When a Blessing is Truly a Blessing

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 16, 2022 | God, Gratitude, Happiness and Joy, Ki Tavo

By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz I’ve been having a rough week; my job has been making extra demands, the refrigerator is making strange noises, and each of my teens has come to me with a new and expensive gadget they cannot live without. The High Holidays begin in less than...

An Attitude of Gratitude

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 18, 2022 | Eikev, God, Gratitude

What if every holiday was Thanksgiving? What if instead of the Fourth of July we celebrated Thanksgiving? Memorial Day? Nope. Another Thanksgiving. New Year’s? Thanksgiving.   When Moses is about to part from the people, he reminds them of everything God did for them...

The Passover Haggadah

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 11, 2022 | Bo, Community, Gratitude, Passover

The Haggadah is the guidebook for the Passover seder. Haggadah literally means ‘the telling’ and, as its name implies, the main point of the evening is to tell the story of how God took the Jews out of Egypt through wonders and miracles. Seder simply means ‘order’. ...

The Hagomel Blessing: the Thanksgiving Offering of Today

by Eliyahu Berkowitz | f 15, 2022 | Gratitude, Messiah, Miracles, Prayer, Temple, Tests and Trials, Tzav

The korban todah (thanksgiving offering) was brought by anyone who survived a hazardous situation, such as a life-threatening illness, perilous journey or other hardship. The Talmud (Berachot 54b) lists the classic examples of people who would bring this offering:...

Song of the Sea

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 10, 2022 | Beshalach, Faith, Gratitude, Nisan, Passover, Prayer, Redemption

After the Children of Israel passed through the Reed Sea, God closed the waters, wiping out the Egyptian army that was chasing them. The Hebrews celebrated by singing two songs; the first 18 verses of Exodus 15 make up the Song of the Sea, while the second song,...

What Does the Command to Redeem the Firstborn have to do with the Exodus?

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 2, 2022 | Bo, God, Gratitude, Prayer, Temple

Judaism is an ethnic identity that bears with it many religious obligations. It is widely known that Jews circumcise their sons on the eighth day, a ritual called brit milah, as mandated in the Torah. But less well-known is the commandment of pidyon haben, redeeming...