Last Shabbat evening, the KI congregational family joined together for a joyous and moving tribute to Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, our retiring Rabbi. I conducted a special musical program presented by our sensational volunteer choir, Shir KI, professional vocal quartet, including Abbe Chapman, soprano; Jenifer Smith, mezzo; Steven VanName, Tenor;...
Parashat K’doshim-The Portion of Holiness Rabbi Hillel: “This Is The Entire Torah; The Rest Is Commentary!” Israel Independence Day 74 By Hazzan David F. Tilman The portion of Kedoshim, Leviticus 19:1-20:27, is a relatively short Torah reading. In most years, this Parashah is read together with the preceding portion, Acharei...
This coming Shabbat, we shall read the portion Aharei Mot/After the Death (of the two older sons of Aaron). We continue our progression through the third Torah book of Vayikra/Leviticus. As I have indicated in previous weeks, this book is filled with complex laws concerning the beginning of the sacrificial...
Parashat Sh’mini is the third Torah portion in the book of Vayikra/Leviticus. We learn ideas, concepts, and practices that remain meaningful and relevant to Jews today throughout the world. The portion opens with the completion of the eight-day ceremony for the consecration of the Priests/Kohanim charged with conducting the sacrificial...
This coming Shabbat, we begin reading the third book of the Torah, VAYIKRA: “The Eternal One called to Moses…” VAYIKRA is the name of both the complete third book, and its first portion we read on this Shabbat. The third book of the Torah is also known by its Greek...
The Parashah of T’tzaveh is directed at both a settled and evolving community of Jews. The sidrah contains very detailed instructions presented by G-d to be transmitted by Moses to the Jewish people. There are several passages in this portion that are meaningful to our religious lives and patterns of...
“And These Are the Laws…,” The Revelation at Sinai Continues, The Ten Commandments at KI, and Live Long and Prosper! This week, we continue to experience G-d’s ongoing revelation to the Jewish people, through His servant, Moses our Teacher. After the awesome drama of the giving of the Ten Commandments to...
When I began to write the eKI column for this week, I looked back on my hard drive. I discovered that I had composed the eKI article for this portion exactly one year ago. As I read over my words from last year, I decided to utilize sections from my...
This week’s Torah Portion, Hayei Sarah, the fifth sidrah in the first Torah Book, Bereshit/Genesis, begins with the death of the first matriarch of the Jewish people, Sarah our Mother. Even though the portion is entitled “Sarah’s Life,” chapter 23 begins with the mournful announcement of her death after 127...
We learn from Jewish tradition that we must never be far away from the study of Torah! This past week, Jews all over the world celebrated the holiday of Simchat Torah. We rejoiced together with singing and dancing because we completed the reading of the entire Torah! But as soon...
