Today was Ta’anit Esther, the fast that precedes Purim. It is a good time to reflect on the meaning of Megillat Esther, its place in the...

In Parshat Tetzavé, the children of Israel are commanded to bring pure olive oil to keep the Ner Tamid, the eternal lamp in the Mishkan,...

This week, I want to begin by sharing a Midrash regarding Parshat Terumah. The Midrash, as you know, is a rabbinic explanation, typically...

To Sit in Shiva As a Nation, As a People This was the title of an email I sent out yesterday. And today, I want to share some of its...

Parshat Yitro recounts the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, an event that, according to our tradition, involved all Jewish souls—past,...

I realize Chanukah was in December but the deadline for the January issue was before the amazing party at the JCC. Many thanks are in...

I’ve mentioned before that I like to create almost theatrical images in my mind of the Torah moments that touch me deeply. The crossing...

Why is it that the Torah ALWAYS reflects situations from our own reality? Why do the examples and stories of our People seem to update...

The lessons of history are many. Among the most important is the way that events of the past teach us howt o better view the present and...

I don’t believe in the magical aspects of the Torah. I know there are many who do. I believe in an all-powerful God. So powerful, in...

“And these are the names…” This is how the book of Shmot, also known as Exodus, begins, naming each of the sons of Yaakov.  It is...

This week, in Parashat Vayechi, we encounter something particularly striking: Our third patriarch, Jacob, departs from this world, and...

This Parasha represents a pivotal moment in the narrative of the Torah. Two prominent figures, Yehuda and Yosef, come face to face. This...

Parshat Miketz invites us to reflect on the human ability to discover light amid darkness and build hope even in the most challenging...

As parents, we often forget that our choices, our ways of being, our decisions—in short, our example—leave a lasting imprint on the minds...

How do we set aside past mistakes and work together with those who have hurt us? Parshat Vayishlach speaks to us fundamentally about...

Last week in Parashat Toldot, we asked why Isaac? Why was Isaac the second patriarch? Today, we ask the same question for Jacob. Why...

Why Itzchak and not Ishmael? Why Yaacov and not Esav? The emotional climax of this week's Torah portion, Parashat Toldot, is recorded in...

I have noticed your relatives’ names on the weekly yahrzeit list and wanted you to know that there are services every Shabbat with a...

For more than a year we haven’t stopped reading about the intensification of antisemitism globally. I’d say that it’s been especially...