We have finally reached the dramatic end of our fall High Holidays/Sukkot season. We begin the celebration of Sukkot on Wednesday evening, October 16. The Sukkot Holiday commemorates the temporary booths that the Israelites erected as shelters on the bank of the Sea of Reeds/Yam Suf, waiting for the splitting...
Moses is in the middle of his last address to the Israelite nation. He is aware of the conclusion of his life’s work and his imminent death. He tells the people: “You stand this day, all of you, before the Eternal your G-d: all the men of Israel; you children,...
Parashat Shoftim: Magistrates and Officials. New High Holy Day Songs. “Hush of Midnight” at KI and AJ Selichot Service: Saturday evening, September 28th The Israelites are about to enter the Promised Land after the completion of their 40 years of wandering in the desert. Moses presents his Third Discourse to...
MOSES PLEADS TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND. THE SECOND DISCOURSE, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND SH’MA YISRAEl. TISHA B’AV This week’s portion is incredibly consequential for Moses, for B’nai Yisrael, and for all of us. We are in the middle of Moses’ First Discourse as he reviews the history and laws...
The Torah Communicates Jewish Truths in So Many Different Ways. More Thoughts on our Children in Jewish Summer Camps When Moshe Rabbeinu, Moses our Teacher, presented the Torah to the Jewish people, he gave us a document filled with so many different kinds of teachings and literary styles! Moses and...
The Israelites Begin the March to the Promised Land, and Our Children and Grandchildren Begin their March to Summer Camps As we begin B’haalot’cha, the third portion of B’Midbar/Numbers, the Israelites are camped at the foot of Mount Sinai for a full year after G-d Almighty had given the Torah...
Public Reading of Megilat Haatzmaut-Israel’s Declaration of Independence This Shabbat, we read the Torah Portion of EMOR, the eighth portion in the book of Vayikra/Leviticus, 21:1–24:23. The Israelites are in the middle of their wandering in the Sinai Desert on their 40-year journey to the Promised Land. The second section...
This coming Shabbat, the Shabbat immediately preceding Passover is called SHABBAT HAGADOL, the Great Sabbath. Rabbis traditionally deliver long sermons about the laws of Passover, what is kosher and what is not, how our behaviors change during the Passover festival, how we should conduct our Sedarim (plural of Seder), and...
The Iron Swords War: How We Are All Affected! B’Yachad N’Natzeach/Together We Shall Be Victorious! On Tuesday morning, Ellen and I attended a profoundly moving and truly painful session at Gratz College presented by Esther Marcus and Gal Horev, two survivors of October 7th Massacre. It was overwhelmingly difficult and...
“Acheinu” Resounds Throughout Our Community and the Jewish World! This week’s portion teaches us about G-d’s requirement to bring gifts to the community’s leadership for the community’s maintenance. Moses ascends Mount Sinai for a second time in order to learn what G-d expects of him and the Israelites. G-d gives...
