Recent Issues By Rabbi Uri Lam, 44, Sociedade Israelita da Bahia ( SIB – Jewish Congregation of Bahia ), Salvador, Bahia St., Brazil “El Na Refa Na La” (God, please, heal her, please) Five words. From one moment to the next, Moses – the only man who saw God face to face – humbles himself […]
by Rabbi Pauline Bebe, rabbi of Communaute Juive Liberale , Paris, France Le désert – le désert est-ce la solitude de ces moments d’entre-deux, entre Pessah et shavouoth ? The desert: the desert, is it the solitude of those moments in between: between Passover and Shavuot ? Un peu comme un montagnard qui marche d’un pic […]
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Mark L. Winer, President of the Florida Democratic Party Caucus of American Jews and President of FAITH: the Foundation to Advance Interfaith Trust and Harmony We Jews live in a complicated, “BOTH/AND” world. We have BOTH never enjoyed more acceptance and freedom than at this time in history—AND yet the number […]
Recent Issues By Rabbi Benjie Gruber, Rabbi of Kibbutz Yahel and the Arava Region As we find ourselves after Purim, and Pesach is coming close, we read two Torah portions dealing almost only with the creation of the Temple in the desert, the Mishkan, the tabernacle. What is this all about? But more importantly: What […]
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Naamah Kelman, the Dean of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem Recently I participated on a panel discussing Intermarriage. This was for an Israeli audience and for many of them; the very issue of Intermarriage is just another indication of the decline of Jewry outside of Israel. It was […]
by Rabbi Sheryl Nosan-Lantzke, Jewish Spirituality Australia (in Perth, and Worldwide at nefeshproject.wordpress.com ) This week’s parasha, Yitro, brings us to revelation at Sinai, but doesn’t reveal tablets of “The Ten Commandments.” We hear God’s instructions (including direction to worship only God, sanctify Shabbat and honour parents as well as prohibitions against murder, theft and […]
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon, Senior Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El , Tucson, Arizona, USA The Song to the Violent God “ God (YHVH) is a man of war! YHVH is His Name! ” — Exodus 15:3 The Torah portion of B’Shalach is justly famous for two reasons. First, it tells the great tale of […]
What is it that makes the Jews a people? Rashi asked that question in 11th century France in the very first comment of his Torah commentary. The first verse of Genesis describes the creation of the universe, but Rashi asks should it not have been a verse from our portion this week where God addresses the whole community of Israel, Exodus 12:2, “this month [the month of Nisan containing Pesach] shall be for you the beginning of the months”?
hen reading this week’s Parasha, Parashat Bo, we learn not only about the additional plagues that were not mentioned in last week’s portion, and not only about the preparations for the very first Passover, but we discover when, why, and who went out of Egypt and were delivered by God. The chapter does not specify names of Jewish families or a list of those who came out of Egypt, but does answer some questions such as “when did the Exodus start?” and perhaps even gives a hint on how to make this important Jewish event a success.
By: Rabbi Rich Kirschen Director, Anita Saltz International Education Center of the World Union for Progressive Judaism Recent Issues “When the Lord saw that he (Moshe) had turned aside to look (to notice), God called out to him from out of the bush.” Exodus, Chapter 3 verse 4. Being “present in the moment” is never easy […]