Sefer Bereisheet Archives | Academy for Jewish Religion

20 10, 2025

Parashat Noah – 5786

By Marisa Amith|2025-10-20T14:21:46-04:00October 20, 2025|

Thinking about floods, languages, anger and love

A D’var Torah for Parashat Noah

By Rabbi Anat Katzir (AJR ’22)

As I am writing this D’var, I am feeling flooded. Flooded with so much emotion. Flooded with feelings that I have been accumulating over two years and some that were building even longer.

Hearing the story of Noah and the flood as a child seemed magical, a miraculous tale of survival. But a flood of such proportions seemed unrelatable, unreal, a legend. Something so scary, powerful, non-discriminatory in its destruction, that it could only be a myth. Then two years ago, in one day, the idea of such a flood became all too real as I woke up at 4 a.m. to the updates on the TV as Israeli news was in the background. That part wasn’t uncommon. Falling asleep to the news of Israel continuously playing on the TV. But that morning the headlines were different; they started ominous, Read More >

13 10, 2025

Parashat Bereisheet – 5786

By Marisa Amith|2025-10-13T09:16:33-04:00October 13, 2025|

A Work in Progress: God’s Ongoing Creation and Our Role in It

A D’var Torah for Parashat Bereisheet

By Rabbi Scott “Shalom” Klein (AJR ’24)

The opening verses of Parashat Bereisheet describe a familiar scene: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” We are taught that creation unfolds over seven days, each marked by a specific act of divine utterance and artistry. From the light to the firmament, from the trees to the stars, we witness a world being meticulously brought into being. And then, on the seventh day, God rests. The story seems complete.

Yet, a closer look reveals that the creation narrative is not simply a historical account of a completed event. The text states: “Vayekhal Elohim bayom ha-shevi’i melakhto asher asah”—”God completed (or ceased from) on the seventh day His work that He had done” (Genesis 2:2). This specific choice of the root k.l.h (כ.ל.ה) for “completed/ceased” (often translated as “finished”) Read More >

20 01, 2025

Parashat Vaera – 5785

By Marisa Amith|2025-01-20T16:55:22-05:00January 20, 2025|

Let me ask you this: “As a child, what did you most associate with Christmas? What about Hanukkah? Easter? Passover?” Think about the images you associated with these holidays. Then think about what an evergreen tree has to do with the birth of Jesus; or why eight gifts represent Hanukkah. And how about connecting jelly donuts with the victory of Maccabees over Assyrian King Antiochus and the Hellenistic influence over the Israelites. Better yet, what does a bunny and chocolate eggs have to do with the crucifixion of Jesus? And even more interesting, how does the happy tune of the “Frog” song reflect on the horrifying experience of the one of 10 plagues – which caused so much suffering among Egyptians?

31 12, 2024

Parashat Vayigash 5785

By Linda Ripps|2024-12-31T11:15:47-05:00December 31, 2024|

When I was a student at AJR, I was fortunate to take an elective entitled Bibliodrama with Dr. Peter Pitzele. We were told that the class would expand how we would view Torah, by making a parashah come alive by making it into a drama.

23 12, 2024

Parashat Mikeitz 5785

By Linda Ripps|2024-12-23T12:41:02-05:00December 23, 2024|

“The waiting is the hardest part Every day you see one more card You take it on faith, you take it to the heart The waiting is the hardest part.” - “The Waiting”, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

16 12, 2024

Parashat Vayeishev 5785

By Linda Ripps|2024-12-16T13:22:21-05:00December 16, 2024|

One of my favorite TV shows growing up (with reruns on METV) was “Green Acres,” the story of Oliver Wendell Douglas, a New York lawyer, and his Hungarian socialite wife, Lisa who move from Manhattan to a farm in a place called “Hooterville.” There they encounter all sorts of characters as they try to make their way in a very different world than they’re used to. Played by the late Ava Gabor, Lisa both fits into the community, and at the same time, doesn’t.

9 12, 2024

Parashat Vayishlah 5785

By Linda Ripps|2024-12-09T10:54:41-05:00December 9, 2024|

One night many years ago, I drove to the home of a congregant to lead an evening shiva minyan. As I approached the house, I saw that it was dark, but with candle flames flickering in the windows. Having walked into a variety of interesting shiva practices, I wondered what unusual ritual I was about to encounter – a séance? – and hoped it would be something I found reasonable.

3 12, 2024

Parashat Vayeitzei 5785

By Linda Ripps|2024-12-03T14:42:27-05:00December 3, 2024|

Vayeitzei is a parashah with bookends: It starts with flight and ends with flight; it starts with a pillar and ends with a pillar (מַּצֵּבָ֔ה); it starts with a vow and ends with a vow. Such a nice, tidy frame around, arguably, a lot of commotion. It’s in that commotion, however, where change occurs, insuring that the Jacob at the start of the parashah is not the same Jacob at its end.

25 11, 2024

Parashat Toledot – 5785

By Linda Ripps|2024-11-25T11:04:08-05:00November 25, 2024|

How does it feel to be unfavored?

18 11, 2024

D’var Torah Hayei Sarah – 5785

By Linda Ripps|2024-11-18T14:36:15-05:00November 18, 2024|

Recently I was thinking a good deal about the fact that with so much going on in Israel, around the world and even here, in the United States, we forget to talk about LOVE. Unfortunately, we constantly worry - no wonder we are called the “anxious generation.”

All shall unite to do God's will with an open heart.

All shall unite to do God's will with an open heart.

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