Search results for:

By Rabbi Jill Hammer Parashat Vayigash, the Torah portion of this week, tells the story of the final reconciliation of Joseph with his brothers. The eleven brothers, including Benjamin, the youngest, are in the throne room of the Egyptian vizier, and the vizier demands of them that Benjamin remain in Egypt as a slave. The Read More >

By Jill Hackell "And you will command B'nai Yisrael that they bring to you oil of olives, pure, beaten, to draw up a ner tamid." Several years ago, at the annual Purim Ball, I won a set of tallit clips in a raffle. These were beautifully hand-crafted in silver by a jeweler in our congregation Read More >

By Rabbi Michael G. Kohn As we look at this parashah, I would like us to think about the message the Torah is giving us as parents. I have always had a difficult time with this parashah, first, because it focuses on the death of the last of our patriarchs. The description of Jacob's "family" Read More >

By Rabbi Allen Darnov "When Moses had grown up, he went out to his kinsfolk" (Exod 2:11). This verse has generally been understood to denote that Moses, aware of his Hebrew identity, sympathetically goes out to investigate the suffering of his oppressed kinsmen in Egypt. When might Moses have learned that he was a Hebrew? Read More >

By Sanford Olshansky This parashah forces us to ask ourselves whether we believe in a God who acts in history - a God who even if not very hands-on today, must have been very hands-on at one time. The Genesis tales about the lives of our patriarchs and matriarchs could be taken as allegories. Even Read More >

By Joan Lenowitz "BaMayim Ro'im," In the Water They See It is the rainy season in Israel right now and the words of acknowledgement that we insert into the Amidah for God's benevolence in bestowing life-preserving rains upon us during this season seem not to have not gone unheeded. It has been raining without pause Read More >

By Hayley Mica Siegel To say that I come from a family of talkers is an understatement. At an early age, I was taught "It's perfectly fine to interrupt someone else if you know his/her answer or what he/she is about to say" by my elders and witnessed irsthand that this statement was upheld to Read More >

By Laurie Levy "It's been a long time comin', it's going to be a long time gone. But you know, the darkest hour, is always just before the dawn." David Crosby (1968) Last week's parashah, Va'Era, leaves off right in the middle of the action where seven plagues have been visited on the Egyptians and Read More >

By Rabbi/Cantor Anne Heath In Parashat Mishpatim we reach the pivot point of the Book of Exodus. Until now we have been engaged with the exciting history of our ancestors' release from slavery in Egypt and the subsequent revelation at Mount Sinai. In the following weeks, our Exodus studies guide us through the vision and Read More >

By Rabbi Katy Z. Allen The Gifts of Our Hearts "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Tell the Israelites to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him... let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them." (Ex. 25:1-2, 8) Specific details for Read More >