Search results for:

By Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman This week's Torah portion tells the story of several crisis points in the life of one ancient family. As the parashah opens, the family constellation includes husband Abraham, first wife- Sarah, surrogate mother-Hagar and the firstborn son of Hagar and Abraham-Ishmael. The text begins with the annunciation of Isaac's birth. As Read More >

By Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman This week's parashah, Va-Yishlah focuses on the homeward journey of Jacob and his family. This entire sidrah seems to swing widely between the poles of blessing and calamity. While the overt context of the parashah focuses on Jacob's inner and outward journeys, the feminine voices within the family are struck down Read More >

By Rabbi Kaya Stern-Kaufman And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  (Ezek. 36:26) In Parashat Va'eira the Torah presents Pharaoh's response to the successive plagues meted out Read More >

By Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman Mitzvah gedolah l'hiyot b'simhah tamid-It is a great mitzvah to always be happy. -R. Nachman of Bratslav The light is ascending, spring approaches, the season of ge'ulah, of redemption, is upon us and therefore Joy is required! The essence of the celebration of Purim is Joy. The month of Adar is Read More >

By Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman Parashat Shemini begins with the 'grand opening' of the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons have been properly garbed and consecrated for their task of serving as priests. Aaron offers the very first sacrifices upon the altar, and to the astonishment of all those gathered, God responds by sending forth a fire that Read More >

By Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman The wilderness travels in the book of Bemidbar begin with the description of the Israelite's camp, its orientation to the four directions: the Tabernacle at the center and the identifying banners of the twelve tribes flying at the front of each tribal camp. This is a traveling camp. It will dismantle Read More >

A D'var Torah for Parashat Terumah By Cantor Sandy Horowitz ('14) V’asu li mikdash v’shakhanti b’tokham “And they shall make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst” Exodus 25:8 Some people require periods of solitude in order to best function in the world. In fact, self-chosen solitude is generally considered to Read More >

A D'var Torah for Parashat Behar By Cantor Sandy Horowitz ('14) “This land is your land, this land is my land, from California to the New York island, from the redwood forests to the gulf-stream waters, this land was made for you and me.” This classic American anthem was written in 1940 by Woody Guthrie Read More >

Our Torah portion opens with the words ‘Ele toledot (Gen. 25:19) – variously translated as “These are the generations/records/lineage/descendants/begettings of…”; basically, carrying us into the next generation, and, in the case of this week’s portion, continuing the story of Isaac and Rebecca.  However, with the announcement of a barren wife (Gen. 25:21), the next generation is put in jeopardy. Ultimately, they will have children, but in looking back, what might they have shared with each other? I was walking in the field in the late afternoon;            I was riding on a camel… I looked up and saw her from afar;            I fell off my camel… and put on my veil… I heard about her generosity and strength;            He brought me into the tent that had been his mother’s… I loved her;            I loved him… In my loss she brought me comfort;            I had left my home and found comfort in his arms… Almost twenty years later and no children;            For almost twenty years we tried and tried… I cannot think of being with anyone else;            No handmaid, no second wife, no surrogate for us… I appealed to God – for my wife is barren;            I was right by his side – and in time, my own appeal: Oy! What did I ask for?

The Bitter and the Sweet A D’var Torah for Parashat Shemini By Rabbi Greg Schindler ('09) Most of us are familiar with the concept of a hyperlink. Case in point: hyperlink. When you click on a hyperlink, you begin a journey connecting the idea on the page to a related concept. Quite the innovation, right? Yes, indeed. The hyperlinks embedded in the Read More >