Tell me about your dinner please…<br>Parshas Tazria-Metzora 5785
“Mommy,” calls my eight year old as he heads down the stairs, “What’s for dinner?” Evidently, a few seconds of foreknowledge makes all the difference when it comes to the dinner menu. “Lasagna, salad, and fresh fruit,” calls back my…
Parshas Tazriah – Metzorah 5785
This coming Shabbat, two portions – Tazriah and Metzorah - will be read in Shul. The main topic of these two portions is the מצורע - “metzorah,” one who is stricken with the malady -צרעת “tzaraat” (or tzaraas). The usual…
Sefirat Haomer – The Counting of the Omer
When the Holy Temple stood, a daily sacrifice was brought every morning and evening. The morning prayer שחרית - Shacharit corresponds to and substitutes for the morning sacrifice and מנחה - Mincha, the afternoon service, corresponds and substitutes for the…
The Seder Companion 5785
This booklet may be used at your seder to help understand the Haggadah. This coming Saturday night, the 15th day of Nissan, we will all be sitting at the first Pesach seder celebrating the Passover holiday. Some of us will…
A Trip You Can’t Fit in Your Brain<br>Parshas Vayikra 5785
Due to the Pre-Pesach busyness, I’m sending out a repeat email this week. And while it was written long ago (2015 I believe?) and only edited slightly, the message still rings true and clear, so I hope you enjoy! Have…
Pesach 5785
The Festival of Pesach is, by far, Judaism’s most celebrated holiday. In terms of popularity, it trumps even Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the “High Holidays.” The theme of freedom that we celebrate on Pesach resonates so deeply within us…
Max Naumann’s Folly<br>Parshas Pekudei
Hans-Joachim Schoeps, Heinz Georg Salomon Frank, Max Naumann. These are names of people we were told existed, but had a hard time believing. These are a few of the Jewish supporters of the National Socialist German’s Working Party, also known…
Shabbat HaChodesh 5785
On the last day of the month of Adar some 3,500 years ago, as the first sliver of the new moon signaling the beginning of the new month Nissan appeared, Hashem taught Moshe and Aharon the mitzvah of sanctifying the…
Kids as Accessories<br>Parshas Vayakhel
So few days; so many outfits. What will it be today? Should it be the striped dress by Marc Jacobs with the custom Ferragamo heels? Or perhaps the Armani bubble dress with the Jean Paul Gaultier down coat? Then there’s…