The Joy of Building a Home in Israel

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 5, 2023 | God, Israel, Kindness and Compassion, Psalms, Temple

By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz The construction of my house was an epic saga I am passionate about telling. I was the contractor for my house in Gush Etzion, and when the builder was short on workers I showed up to help pour the foundation. I loved my house. Israel is...

“Avocados are Bad for You!” and Other Absolute Truths

by Rabbi Elie Mischel | f 13, 2022 | Ecclesiastes, Faith, Sukkot

By Elie Mischel In 1912, as the women’s suffrage movement was beginning to pick up steam, the brilliant former President of Princeton University and the newly elected President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, made the following comments on women and voting: ...

Where are We in the Messianic Process?

by Eliyahu Berkowitz | f 23, 2022 | God, Isaiah, Israel, Messiah, Redemption, Temple

Many people believe that Judaism is not ‘Messianic’, and that observant Jews are only concerned about performing commandments. But one of the commandments, as enumerated by Maimonides, is to anticipate that the Messiah will arrive at any moment. Dr. Pinchas Polonsky,...

The Clouds of Glory: Living in God’s Shelter

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 2, 2022 | God, Hebrew Language, Pekudei, Temple

After the Tabernacle is fully assembled, God descends upon it in a cloud of glory: The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of Hashem filled the Mishkan. Exodus 40:34 The Hebrew word for ‘glory,’ kavod (כָּבוֹד), is perhaps more precisely translated as...

Hiram: The pagan who built Solomon’s Temple

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 22, 2022 | Temple

Every Shabbat, after the Torah is read in the synagogue, an additional reading is made which is taken from the Prophets. This reading is called the haftarah and is thematically linked to the Torah reading. When the Torah portion of Vayakhel (Exodus 35:1-38:2), which...