shul gabbai as he refused to allow the floor of his synagogue to be dismantled and used in a grand mosaic floor installation at Hadassah Hospital.

Today, this story’s protagonists are gone, but the stones remain – and they tell a story of authentic prayer. Watch the fourth episode in Rabbi Kenneth Brander’s powerful new series, “If These Stones Could Speak” about the hidden messages from our past that exist throughout the Land of Israel.

This week’s episode is dedicated in memory of the victims of this Shabbat’s terror attack who lost their lives outside of a different synagogue in Jerusalem. May all of the injured victims have a refua shlayma, a quick and full recovery.