RABBI'S MUSINGS
Weekly thoughts from Rabbi Tzvi Alperowitz
Why Israel is Losing the PR War
8/22/2025
It is no secret that when Zionism first began as a political movement, it was strongly rejected by large swaths of the Jewish community—on both sides of the religious spectrum.
Many Reform leaders at the time felt that Jewish communities had successfully integrated into their host countries and that there was no need to look elsewhere for a home.
Decades earlier, In 1818 Hamburg, when the first permanent reform congregation was established, they had changed the name of their house of prayer from “Synagogue” to “Temple” to emphasize this point. The Temple is no longer in Jerusalem; it’s in Hamburg. Zion is no longer in Israel; it’s in Germany. Similar arguments were made in the early 1900s by American reform rabbis.
How to Mimic Chabad's Growth
8/8/2025
It was a spring morning in 2021, on one of my first visits to Martha’s Vineyard, when I met for coffee with someone from our community. Sitting outside of Nat's Nook in Vineyard Haven, I shared with him that Hadassah and I were thinking about opening a Chabad house on the Island.
He looked at me with a shocked expression and, with a caring voice, urged me to reconsider. There are so few Orthodox Jews here, he said, that a Chabad presence would have no appeal. For our sake, he suggested we’d fare better exploring the opportunity in a more Orthodox community.
Jewish Identity in a Modern World
7/25/2025
Until the 18th century, one could argue that all Jews were Orthodox.
One might have been more or less observant, but there was a consensus on what Judaism meant as a religion. Any individual might have been less practicing, or not practicing at all, but everyone agreed on what it meant to practice Judaism religiously.
Jewish law, or Halacha, was the defining framework for what it meant to be a practicing Jew.
But when Jews were emancipated beginning in the 1700s and allowed to integrate into broader society, they suddenly faced a huge dilemma.
Singing for Moshiach in Chilmark
6/28/2025
During the summer months, when down-island is busy and crowded, we often find ourselves spending our afternoons in Chilmark.
Mendel and Chaya love swinging on the General Store’s rocking chairs, munching popcorn and sipping orange juice, before heading across the street to the playground.
And I love it, because I always—unfailingly—run into someone I know, or someone I’ll soon come to know. The Chilmark General Store porch is one of the Island’s best places to connect and strike up a conversation.
D-Day and the Vineyard Shtetl
6/6/2025
If you close your eyes and imagine the most stereotypical Orthodox visual possible, you’ll probably see a bearded man wearing a long black coat—or, as it’s called in Yiddish, a kapota.
It’s not really the Vineyard look, per se.
So while I own a kapota and tend to wear it on Shabbat and holidays, I usually leave it at home when heading out.
It’s not that I’m embarrassed to look Orthodox—I look pretty Orthodox even without the kapota—but I guess I don’t like feeling that out of place.
Walking Tall on Martha's Vineyard
5/23/25
I usually try to avoid Five Corners on Sunday afternoons.
The busy intersection at the entrance of Vineyard Haven is always a nightmare during the summer months, when our traffic-lightless island roads leave you struggling to get through.
But even in the off-season, when the road is empty and traffic is light, I try my best to avoid the area on Sundays, where every week a group of Islanders stands protesting for a free Palestine and calling for the dismantlement of Israel.
The True Crisis of Antisemitism
5/9/25
You may have followed the great online debate this week after a clip went viral of a bar in Philly where a huge "F the Jews" sign was waved on display to the laughter, dancing, and smiles of the girls and boys at the bar.
The bar's owner, Barstool owner Dave Portnoy, a proud and outspoken Jew, first announced he would "dox" the individuals, thereby "ruining their future careers," but ultimately settled on sending the group to visit Auschwitz and turning this horrible act into a "teaching moment."
I, like many others, felt that's naive.
Lessons from Generations of survivors
4/25/25
This week, Hadassah’s beloved grandfather, Rabbi Shmuel Spalter, passed away at the age of 93.
Shmuel grew up in Poland in the 1930s. When the Nazis invaded, he and his father fled east to Russia, where his father died soon afterward. His mother, who stayed behind, was murdered in Auschwitz. Left without any parents, Shmuel was taken in by a Russian orphanage, where he remained until a distant cousin found him after the war.
But it was Hadassah's grandfather who had the last laugh. When he died on Tuesday, he left this world with three hundred descendants. Nine children, 75 grandchildren, and some 230 great-grandchildren.
Jews aren't victims
4/18/25
One of my earliest Passover memories is from the evening of the seventh night of Pesach, which we celebrate tonight.
Following dinner, after everyone else had gone to sleep, my father would stay awake studying Torah until dawn. A scholar who’s written twelve books on Jewish thought and mysticism, he cherished the quiet night alone in study.
As a little kid watching along, I used to try to do the same. I’d grab a book and read for a few minutes before quickly dozing off on the couch, unable to finish the page.
The Fatal Farce of Assimilation
3/14/25
I was recently reading Abraham by Professor Alan Dershowitz, which describes the lawyer-like tendencies of the first Jew and the continued legal struggle by his descendants ever since.
Then I came across a paragraph that struck me, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
“In the United States, antisemitism is largely a thing of the past, but shortly after the Dreyfus case it was still prevalent in parts of our nation, as became evident during the trial of Leo Frank and its tragic aftermath.”
Mind you, this was written and published in 2015: “In the United States, antisemitism is largely a thing of the past.”
The Bibas Murders and the Gift of Being Jewish
2/20/25
Music was playing, Gazans were celebrating, and the cynical ceremonial stage was set. The morally bankrupt and Hamas-fawning Red Cross stood ready with their terrorist counterparts.
The crowds of cheering and complicit bystanders suddenly parted, making room for an approaching van that came to a sudden halt.
And then they walked out. On their own two feet. Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas. Ariel with hardly a memory of life beyond tunnels was now a tall but frail boy, and Kfir, now a toddler of two years old who had learned to walk in the tunnels. They were finally coming back home. Alive.
Jewish Hostage Crises
1/24/25
Baruch Atah Hashem, Elokeinu Melech Haolam, Shehechyany, Vkiymanu, Vhigianu Lizman Hazeh.
Jews around the world celebrated this week on Sunday, when three young women returned safely to Israel, after more than 450 days as Hamas hostages. Tomorrow, four more girls are scheduled to come back home.
I hope they are all alive and well, and this is the beginning of the return of all the remaining hostages. I can't imagine what it must be like for the families, who in a moment's notice are having their worst fears and pain transformed into the greatest joy and celebration.
When Suffering Becomes Sacred Ground
1/17/25
One of the perks of living on Martha's Vineyard is being surrounded by many talented writers and authors. Their works grace our home, adding to our growing library of Island books, and hopefully, they teach me something along the way.
In her book Motherhood Exaggerated, Island author Judith Hannan writes about her daughter's struggle with cancer and how she found herself "squirming" during the recital of Unetaneh Tokef.
Recited on the High Holidays, this well-known and haunting prayer professes G-d's omniscience over our fate and all that happens in the world. Considering her daughter's looming diagnosis, Judith felt its message was tone-deaf to a young girl's suffering.
The Radical Claim that Unites All Jews
12/20/24
Jews in the 1700s were increasingly wary and suspicious of new and charismatic leaders emerging in their communities.
Just decades earlier, a Turkish Jewish scholar by the name of Shabtai Tzvi, announced that he was the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.
Reeling from the recent Khmelnytsky massacres that pillaged Ukraine and murdered Jews in the tens of thousands, Jews were desperate to believe Shabtai's claim that the long and difficult Jewish exile was over, and that he was the Messianic King.
But Shabtai was a fraud. And when the Ottoman Sultan accused him of staging a rebellion, Shabtai was offered an ultimatum: die or convert to Islam. He chose the latter. While he was saving his life, it was clear he was not the Messiah.
Jews Love Dead Charedim
12/13/24
I grew up in Bournemouth, England, a picturesque seaside town on the southwest coast of the UK, where my parents serve the Jewish community as Chabad representatives.
Much like Martha's Vineyard, Bournemouth's population explodes in the summer months as thousands come from London and across the country to get away from the city and soak in the refreshing breeze and miles of golden beaches.
While the Jewish community that summers on MV primarily identify themselves as Conservative, Reform, or simply Secular Jews, the Jews that visit Bournemouth are from somewhat a different background. It was Haredi Jews who made Bournemouth their pilgrimage site.
ISRAELIS AREN'T SETTLERS
11/22/24
The first property ever purchased by Jews in Israel is in the West Bank city of Hebron. It was a piece of land bought by Abraham to bury his wife, Sarah, as detailed in this week's parsha of Chayei Sarah.
Known as Me'aarat Hamachpela, this sacred burial ground is one of the holiest sites in Judaism, second only to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, and is visited by many hundreds of thousands of Jews each year.
But this holy and ancient Jewish land lies in what is now called the West Bank—territory that Israel captured in 1967 and whose status remains unrecognized by much of the international community.
The truth is that the West Bank is saturated with Jewish history, arguably even more so than the rest of Israel. If Tel Aviv is a city built by Jews, it is the cities in the West Bank that built the Jews.
A People Who Cry While Continuing To Dance
10/23/24
Tomorrow we celebrate Simchat Torah, the holiday when we complete the yearly reading of the Torah. It is a great day of celebration and, alongside Purim, is considered the most joyous day on the Jewish calendar.
But this year, Simchat Torah will also mark the first Yahrtzeit on the Hebrew calendar for the victims of the October 7th terror attacks—a day that will be etched in our minds forever.
I was in NY celebrating Simchat Torah last year on October 7th. In accordance with Halacha, I was completely offline for the holiday, with no access to news or social media.
A Little Shake for Jews with Keffiyehs
10/19/24
Many would say that October 7th brought the Jewish people together more than ever before. And it certainly has. But while that's true, it's also undeniable that the past year highlighted painful divisions within the Jewish community.
Earlier this month, a viral video spread on social media showing a Chabad boy helping a Jewish college student lay the tefillin while the latter was wearing a keffiyeh at an anti-Israel protest.
Chabad is as pro-Israel as they come, and the tefillin-helper wasn’t there to support the protest. He was there because he knew there would be Jews present, and he believed that every mitzvah is precious, no Jew is too far, and that maybe this one act would reawaken a soul.
The Mission Statement That Changed the Jewish World
7/5/24
This coming Tuesday, July 9, marks thirty years since the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, in 1994.
The Rebbe was the global Jewish leader who transformed Chabad from a small, insular community into the largest Jewish movement in the world, with thousands of centers in all 50 states and over 110 countries.
My family had a deeply close and personal relationship with the Rebbe.
When the Rebbe assumed leadership of Chabad in 1950 and began sending his students to strengthen Jewish communities around the world, my maternal grandparents, Rabbi Nachman and Fradel Sudak, were one of the first couples he charged with this mission, appointing them as directors of Chabad in the UK.
It was shortly after the Holocaust. Jewish communities had been destroyed and uprooted, and those that survived were shattered. Israel had recently been established, yet Jewish education was weak, Jewish pride around the world was practically non-existent, and the future of world Jewry seemed bleak.
The Fifth Child Who Doesn't Show Up
4/19/24
On Monday night, on the eve of Passover, we will read about the four sons. The Haggadah tells us about the four types of children who adorn our seder tables, all of whom we must engage: the wise child, the rebellious child, the simple child, and the uninitiated - the one who doesn't even know to ask.
In profound messaging, the Haggadah teaches us how to engage each child according to their level, ensuring they are each equally a part of the seder and part of the Jewish experience.
But one son is missing. One child is absent from this essential list.
It's the son who doesn't show up to the seder...
a Jew First Like Richard Lewis
4/1/24
Since moving to Martha's Vineyard almost two years ago, Hadassah and I had the privilege of meeting many people. Having always enjoyed getting to know people, I cherish the connections that I've made.
Besides everything else, meeting people with varying and different religious backgrounds than I have has been most enlightening to me.
One thing that I've found remarkable is that even people who might consider themselves secular and practice little observance, nevertheless, usually proudly identify themselves, first and foremost, as Jews.
Vi gut tzu zein a Yid — It’s good to be a Jew!
3/29/24
The Vineyard Haven Post Office is an aggravating topic for Islanders. For many, it is tainted with images of long and slow lines, the kind that nightmares are made of, all just to pick up some mail--which on our blessed Island doesn't arrive at our door.
But I often look forward to post office visits as they are great opportunities to bump into a friend or familiar Island face that I haven't seen in a while. And who doesn't enjoy reconnecting with a familiar face amid the post office boredom?
This week, while leaving the post office, I bumped into an Island friend, and of course, we began chatting about the latest news in Israel and the Jewish world.
A Family Responsibility for a Nation That Dwells Alone
3/22/24
The only thing worse than an internet troll is someone who engages with one. For the most part, that is a golden rule worth abiding by, whether when scrolling social media or reading an online news site. Comments by people one disagrees with abound, but the sensible thing is just to let it pass. Nobody is convincing anyone anyway!
But this week, I almost broke that rule when reading a Letter to the Editor in the MV Times in which a local lady suggested that folks on Martha's Vineyard should educate themselves so "they can better contextualize what happened on October 7."
Reading this was enough to shatter my commitment to any rules, no matter how golden. That an American woman, sitting in the comfort of her Martha's Vineyard home, was asking people to better contextualize the targeted murder, rape, and kidnapping of 1400 innocent Israelis greatly disturbed me.
The Golden Chain will Outlive the Golden Age
3/15/24
In a widely reported piece earlier this month, Franklin Foer wrote in The Atlantic suggesting that the "Golden Age of American Jews" is coming to an end.
Whether you agree or disagree with Foer's analysis, his piece got me thinking about the forever continuing and most wondrous story of the Jews.
Not only have Jews survived through millennia despite repeated attempts to destroy us, but we've also achieved Golden Ages in our various destinations. America is not the first place to have a Golden Age for Jews. At one point in our history, the same was said of Babylon, Spain, Poland, and even Germany!
As Mark Twain said: "All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains."
But Twain doesn't explain the secret to this phenomenon. He concludes with an unanswered question: "What is the secret of his immortality?"
Swastikas and the Dismantlement of Israel
11/21/23
Yesterday, I shared some photos to social media of a swastika that was displayed at the pro-Palestine rally at Five Corners. The images circulated quickly, and The MV Times made its own report later last night.
While the sight of a swastika being waved in public on our beautiful Island is shocking, I, and many others, were comforted when we heard from those who were present that the swastika bearer did not represent them or their protest, and that the protesters immediately condemned him and had the symbol torn down.
Their words were comforting. But only just a little.
Flames That Wept for Their People
12/8/23
Last night, as we lit the Menorah at our home, I sat down and watched the candles burn. Halacha, or Jewish law, says that one should watch the flames burn for at least half an hour.
We watch them burn because they have a story to tell. And the more you watch them, the more they tell their story. The more you listen, the more they talk.
But last night, while watching the flames flicker, I felt that they had too much to share. That celebrating Chanukah with Israel in crisis and antisemitism rampant would have the candles overwhelmed, not knowing where to begin their story.
Perhaps that's why we have eight nights. Each night, we can listen as they talk. And each night, we can dig deeper into ourselves to discover even more timely messages from the Menorah's flames.
Shabbat Shalom after Oct 7?
10/13/13
It feels difficult to write a "Shabbat Shalom" email today. Shabbat is the epitome of comfort, and Shalom means peace. I don't think we are experiencing any of that right now.
This week has been horrifying for all of us. In scenes reminiscent of Kishinev and Babi Yar, thirteen hundred of our people were brutally murdered in the most gruesome of ways. As much as I try not to, I can't stop myself from imagining the agonizing cries of the children and parents who witnessed each other being murdered or kidnapped.
I imagine, I cry, and I hug Mendel and Chaya even tighter.
My experiences in israel
4/25/23
I was fortunate to spend the years 2013-2015 studying in Israel, which turned out to be the most formative years of my life.
In the bustling city of Holon just outside of Tel Aviv, I spent my days poring over the ancient but timeless texts of the Talmud and immersing myself in Jewish philosophy, law, and kabbalah. I often miss those times when I had no concerns or responsibilities other than learning the Torah. If Shabbat is one day a week of serenity and connection, Yeshiva in Israel was two uninterrupted years of spiritual and intellectual heaven.
However, all wasn't bliss. In June 2014, after almost a year of being in Israel, three students studying at another yeshiva were abducted after attempting to catch a ride near Jerusalem. One of the boys tried to call the police, but his muffled voice was quickly silenced by gunfire. Israeli police spent the following weeks searching for the boys but to no avail. The bodies were found three weeks later in a field outside the old city of Hebron.
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