Chanukah is a joyous Jewish holiday. The Festival of Lights was meant to remind us of the miracles performed for our ancestors when our Jewish way of life was seriously threatened from both foreign enemies and Jewish traitors. Unfortunately too many of our leaders, while celebrating this holiday with joy and pride, fail to recognize [...]
This Rosh HaShannah marked the 23rd year that I have been sounding ths Shofar for the early morning minyan at the Cave of Machpela in Hebron. Once again the G-d of Israel blessed my lips and enabled me to sound the notes. Although I tried to relax and just let the sounds come out, when [...]
As we approach Israel’s Independence Day, once again the question arises. “Why should we celebrate?” We may have a country called Israel, but we can hardly call ourselves “independent”. We have leaders who seek to give away at least part of our country to build a new Arab enemy state on Jewish soil. The nations [...]
How fitting that we find ourselves waiting for a new government at the beginning of the month of Adar. This fact is probably the most hopeful element in that close to futile effort. The month of Adar is the month in which the holiday of Purim occurs and thus it invokes the hope of G-dly [...]
When Chanukah comes, most American Jews compare it to Christmas.
They buy presents for their children and combat the Christmas tree with the Chanukah Menorah. In Israel things are different. Even the toy dreidle, the spinning top, is different. In America the four letters on the dreidle are Nun, Gimel, Hay, and Shin. Nes gadol haya [...]
Today is the first day of the month of Elul. Starting today, and for the entire month, we sound the shofar every morning after our prayers to prepare ourselves for the Days of Awe which are coming. I had taken my shofar with me and was looking forward to the moment when I would sound [...]
In less than two weeks the month of Elul begins. Every morning, at the end of our prayers, we sound the Shofar to remind ourselves that the Day of Judgment is nearly upon us. It is time for introspection in order to prepare ourselves for the Days of Awe that are coming very soon.
It would [...]
As the countdown of the Omer approaches its climax, Jews all over the world are preparing to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot, (the Feast of Weeks) commemorating the culmination of the seven weeks between our Redemption from Egypt and the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. The lesson of this holiday is that true [...]
In this coming week’s Torah portion, B’shalach, the great Torah sage and commentator, Rashi, makes an interesting point which is more than pertinent today. After Pharaoh lets the People of Israel leave Egypt, he suddenly has a change of heart. He summons his army to chase after the Israelites and bring them back to Egypt. [...]