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 Va'era: Pharaoh’s sin of hubris

The blessing that led Pharaoh to the sin of arrogance is the very thing that will turn into a curse.

JANUARY 24, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
In a recent article, Dr. Zahi Hawass, the Egyptian former Minister of Antiquities, addressed the enduring myth of the Curse of the Pharaohs.

Parashat Shemot: Compassion and respect for others

Redemption and progress cannot come at the expense of another’s dignity.

JANUARY 17, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
Moses was a leader with humility, which is what we should be looking for today.

Parashat Shemot: Women as leaders

The remarkable story of six heroines – six courageous women without whom there would not have been a Moses.

JANUARY 17, 2025ByRABBI JONATHAN SACKS
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.

Patience is the Key: Life Advice from Rabbi Yeshayahu Pinto

JANUARY 17, 2025ByDAVID BERGER

Parashat Vayehi: The blessing of connection

The act of giving blessing creates connection. Hopefully, we do not wait until the end of our lives to create or facilitate this connection with our loved ones as Jacob did.

JANUARY 10, 2025ByNECHAMA GOLDMAN BARASH
Torah scroll 521

Parashat Vayehi: The traits of a leader

While everyone makes mistakes, a leader whose decisions stem from rashness and haste can spell disaster for his people – and potentially for humanity as a whole.

JANUARY 10, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
Reuben and his brothers. Detail of a painting by Colijn de Coter circa 1500, from a collection at the National Museum in Warsaw.

Naftali's blessing: The power of kind words and contentment

JANUARY 9, 2025ByMARK FISH

Parashat Vayigash: Salvation is near

Many times, salvation is not complicated at all. It is already here, right before our eyes.

JANUARY 3, 2025ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
An illustrative image of two mountain climbers, one helping another.

Parashat Miketz: Joseph, the master of ‘provention’

The Torah reminds us of a slower tempo. That cadence can enhance our ability to act more long term and proactively, as we face so many dilemmas, to be more like Joseph and practice “provention.”

DECEMBER 27, 2024ByMICHAEL M. COHEN
An illustrative image of farming in Israel.

Your Life Can Change in an Instant: An Uplifting Message from Rabbi Pinto

DECEMBER 26, 2024ByDAVID BERGER