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When organizing the Torah and deciding how it should be structured, the rabbis divided the Torah into weekly parshiot (portions) and titled each portion with the first one or two important words that … more
It seems that when most people successfully complete a project, reach a personal milestone or accomplish something particularly difficult, their natural inclination is to be proud of all the work … more
My first four years in Israel were spent in Jerusalem in the first half of the 1970s. Whenever I see the name of the portion, Vayigash , my memory takes me back to standing in line in … more
NEW YORK (JTA) — You might not know it, but Shemini Atzeret is the pinnacle of the High Holy Days season. Not Rosh Hashanah, when our fates for the year are traditionally written, nor Yom Kippur, when they are sealed. Shemini … more
As my feet crunch through the frozen snow, it’s hard to imagine that anything will wake up and start growing soon. Yet I am still hopeful, because in a few weeks we will celebrate Tu B’Shevat, the hidden awakening of the land. As I walk … more
Recently, a local Catholic church welcomed a medical doctor, Michelle Cretella, to speak about the health of transgender children. On the surface, this is wonderful. Religious conviction demands … more
Sometimes, people leave us unwritten messages. But they expect us to pick up on the cues and act on those messages. Rabbi Judah the Prince signaled an important message to us simply by the way he organized the Mishnah’s law collections … more
Parashah Yitro contains some of the most sublime passages in the Torah.  The best-known section, of course, is the Aseret Hadibrot, the 10 utterances/pronouncements, better known as the Ten … more
Our Torah portion contains a fascinating and fanciful description of the Moabite king Balak engaging a prophet, Balaam, to curse the Israelites. The image of God defending the people and turning Balaam’s curses into blessings is so significant … more
If you have been keeping up with our weekly Torah portions, you know that we are now following the adventures of the ancient Israelites as they travel the Wilderness of Sinai. Moses, as leader and … more
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