by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 18, 2023 | Israel, Vayishlach
The enduring existence of Israel through the centuries is a remarkable chapter in human history. The fact that the nation of Israel continues to exist despite being exiled from its land for 2,000 years is unprecedented. Even more unique is the Jewish people’s...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 29, 2023 | Israel, Lech Lecha, Toldot, Vayeitzei, Vayishlach
At the age of seventy-five, Abraham encounters God for the very first time. In this seminal moment, God commands him to leave his family and all that is familiar to him and embark on a journey to an unspecified land. With a faith that would define his legacy, Abraham...
by Rabbi Pesach Wolicki | f 22, 2023 | Covenant, Vayeitzei
At the beginning of this week’s Torah portion, Vayeitzei (Genesis 28:10-32:3), we find Jacob on the run after leaving home in the wake of the events surrounding his acquisition of his father’s blessings. Jacob’s brother, Esau, vowed to kill Jacob after the death of...
by Rabbi Elie Mischel | f 22, 2023 | Bo, Zechariah
Before Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935) became the chief rabbi of pre-State Israel, he served as the rabbi of Boisk, Latvia. On the holiday of Purim, 1897, Rabbi Kook sat together with some of the young men who were students in his religious school and shared...
by Rabbi Elie Mischel | f 20, 2023 | Toldot
With over 300,000 reservists currently serving in the IDF, Israel is facing a severe manpower shortage. Making matters worse, many of the foreign workers who play a key role in the Israeli economy have returned to their home countries because of the war. To help fill...
