A Cinder-Allah Purim!
Parshat Tetzaveh 5783

Aziza al Tahmimi’s father had always told her that life wasn’t meant to be fair, and he sure got that one right. In November of 2013, he became a martyr by blowing himself up in the Central Bus Station in…

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Parshat Tetzaveh 5783

First Principles of Snowboarding and Life
Parshat Terumah 5783

Hello Everybody, It was on the first morning of my snowboarding trip, at about 8:30 AM that I realized I need some more stretching in my life. I was sitting on the floor with Kenny, a ski/ snowboard instructor, preparing…

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Parshat Terumah 5783

PETA and the Super Bowl…
Parshat Yisro 5783

"I do agree with a lot of the core beliefs of PETA," I exclaimed as I cut myself another piece of succulent roast beef, pausing only to dip it in béarnaise sause before eating it with gusto. My guest looked…

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Parshat Yisro 5783

Defining Deepwater Drilling Dangers!
Parshat Beshalach 5783

Under the soil in southern Louisiana are mountains of salt the size of Mt Everest. When Hashem was creating the many miracles of creation, one of them was that the land beneath our feet would always be shifting and churning,…

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Parshat Beshalach 5783

The Rebel Zoo
Parshat Va’era 5783

There are zoos, and there are animal parks. Zoos are built in large metropolitan areas, animal parks rise up in the deep country. Zoos have concrete pathways, food courts, and train rides, animal parks have dirt paths, food trucks, and…

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Parshat Va’era 5783

The Library of You 
Parshat Vayechi 5783

I used to think that the entire California was one big meeting ground for urbane, progressive sophisticates, the type that ate braised youngberry frites, used venti as a vocabulary word, or listened to world fusion music while drinking organic wheatgrass martinis. While…

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Parshat Vayechi 5783

Do you think you are better than others? 
Parshat Vayigash 5783

Sandra never knew freedom. She was born in captivity into a group of people that treated her like an animal, keeping her in a cage, and feeding her not much more than bottles of milk and vegetable scraps. Being caged…

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Parshat Vayigash 5783

The Court of Public Opinion 
Parshat Vayeshev 5783

Hello Everybody, Due to a series of unfortunate events, I have ended up in court far too many times in my life. Luckily those unfortunate events were mostly speeding or failure to obey a traffic device as opposed to homicide,…

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Parshat Vayeshev 5783

The Five Dollar Millionaire 
Parshat Vayishlach 5783

He cut a dashing figure when he entered any room, a tall regal Englishman dressed in impeccably tailored thousand dollar Chester Barrie suits worn over smart Turnbull & Asser shirts and ties, a slight salt and pepper beard barely hiding…

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Parshat Vayishlach 5783