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194 results total, viewing 11 - 20

The title of this week’s parashah , Shemot, means “names,” and refers to the names of Jacob’s sons, who entered Egypt as free men. However, in the biblical account of the … more

d'Var Torah | 1/7/24

We too often view criticism as disloyalty

Harvard Prof. Shaye J.D. Cohen identifies the Maccabean Revolt against Greek King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, which began in 167 B.C.E., as “history’s first recorded struggle for relgious … more

d'Var Torah | 12/1/23

It’s not a sin to argue with God

The book of Genesis begins with God deciding to create human beings to rule all the other created things: “Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of … more

d'Var Torah | 11/6/23

Finding your letter in the Torah

The Hebrew month of Tishrei is one long marathon of Jewish rituals. We blasted into this month with Rosh Hashanah. We raised ourselves up with the White Fast of Yom Kippur. We entered the comfort of … more

d'Var Torah | 10/5/23

Balancing the past with the future during these Days of Awe

A cartoon that once appeared in the New Yorker pictures a man saying to his therapist, “But I love the past, I grew up there!” How true that is. Let’s face it, as Rhode … more

d'Var Torah | 9/1/23

The power and danger of ‘because’

This week’s Torah portion has an odd name. It is called “Ekev,” a word that in Hebrew means “Because.” Like all of the Torah portions, Ekev gets its name … more

d'Var Torah | 8/4/23

Torah tales affirm that we all count

Our portion this Shabbat is named after Aaron’s grandson, Pinchas, who defended God’s honor in the previous portion, and was promised that the Priestly Dynasty would remain in this family … more

d'Var Torah | 7/7/23

Getting lost might be just what we need

In April , I had the pleasure of seeing the Arctic Playhouse’s production of “The 39 Steps” (my spouse, Annie, was in the cast), a comedy based on Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 … more

d'Var Torah | 6/1/23

What is Lag B’Omer anyway?

Monday and Tuesday, May 8-9, brings one of the oddest holidays of the Jewish year. Lots of people can tell you that Lag B’Omer is the 33rd day of the counting of the omer (didn’t you … more

d'Var Torah | 5/4/23

Our journey to redemption

The festival of Passover is known by two names. Our sages called it “the time of our freedom,” because it is our celebration for God gifting us our exodus from Mizraim (Egypt). Of course, … more

d'Var Torah | 4/2/23