Parasha

From Sinai to today: Judaism and the long march of monotheism - opinion

We were not selected for privilege but to carry God’s presence and moral vision into a broader world.

|ByMOSHE TARAGIN
MONOTHEISM WAS never intended to remain the private inheritance of a single nation.
IDF SOLDIERS stand at the Western Wall in June 1967 after it was captured during the Six Day War.

Parashat Bamidbar: ‘Machar Chodesh’

This week’s haftarah offers a timely message about longing, loyalty, and the enduring bond between the Jewish people and their homeland.

|ByMICHAEL FREUND
THE PURSUIT of individuality is one of modern culture’s most prominent trends.

Parashat Bamidbar: The individual within the collective

When the Torah counts the people by tribes and families, it teaches the art of integration: Each individual is counted on his or her own, yet as part of a larger structure.

|ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
‘YOU ARE growing up in a generation with dozens of types of dairy desserts in the refrigerator.’

Parashat Behar-Behukotai: Quality vs quantity

Shmita teaches that true blessing is found not in abundance, but in satisfaction, faith, and learning to focus on what truly matters.

|ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

Parashat Mishpatim: The Jewish consciousness of ‘hessed’

You must assist him even at the expense of helping a righteous person who also needs aid – so that you may overcome the inclination to hate that person within your heart.

FEBRUARY 21, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
An illustrative image of a coinpurse.

The Angel’s Double-Edged Sword: Protection and Obligation

FEBRUARY 20, 2025ByMARK FISH

Parashat Yitro: Preceding the Torah

Good character traits – especially those expressed in accepting those who are different and understanding their pain and feelings – are a prerequisite for receiving the Torah.

FEBRUARY 14, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
An illustrative image of a path leading to a cloud formation shaped like a heart with sunlight shining through.

Parashat Yitro: Hearing the silence, seeing the sound

Comprehension begins within us, including our understanding and encounter with God – the universal web that connects us to everything and everybody.

FEBRUARY 14, 2025ByMICHAEL M. COHEN
Lightning is seen over Palmachim Beach.

The Chosen People: But Why Us?

FEBRUARY 11, 2025ByMARK FISH
An orthodox man prays at the Western Wall

From fear to song: Haftarah of Parashat Beshalach mirrors Israel's current state - opinion

As in the Jewish Bible, Israel also now stands at a moment that offers the hope of quiet. With a fragile cessation of hostilities holding for now, we feel just about ready to lift our heads and heart

FEBRUARY 7, 2025ByKENNETH BRANDER
Exodus - the splitting of the Red Sea.

Parashat Beshalach: The path to victory

Unite the nation through love and kindness, and we will defeat the descendants of Amalek.

FEBRUARY 7, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
An illustrative image of chess pieces.

Parashat Beshalach: How to cross the Reed Sea

We are at a watershed moment, and we need to respond from courage, artfulness, and faith, – not from despair. It’s time to cross the Reed Sea together.

FEBRUARY 7, 2025ByRAPHAEL SHUCHAT
An illustrative image of feet walking through the water.

Parashat Bo: Beautiful as the moon

The commandment of sanctifying the month is not merely a technical instruction for those who establish the calendar on how and when to determine the new month.

JANUARY 31, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
SUPERMOON RISES over Jerusalem this past November.

More Than a Pharaoh: The Clash of Human Desire and Divine Power

JANUARY 29, 2025ByMARK FISH