Headlines »

September 27, 2023 – 4:27 pm | 95 views

Enjoy Sukkot; you earned it. You probably think you know what I mean. After the heavy lifting of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the shofar, fasting, prayers, confessions, etc., we deserve a little relaxation and joy. But I am not talking about that. I am talking about something much deeper, …

Read the full story »
Parsha Insights

Where Biblical law and Torah tale is brought vividly to life

Concepts

The Jewish perspective on topical and controversial subjects

Life Cycle

Probing for meaning in our journey and its milestones.

Yearly Cycle

Discover depth and mystique in the annual Jewish festivals

Rabbi’s Desk

Seeking life’s lessons in news items and current events

Charity Without Poverty

May 6, 2023 – 11:04 pm |
charity without poverty

Can there be charity without poverty?
The world is on a warpath to eradicate poverty. Many billionaires, and wealthy developed countries, are investing heavily in poorer countries and hope to eradicate poverty by 2030. If that happens, the question is, what will happen to charity? Will it become a thing of …

Unrest in Israel

April 29, 2023 – 10:42 pm |
unrest in israel

The current unrest in Israel is not about the state of its democracy or the role of its judiciary.  As many analysts have correctly surmised, the tensions are over the direction and soul of the country. The modern state of Israel was founded by secular Zionism, which established a secular …

Every Jew A High Priest

April 24, 2023 – 10:10 pm |
God's Space innerstream

Did you know that every Jew is a High Priest? I don’t say this tongue-in-cheek. According to the great commentator Rabbi Yakov Bal Haturim, this is precisely what G-d meant when he told our ancestors at Sinai, “You will be for me a kingdom of priests.”[1] Not only priests but …

Because I Said So

April 14, 2023 – 12:37 pm |
because-i-said-so

Because I said so, was a common refrain when I was young. We knew that we were more competent than all adults combined, and we constantly challenged our elders when we were instructed to do something. When the explanation was above our pay grades, their response was often, “Because I …

I Wish I Were a Simpleton

April 2, 2023 – 1:17 am |
simpleton

Are you a simpleton? The Hagadah makes the simpleton sound, well, simple. The simpleton asks, “What is this?” What is the seder? Why do we eat matzah and bitter herbs? Why do we drink four cups of wine? Tell him that G-d extracted us from Egypt, from the house of …

In G-d We Trust

March 25, 2023 – 10:21 pm |
in-G-d-we-trust

In G-d We Trust
Do you trust in G-d? Is that your first go-to option when you experience a setback?
Suppose your car breaks down, you lose your job, or your dental insurance lapses just before your child needs a root canal, is your first reaction, “In G-d we trust?” Sadly, for …

G-d Is Calling

March 19, 2023 – 12:17 am |
G-d is calling

When things happen to me, good or bad, I often think that G-d is calling. It is a mantra that I took up in life. It reminds me that nothing is random. Everything happens for a reason. G-d is calling to tell me something. It is either good or bad, …

The Entitlement Generation

March 11, 2023 – 9:58 pm |
entitlement

The entitlement generation claims whatever they want as their entitlement. Let me tell you a story:
Tim Hortons, a coffee house chain, runs an annual contest called, “Roll Up To Win.” Customers roll back the rim of their coffee cup to see if they won a prize. This year, the contest …