The profoundly horrific events of Pittsburgh at the Tree of Life synagogue this past Shabbat has given us all pause to consider what it means to be Jewish in America.  There are the statistics that show quite clearly how contemporary American society finds it all too easy to attack Jews.  It reminds me of something…

This week’s parasha, Vayeira,  is one of those ‘pivotal moments’ in Jewish history.  The text says: ‎וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃2 וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רָץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃ 3 וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֗י אִם־נָ֙א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ אַל־נָ֥א תַעֲבֹ֖ר מֵעַ֥ל עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ 4 יֻקַּֽח־נָ֣א מְעַט־מַ֔יִם…

The story of Abram (before he becomes Abraham) is one of the inflection points in the Torah.  After Abram, everything begins happening for the Jewish people.  But let’s take a look at where this story is located and what it is trying to teach us. Here is the text: ‎וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖…

This is the month before the Days of Awe.  Called Elul, the Sages saw the name of the month as referencing ‘Ani Ldodi Vdodi Li’ – using the first letters of the phrase from the Song of Songs as referring to the month of Elul.  And what is this phrase and why did the Rabbis…

By now everyone who watches the news or reads a paper knows that Israel saved some 98 White Helmet workers and their families from almost-certain death in Syria. Who are the “White Helmets”? Here is the Wikipedia entry: The White Helmets (Arabic: الخوذ البيضاء ,القبعات البيضاء‎ al-Ḫawdh al-bayḍāʾ / al-Qubaʿāt al-Bayḍāʾ), officially known as Syria Civil…

When I was in Religious School in about Grade 7, we began our study of the Holocaust.  Of course, one of the questions that we raised was ‘how could such a thing have happened.’  It was a naive question, I realize now.  Hitler’s willing executioners were not the generals and the soldiers.  They were the…

Do you want to know the real difference between Israel and Hamas?  Once again, Hamas has underscored what all but the most oblivious have known for years: Hamas (an acronym in Arabic but a Hebrew word meaning ‘utter destruction’) is good only at destroying.  Frankly, I don’t expect anything else.  There are lots of theories…

The recent flare-up in Gaza rests on two assumptions: one, that the majority of the world will believe Hamas’ obfuscations, lies and manipulations and, two, that Jews must never fight back.  Only one has proven true.   Everyone knows what Hamas wants.  It is no secret.  The terror group has spoken about it publicly: kill…

The Torah portion this week (Shemini II) teaches us which foods are permitted (kosher) and which are not.  They are very clear to understand.  They are very easy to follow.  And, they are utterly confusing! Let’s start with seafood – appropriate since we live by the ocean.  The Torah teaches that only fish that have…