Passover 5777 April 7, 2017 Central to the annual celebration of Passover is the Seder (Passover feast). This is not just another family “sit down” meal or “get-together”. In…
Torah Portion: Ki Tissa Book of Exodus Chaps. 30:11-34:35 March 17, 2017 Pulitzer Prize winning playwright David Mamet writes, “The loving parent responds to the distraught child’s “Tell me…
Purim Friday, March 10, 2017 Religion is too often identified only with solemnity, piety, ritual observance and faith in the Divine. As such, it begs the…
Terumah Book of Exodus Chaps. 25:1-27:19 March 3, 2017 For Jews, Christians, and Muslims, the phenomenon of building cathedrals of worship traces it’s beginning to this portion of Torah…
Torah Portion: Mishpatim Book of Exodus Chaps. 21:1-24:18 February 24, 2017 Steven Mintz, in an article on immigration policy during WWII, writes, “Reflecting a nasty strain…
Yitro Book of Exodus Chaps. 18:1-20:22 February 17, 2017 “Honor your father and your mother. . .” -Exodus 20:12 Of all the Aseret Ha’debrot (Ten…
Tu B’Shevat-The New Year Of Trees February 10, 2017 As a kid, Tu B’Shevat (the “New Year of Trees”) was about planting trees in Israel through…
Walls & Fences February 3, 2017 “Something There Is That Doesn’t Love A Wall” -Robert Frost Frost’s famous poem “The Mending Wall” challenges the notion captured in its flippant…
Torah Portion: Va’era Book of Exodus Chaps. 6:2-9:35 January 27, 2017 One of the tenets of Judaism is a strong abhorrence to idol worship in any form. For this…
Torah Portion: Vayehi Book of Genesis Chaps. 47:28-50:26 January 13, 2017 The book of Genesis began with the story of birth (creation of the world) and concludes with the…